Korea, Explained
KOREA, EXPLAINED
The little things that make everyday life in Korea different.
Heated Bus-Stop Seats
Heated seats make waiting for the bus more comfortable during Korea's cold winters.
Ondol Floor Heating
Ondol warms the whole floor, allowing heat to rise gently through the room instead of simply blowing warm air.
Table Call Buttons
Press the button on the table to call a server without waving or shouting.
Hidden Table Utensil Drawers
In many Korean restaurants, spoons, chopsticks, and tissues are stored in a drawer under or beside the table for guests to take themselves.
Free Banchan
Order a main dish, and you will usually receive several small side dishes, such as kimchi and seasoned vegetables.
Metal Chopsticks
In many Korean restaurants, stainless-steel chopsticks come with a spoon instead of disposable wooden chopsticks.
RFID Food-Waste Bins
These bins weigh food scraps and charge each apartment household based on the amount it discards.
Convenience-Store Shipping
You can send a package from a convenience store or have it delivered to a nearby store for pickup.
Details
Convenience-Store Shipping
Korea's convenience-store parcel service grew out of two things that are hard to miss: a dense convenience-store network and a fast delivery culture. In many cities, a store is only a few minutes away. As more people began living alone, shopping online, and buying and selling secondhand goods, flexible pickup and drop-off points became more useful. Many stores stay open around the clock and connect directly to courier systems, so they can work like small neighborhood shipping counters. You can send a package after work, have an item held for pickup when you are away during the day, or complete a secondhand sale without meeting a stranger face to face. Although it looks like a place for snacks, a convenience store often functions as part of the neighborhood's everyday infrastructure. Parcel lockers, low-cost store-to-store delivery, and in-store pickup are all part of the same trend. For anyone who would rather not share a home address or is often away during delivery hours, the local convenience store fills a very practical gap.