K-Drama Review: Jewel in the Palace

Haarini Angappan Balasubramaniam, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum) is a 54-episode, historical fiction drama starring Lee Young-ae, Ji Jin-Hee, Hong Ri-na, and Lim Ho. The drama is based on the life of The Great Jang Geum. It aired on MBC from September 15, 2003, to March 23, 2004, and has…

KOREAN TRADITIONAL WEDDING DRESS

Chanchal Bharti, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh Who loves weddings? Nope! I should instead ask, who doesn’t love wedding dresses? Have you ever wanted to photograph yourself dressed in a traditional Korean wedding, Hanbok? I know we all adore the fashionable outfits of the bride and groom, but today we will talk about a new wedding dress;…

The Tradition and History of Korean Pottery

Khushi Sharma, New Delhi: “What amount of art would be needed to produce an artless art?” In regard to the answer, Korean ceramics are the perfect example for marking effortlessness. By just looking at the piece of pottery one can feel the essentials it carries in its intentions. Korea- “the land of morning calm” possesses a long history of clay and its beauty. Living through different dynasties the interplay of clay, glaze, and temperature became eternal. Thus, eternity is not only a part of Korean culture instead it imparts a lot about the culture within.

Beauty of South Korea Captured in K-Dramas

Sanskriti Saxena (New Delhi), Anisha Nath (Kolkata, West Bengal), Piyush Mandal (Panvel, Maharashtra), Biti Sophia Soren (New Delhi), Suparna Mitra (Kolkata, West Bengal): South Korea is filled with many tourist destinations which attract a lot of people every year. There are many famous K-dramas that capture the attention of the viewers and play an important role in adding value to promoting the tourism and cultural heritage of the country. Here, we take a look at some of the famous K-Dramas that explore the marvelous beauty of South Korea that can be easily added to the bucket list of all the K-enthusiasts who wish to visit the country one day. To celebrate this imperishable bond between the nature and K-Dramas, here are some K-Dramas suggestions that explore the beauty of nature in South Korea.

Cheoyongmu: A Traditional Korean Dance-Form

Khiroda Singh Khuntia, Rourkela, Odisha: South Korea, a country which is famous for not only its entertainment, music, food, beauty, and fashion but also for its long preserved diverse tradition and culture. South Korea is now dominating the world due to the ever-increasing popularity of K-Pop and K-Dramas; and also has a fascinating history of its own traditional dances and music forms. Many K-Fans who love K-Dramas probably have seen the historical dramas such as Hwarang, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and Hwang Jini; and might have found out how the traditional dance-forms were performed back then. Traditional dance-forms like Cheoyongmu, Seungmu, Hallyangmu, and Buchaechum which were beautifully performed in royal courts and among masses since the ancient times, are preserved and performed even today.

Natural Resources of South Korea

Nikhat Parveen, (New Delhi), Suparna Mitra (Kolkata, West Bengal), Aanchal Tekriwal (Mahagama, Jharkhand), Shrishti Kalwar (Mumbai, Maharastra), Deepika Gill (Gurgaon, Haryana): Nature can help anyone relieve stress by fresh air, looking at green leaves, at the blue skies and white clouds above. South Korea is known for its beautiful nature and landscapes and it has been making several efforts toward green and sustainable living thanks to its abundant natural resources the country is endowed with. South Korea is a resource-abundant country. If we take a brief look at the Korean peninsula, it’s surrounded by seas and mountains. There are many sea beaches, waterfalls and forests all over the country. Let’s look at some of these:

NATIONAL FLAG OF SOUTH KOREA: TAEGEUKGI

Suparna Mitra, Kolkata, West Bengal: The flag of Republic of South Korea is known as Taegeukgi and it embodies the vision of Korean people who like the universe, seek continuous creation and enrichment by upholding the spirit and significance of the Taegeukgi. Korean people seek to realise the unity and unification which their flag symbolises and contribute to happiness and peace of humanity. Korean people take pride in their national flag, which has an interesting history. Click to read more about the national flag of South Korea.

Japsang: Guardian of Royal Palaces

Shefali Singh, New Delhi: South Korea is known worldwide not only for its rapid modern technological advances and urbanization, but also for its historical heritage and treasure. Magnificent and beautiful palaces on the land of the morning calm has always been pleasing for tourists. If you have ever been to South Korea and visited Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung Palaces, or noticed this location in any Korean drama or documentary, did you ever notice the little sculptures of different shapes aligned on the edge of the eaves, and wondered what they are and what they mean? These sculptures are known as ‘Japsang’ (잡상) and they symbolize the guardian or protector of the Palace.

The Korean Society during the Joseon Dynasty

Devitt Khuallalmuan Ngaihte, Imphal, Manipur: In the present context, the term ‘society’ refers to a group of individuals involved in social interactions having a common collective interest, language, culture and traditions. Order and hierarchy and the demand to meet expectations of the society has framed the Korean society since time immemorial. It emphasized on family values, hierarchy between classes, older and younger people. South Koreans are hardworking, and the country has undergone profound economic developments and transformations in such a brief span of time. This article details the drastic transitions that took place in the Korean society at the start of the Joseon Dynasty.

How Christmas is Celebrated in South Korea?

Jubby Kumar, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh: Christianity in South Korea was relatively small for a long time with only 2% of the populations who identified themselves as Christians. Catholicism was first introduced in South Korea during the late Joseon Dynasty. However, a big change was introduced after World War II, when the missionaries arrived in South Korea and the people identifying as Christians rose to 25%. Christmas celebrations in South Korea are slightly different from the western countries but at the same time, there are some similar traditions. So let’s first start with the differences.