If you’ve lived in Korea long enough you’ve probably come across some instances of culture shock: women putting on a full face of makeup on the subway, how everyone seems interested in whether you’ve eaten or not, the delicacy of SPAM, soap on a stick.
But some of the strangest cases of culture shock you may experience may be the superstitions that exist in Korea – many of which seem exclusive to this country alone. Here are just a couple:
Yesterday I bought a lottery ticket and gave my Korean girlfriend a new pair of shoes. I went to bed happy and dreamt of pigs all night. The next morning I woke up and my girlfriend was gone, she took everything including the new pair of shoes. Sad and confused I decided to check my lottery ticket and guess what, I won!
Sound strange? Every culture in the world has odd and unique superstitions and Korea is certainly no exception. Here are 5 Korean superstitions that you probably weren’t aware of.
Koreans believe that receiving shoes as a gift will kill the relationship. The person in the relationship who receives the shoes will ‘run away’ from their significant other. Are you in an awkward relationship with a Korean girl or boy? Give them a pair of new shoes to end the relationship quickly and painlessly!
Aside from the fact that it’s difficult to guess a significant other’s shoe size, giving shoes as gifts to a loved one in South Korea is a huge no-no. Superstition states that presenting a lover with a pair of shoes will make him or her run away… most likely in the same pair of shoes!
Koreans believe that if you give shoes as gift to someone, the recipient will wear the shoes and run away from you. Therefore, Koreans do not give shoes as gift to lovers and friends as they do not want to break up with them.
Every country has its own somewhat illogical set of superstitions and myths – Korea is no different. Whether or not you’re superstitious, avoiding the taboos and adhering to the superstitions of a certain country are signs of cultural sensitivity. Keep in mind that not everybody believes cultural myths and faux pas – but understanding them could signify the difference between somebody who merely lives in a country and somebody who tries to understand the place they live in.
