This presentation provides basic background information about life in Seoul (and life in Korea) for incoming study abroad exchange students at Korea University for the spring semester 2014.

1. Life in
Seoul/Korea
Walter Foreman
Office of Int’l Affairs,
Korea University

2. Which of the following ‘facts’
about Seoul are true?
A. Seoul is Korea’s largest city?
B. Seoul is Korea’s capital city.
C. Seoul hosted the closing ceremony
for the 2002 World Cup.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

3. Which of the following ‘facts’
about Seoul are true?
A. Seoul is Korea’s largest city?
B. Seoul is Korea’s capital city.
C. Seoul hosted the closing ceremony
for the 2002 World Cup.
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

7. Federal Government
korea.net
visitkorea.or.kr
Local Government
global.seoul.go.kr
seoul.go.kr
Korea University
korea.edu
oia.korea.ac.kr

15. Who knows more
about water…
fish or birds?

17. BIG “C” CULTURE: OBJECTIVE CULTURE
VISIBLE CULTURE
Economic, Educational, Religious, Governmental, Legal,
and Political Institutions and Systems; Architecture,
Dance, Music, Literature, Culinary Arts, Fashion, Heroes,
Holidays, Popular Culture; Age, Ethnicity, Race, Gender
Meaning of Time, Space, Life, Death, Myths and Legends,
Behaviors, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Conflict
Resolution, Definition of Right and Wrong,
Immigration/Work Status, Marital/Parental Status,
Personality and Thinking Style, Education, Sexual
Orientation, Group or Individual Roles, Country of Origin
small “c” culture: subjective culture
„hidden‟ culture

20. Non-Koreans in Korea (2000 - 2013)
1,800,000
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Source: Korea Immigration Service
10
11
12
13
14

21. China
778,113
USA
134,711
Vietnam
120,069

22. Japan
Uzbekistan
56,018
38,515
Thailand
Taiwan
55,110
27,698
Philippines
Mongolia
47,514
24,175
Indonesia
Canada
41,499
23,655

27. Place
Population
500,000
Newfoundland
500,000
Tasmania
Indiana 6,300,000
Scotland & Wales 8,300,000
NZ North Island 3,000,000
Western Cape 5,200,000

29. Half full?
Half empty?

32. Korea’s first 24-hour
convenience store opened in…

33. 1989

34. Today there are 20,000 stores.

35. 2013 - 1989 = 24 (years)
365 x 24 = 8,760 (days)
20,000 / 8,760 = ~2.3 (stores/day)

36. Half full?
Half empty?

56. Eat

58. Korean food is…
Spicy/hot
Yummy
Healthy
Awesome
Labor
Intensive

64. Drink

71. Be Merry

77. Life in
Seoul/Korea
Walter Foreman
Office of Int’l
Affairs, Korea University