Korean CultureBy: Hannah Staska

Dance• There are two common dances in Korea: Court

dances and Folk dances• Court dances are usually performed at

banquets and Confucian rituals. Court dances can be divided into native and Form dances. The Form dances were imported from China

• The traditional clothing that women wear while dancing is called genja

Homes• Are traditionally selected using geomancy• Definition of geomancy: divination by geographic features or by

figures or lines• It is believed that any geographic buildings or configurations

generates invisible forces of good or ill. There has to be a balance of negative and positive energies (yin and yang)

• A house is supposed to built on a side of a hill and face towards the south to receive the most sunlight

• Traditional Korean homes consist of an inner and outer wing• Since prehistoric times, heated flooring has been used• People may also live in modernized houses and apartments

Gardens• Temple gardens and private gardens are mostly

the same• Koreans try to make gardens feel more natural

than nature. Japanese and Chinese decorate their gardens with man made objects

• A lotus pond is an important feature to the garden. It usually has a pavilion built next to it so people can enjoy watching the water

Clothing

• The traditional dress is called hanbok which has been worn since the ancient times

• The hanbok is worn during formal occasions

• The tradtional hat is called the gwanmo• Clothing is often an important mark of

social rank

Food and agriculture• The staple food of Korea is rice• Main crops: beans, barley, and rice• Because Korea is a peninsula, fish and seafood are

important foods• One of the most famous foods in Korea is Kimchi.

There are hundreds of varieties of Kimchi• Kimchi: a traditionally fermented Korean dish,

made up of vegetables with varied seasonings

Religion

• The religion of Shamanism has been practiced in ancient times and in present day

• Buddhism and Confucianism were introduced to Korea by China

• Today, Confucianism plays a major role in the society

• The elders of Korea are respected greatly

Flags and Leaders

North Korean Flag South Korean Flag

Kim Jong ll Lee Myung-Bak

Resources• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Korea• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-il• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Myung-bak• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi