Facts about South Korean culture

• The eldest in the house is considered the most wise, and therefore makes most of the important decisions.
• When you enter a South Korean home, the first thing you do is remove your shoes.
• When the first night of the new year comes everybody hides their shoes. This is because there is a belief that a ghost will come down and try on everyone’s shoes. If the ghost finds a pair it likes it will take it. It is thought that the owner of the shoes will then have bad luck for the whole year.
• Korean architecture is influenced by China.
• The martial art 'Tae kwon do' originated in Korea.