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Korean Housewarming Party Gifts: Why Toilet Paper Is the Answer
When my husband and I moved a couple of years back, I decided it was time to have a housewarming party, a jipdeuri (집들이) in Korean. We invited friends and on the day of the get-together my husband said we had to rush out to get this food and that drink. Had I under-prepared? Wouldn’t our guests be bringing food, or drinks, or flowers and plants? As Emily Post had taught me, guests, though it’s not a rule, often bring a bottle of wine, some bread, or the odd plant. That is not how it works in Korea. By the end of our party we were stacked ceiling-high in toilet…
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Korean First Birthday (Doljanchi): Complete Guide to Traditions, Doljabi and Hanbok
Celebrating a baby’s first birthday is a big deal in just about every culture, but in Korea, it comes with traditions that make the day feel especially meaningful. A Korean first birthday celebration is called a dol or doljanchi, and it is about much more than cake and candles. From the baby’s hanbok to the carefully prepared dolsang table and the much-anticipated doljabi ceremony, every detail is filled with symbolism, family hopes, and a look toward the child’s future. When I first attended a Korean friend’s baby’s first birthday party, I expected balloons, games, and a lot of children running around. Instead, I found something that felt more like a…
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My Top Ten Adventures of 2015!
Much like 2014, not all of the adventures I undertook this year involved traveling yet this year managed to be extremely adventurous and full of first time experiences. I love looking back at my year and appreciating everything that I’ve done. It’s always fun to reminisce and be thankful for the experiences, events, people and more that I have had, gone to and met. I hope that everyone takes the time to recall their year as we near the end and I hope that everyone has at least a few moments to smile upon and be grateful for. Here are my top ten adventures of 2015! (This post contains affiliate…
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How To Celebrate The Winter Solstice In Korea
Like many holidays, unofficial or not, in Korea, there’s something that should be eaten on the upcoming winter solstice, or Dongji (동지), so get your spoons ready! The winter solstice is celebrated on the day of the year with the shortest daylight hours and the longest night and it usually falls on or around December 22nd each year. If you’re in Korea and want to celebrate the winter solstice Korean style, then this is what you should know. Here’s what you need to know about Dongji in Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no…
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Valentine’s Day, White Day & The 13 Other Romantic Holidays In Korea
Did you know there are fifteen couples holidays in Korea? If you’re dating in Korea or get into a relationship with a Korean, you might just want to know when to get all romantic. Valentine’s Day is the day that people around the world know about, but there are plenty of other days on the calendars of Korean couples where they can profess their love, smooch it up, or just do something together. From the official celebrations to the unofficial Korean holidays, here’s when they are and what you should do if you want to celebrate in Korea… or just Korean style. Here are the unofficial (and some official) holidays…
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A List of Winter Festivals in Korea To Get Out For
Winter doesn’t have to mean hibernation for months while the temperatures become frigid. In a country where there’s no end in sight to festivals, of course there is plenty to partake in from December to February. From snow festivals to sunrise festivals and more, get out, stay warm, but get out and about and enjoy the winter season! From celebrations of snow, ice and lights lights lights, there’s plenty to see and do! Don’t miss out and plan ahead to enjoy this winter at some great festivals. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost…
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Why Koreans Say Have You Eaten Instead of How Are You
Recently in a conversation with four Korean women, the topic of etiquette and manners came up. We were discussing differences from the west compared to Korea. I brought up how endearing, although strange at first, that Koreans consistently ask if I've eaten and if I respond that I haven't, inevitably food shows up.
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A One Year Old & Lessons of Raising a Multicultural Child in Korea
While I would probably raise my child very similarly to my sister if I were married to a fellow westerner, I'm married to a Korean man and so blending our cultures to make us both comfortable is a huge priority around here.
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Haengjusanseong Fortress: Where 2,300 Koreans Defeated 30,000
Bike west along the northern side of the Han River in Seoul long enough, and the path eventually seems to end, before actually just turning inland and heading toward Goyang, a suburb of greater Seoul. Goyang has far more to see and do than most Seoulites or visitors realize, and Deogyangsan Mountain (덕양산) is one of its better-kept open secrets. The bike paths curve around the base of the mountain, easy to spot thanks to a victory monument visible at the summit from a distance. This is an excellent mountain to climb, gentle enough that a stroller can make the trip, with paved paths the entire way. Visit in autumn…
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Korean Food: What to Know About Oritang
While it looked similar and it had duck as the main ingredient, it wasn't as thick as the oritang that I had become accustomed to eating in the north. My father-in-law explained that this was actually oritang and what I had wanted based on my description was oribaesuk (오리백숙). I had never heard of the latter and was sure that my teacher friends had always ordered the former, but it seems there is quite a difference.
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Every Single Day: Rocking Out With a New Album
My husband, Jae-oo Jeong, has been super busy lately in the studio with his bandmates jamming and recording new songs as well as collaborating with other bands on old songs for an upcoming sixth album, Nothing of it. To get people pumped, they’ve been releasing a couple digital singles each month for the past two months and will continue to do so for another couple until they release their entire album at the end of November. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Every Single Day has worked…
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Yeonji Park’s Lake in Gimhae
While most people probably don’t head out of Busan to the nearby city of Gimhae unless they’re going to the airport located there, my in-laws live in that ‘burb so I am always on the lookout for places to go around town when my mother-in-law is not trying to fill our bellies. On previous trips, we’d stumbled upon the dilapidated and abandoned Gaya Land Amusement Park, learned about the historical relevance of the area at King Suro’s Tomb and enjoyed Dongrimsa and Eunhasa Buddhist temples located nearby. While there for Chuseok this past weekend, we decided to find a park so that the little one could enjoy some swings and…
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What To Do If You’re Staying in Seoul for Chuseok 2026
(UPDATED for 2026) Chuseok is one of the two biggest holidays in Korea, and in my opinion one of the best times to stay in Seoul. What most tourists and visitors don’t realize is that Seoul really empties out over the holiday as many Korean families will head to their hometowns to be thankful for the good harvest by eating lots of food and playing traditional games. The KTX train will book up within hours and highways can become one long parking lot. Deciding to stay in Seoul for the holiday is a really good idea. While the city empties out, there are still plenty of things to do and…
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The Gyeongui Line Forest Park: An Urban Park Near Hongdae
I'm sure by now you've heard of the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail Park that was just completed near Hongdae. This park stretches from Hongik Subway Station exit 3 back to Hongjecheon Stream which could lead you south to the Han River or north to a waterfall if you continued a walk in the area.
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West Seoul Lake Park: Seoul’s Coolest Urban Renewal Park
Urban renewal projects in Seoul, Korea make for some really interesting places to visit and see. There are parks that have been regenerated and culture spaces that used to be for wartimes. It’s really interesting to see how they are recreated into community spaces. There are a lot of different spots to check out in Seoul if you are interested in this kind of thing like I am. West Seoul Lake Park, or Seoseoul Lake Park (서서울호수공원), is one of them. If you’re in the southwest area of Seoul or just want to take a little trip to see something different, then this is the park to find. It’s also…
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Naksan Beach: Yangyang’s Best-Kept Summer Secret Near Seoraksan
Gangneung draws most of the summer beach traffic from Seoul. Most visitors lock onto Gyeongpo Beach specifically, which means Naksan Beach (낙산해변), just north in Yangyang-gun, closer to Sokcho, stays quieter than it deserves to be. That’s good news if you’re the kind of person who’d rather have sand than crowds. The waters are clear and genuinely beautiful shades of blue. The sand is soft and white for four kilometers straight, backed by pine tree forests that cast shade along a wooden boardwalk. And perched on the cliff above the beach is Naksansa Temple, one of the more striking seaside temples in Korea. I booked a pension here as soon…
