| Korea is a country of uneven landscape and | | | | The traditional 'squat' style toilets are now |
| unsurpassed beauty. It is complete with | | | | found in the countryside and public restrooms |
| mountains and surrounded by seas. The people | | | | only. Korean buildings generally have a |
| are some of the most courteous, generous and | | | | normal, western style toilet. Koreans |
| warmest on earth. | | | | normally don't use curtains in their |
| | | | bathrooms. The bathrooms are tiled and the |
| The country's culture is very old, refined, | | | | floor of the bathroom is set at a slight |
| and vibrant. Crime rate in the land is very | | | | incline. You can drain as much water as you |
| low - cars on the road are safe, house doors | | | | like all over the floor without worrying |
| seldom broken, and it is safe to keep goods | | | | about water flooding on the floor. |
| out in the open. | | | | |
| | | | Apartments normally do not to have an oven. |
| Almost 40% of all property is leased by its | | | | All cooking is done on a gas range for |
| tenants. A good majority of lessees prefer to | | | | cooking. You will find cooking difficult if |
| pay their rent by 'cheonse' - a popular | | | | you are not used to working in small kitchens |
| method of payment for housing deals. They pay | | | | as the kitchen is quite small - there is |
| a large lump sum amount to the landlord, and | | | | usually no room to do fancy cooking. |
| so free themselves from the burden of paying | | | | |
| monthly rent. | | | | Residents of Korea from the early 1950s or |
| | | | 1960's would hardly recognize their country |
| There are many differences between American | | | | today. Traditional family homes were the |
| and Korean homes. They differ greatly in the | | | | fashion back then. The cityscape today is |
| way they are heated. Homes were traditionally | | | | dominated by formidable housing complexes. |
| heated by means of circulating hot air | | | | The total share of apartment in the housing |
| through pipelines under the floor. | | | | field enhanced from 4% to about 50% between |
| | | | 1970 and 2006. This rapid development has |
| Most buildings are heated today by | | | | radically changed the country's dwelling |
| circulating hot water through conduits under | | | | culture. |
| a raised floor. This heating system is named | | | | |
| ondol, which is circulating hot water through | | | | Korean apartments are around 30% smaller than |
| pipes running underneath the floor. This | | | | apartments in North America. As the |
| works wonders in winter as the heat from | | | | government is keen on alleviating the chronic |
| under the floor moves up through room | | | | shortage of housing, you will see rows of |
| fixtures such as beds and sofas. If you feel | | | | identical-looking buildings soaring high |
| too much cold in a windy night, it is a good | | | | across the country side. |
| idea to lie down on the naked floor for a | | | | |
| several minutes. You can even dry your wet | | | | There are a number of other idiosyncrasies |
| clothes this way. | | | | about the houses that are different in many |
| | | | respects from the western style apartments. |
| Many buildings have a complicated system of | | | | You will notice a small alcove, or an |
| dials that switch hot water between the floor | | | | odd-looking shelf, by the door. Koreans |
| and the shower. Bathrooms do not always have | | | | generally take off their shoes when entering |
| a separate shower stall or bathtub. Some | | | | a room - the alcove is meant to keep your |
| buildings do not come with a bathroom sink. | | | | shoes for the time that you are in the |
| Water is supplied by a shower hose usually | | | | building. You are never expected to wear your |
| attached to the wall. | | | | shoes into a household. |
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