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