Korea, explained for curious Americans.
Plain-English guides to Korean food, everyday customs, and history. Checked by a Korean-born editor in metro Atlanta, with sources you can follow.
Browse the guidesBackground: a ramie jogakbo, the patchwork cloth sewn from fabric scraps, drawn for Korea Primer, with photos of Korea. Photo credits
Start with a topic
- 음식eumsik, “food”Food & GroceriesWhat to pick up at a Korean grocery store, how to use it at home, and what to expect at a Korean restaurant in the US.
- 예절yejeol, “manners”Everyday CultureAge, titles, polite speech, and table manners. The things K-dramas show but rarely explain, and when the rules bend.
- 말mal, “words, speech”Language & ExpressionsKorean words English speakers keep hearing, what they really mean, and who can use them.
Latest guides
- How to Address Korean Coworkers: Ssi, Nim, and Job Titles
Working with Korean colleagues in the US? When to use ssi, nim, and Korean job titles, plus practical tips for names and emails.
- How to Choose Kimchi at a Korean Grocery Store in the US
New to buying kimchi? Learn which types to try first, how to spot fish and shrimp allergens on US labels, and how to store it safely.
- What Korean Food to Bring to Thanksgiving (Easy, Mostly Store-Bought Options)
Four Korean dishes you can buy at a Korean grocery store and bring to Thanksgiving, plus how to transport, reheat, and label them for guests with allergies.
- Oppa, Unnie, Hyung, Noona: What They Mean and Who Can Say Them
What oppa, unnie, hyung, and noona mean, who uses each one, and when they fit with friends, family, and K-drama fandom.
How we write
Sources you can check
Dates, laws, and history come with a link to where we found them.
Korea and Korean America
We distinguish current practices in South Korea from what you may encounter in Korean American communities.
No invented experience
We only describe a visit or a tasting when our editor actually made it.
Photo credits
Photos in the patchwork at the top of this page, via Wikimedia Commons:
- Painted eaves (dancheong), Changdeokgung Palace, Seoul. Photo: laszlo-photo, source, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized.
- Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul. Photo: Richard Fisher, source, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized.
- Tile roofs in Bukchon Hanok Village, Seoul. Photo: Stevenliuyi, source, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized; this version is also CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Napa cabbage kimchi. Photo: Jeremy Keith, source, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized.
- Ipseoksa temple in autumn, Chiaksan Mountain. Photo: Sohyeon Bak, source, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized; this version is also CC BY-SA 3.0.
