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Park Bong Pal x Kim Hyun Ji

07.15.2023

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Kim Hyun Ji moments 

07.16.2023

[koreaguides]

Top K-Dramas on Netflix in 2021

1. Sisyphus: The Myth 

Worldwide Rank: 81 

Actors: Cho Seung Woo & Park Shin Hye 

2. Hospital Playlist 

Worldwide Rank: 67 

Actors: Jo Jung Suk, Jeon Mi Do, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jung Kyung Ho, & Kim Dae Myung

3. Nevertheless 

Worldwide Rank: 66 

Actors: Song Kang, Han So Hee, & Chae Jong Hyeop. 

4. The King’s Affection 

Worldwide Rank: 48

Actors: Park Eun Bin, Rowoon, & Nam Yoon Su 

5. My Name 

Worldwide Rank: 47 

Actors: Han So Hee, Ahn Bo Hyun, & Park Hee Soon 

6. Hellbound

Worldwide Rank: 46 

Actors: Yoo Ah In, Park Jung Min, Won Jin A, & Kim Hyun Joo 

7. Hometown Cha Cha Cha 

Worldwide Rank: 26 

Actors: Kim Seon Ho, Shin Min Ah, & Lee Sang Yi 

8. Vincenzo 

Worldwide Rank: 15 

Actors: Song Joong Ki, Jeon Yeo Been, & Ok Taecyeon 

9. Squid Game 

Worldwide Rank: 1

Actor: Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Jung Ho Yeon, & Wi Ha Joon 

[koreaguides]

K-Pop Most Influential Singers in 2021

10th Place: Brave Girls 

4.3% of responses 

8th Place: AKMU & Taeyeon 

5.2% of responses. 

7th Place: TWICE

5.3% of responses. 

6th Place: Aespa 

6.5% of responses. 

5th Place: Lim Young Woong 

7.0% of response. 

4th Place: Lee Mu Jin 

9.2% of response. 

3rd Place: Blackpink 

10.4% of responses. 

3rd place for 2 consecutive years. 

2nd Place: IU 

32.1% of responses. 

2nd place for 2 consecutive years.

1st Place: BTS 

45.6% of responses.

1st place for 4 consecutive years.

[koreaguides]

K-Dramas Based on True Stories

1. Fight for My Way 

This rom-com drama stars Park Seo Jun and Kim Ji Won. It is loosely based on the life of a real mixed martial artists Choo Sung Hoon and his wife Yano Shiho. The writer of the series had once mentioned in an interview that he saw Shiho crying while watching her husband in a match. 

2. Move to Heaven 

This drama was inspired by the non-fiction essay “Things Left Behind” by Kim Sae Byul. He had mentioned before in an interview that he cleaned the house of a man in his 70s who died alone and was only found many weeks later. It was in the form of different and was only found many weeks later. It was in the form of different characters but an exact setting was featured in one of the episode. 

3. Signal 

The top-rating K-Drama Signal stars Lee Je Hoon and Kim Hye Soo. The crimes shown in the series were derived from real cases in South Korea. This includes the Park Chorong Bitnari kidnapping case and also the Hwaseong serial murders that took place in Gyeonggi province. 

4. Reply 1988 

The series of K-Drama was loved by many viewers. One of the characters from the story was inspired by a real person. Taek played by Park Bo Gum was actually inspired by a real-life Baduk player, Lee Chang Ho which won lots of local and international Baduk tournaments. 

5. Crash Landing on You 

The writer of this drama revealed that her inspiration came from South Korean actress Jung Yang’s real-life even where the actress and her friends rose a leisure ferry boat and sail across Incheon’s shores but was swept away to the Northern Limit Line due to bad weather. The writer then proceeded to write a similar story.

[koreaguides]

Idol’s Supernatural Experience

1. T-Ara’s Jiyeon & Soyeon 

Jiyeon of T-Ara shared a story where she came across with a ghost on the day before T-Ara’s debut. She felt as if something was pressing down on her body while she was sleeping and told Soyeon about it. Soyeon then said she she saw the same ghost at the same spot where Jiyeon saw it. 

2. Kim Hyun Joong 

Actor Kim Hyun Joong once revealed that he had a confrontation with a ghost during the filming for “Strong Heart.” He said that there was always one ghost that visited the house he lived in. He told the ghost to leave but it never left and they eventually stayed together. 

3. EXO’s Baekhyun & Tao 

Baekhyun had explained that there was a strange voice that can be heard on the MV of Exo’s debut song “MAMA.” And Tao said that he had saw a ghost when he was showering once and had another member stand by the shower for half an hour waiting for him. 

4. Super Junior’s Eunhyuk 

Eunhyuk was singing a part for a recording and the director kept asking him to sing it over as the melodies did not sound right. When he then listened to recorded music with the engineer, he exactly pointed out where he got it wrong as if he were a psychic. He claimed the engineer he worked with have more supernatural powers than a ghost. 

5. Girl’s Day’s Minah

Minah mentioned that there was once she woke up early in the morning and showered. It was then someone tried to open the door but she assumed it might be one of the members. She called out but there was no indication of anybody there. But someone again hit the door hard, she gathered her courage and opened the door to find out there was no one there.

[koreaguides]

Hangover Cures Korean Swear By

1. Bean Sprout Soup 

Bean sprout soup was voted number one for food hangovers craved after a night of heavy drinking among office workers. Many restaurants serve this dish Jeonju style in an earthenware pot with rice. It is usually served with a side of moju which is a low alochol drink prepared by boiling makgeolli and other medicinal herbs. 

2. Dried Pollack Soup 

Dried pollack soup is a mildly seasoned but flavorful hangover soup. A classic dried pollack soup is usually prepared by pre-soaking shredding dried pollack. The soup is seasoned with salt and pepper. It also contains tofu cubes and silky-smooth egg ribbons. 

3. Soup with Congealed Oxblood 

Although the name of this soup doesn’t sound appetizing, it has a mild acquired flavor. The texture of congealed oxblood is smooth with the texture of firm pudding. The soup stock is made by boiling ox bones and is seasoned with soybean paste.

4. Pufferfish Soup

Pufferfish has to be prepared only by licensed chefs who have received intense training to eliminate the toxin from the fish. Most restaurants offer this soup in spicy and non-spicy version. Usually, the non-spicy version is preferred for those seeking to chase their hangovers. This dish is especially popular in Busan. 

5. Pork Spine Soup 

This is a rich and spicy pork soup with meaty chunks of pork spine. Another name for this dish is gamjatang. It is usually served communal style in a large pot an is dished out into individual portions in earthenware bowls to make sure its piping hot until the end of the meal. Local usually mix the rice in the broth while enjoying this dish. 

6. Golden Freshwater Clam Soup 

This dish is a specialty in Gyeongsangnamdo Province. It is a clear soup made by boiling golden freshwater clams and simply seasoned with salt. Alothough the clams are small in size compared to other clam species but they are just as sweet and release lots of flavors to the broth.  

[koreaguides]

2023 Spring Hairstyle Trends

1. Tassel Cut 

The tassel cut is a short, straight cut that has slight layers at the end, creating a more natural and effortless look. It’s a very clean, refreshing style that’s perfect for spring. 

2. Long Elizabeth Perm 

This hairstyle has been a classic for a while now and consists of soft, natural-looking waves. It’s a great style for those that want a more elegant and feminine look.

3. Up-do Variation 

The up-do has been making a comeback in recent months and has been mostly seen on K-pop idols as create a more unique look. 

4. Semi-Leaf Cut 

This popular style keeps the front bangs long and the back layer a bit shorter. It’s a very versatile hairstyle that can be done with loose waves or sleek and polished for a more sophisticated look.

5. Crop Cut 

This haircut consists of short, cropped bands that fall above the eyebrows, with the side quite short as well. It has a very youthful, sport vibe and is a great look to try out for the warmer spring months. 

6. Gail Cut 

This hairstyle is extremely popular among Korean men and was widely popularized by K-Drama actors Song Kang and Park Seo Jung. It’s a classic, signature look that you can’t go wrong with. 

7. Hippie Perm 

The hipper perm has also been quite popular, especially in the spring, among both men and women for its effortless, beachy wave style. It’s great for adding volume and texture to your hair. 

8. Rose Pink 

It’s time to try out bolder colors, such as rose pink. With this beautiful shade, any photos you take outside among the spring flowers are bound to turn out beautifully. 

[koreaguides]

Beauty Standards Broken by K-Pop Idols

1. Small Eyes 

BTS’ Jimin is known for having small eyes. He’s shown fans that he’s not handsome despite them, but rather because of them. Another idol known for this is TWICE’s Dahyun. She has a pair of alluring small eyes which are always as beautiful and shining during performances. It’s a fresh take from the old beauty norms in Korea that big eyes = beauty. 

2. Tanned Skin 

TWICE’s Jihyo is known to have darker skin tone which made fans questioning about the beauty standard of having light skin. Jihyo has proved to fans that tanned skin is gorgeous as she always glows on stage whenever she has a tan. She has also spoken during interviews that she is confident about her skin tone.

3. Curvy Bodies 

Hwasa of Mamamoo is powerhouse on stage with her beautiful curvy body. Her gorgeous curves and her confidence in her own body is epitome of “you do you.” She may not have the ideal slim body, pale flawless skin, or big eyes, but it is her unique look that makes her even more attractive. 

4. Short Height 

A few idols such as Woozi of Seventeen and Jinhwan of iKON who stand at the height of 164 cm has showed to fans that they can also perform as well as other members. Instead, they are more noticeable among the group because of their height which has made them receive more love from fans too. 

5. Mixed Race 

People with mixed race in Korea might before bullying targets in Korea as they don’t fit in sometimes. Biracial idols such as HeuningKai of TXT and Somi have captivated the hearts of many fans. They might not be the same as Korean idols but that can be their charm too. 

[koreaguides]

Legendary & Viral Fancams

 1. V - Boy With Luv 

V has the most viewed fancam out of all the BTS members and it broke the record for fastest K-pop fancam to reach 100 million views, doing so in 318 days.

2. Brave Girls - Rollin’ 

Rollin was one of the most popular song of 2021, and it was all thanks to this compilation of their performance for the Korean military and funny Youtube comments that went viral. Their song became no.1 four years after its release. 

3. Rose - Kill This Love 

Many Korean fans consider this Coachella fancam of Rose to be legendary and say it turned them into fans. 

4. Junho - My House 

A fancam of Junho performing My House at the 2015 DMC Music Festival went viral while he was completing his military service. Fans reported the Youtube algorithm was showing videos of the song in the recommended videos for many Korean users. 

5. Suzy - Love Song 

Suzy’s beautiful looks are highlighted in this popular fancam from 2015 that still gets views and comments to this day. It currently has over 28 million views and we can see how she mad all of Korea fall in love. 

6. Sana - Likey 

This fancam of Sana’s Likey performance at Music Core’s Ulsan Summer Festival is the most viewed fancam among the Twice members. 

7. Kai - The Eve 

Kai is famous for his amazing dance skills and he has a ton of legendary fancams. One of his most viewed is the one of his performance of The Even from 2017 Ulsan Summer Festival. 

8. Seulgi - Rookie 

This fancam of Seulgi performing Rookie at the 2017 Fever Festival is famous among Korean netizens for her perfect abs and her stable singing while dancing. 

9. Hani - Up & Down 

This fancam of Hani from 2014 is one of the most famous examples of a fancam making a song top the charts, and it helped saved EXID from disbandment. The song won music shows weeks after it’s release and the fancam currently has over 35 million views.

[koreaguides]

6 K-Pop Idols Who Break Korea’s Beauty Standards

1. Jessi 

Jessi would be the last person to play by anyone’s rules. Jessi is bold and beautiful and people love her for that. With her tanned skin and voluptuous body, she adheres to no Korean beauty standards and is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. She has even spoken vocally about her cosmetics surgeries and is loved by fans for being raw and unapologetic in her approach to life be it on or off camera. 

2. Stray Kids Changbin 

Nothing wrong with Chang Bin’s visuals but sometimes it’s not acceptable to the current beauty norms of K-pop. His sharp chin gives him a killer jawline but the people still say it’s too pointed. Even his short height makes him not fit into the ideal Korean beauty standards but nevertheless, he is still one of the best rapper of this generation. 

3. Mamamoo Hwasa 

Hwasa is a powerhouse on stage with her beautiful curvy body. It is no surprise that she is on the list due to the backlash she receives for her bold outfit choices. She may not have the ideal slim body, pale flawless skin, or big eyes, but it is her unique look that makes her even more attractive. 

4. Seventeen Woozi 

Woozi doesn’t fit into the Korean beauty standards with his 164 cm of height. His noble size difference when compared to his other members is actually quite cute and endearing, plus he is extremely talented and an excellence performer. You clearly don’t need to be towering over other idols to prove your talent.

5. Twice Jihyo 

Jihyo wasn’t spared. Due to having a slightly large frame than her members, she was called fat even though she was far from that and her tanned skin was not appreciated too. But now this girl is going against all odds and embracing her body and giving us god-tier visuals in every comeback. 

6. BTS Jimin 

Jimin is known for having small eyes. He’s shown fans that he’s not handsome despite them, but rather because of them. While having big eyes and double eyelids is the standard in Korea, Jimin is one of the few idols who have small, monolid eyes. 

[koreaguides]

Must Try Fried Chicken Brands In Korea

Kyochon:

The most popular fried chicken brand in Korea. Try their Red Combo to taste the spiciness from Korean red pepper.

Ne Ne Chicken:

Ne Ne Chicken’s must-try is their Snow Wings and Green Onion Chicken. The thin sliced green onion makes the oily chicken more delightful.

BHC: 

BHC’s best menu is Prinkle without a doubt. Prinke is packed with sweetness and savory flavors. The sweetness is coming from the cheese powder and the sweetness from the dipping sauce. 

BBQ: 

BBQ Chicken’s golden Olive fried chicken and their classic Sweet & Sour Sauce chicken gets well-loved by many. Tasty seasoning and the crispiness will satisfy your big fried chicken crave. 

Goobne: 

Goobne is a healthy option since all of their menus are roasted. Locals’ all-time favorite is Galbi chicken and Korean pepper chicken. Locals love having a bowl of rice with galbi chicken. 

[koreaguides]

Korean Food Combinations

Pair your Korean food like a pro. 

1. Soju & KBBQ 

2. Fried Chicken & Beer 

3. Tteokbokki & Eomuk 

4. Ramen & Cheese / Ramen & Egg

5. Sikhye & Roasted Eggs 

6. Makgeolli & Pajeon 

7. Gukbap & Saeujeot 

8. Gukbap & Kkakdugi 

[koreaguides]

Unique Collaboration Snacks In Korea

1. Samlip Hoppang & Hershey’s Mint Chocolate Bread 

This snack is a mixture of refreshing mint chocolate and hoppang which is actually steamed buns. This awesome snack combination sold 400,000 units within 10 days after its release. It was very popular among Koreans as many Korean love mint-chocolate and also because it was such a creative and new idea. 

2. Buldak Mango Ale - Samyang Puldak Stir-Fried Noddles & The Satellite Brewing 

This product is a collaboration of Samyang Buldak Stir-fried noddles and The Satellite Brewing Company. It’s a drink made to pair with the Buldak Stir-Friend Noddles. Although it says Buldak on the packaging, it’s not spicy. The Buldak Mango Ale has a sweet refreshing sweet scent and is not as bitter compared to other ales that’s why it’s said to go well with spicy food. 

3. Ediya Coffee & Nongshim Post sick Milkshake 

This Posticks stands for potato sticks. The Posticks is a snack combination of Ediya Coffee’s origin milkshake topped with cheese sauce and Nongshim’s potato stick snack. It is suitable for those “danjjan” taste lovers which means sweet and salty combination. 

4. Paris Baguette x Paldo Bibim Bread 

Paris Baguette is one of the most popular bakery in Korea. Paldo is a famous F&B Company which is best known for their Bibimmyeon. Paris Baguette released a sausage salad bread, croquette and triangle bulgogi gimbap which contained the Paldo Bibimmyeon spicy sauce. Many Koreans actually enjoyed these sweet and spicy pastries. 

5. Lotte Chilsung Beverage Milkis Milk Bread Flavor & Tous Les Jours 

Tous Les Jours is another popular bakery loved by many Koreans. They had a collaboration with Lotte’s popular milk soda., Milkis. They released products with the Milkis taste and Milkis also released a bread-flavored carbonated beverage. Although it may sound strange, but it actually captivated the hearts of those who tried it. 

6. Coffee Gold Ale - Jeju Beer x Blue Bottle 

Jeju Beer is a handmade beer brewery company. They are collaborating with Blue Bottle Coffee Company and introduced a coffee flavored beer. It features aromatic coffee and citrus flavors. Through the collaboration with luxury coffee brand Blue Bottle, Jeju Beer is seen to draw more attention among the Korean beer industry. 

7. Jin Lager - Ottogi Jin Ramen & Amazing Brewing Company 

Jin Lager is a pure and dark handmade beer well-known for not using artificial scent or sweeteners. It contains German malt that gives off a savory scent to the beer. This specialty of this beer is their deep and strong flavor just like all the other Jin products. 

8. Melona’s Dew - Hite Jinro Chamiseul & Binggrae Melona 

This product is created by Hite Jinro a popular Soju brand along with Binggrae a famous F&B corporation well-known for their ice cream and milk products. It is a melon flavored Melona Soju that has a lower alcohol content that many people can drink without worrying about their alcohol tolerance. 

9. Guksoondang Rice Jollypongdang 

This is a makgeolli drink with combination of caramel-coated wheat puff snack by Jollypong Snacks. The taste of the makgeolli and snack went great together, attracting lots of positive response from consumers. It was planned to only develop 100,000 cans but was increased to 300,000 as it loved by so may people. 

10. Guksoondang Rice Babambabam 

This another collaboration by Guksoon Makgeolli. They combined their makgeolli with Babam Bar Ice Cream. This wasn’t an easy product as it took the researcher two years to finalize. However, they developed nine different versions of the drink with this Guksoondang Babambabam being the amplified version after a long time of researching

[koreaguides]

8 Popular Men’s Fashion Styles Seen In K-Dramas

1. Kim Seon Ho 

In Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Kim Seon ho’s fashion is casual and practical. You will often see him wearing a t-shirt, plaid shirt, and jeans. 

The main point of his style is that he rarely buttons up his shirts. Because the checkered patterns are colorful and diverse, it never gets boring. 

2. Park Seo Joon 

In Itaewon Class, Park Seo Joon often wears oversized items, especially bomber jackets in deep tones, that show his masculinity. 

He completes this edgy, street look by layering with dark hoodies and wearing combat boots. 

3. Park Seo Joon 

Unlike the stubborn, hard Park Saeroyi, Park Seo Joon plays a seemingly narcisstic chairman with a luxurious, clean style in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim. 

He often wears a full suit with a tie and completes the look with a very fancy pocket scarf. 

4. Lee Min Ho 

Lee Min Ho often plays a chaebol, a word used to describe the super-rich in Korea. 

In The King Eternal Monarch, he completes this look by wearing a long coat or trench coat paired with a turtleneck sweater, creating a classic and luxurious style. 

5. Gong Yoo 

In Goblin, Gong Yoo also dresses luxuriously in long coats and turtlenecks. 

Unlike Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo is portrayed more warmly, and you will see many scenes of him wearing sweaters and cardigans to create a sweet, friendly look. 

6. Cha Eun Woo 

Cha Eun woo’s image in My ID Is Gangnam Beauty is a gentle, sweet, and almost perfect guy. That’s why his fashion style in this drama is quite simple and causal. 

His most worn outfit is usually slacks and a button down shirt. The shirt is neatly tucked in, making him look and professional. 

7. Hwang In Yeop 

Hwang In Yeop perfectly portrays the bad boy in True Beauty with his big leather jackets, chain necklace, and silver earrings. 

He looks extremely trendy and sets the standard for the bad boy style. 

8. Lee Do Hyun

The drama Youth of May is set around an extremely important event in Korean history - the democratization of Gwangju in May 1980. Lee Do Hyun recreated the style of the youth at that time. 

The most typical of Lee Do Hyun’s retro outfits is jeans with a button down shirt and belt. 

[koreaguides]

Toast Shops In Seoul

The best place to get quick breakfast or snack in the city. 

1. Egg Drop 

Address: 15, Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 

2. Isaac Toast 

Address: 105 Toegyeo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 

3. Mother In Law 

Address: 5, Ewhayeodae 5-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 

4. Eggslut 

Address: 513 COEX B1 

5. Tegg.42 

Address: B1, 95, Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 

6. Hong Rui Zhen Sandwhich 

Address: 25 Hongik-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul 

7. Salt House Deli 

Address: 57-58 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 

8. Eggcellent 

Address: 35 Bongeunsa-ro 1-gil, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

[koreaguides]

History of Korean Currencies

Who are the people on Korean bill? 

50,000 Bill 

The woman on the bill is Shin Saimdang of the Joseon era. Due to her filial devotion to her parents and love for children, Shin Saimdang has been held up as a model of Confucian ideals. 

Before the 50,000 note was released in 2009, the 10,000 won notes was the highest denomination in South Korea. 

10,000 Bill 

The person portrayed on the green 10,000 won bill is Sejeong the Greatm the famous king of Joseon. 

King Joseon is credited with establishing much of what we think of as Korean culture, and he also created the Korean alphabet, hangul. 

5,000 Bill 

The person printed on the organ 5,000 won bill is the son of Shin Saimdang who we saw earlier on the 50,000 won bill. 

Yi I was a Korean philosopher who had a huge influence on Confucianism and philosophy in Korea. 

1,000 Bill 

The star of the blue 1,000 won bill is the Confucian scholar Yi Hwang. He was one of the two most prominent scholars of the Joseon dynasty, the other being Yi I. 

Yi Hwang was a master of calligraphy band poetry, and was known as a scholar who wasn’t concerned with either money or status. 

500 coin 

The 500 won coin in circulation today made its appearance at the beginning of the 1980s. Actually, 500 bills were printed until May 12, 1993, but it slowly disappeared. 

The old 500 won note feature admiral Yi Sun-Sin of Joseon Korea. 

100 Coin 

The Korean hero, Yi Sun-shin (previously found on the old 500 won bill), is depicted on the 100 won coin which is in circulation today. 

Bills were printed for the 100 won denomination until December 1, 1980. 

50 Coin 

A stalk of rice is printed on the current and the previous series of the 50 won coin. 

500 won was printed as a bill until 1973. However, the 5,000 won bill had been introduced the previous year, and this was the beginning of inflation which saw both bill denominations and market prices rise. 

The values of Korean money had fluctuated a lot throughout history, but after introducing a stronger monetary policy in 1962, it finally began to stabilize. 

10 Coin 

10-won coin has through several series had the Dabotap Pagoda printed on it. The original red-brown color was changed to more a yellow nuance in 1983. 

However, the cost of minting this version was too high, so they changed the color again in 2006 to a light brown. Because of their low value, 10-won coins are not that frequently used. 

5 & 1 Coin 

The 5-won and 1-won coins share a lot of history. 

With economic development, inflation, and the introduction of higher denominations, the cost of producing lesser coins came to exceed the face value of the coins. 

In the 60s, both 5-won and 1-won were also found as bills, but you can’t buy anything with a 1 coin these days.