Modern Korea, explained from the inside.
WHY KOREANS ARE is an independent English-language website about everyday life in South Korea: why people live, work, spend and plan the way they do. It is written and edited by me, Hyunmo Koo, a Korean who lives in Korea.
Why I started this site
Visitors, expats and curious readers abroad often meet Korea through headlines and cultural shorthand: K-pop, kimchi, cram schools, tiny apartments, long working hours. Those pictures are not exactly wrong, but they rarely explain why something works the way it does. Living here, I kept noticing that the questions foreigners ask, such as “Why do people pay a huge deposit instead of monthly rent?” or “Why does everyone use KakaoTalk?”, have answers that sit in housing finance, public policy, history and incentives, not in “Korean culture” as a vague explanation.
This site tries to give those answers in plain English, with the Korean terms explained, for readers who are not experts.
What you will find here
Articles are organised into five areas:
- Money: housing finance, deposits, banking, taxes and the everyday economics of Korean households.
- Work: office culture, hiring, job titles, public-sector jobs and side hustles.
- Life: family, education, traditions, food and seasonal customs.
- Systems: the public and private systems that shape daily life, from identity verification to insurance and messaging apps.
- Seoul & Urban Korea: transport, housing types, cities and how people use urban space.
How I write
I start with a specific question about Korean society and then separate what can be documented from what is interpretation. Where possible I rely on Korean government statistics and ministries, official guidance, OECD and other international research, and attributable reporting, and I link to them at the bottom of each article so you can check them yourself. I explain the year and the limits of a statistic instead of using a striking number as a complete explanation, and I try to show regional, generational and household differences instead of describing 51 million people as one group.
I use software tools, including AI tools, to help with research organisation, drafting and translation checks. I am responsible for the claims, framing and sources of everything published here. The full standards are on the Editorial Policy page.
What this site is not
I am a writer, not a lawyer, tax adviser, immigration agent, doctor or financial adviser, and I do not claim professional credentials in those fields. Articles are general information, not advice for your situation. Please read the Disclaimer, and check current rules with the relevant Korean authority or a qualified professional before signing a lease, filing taxes or making a medical or financial decision.
Corrections and feedback
Korean rules and statistics change, and I will get things wrong sometimes. If you spot an error or an out-of-date figure, please send the article link and, if you can, a source through the Contact page. Substantive corrections are made promptly and openly.
How the site is funded
The site is independent. It may display advertising served by Google AdSense, and advertisers have no influence on what I write or conclude. Details of the cookies involved are in the Privacy Policy. If affiliate links or sponsored content are ever introduced, they will be clearly labelled.
Start with these stories
If you are new to Korea, begin with why apartments shape housing and finance, how the jeonse deposit system works or why private academies remain prominent. For everyday systems, try why KakaoTalk is so widely used, why Korea has so many convenience stores and how Seoul’s public transport became integrated. For newer, evidence-led pieces, see why cosmetic surgery is so visible and why some young Koreans delay marriage.
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