Culture Cookies: Korean Weddings

I remember during my first year in Korea I was asked by family back home what Korean Weddings were like. Eventually I went to a few and found them to be less what people thought they would be like. They were still full of rituals, but they seemed to be like just another day in a Korean's life. Korean weddings, for the most part, take place in "wedding halls" where everyone who knows the bride and groom comes. But people mostly seem to come for one thing, the after-ceremony buffet. During the ceremony people talk and walk around like it is no big deal. Although these sights can be alarming to see, it seems Koreans are fine with it. Because of this I have accepted what it is like for Koreans to marry here.

But let's see what other folks think about Korean weddings in their posts as part of my new series, "Culture Cookies." In this series I hope to present how Kbloggers have come to terms with culture shock and other general cultural awareness.

1. Xweing away in Korea: In this post you can see what the actual rituals are during the wedding ceremony are like. But also you can get a feel for how weddings in Korea are definitely different amongst other Asian countries.

2. I Got Seoul: Another really insightful post about the experience where she says, "There was so much missing, it appeared that while marriage is highly regarded, and highly pressured in this country, the actual act of getting married means very little." That certainly explains why the wedding ceremony seems like just another day in the life.

3. Buhay sa Korea: Although this post is about gift-giving in Korea it points to what kinds of gift one should expect to give at weddings. What does it turn out to be? Go and find out.

4. Roboseyo: This post wouldn't be complete without a more thorough look at the whole thing amongst Korean society. He proposes, "And here's the next big kicker: if we accept that, as I said before, nobody owns a culture, then we might need to take a different approach to the wedding hall wedding in Korea." A very insightful post on many topics that you should consider.

 The most interesting thing really, is when Koreans and Non-Koreans marry in Korea. Rob's wedding was very beautiful and less tacky than traditional ones held here. Some folks even manage to have true traditional weddings wearing hanbok and doing it at a palace. Whatever the place or time, marriage is an important step in a person's life no matter what the ceremony is like.

Abundance Buzz: White Day

Temperatures are finally warming up these days and that's a good thing. Another warming site to see is the love being shared on Korea's "White Day." For the couples out there in the blogosphere there were some who got something special from their loved ones or other people. Let's see who they are:

• The View From Over Here had a lovely dinner with her boyfriend and got some special treats from students.
• Coco in Korea received little sweets from her students as well.
• I Am Saja's Mom got a really nice ice-cream cake, go check it out in her post.

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If you didn't get anything lovely for White Day well don't fret at least you saved on calorie consumption. Let's not forget next month is Black Day!

Love Guru: Dating in Korea

Valentine's day for many is that time of the year where you celebrate your love, or lack there of. In Korea there is Valentine's day and then White day. But don't we all know this? What I think most of us don't know is what it is like to date a Korean guy. For many expat women in Korea you find yourself in the position of wanting to try dating Korean men. Yet if you have never dated outside your culture diving into this kind of love life can feel daunting. Thankfully, we have Dating in Korea to show us what it is like to be on the Korean dating scene.

What started off about her adventures dating a few guys has turned into a site where you can find tips and social commentary. For example, one of the major issues surrounding dating Korean men is the mind games they play. Dating in Korea says:

See. I have a big issue with drawing conclusions based on how guys are acting. Because I hate mind games and I hate guessing. So, usually I try to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. It’s very possible he is just busy this week.

It's fun to read her blog because she gives the guys she dates code names, such as "Sunglasses", "Ramen" and "Hot Guy." But her blog isn't for the faint of heart. When it comes to sex and things in those realms she writes explicitly and honestly. There is nothing wrong with this, but I do find myself blushing when reading it.

This Valentine's Day if you are looking for hot stories about love then go no further than Dating in Korea, she's got what you're looking for. ;)