Korea, the country that fascinates me

Hello, this is Goto from the Quality Control Department.

This may be a bit sudden, but do you like Korea?
There are many things to do in Korea, such as idols, food, beauty, and fashion, but I love everything about it so much that it has become a part of my life.
Before joining Monosus, I majored in Japanese-Korean interpretation and translation at a foreign language college. I studied Korean for two years at the college, and in my first year, I studied abroad in Busan for about a month, a short period of time, where I made local friends and can now communicate in Korean.
And I always visit Korea once a year!

So this time, I would like to introduce you to my encounter with Korea and three recommended Korean genres.

Encounter with Korea

I became obsessed with Korea when I was in the second year of junior high school and the Korean idol group, Girls' Generation, made their Japanese debut.
Until then, I had only listened to songs by BoA and TVXQ, who were in the same agency as Girls' Generation.
However, after I discovered Girls' Generation, whenever I had free time I would search for them on YouTube and watch them all the time.

Then, I started watching not only Girls' Generation, but also Korean idols and variety shows which were super popular at the time, and before I knew it, I had stopped watching Japanese programs and music and my life became Korea!! Korea!! Korea!!! every day was Korea!!!
At the time, my dream for the future was to become a hairdresser. However, starting from Girls' Generation, I started to like Korea more and more, and before I knew it, I wanted to study Korean abroad, learn the lyrics and how they speak, and work as a hairdresser in Korea in the future. After graduating from high school, I enrolled in a foreign language college where I could study Korean, and I've been there ever since.

3 Recommendations for Korea

The three things I recommend are fashion, food, and cosmetics.

Korean Fashion

I think there are many different styles of fashion in Japan, but in Korea, there aren't as many styles as in Japan, and there are a lot of simple and cute clothes.
I check out Korean fashion and follow the trends by checking photos of my favorite Korean celebrities when they go to work at the airport or TV station, as well as their private photos (Instagram, etc.). In addition, Korean mail order sites are my textbooks.
For example, it looks like this...

(Top) OHOTORO (Bottom left) STYLE NANDA (Bottom right) GOGOSING

Since I often wear black, I always check outfits that include black, but it's not just clothes that I have to check - I also have to check my hair color, accessories, etc.
I also check out men's fashion, which inspires me and teaches me something every day.

You can buy clothes at low-priced stores like UNIQLO, ZARA, H&M, and FOREVER 21, but there may be times when you can't find the skinny jeans or shirts you want. I've had that happen to me many times.
In those times, I turn to Korean online stores that have good Japanese descriptions. I often come across things that make me think, "I wanted something with a design like this!"
There will be shipping costs and it will take some time for the item to arrive, but there are several Korean mail order sites that also support Japanese, so I would like to introduce some of the popular sites.

1. DHOLIC

DHOLIC

D-holic sells not only clothes but also cosmetics.
In Japan, we have stores in Tokyo, Saitama, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
Since it is shipped from Japan, it doesn't seem to take that long, although it depends on where it is being delivered.

2. GOGOSING

GO GOSING

This is a mail order site popular among people in their teens and twenties.
This online store has a wide selection of cute, reasonably priced clothing.

3. STYLE NANDA

STYLE NANDA

Style Nanda sells not only clothes but also cosmetics, and is very popular not only through mail order but also in its own store in Tokyo. It has a "cute for adults" feel.
They have a store in Harajuku, so why not check it out?

Finally, I would like to introduce one more online shopping site.

Korean cuisine

I love Korean food.
The one I like the most is...

(Left) Yangnyeom Chicken (Right) Creamy Onion Chicken

It's chicken!

When you think of Korean food, many people may think of meat dishes such as samgyeopsal and bulgogi. However, Korea actually has more varieties of chicken dishes than Japan, and there are many specialty restaurants, so it can be said to be a chicken powerhouse, loved by everyone!

The Yangnyeom Chicken and Creamy Onion Chicken in the photo are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and not greasy. I feel happy the moment I put it in my mouth (lol). They also go well with alcohol, and the combination of beer and chicken is especially great.
In Korea, the combination of chicken and beer is called "치킨 (chicken) + 맥주 (maeju) = 치맥 (chimaek)."
The term "beer and chicken" is so common in Korea that it's hard to describe it.
There are many Korean restaurants in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo, so I would like to introduce some of my recommended restaurants.

There is one more dish I would like to recommend.

A local friend recommended this restaurant: Sigol Passang (Busan branch)

It's a Korean set meal!

Han Jeongsik is a combination of palace cuisine and home-style cuisine. It includes cold appetizers, salads, grilled dishes, traditional Korean hotpots, rice, soups, and side dishes.
For example, kimchi, jjigae, chijimi, miso jjigae, japchae, lettuce, etc.
Another feature is that they tend to have light flavors because they make use of natural ingredients.
You can also get raw vegetables, and kimchi and other foods contain capsaicin, and fermented foods, so they are good for your body and your skin. The colorful food will really increase your appetite.
It's wonderful to be able to eat delicious food and be beautiful from the inside out.
Korean set menu (cuisine) = People tend to think that it only has spicy food, but it's not just spicy food.
There are some dishes that even people who don't like spicy food can eat.
If you haven't eaten much Korean food, you might want to start with a non-spicy set meal.

Korean cosmetics

Finally, I would like to introduce some cosmetics.

I have sensitive and weak skin, so Japanese products don't suit me personally and I prefer Korean products.
Since it is an overseas product, one might think that it might be harsh, but in Korea these days "gentle on the skin" is the mainstream, so you can use it with confidence.
There are also lots of organic and additive-free products available.

There are many Korean cosmetic brands, with more than 100 brands said to exist.
Among them, I would like to introduce four of my favorite cosmetics!

mascara

CLUBCLIO PERIPERA
Advantages: Good color, strong eyelash power and volume, less likely to panda or clump.

Tint (lip)

(Left) TONYMOLY (Right) CLUBCLIO PERIPERA
Pros: Good color and long-lasting

Cushion foundation

CLUBCLIO PERIPERA
Advantages: Long-lasting, provides coverage and moisturizing at the same time

I think Korean cosmetics generally have good color, long-lasting coverage, and good coverage.

Red tints (lip tints) are popular in Korea, and whenever I go to Korea, I always buy one that has good color.
In addition, Korean tints are not only highly pigmented, but also come in a wide variety of colors and are reasonably priced. What's more, Korean cosmetics are often packaged in cute packaging!
Here are some online shopping sites that I often use to make purchases.

Also, Korean cosmetics often collaborate with characters.
For example, there are many collaboration products with popular Japanese characters such as Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, Gudetama, Pokemon, and Rilakkuma.

It is especially popular among junior and senior high school students, and many people seem to purchase it just for the characters that are featured in the collaboration.
It seems that many Japanese people purchase them as souvenirs or gifts when they travel.
Why not check it out the next time you visit Korea?

Introducing the best spots in Busan!

Finally, I would like to introduce some recommended places for your trip to Busan.

Art on the walls of buildings

Artworks on display indoors. There are many other pieces of art.

This is Gamcheon-dong Culture Village, also known as Korea's "Machu Picchu Project."
This place was not originally a tourist destination, but it is said that the village began as a settlement called "Taltonne" where refugees fleeing from North Korea during the Korean War sought housing.
It seems that Tantorne was a place where many people would leave after staying for a certain period of time, but since 2009, the town has been revitalized, and the entire town has become a famous street museum that can be enjoyed.
Since people still live there, you can get a glimpse of a different lifestyle than you would find in the city.

This is a photo from my first trip to Korea alone.

Not only can you take art photos of buildings, but there are also plenty of spots where you can take photos with friends, family, and loved ones!
Gamcheon-dong Culture Village is large and has many slopes and steep stairs which can be a little tiring, but you can also see the townscape you see in Korean dramas and I think the quiet townscape is really lovely.
So, if you have the opportunity, why not go and check it out?

What I think about Korea right now

It may sound a bit dramatic, but I have changed a lot since I came to love Korea.
Getting to know a country broadened my horizons, but when I think back to it now, I realize that I never would have imagined I would be able to make Korean friends, learn to speak Korean, or study abroad in Korea, and I feel very grateful that I was able to experience the things that were my dreams and goals.

I think it's a wonderful thing to like a country other than your own, not just Korea.
I believe that actually experiencing and growing to like the culture of a country, rather than just seeing it on the news or in the newspapers, will definitely have a positive effect on you, so if there is a country that interests you, I would encourage you to continue to have an interest in it.

Lastly, there is something I have been thinking about since I first became interested in Korea when I was in the third year of junior high school. That is, I want to be a bridge between Japan and Korea, even if only a little.
I want to be of some use in the future so that the experiences I have had up until now are not in vain. I also want to spread the appeal of Korea to many people!