below are some sketches on some Korean motifs and a tiger that do using illustrator:

SOME VIDEO REFERENCES

SOME VIDEO REFERENCES

I think this video above definitely has the Korean feel to it; the colors used, the illustrations.

Concept

Using Korean traditional motifs to tell a Korean myth story.

Korean Mythical Creatures - Sot'dae

In ancient times, Koreans believed that Hwanin (god) lives in the sky and those things reaching into the sky (mountains and especially trees) could communicate with god. Birds were viewed as messengers from Hwanin. Sot'dae were poles with bird figures perched on top. It symbolized the bird's role as a messenger connecting heaven and earth. Residents placed sot'dae at the village entrance to wish for human beings' survival and abundance on the earth. Sot'dae is where Koreans would pray toward the sky when they were happy or sad. Sot'dae Hanul (Hanul means sky) describes the place where the souls of Korean ancestors dwell.

Korean Mythical Creatures - Goblins

The dokkaebi appeared in many old Korean stories. Although usually frightening, it could also represent a humorous sprite or goblin with grotesque looks. Most dokkaebi were depicted with a horn growing from the top of the head and carried a magical, spiked club. Although these creatures loved mischief and playing mean tricks on bad people, they also rewarded good people with wealth and blessings.

There were endless goblin characters and many versions of the stories. Unlike ghosts, dokkaebi were transformed from natural objects or household goods and appeared in woods or fields.

Korean Mythical Creatures - Dragons

Korean dragons are legendary creatures in Korean mythology and folklore. Dragons in Korean mythology are mostly viewed as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture, often considered bringers of rain and clouds while Chinese dragons traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers. Many Korean dragons are said to have resided in rivers, lakes, oceans, or even deep ponds within mountains.
Ancient texts sometimes mention sentient speaking dragons, capable of understanding such complex emotions such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude. One particular Korean legend speaks of the great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a "Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea".

Difference? Korean? Western?

The shin in shinhwa are a breed apart. They are the gods who live in the heavens and more or less rule over the earth. The other shin (also called chapshin, chap meaning "various" or "miscellaneous") live on the earth and interact quite regularly with humans; these chapshin are a product of Korean folk religions. Ghosts, faeries, guardian spirits, and even what would be considered monsters in the West are all described by the term chapshin. Interestingly, ghosts and monsters in Korea do not hold the same place of horror and dread as they do in the west; there are, in fact, no truly evil chapshin. A ghost may of course take revenge on someone who has done them wrong, but the Western vampires, ghouls, zombies and the like--fearsome monsters evil to the core--have no counterparts in Korea. Chapshin often act as judges or guardians, punishing the evil and rewarding or protecting the good.

Korean Mythology

Korean Mythology is based on legends and folk tales from across the Korean peninsula. There are thousands of gods, spirits, and ghosts. 
The original religion of Korea was a form of the Eurasian shamanism and the totemism of Far East Asia, specifically of the nomadic peoples of present-day Manchuria. These were strongly colored by the later importations of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism from China.
During the early ages, when Buddhism was on the rise, Korean shamanism was widely discredited in an attempt to establish Buddhism as the state religion. In later years both Korean Buddhism and shamanism were heavily purged, almost to the point of being lost from the consciousness of the general population.

Below are some mythology stories:
The Coming of Humankinds
The first story has to do with the beginnings of mankind. A long time ago, a man named Jiso지소 (支巢)   was starving from a famine that raged the entire countryside. To relieve his hunger, 지소 decided to climb a tall cliff to jump off of it and die. Before he was about to jump off, he noticed some grapes near the cliff. Unable to suppress his hunger, he ate the grapes and immediately acquired the five tastes of sourness, bitterness, spiciness, sweetness, and saltiness. This is known as the Incident of the Five Tastes. 지소 told his fellow countrymen about the grapes. In the mist of such hunger, several of the men ate a live animal near the grapes. One of the guardian gods saw this and punished everyone in anger. To this day, no human has immortality.

The Settling of the World 
Cheong-gung 청궁 (靑穹) went to the East, where he established China.
Baekso 백소 (白巢) and his people moved to the West and became the people of Europe and the Middle East.
Heukso 흑소 (黑巢) moved to the South, into the region that is now India and Southeast Asia.

The Establishment of Korea
The next myth has to do with the birth of the Korean peninsula. One of the guardian gods named Hwang-gung황궁 (黃穹) took about three thousand men and traveled north to a place called Cheonsanju 천산주 (天山洲). In Korean Cheonsanju means, “land of the heavenly mountains”. 황 궁 had a grandson named Hwan-in 한인 (桓因). 한인 received a heavenly heirloom that contained knowledge. With the heirloom 한인 taught people how to build a fire, how to farm, and how to domesticate certain animals. As the people became civilized, 한인 decided to return to the heavens. 한 인 was the last of the heavenly gods, who used the power of the Heirloom to bring abundant sunlight and good weather.


The Sun and the Moon
Once upon a time, there was an older brother named Haesik (해식) and a younger sister named Dalsun (달순). 해식 and 달식’s mother was a rice cake seller. On her way to selling rice cakes, she came upon a tiger. She pleaded her life to the tiger, and mentioned her children, in hopes that the tiger would pity her. Instead of pitying the woman the tiger ate the mother and used her clothes to disguise himself as the mother. When the tiger found the children, he used the powder from the rice cakes and stuck his hand under the door.
The tiger’s paw looked white and the children opened the door. As the children realized in horror that it was not their mother, they raced to the top of a tall tree. In an effort to eat the children, the tiger got an axe and tried to chop the tree. Then the children prayed to the gods and asked for deliverance. The gods felt pity for the children and let down a strong rope, which the children climbed. As the children climbed up to the sky, 해식 became the sun, and 달식 became the moon. (해 = sun and 달 = moon in Korean).

Founding of the Nations - Founding Myth of Ancient Joseon
"Dangun", the first Korean Emperor of the first Korean dynasty, a half-human and half-divine, is said to be the grandson of heaven and regarded as the ancestor of all Koreans. 

Dangun's ancestry legend begins with his grandfather Hwanin 환인(桓因), the "Lord of Heaven". Hwanin had a son Hwanung who yearned to live on the earth among the valleys and the mountains. Hwanin permitted Hwanung and 3,000 followers to descend onto Baekdu Mountain, where Hwanung founded Sinsi 신시 (神市, "City of God"). Along with his ministers of clouds, rain, and wind, he instituted laws and moral codes and taught humans various arts, medicine, and agriculture.
A tiger and a bear prayed to Hwanung that they may become human. Upon hearing their prayers, Hwanung gave them 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort, ordering them to eat only this sacred food and remain out of the sunlight for 100 days. The tiger gave up after about twenty days and left the cave. However, the bear remained and was transformed into a woman.
The bear-woman (Ungnyeo; 웅녀; 熊女) was grateful and made offerings to Hwanung. However, she lacked a husband, and soon became sad and prayed beneath a "Sindansu" (신단수; 神檀樹, "Divine Betula") tree to be blessed with a child. Hwanung, moved by her prayers, took her for his wife and soon she gave birth to a son, who was named Dangun Wanggeom.
Dangun ascended to the throne, built the walled city of Asadal, situated near Pyongyang (present capital of North Korea), and called the kingdom Joseon—referred to today as "Old/Ancient Joseon" (Korean: "Gojoseon") so as not to be confused with the Joseon kingdom which occurred much later. He then moved his capital to Asadal on Mount Baegak (or Mount Gunghol). Fifteen hundred years later, in the year Kimyo, King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed Jizi to Joseon, and Dangun moved his capital to Jangdangyeong. Finally, he returned to Asadal and became a mountain god at the age of 1,908.

Korean Decorative Motifs - Traditional Furnitures

Furniture used in the Korean woman's quarters tended to feature colorful and vivid ornamentation with auspicious motifs. The favored motifs were phoenixes, cranes with clouds, a butterfly with a pair of fish, chrysanthemums, pines with bamboo, plum blossoms with bamboo, and peonies.
These motifs served aesthetic function and acted as carriers of auspicious messages. The symbolic features of traditional arts and crafts offer valuable insights into the customs of the Korean people and the beliefs that governed their everyday lives. Some symbols are originated from China but in the hands of Korean artists, they have taken on a distinct and uniquely Korean character.

In contrast, the man's quarters  had simple and modest designs, such as the "four gentlemen" plants (plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo). the Seven Treasures (gold, silver, lapis, crystal, coral, agate, and pearl), carp, and bats.

Concept

my concept is to create a clip that shows the formative beauty and spiritual values behind Korean architecture.

As Korean's wooden architecture developed under strong influence from the Chinese, it can be observed not only on architecture but also other fields of culture centering around Buddhism. However, gradually, architecture harmonized with the taste and climate of Korean ancestors came into being; an architectural style which was distinctively Korean developed with their unique sense of beauty. Unfortunately, after the Japanese invasion, many buildings were reduced to ashes.Wooden structures which remains in their country show features which are typically Korean, different from that of Chinese or Japanese buildings. The Korean buildings are different form Chinese buildings which, ignore the surroundings, showing off their pompous dignity and boast unbalanced and false proportions which tend to press the viewers to suffocation. They are also different from Japanese buildings, which lost the original function and beauty of composition required of architecture as a result of too much standardization of parts and became degraded into insipid and academic structure. Despite their shortage of precision in minute of lumber, the Korean buildings form a complete whole with the surroundings.

Hanok - Traditional Korean Houses

Traditional Korean houses, known as Hanok, varied in size and form according to the dwellers' geographical and social-cultural position. Having evolved and been refined over time, traditional Korean houses reveal the wisdom and sensibilities of Koreans who lived long ago.

The basic features of traditional Korean Houses have displayed into a standardized architectural style into a consistent structure, through which some modifications to this structure can be said reflect the individual social and financial status of the resident. Korean architecture lends consideration to the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought given to the land and seasons. The interior structure of the house is also planned accordingly.

Daecheong, one of the key features of the upper class homes, was a large, open hall with wooden flooring located in the center of the house, facing south. It was a symbolic space that represented the authority and consciousness of the upper class, as well as serving as common space that provided access to every room in the house. In contrast, the rooms were closed spaces. A translucent yet durable paper known as changhoji was pasted on the doors and windows, and a lacquered paper was used to finish the floor.

Traditional Korean furniture reflects the formative beauty and spiritual values inspired by the natural environment. It is characterized by natural wood grain, joints without the use of nails, functional strucutre, and modest ornamentation.

Koreans valued living in harmony with nature rather than conquering, or living in conflict with it. This worldview was embedded in architecture, forming a nature-friendly home culture. Through the construction of traditional houses, people emphasized not functionally but also visual elegance. Hardly a single piece of roof tile or brick was neglected; all were decorated with engraved patterns. walls and chimneys were beautified with various designs, but not to the extent that they detracted from the natural and simple external appearance of the house.

Dancheong

Dancheong refers to Korean traditional decorative coloring on wooden buildings and artifacts for the purpose of style. It literally means "cinnabar and blue-green" in Korean. It is based on five basic colors; blue (east), white (west), red (south), black (north), and yellow (center). Dancheong has various symbolic meanings. Dancheong also represented the social status and rank by using various patterns and colors. It functions not only for decoration, but also for practical purposes such as to protect building surfaces against temperature and to make the crudeness of materials less obvious. The general characteristics of Joseon dancheong included the complex but refined compositions of patterns, strong color contrasts, and expressive rendering. The different style of dancheong could vary in one specific building depending on its structural location. The decorative compositions of dancheong can be classified into six types, based on the degree of elaboration of color and pattern. Popular designs seen in temples included auspicious animals such as dragons, phoenixes, giraffes, tortoises, flying horse, lions, and cranes with clouds; the four "gentlemen" plants, i.e. plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo; and scenes from Buddhist Tripitaka.

Kimchi? Anyone?

The best known food. Koreans serve kimchi at almost every meal, and few Koreans can last more than a few days before cravings get the better of them. During the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, thousands of foreigners were introduced to it for the first time. Despite a reputation for being spicy, most people usually develop a taste for it, and many foreigners also find themselves missing it after returning to their home country.

Origin of Kimchi

Since human beings began cultivating, they have enjoyed vegetables, which are rich in vitamins and minerals. However, the cold winter, when cultivation was practically unavailable, led naturally to the development of a storage method- pickling. As a kind of pickled vegetables, kimchi was born in Korea around the 7th century.

Use of Hot Red Pepper Powder

At the earliest stage, kimchi was just salted vegetable, but during the 12th century they saw the appearance of a new type of kimchi with some spices and seasonings, and in the 18th century, hot red pepper finally became one of the major spices for kimchi. In particular, thanks to the introduction of Chinese cabbages in the 19th century, they witnessed the same type of kimchi as we know it today.

The Origin of the Name, Kimchi

It is suspected that the name kimchi originated from shimchae (salting of vegetable) which went through some phonetic changes: shimchae - dimchae - kimchae - kimchi.

Reasons Why Kimchi Was Developed in Korea

Few fermented vegetable foods are found worldwide. Some possible reasons why kimchi was developed as a fermented food especially in Korea are as follows: (1) vegetables were popular to the ancient people in Korea whose main industry was agriculture; (2) Koreans had a remarkable technology of slating fish which was frequently used as a seasoning; (3) Chinese cabbages (Brassica) appropriate for making kimchi were widely grown.

Major Historical Periods of Korea

The development of kimchi is reportedly rooted in the agrarian culture that began before the era of the Three Kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula. Due to the cold Korean winter, they had to come up with the storage technology of vegetables as a means of securing food.

- Kimchi in Ancient Times It is difficult to identify the process of development of kimchi in ancient times, as historical records of the times are barely available. We can only assume that they simply salted vegetables in order to keep them as long as possible. -Three Kingdoms Period The first record found regarding kimchi is during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C. - 668 A.D.). The record is written as follows: "The Kogureou People are good at making brewing dreg, malt, bran, and pickling." This implies that fermented food was widely used in every day lives. However, no writings of this period mention seasonings or ingredients. - Kimchi during the Goryeo Kingdom Though no direct records as to kimchi are found as in the previous period, cabbages are mentioned   in an oriental medicine book titled Hanyakgugeupbang. There were two types of kimchi- jangajji (sliced radish preserved in soy sauce) and sunmu sogeumjeori (salted radish). In this period, kimchi began to receive new attention as a processed food enjoyable regardless of season as well as storage food for winter. It is suspected that the development of seasonings at that time enabled spicy kimchi to appear. - Kimchi in the Joseon Period It was after foreign vegetables, in particular, Chinese cabbages (Brassica) were introduced and used as the main material that the current type of kimchi was formed. Hot red pepper was imported to Korea from Japan in the early 17th century (after the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592), but it took roughly 200 years until it was actively used as an ingredient of Kimnchi. Therefore, it was only during the late Joseon that kimchi became associated with its red color.

Royal Court of Joseon

Normally three types of kimchi- whole-cabbage kimchi (jeotgukji), diced-radish kimchi (Kkakdugi) and water kimchi were served for the kings of Joseon. Jeotgukji for a good deal of pickled fish (e.g. croakers) was added to the kimchi. A cooking book of Joseon, Joseon massangsansik yorijebeop, explains how to make jeotgukji as follows: First, cut well-washed cabbages and radishes into small chunks and salt them. Second, mix them with chopped hot red pepper, garlic, dropwort (minari), leaf mustards (gat) and some seaweed. Third, boil fermented fish in some water and cool it. Fourth, add it to the above blended stuffs. Fifth, store them in a pot and wait till they are fermented. Even if the main materials of water kimchi (dongchimi) are radish and water, more garnishes were used to enhance the taste in the royal court of Joseon. The radishes used for water kimchi should be of a wholesome shape. In addition, they should be washed and salted for a day before being stored in a jar buried under ground. There is an anecdote that King Gojong, the second last king of Joseon Kingdom liked cold noodle in the dongchimi juice mixed with some beef juice as a winter-night-meal. Hence, they prepared special water kimchi with pears, which were exclusively used for the cold noodle.

Modern Kimchi

Kimchi has been scientifically proved to be highly nutritious and recommended as a future food by many nutritionists at home and abroad. So the export of kimchi to foreign countries is rapidly increasing. Korean immigrants to China, Russia, Hawaii and Japan first introduced kimchi abroad, and have continued to eat kimchi as a side dish. It gradually gained popularity even among foreigners. Accordingly, kimchi may be found wherever Koreans live. Especially in America and Japan where relatively many Koreans live, packed kimchi is easily available. In the past, the production and consumption of kimchi was confined to Korean societies, but nowadays it has become a global food.

Korean Cuisine

Korean cuisine as a national cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Its roots can be traced back to myths and legends of antiquity. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and northern Korean peninsula, Korean cuisine has evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends. Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi, a fermented, spicy vegetable dish is usually served at every meal. Korean cuisine usually involves rich seasoning with sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and gochujang (red chili paste).

Culture of Korean Cuisine- The Five Elements theory
Throughout history, Koreans have always believed that health and food interrelated. Based on the yin/yang and Five Elements theory, vegetables were considered yang, or positive, and meat was considered yin, or negative. To balance yin and yang, meat was always eaten with vegetables. Meanwhile, rice was considered precious because the cooking of rice created a harmony between the Five Elements of Chinese cosmology; earth, water, metal, fire, wood. In other words, earth produces rice; water boils rice in a metal kettle; fire heats the kettle; and wood makes fire. Another dish that represented Koreans and Chinese cosmology was gujeolpan, or "nine-sectioned plate". Five different colored foods represented the Five Elements were served on the plate; the number nine was regraded has a perfect number that comprised all things. Food, after all, was not only meant to be visually pleasing and delicious, but was also informed by philosophy.

Grains
Grains have been one of the most important staples to the Korean diet. During the pre-modern era, grains such as barley and millet were the main staples and were supplemented by wheat, sorghum, and buckwheat. Rice is not an indigenous crop to Korea, and it is likely that millet was the preferred grain before rice was cultivated. Rice became the grain of choice during the Three Kingdoms period, particularly in the kingdoms of Silla and Baekje in the southern regions of the peninsula. Rice was such an important commodity in Silla that it was used to pay taxes. The Sino-Korean word for "tax" is a compound character that utilizes the character for the rice plant. The preference for rice escalated into the Joseon period when new methods of cultivation and new varieties emerged that would help increase production.

As rice was prohibitively expensive when it first came to Korea, it is likely that the grain was mixed with other grains in order to "stretch" the rice; this is still done in dishes such as boribap (rice with barley) and kongbap (rice with beans). White rice, which is rice with the hull removed, has been the preferred method of eating rice since its introduction into the cuisine. The most traditional method of cooking the rice has been to cook it in an iron pot called a sot (솥) or musoe sot (무쇠솥). This method of rice cookery dates back at least to the Goryeo period, and sot have even been found in tombs from the Silla period. The sot is still used today, much in the same manner as it was in the past centuries.
Rice is used to make a number of items, outside of the traditional bowl of plain white rice. Rice is commonly ground into a flour and used to make rice cakes called tteok, of which there are over two hundred varieties. Rice is also cooked down into a congee (juk), or gruel (mieum) and mixed with other grains, meat, or seafood. Koreans also produce a number of rice wines, both in filtered and unfiltered versions.

MORE RESEARCHES T.T

Hanbok:
Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress. It is often defined by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. hanbok today often refers specifically to hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations. Modern hanbok does not exactly follow the actual style as worn in Joseon dynasty since it went through some major changes during the 20th century for practical reasons.

Some Chinese-styled clothing was adopted by the upper class, but its use was always separate from the tradition of hanbok, and was eventually replaced by Western influences. With increasing cultural ties between China and Korea since the latter half of the Three Kingdoms period, the aristocratic class and rulers started adopting hanfu, traditional style of Chinese clothes very different from Hanbok. Unlike the aristocrats, the majority of commoners continued to use Hanbok, and many aristocrats also continued to use Hanbok for less formal occasions or at the comfort of their homes.

Beliefs:
As of 2005, just under half of the South Korean population expressed no religious preference^. Of the rest, most are Christian or Buddhist; according to the 2005 census, 29.2% of the population at that time was Christian (18.3% professed to being Protestants and 10.9% Catholics), and 22.8% were Buddhist^. Other religions include Islam and various new religious movements such as Jeungism, Daesunism, Cheondoism and Wonbuddhism. The earliest religion practiced was Korean shamanism. Today, freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, and there is no state religion^.
Christianity is South Korea's largest religion, accounting for more than half of all South Korean religious adherents. There are approximately 15 million Christians in South Korea today, with almost two-thirds of Christians belonging to the Protestant group, while about 35% belong to the Catholic group.
Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the year 372. According to the national census as of 2005, South Korea has over 10.7 million Buddhists. Today, about 90% of Korean Buddhists belong to Jogye Order. Most of the National Treasures of South Korea are Buddhist artifacts. Along with Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism was also a state religion during the periods from Three Kingdoms of Korea to Goryeo before suppression under the Joseon Dynasty.

Art:
Korean art has been highly influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism. Korean pottery and porcelain are well known throughout the world. Also Korean tea ceremony are popular Korean performing arts. Again, Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress. Nowadays, people wear it during traditional festivals and celebrations.

Architecture:

Pre-modern Korean architecture may be divided into two main styles: those used in palace and temple structures, and those used in the houses of common people, which consists of local variations.

Korean's ancient architects adopted the bracket system and is characterized by thatched roofs and heated floors called ondol. People of the upper classes built bigger houses with tiled roofs. The roofs were elegantly curved and accentuated with slightly uplifting eaves. Many traditional Korean architecture is preserved.

These are the photos found on web which the colors during the season of Autumn of Korea.

Contemporary Culture

Further researched on Korea. I found out the contemporary culture of South Korea which developed from the traditional culture of Korea. Since 1948 due to the division of Korea, it has developed separately from North Korea's culture. 

The urbanization of South Korea have brought many changes to the way Korean live. Changing economics and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities, especially the capital, Seoul, with multi-generational households separating into main family living arrangements.

Since 21st century, many people even from other countries has being influenced by Korea's contemporary culture, whereby it is called K-wave or Korean fever. The term was created in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of South Koreans and South Korean goods in China. South Korea is among the world's top ten cultural exporter and the Korean wave began with the export of Korean TV dramas. The growing success of Korean dramas was soon matched by Korean movies,popular music, food and language.

Popular music:

Modern Korean popular music first appeared in the 1930s. In the 1950s and 1960s, the musical performances organized by U.S. forces in and around the American military bases in South Korea provided South Koreans with examples of other modern music. It was constantly developing was arranged by many musicians. In the 1970s and 1980s many musicians appeared. The South Korean pop music scene soon had several genres: Boy or girl bands whose appeal lay mostly in their appearance; a technically difficult, older genre that had its roots in the colonial period and was popular with older Koreans; and the often amateur acoustic guitar singer-songwriters, who became popular in the 1960s and sang in a simple vocal style. In 1970s, rock music was introduced into South Korea, Trot, pop music inspired by Japanese-styled music, also became a main genre in pop music.

Noraebang (Karaoke):

Karaoke is most commonly called "Noraebang" which means song room in Korea. Noraebang is even conducted in transport vehicles such as tourist buses.

Film and Television:

Since the success of the Korean film "Shiri" in 1999, Korean film has become much more popular, both in South Korea and abroad. Today South Korea is one of the few countries where Hollywood productions do not enjoy a dominant share of the domestic market. This fact, however, is partly due to the existence of screen quotas requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year. "Shiri" was a film about a North Korean spy preparing a coup in Seoul. The film was the first in Korean history to sell more than two million tickets in Seoul alone. This helped "Shiri" to overtake box office hits such as "The Matrix" and "Star Wars". The success of "Shiri" motivated other Korean films with larger budgets.

In 2000 the film "Joint Security Area" was a huge success and even overtook the benchmark set by "Shiri". One year later, the film "Friend" managed the same. In South Korea the romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl" outsold "The Lord of The Rings" and "Harry Potter" which ran at the same time. The director of "Joint Security Area" has gone on to direct many popular films in Korea and abroad especially the cult film of 2003, "Oldboy". Kim Ki Duk is also a well respected filmmaker and is known for using minimal dialogue between characters to create an emotional response from the audience. He is known especially for "3-Iron" and "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring". As of 2004, new films continue to break records, and many Korean productions are more popular than Hollywood films. Both "Silmido "and "Brotherhood" were watched by over 10 million people, which is almost a quarter of the Korean population. "Silmido" is a film based on a true story about a secret special force. The other is a blockbuster movie about the Korean War directed by the director of "Shiri". "The Host" (2006) part monster movie, part social parody broke Korean box office records and has become fairly popular in the United States as well.

This success attracted the attention of Hollywood. Films such as "Shiri" are now distributed in the United States. In 2001, Miramax Films even bought the rights to an Americanized remake of the successful Korean action comedy movie, "My Wife is a Gangster".

Many Korean films reflect the unique circumstances of the division of Korea. Many of the critically recommended films focus on subtle emotions, inviting comparison to French films, but with the recent international successes and growing budgets, the Korean film industry has also been criticized for imitating Hollywood blockbusters.

Korean television and dramas series by Koreans have become extremely popular outside of Korea. Dramas were foremost among cultural exports driving the Korean Wave trend in Asia and elsewhere. The trend has driven Korean stars to fame and has done much to boost the image and prestige of Korean popular culture.

Dramas showcase a wide range of stories, but the most prominent among the export dramas have been romance (Autumn Fairy Tale, Winter Sonata, Goong, Stairway To Heaven, Full House, Boys Over Flower) and historical fantasy dramas (Dae Jang Geum, Hwang Jin Yi, Iljimae). Korea has also aired their first blockbuster spy drama, IRIS.

Language:

Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped spread literacy from the dominant classes to the common people, including women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. Sinsoseol (new novels or new fictions), for instance, are type of Korean novels which began and grew during the Korean Empire, in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Food:

Rice is the staple food of Korea. That's why they eat rice every meal everyday. Having been an almost exclusively agricultural country until recently, the essential recipes in Korea are shaped by this experience. The main crops in Korea are rice, barley, and beans, but many supplementary crops are used. Fish and other seafood are also important because Korea is a peninsula.

Fermented recipes were also developed in early times. These include pickled fish and pickled vegetables. This kind of food provides essential proteins and vitamins during the winter.

A number of menus have been developed. These can be divided into ceremonial foods and ritual foods. Ceremonial foods are used when a child reaches 100 days, at the first birthday, at a wedding ceremony, and the sixtieth birthday. Ritual foods are used at funerals, at ancestral rites, shaman's offerings and as temple food.

Korean cuisine as a national cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Its roots can be traced back to myths and legends of antiquity. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and northern Korean peninsula, Korean cuisine has evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.

Dining Etiquette:

Dining etiquette in Korea can be traced back to the Confucian philosophies on the Joseon period. 

Suggestions below include items such as amongst many other recommendations which emphasized proper table etiquette:

-When you see a fat cow, pig, or chicken, do not immediately speak of slaughtering, cooking or eating it^.

^-When you are having a meal with others, do not speak of smelly or dirty things, such as boils or diarrhea. 

-When eating a meal, neither eat so slowly as to appear to be eating against your will nor to fast as if to be taking someone else's food.

-Do not throw chopsticks on the table. 

-Spoons should not touch plates, making a clashing sound  

-The rice bowl is not lifted from the table when eating from it.  

This is due to the fact that each diner is given a metal spoon along with the chopsticks known collectively as Sujeo. The use of the spoon for eating rice and soups is expected. There are rules which reflect the good manner of sharing common side-dishes.

-Not picking through the dishes for certain items while leaving others that the diner does not desire

-The spoon being used should be clear of other food particles, because usually diners put their spoons in a same serving bowl on the table. 

-Diners should also cover their mouths with a hand when using a toothpick after the meal.

The eldest male at the table was always served first, commonly served to them in the men's quarters by the women of the house. Women usually dined in a separate portion of the house after the men were served. The eldest men or women always ate before the younger family members. The meal was usually quiet, as conversation was discouraged during meals. In modern times these rules have become lax, as families usually dine together now and use the time to converse. Of the remaining elements of this decorum, one is that the younger members of the table should not pick up their chopsticks or start eating before the elders of the table.

The manner of drinking alcoholic drinks at dining is particularly important in Korean dining etiquette. Each diner is expected to face away from the eldest male and cover his or her mouth when drinking alcoholic drinks. In more strict situations, when the eldest male offers a diner a drink, the diner should politely refuse it three times. After three refusals, when the eldest male offers one more time, then finally the diner can receive it and start to drink.

STILL HAS A LOT MORE TO RESEARCH ON~ T.T
- Hanbok
-Beliefs
-Crafts and paintings

Here are my initial thoughts. Researching on what the things i like.
basically is just Chinese and Korean pop music but i guess that's too brief already.
So since i'm a Chinese and quite familiar with the Chinese side. I decided to go for Korean side instead
so that i can learn along the way.

Korea is a very cultural country. Korea's long history as a tributary state to China's has resulted in great influences from China, Korea has also developed its own distinctive culture and has influenced other cultures such as Japan. under two categories: traditional arts and lifestyle.