South Korea  also called the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Daehan Minguk , is a sovereign state located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.[7] The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages. Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers[8] and has a population of 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9.8 million.

10 facts about South Korea

1. There are TONS of cosmetic shops!! Im serious... especially in shopping centers, the same brand has a stall every 500 meters! You can never use a cosmetic shop as a landmark. You will certainly be LOST because everyone will point to a different direction!! Moreover, cosmetic products are pretty cheap comparing to Thailand<< which is why several people get orders from their relatives/friends to buy those cosmetic products back to them when they return.

2. Koreans really care about their looks as shown by the equipments in the hotel's toilet! There are hair gels & spray, toner & aftershave package, hairdryer etc. All equipped there!! May be the hotel I spent the night in was too good, but I truly never see any hair gels/spray displayed in a toilet before!! What a surprise..

3. Kimchi is literally the main sidedish in korean cuisine. I had kimchi in every single meal (perhaps not in a western breakfast). In case some of you don't know what kimchi is, it is a korean dish made of fermented vegetable with various kinds of ingredients. According to the local guide, in times of long winter, kimchi are prepared early and stored inside large pots under the cold ground for preservation since meat is scarce and heavy snow is often a problem for transportation in the season. Kimchi contains high concentration of fibers, vitamin A, B,C, calcium and iron, therefore, it is very good for health.

4. Until 1948, Korea was divided into North and South Korea. South Korea aka Republic of Korea is a free market, democratic and developed country while North Korea aka Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a closed country. During World War 2, Korea was part of Japan's territory. Following the war, Japan surrendered and Korea was split into half. The north was monitored by the Soviet Union while the South by the United States. In 1950, North Korea invaded the South which lead to Korean War - proxy war (1050-1953). A pact was made in 1953 called the Armistice Agreement which ended the fighting; however, a peace treaty was never signed until now.

5. CERTAIN Koreans are not on good terms with Japanese, particularly the elders. This is mainly due to the period when Japan took over Korea in World War 2. Korean men were forced to serve Imperial Japanese Army while Korean women were forced to the war front to serve as comfort women/sexual slaves.

6. Korean television shows/dramas are extremely popular not only in Asia but worldwide. Examples are Dae Jang Geum, Full House, Winter Sonata, Autumn in My heart, My Girl, Goong etc.

7. Korean couples are very very romantic. Multiple of them even wear same pattern of clothes/shoes/bags etc. on a date. I went to Nami Island & shopping markets and saw loads of couples in same clothing enjoying their time there.

8. Korea is certainly land of fashion. Almost 90% of girls and boys dress stylishly in public places like shopping malls/attractions. Fashionable cothes are on sale in relatively cheap prices.

9. Won is the currency of South Korea. Since Won does not have subunits (like for GBP, there's pence), the value is very high. 1 GBP = 1,800 won while 1 US dollar = 1,000 won

10. There are approximately 250 Korean family names in use. Kim, Lee and Park are the 3 most common names which account for almost half of the population. Traditional names consists of only 1 syllable and there is no middle name. Married men and women usually keep their full personal names and children will inherit the father's family name.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Everland Theme Park

Seoul Tower

Bibimbub

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea

This post is entirely based on my opinion and research through google/wikipedia. If what I have written have offended any person any how, I have to apologize for that.