Korean “Bali Bali” Lifestyle
Korea’s lifestyle is a very fast paced and competitive one, known as “bali bali” culture. The word "bali bali" refers to a society that embraces a fast-paced lifestyle. "bali" literally means "quickly" or "hurry up." The desire for speed is tremendous, and everything is done in the blink of an eye, from eating to erecting a thirty-story structure. "Bali bali" has become a distinctive characteristic of Korean culture, as well as one of the pillars of the Han River Miracle.
Even with enjoyable vacations, education is vital to the Korean people, and the holidays should not divert students' attention away from their studies. The literacy rate in South Korea is 99.2 percent for males and 96.6 percent for females. If you believe school in America is difficult, you are mistaken. In Korea, most high school students attend school from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extra night and after-school classes. Students, on the other hand, only attend high school for three years because a year in a grade is often longer in Europe than in America.
The thousands of food delivery motorcyclists you'll see traversing the streets of Seoul are one of the most visible manifestations of the "ppalli ppalli" lifestyle. Regardless of what you want or where you reside, food will be at your home very soon. Food is on the table in restaurants in a matter of minutes, and people are on their way to the next assignment after a brief lunch. "Getting things done" appears to be a life mantra that pervades the entire culture. Even marriages are brief occasions, with the majority lasting only a few hours. This also applies to building and infrastructure. In just a few years, entire communities have been built, and the 428-kilometer Gyeongbu Expressway has been completed.
Public Wi-Fi is available across Seoul, and with one of the world's fastest internet speeds, everything is accessible at any time of day. It is a vibrant country where everything moves at the speed of the internet. At the corner, there is a BBQ restaurant one day and a coffee shop the next. High-speed industrialisation and rapid technological innovation have become the norm, and the rest of society is following suit. This "ppalli ppalli" catchphrase, on the other hand, was not introduced with high-speed internet. After President Park Chung Hee pushed for rapid industrialisation in the 1960s, the need for speed grew. The Miracle on the Han River was made possible by industrialization.
Even if the Republic of Korea is ahead of the curve in terms of technology and infrastructure, simple phrases like "ppalli ppalli" should not be used to define a full civilization. Because, while foreigners usually use the phrase to describe the Republic of Korea, Koreans do not always use it to describe themselves. However, there has been a national conversation about work-life balance in recent years. The idea is to provide individuals less work time and more leisure time, as well as more time to relax. Koreans appear to be attempting to slow things down in order to find peace.
References:
https://medium.com/bigberry/korean-pali-pali-culture-9c7ab4d5e516
https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/no-en/brd/m_21237/view.do?seq=103
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