I used to think that Korean and Western cultures were very distinct and different. However, when I visited South Korea two years ago, I realized that Korea had become more westernized over the years. There were a lot of English signs and words in the streets, especially in the cities, and many Koreans were bilingual.
Even after studying Korean idioms and expressions, I realized that there were many idioms that were equivalent or similar to an English idiom. A common difference in the idioms was that Korean idioms incorporated food/rice a lot more compared to English idioms, but the overall message was the same. Also, because tourism has been growing in South Korea, there are a lot more foreigner-friendly spots and places in Korea. I have never encountered a foreigner when I attended first grade in Korea (shocking when I think about it now), but now there are a lot more tourists and foreigners studying in Korea.
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