KOREAN

ARCHITECTURE

* LAWIG
* DELA CRUZ
* ZAPATA
* CRUZ
* GENITO
 KOREA
Korea, a nation about the size of the state of Utah,
is located on a peninsula jutting southward from the
east coast of Asia. This map shows some of the
principal cities, rivers, and mountains of Korea.
To see a full-scale version, click on the image. The
land is inhabited by the Korean People, almost
unmixed with any other ethnic groups. Long unified
and peaceful, Korea today is a divided land, its
people split between antagonistic governments: the
communist North and the capitalist South. Even the
flags of the respective countries show their differences.
The flag of the North features the Red Star of Communism,
while the flag of the South features ancient philosophical
symbols. The circular "TaeGuk" symbolizes the
harmonious state of yin and yang, and the four "Kwe"
symbols represent heaven, fire, water and earth.
NORTH KOREA FLAG
SOUTH KOREA FLAG
 LAND BOUNDARIES
NORTH KOREA
Land boundaries: total: 1,671.5 km
Border countries: China 1,416 km,
South Korea 238 km, Russia 17.5 km
SOUTH KOREA
Land boundaries: total: total: 238 km
Border countries: North Korea 238 km
 LAND BOUNDARIES
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running
across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone
between North and South Korea which runs along the
38th parallel north. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula
roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle,
with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel
and the east end lying north of it. It was created as part
of the Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea,
the People's Republic of China, and the United Nations
Command forces in 1953.
It is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, approximately 4 km
(2.5 mi)wide and despite its name is the most heavily
militarized border in the world.[2][3] The Northern Limit Line,
or NLL, is the de facto maritime boundary between North and
South Korea in the Yellow Sea and the coastline and islands
on both sides of the NLL are also heavily militarized
 TOPOGRAPHY

Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in

North-East Asia. To the northwest, the Amnok River
(Yalu River)separates Korea from China and to the
northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates
Korea from China and Russia. The Yellow Sea is to
the west, the East China Sea and Korea Strait is to the
south, and the Japan Sea (EastSea of Korea) is to the
east. Notable islands include Jeju Island (Jejudo),
Ulleung Island (Ulleungdo), and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo).
 TOPOGRAPHY
The Korean peninsula is approximately 1200kms
in length with 75% of its landscape being mountainous.
The South is the most heavily populated with 50 million
people living in about 30% of hospitable landscape.
About 25 million people live in North Korea occupying 20%
of hospitable landscape. This means that wherever you
travel in Korea you are always surrounded by mountain
scape. The peninsula does not have exceptionally high
mountains like what we see in the Himalaya, but there
abundance gives them a large sense of presence when
standing beneath them. They are also steep sharp sided
mountains with pointed peaks that add to the illusion of
their immense presence. However, this presence is no bluff
and Korean mountains because of this shape are indeed
tough features to climb, particularly if there are many in a
day that you wish to pass. However with mountains come
spurs and ridges and Korea has a rather unique mountain
system, perhaps unique to the world.
 BAEKDU MOUNTAIN

MT. KUMGANG
 CLIMATE
Part of the East Asian Monsoon region, South Korea has a
temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The movement
of air masses from the Asian continent exerts greater influence
on South Korea's weather than does air movement from the
Pacific Ocean. Winters are usually long, cold, and dry, whereas
summers are short, hot, and humid. Spring and autumn are
pleasant but short in duration. Seoul's mean temperature in
January is −5 to −2.5 °C (23 to 28 °F); in July the mean temp is
about 22.5 to 25 °C (73 to 77 °F). Because of its southern and
seagirt location, Jeju Island has warmer and milder weather
than other parts of South Korea. Mean temperatures on Jeju
range from 2.5 °C (36.5 °F) in January to 25 °C (77 °F) in July.
 CLIMATE
Korea is less vulnerable to typhoons than Japan, Taiwan,
the east coast of China, or the Philippines. From one to three
typhoons can be expected per year. Typhoons usually pass
over South Korea in late summer, especially in August, and
bring torrential rains. Flooding occasionally causes considerable
damage. In September 1984, record floods caused the deaths of
190 people and left 200,000 homeless. This disaster prompted
the North Korean government to make an unprecedented offer
of humanitarian aid in the form of rice, medicine, clothes, and
building materials. South Korea accepted these items and
distributed them to flood victims.
CULTURE
DANCE

As with music, there is a distinction between court dance and folk

dance. Common court dances are jeongjaemu (정재무) performed at
banquets, and ilmu (일무), performed at Korean Confucian rituals.
Jeongjaemu is divided into native dances (향악정재, hyangak jeongjae)
and forms imported from Central Asia and China (당악정재, dangak
jeongjae). Ilmu are divided into civil dance (문무, munmu) and military
dance (무무, mumu). Many mask dramas and mask dances are perform
in many regional areas of Korea. The traditional clothing is the
genja, it is a special kind of dress that women wear on festivals. It is
pink with multiple symbols around the neck area.Traditional choreo-
graphy of court dances is reflected in many contemporary production.
Taekkyeon the traditional martial art is central to the classic Korean
dance. Taekkyeon being a complete system of integrated movement
found its core techniques adaptable to mask, dance and other tradi-
tional artforms of Korea
Jinju geommu
CULTURE
PAINTING

The earliest paintings found on the Korean peninsula are

petroglyphs of prehistoric times. With the arrival of
Buddhism from India via China, different techniques
were introduced. These techniques quickly established
themselves as the mainstream techniques, but
indigenous techniques still survived. There is a tendency
towards naturalism with subjects such as realistic
landscapes, flowers and birds being particularly popular.
Ink is the most common material used, and it is painted
on mulberry paper or silk.
Hyewon-Dano
CULTURE
HISTORY OF KOREA

The Koreans, descended from Tungusic tribal peoples,

are a distinct racial and cultural group. According to
Korean legend, Tangun established Old Choson in NW
Korea in 2333 B.C., and the Korean calendar enumerates
the years from this date. Chinese sources assert that
Ki-tze (Kija), a Shang dynasty refugee, founded a colony
at Pyongyang in 1122 B.C., but the first Korean ruler
recorded in contemporaneous records is Wiman, possibly
a Chinese invader who overthrew Old Choson and
established his rule in N Korea in 194 B.C. Chinese forces
subsequently conquered (c.100 B.C.) the eastern half of
the peninsula. Lolang, near modern Pyongyang, was the
chief center of Chinese rule.
 CULTURE
HISTORY OF KOREA

In 1948 two separate regimes were formally established,

the Republic of Korea in the South, and the Democratic
People's Republic under Communist rule in the North.
By mid-1949 all Soviet and American troops were withdrawn,
and two rival Korean governments were in operation,
each eager to unify the country under its own rule. In June,
1950, the North Korean army launched a surprise attack
against South Korea, initiating the Korean War, and with it,
severe hardship, loss of life, and enormous devastation.
 CULTURE
PEOPLE OF KOREA
Korea has one of the highest average population densities
in the world, comparable to the most heavily populated
areas in the United States and Europe. However, as may be
seen in the population map, the population distribution
uneven. The mountain highlands in the northeast and south
are generally less populated than the coastal plains in the
west. The map doesn't accurately convey one of the most
important population phenomena in Korea since the Korean
War: the shift of population from rural to urban settings.More
than three-fourths of all Koreans lived in the countryside in
1950, but now more than two-thirds of the North Koreans,
and more than four-fifths of the South Koreans live in cities.
Indeed, even though the population of both nations has more
than doubled since the Korean War, the rural population of
North Korea has stayed about the same, while the rural
population of South Korea has decreased by more than half.
 CULTURE
KOREAN CUISINE
Korean cuisine as a national cuisine known today has evolved
through centuries of social and political change. Originating
from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern
Manchuria and the Korean peninsula, Korean cuisine has
evolved through a complex interaction of the natural
environment and different cultural trends.Korean cuisine is
largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional
Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes that
accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is served
often, sometimes at every meal. Commonly used ingredients
include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), salt,
garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and gochujang (fermented red
chili paste).Ingredients and dishes vary by province. Many
regional dishes have become national, and dishes that were
once regional have proliferated in different variations across
the country. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of
the unique regional specialties together for the royal family.
Meals are regulated by Korean culturaletiquette.
KIMCHI

KIMBAP
 CULTURE
RELIGION
Unlike some cultures where a single religion is dominant, Korean culture
includes a wide variety of religious elements that have shaped the people's
way of thinking and behavior. In the early stages of history in Korea, religious
and political functions were combined but they later became distinct.
Historically,Koreans lived under the influences of Shamanism, Buddhism,
Taoism or Confucianism, and in modern times, the Christian faith has made
strong inroads into the country, bringing forth yet another important factor that
may change the spiritual landscape of the people. The rapid pace of
industrialization which occurred within a couple of decades compared to a
couple of centuries in the West, has brought about considerable anxiety and
alienation while disrupting the peace of mind of Koreans, encouraging their
pursuit of solace in religious activities. As a result, the population of religious
believers has expanded markedly with religious institutions emerging as
influential social organizations. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the
Constitution in Korea. According to a 2005 social statistics survey, 53.1% of
Koreans follow a specific religious faith. Buddhists account for some 43% of
the religious population, followed by Protestants at 34.5% and Catholics at
20.6%.
Unit: persons
Source: Statistics Korea www.kostat.go.kr
 ARCHITECTURAL
STYLE
Korean architecture, the built structures of Korea
and their context. Like the other arts of Korea,architecture
is characterized by naturalistic tendencies, simplicity,
economy of shape, and the avoidance of extremes.
What was a sharply curving Chinese roof was modified
in Korea into a gently sloping roof. Sharp angles, strong
lines, steep planes, and garish colours are all avoided.
It typically exhibits a quiet inner harmony.
 TEMPLES
Buddhist temples are an important part of the Korean
landscape. This article gives a brief overview of Korean
Buddhism, then describes some of the more important
temples in Korea. Most Korean temples have names ending
in -sa (사, 寺), which means "temple" in Sino-Korean. Buddhism
was admired by Wang Geon, the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty.
Throughout the country pagodas and other Buddhist structures
were built. In the late Goryeo period Buddhism became linked
with the corruption of the regime. A great number of monks
were involved in politics. Bit by bit anti-Buddhist sentiments
grew, leading to chaos which was ended by the establishment
of the Joseon Dynasty. The king Taejo himself was a devout
Buddhist, but the influence of monks was reduced. At times
monks were treated as outcasts, but generally there was no
hindrance to their practising. Buddhist heritage can be found
all over the country in the form of temples,pagodas,sculptures,
paintings, handicrafts and buildings.
 Danyang-Guinsa

Busan-Beomeosa
 HOUSING
A Korean house is built with a rooms and a big
wooden floor in the center. Houses from other lands
are usually simple frame houses but they have either
rooms only, or just a wooden floor. In Northern regions
houses are closed private homes called "umjib" and in
Southern regions houses are open and are in a hut-like
form. You can easily spot traditional houses in
Kahwaedong. It used to be a wealthy district where
aristocrats used to live. explore and be amazed how
this traditional site can be situated along with
modernized buildings.
 GOVERNMENT
SOUTH KOREA

The Government of South Korea is divided into executive,

judicial, and legislative branches. The executive and judicial
branches operate primarily at the national level, although
various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local
functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and
contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. The
judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels.
The South Korean government's structure is determined by
the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. This document has
been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948
(for details, see History of South Korea). However, it has
retained many broad characteristics; with the exception of
the short-lived Second Republic of South Korea, the country
has always had a presidential system with a relatively
independent chief executive.
Gyeongbokgung-KeunJeongJeon
 GOVERNMENT
NORTH KOREA

In the government of the Democratic People's Republic

of Korea, the cabinet is the administrative and executive
body of the highest organ of State power and a general
state management organ, according to the Constitution
of North Korea. The Supreme People's Assembly is its
unicameral parliament, and the Central Court, with its
judges appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly, is
the highest court of its judiciary.
North Korea's Songun "Military First" policy elevates the
Korean People's Army within North Korea as an organization
as a state function, granting it the primary position in
the North Korean government and society. It guides
domestic policy and international interactions
Kumsusan Memorial Palace
 KOREAN ARCHITECTS
MIN HYUN SIK
Min was born in 1946, in Gyeongnam, Korea. After having
worked and studied under architect Kim Swoo Geun of
Space Group and architect Yoon Seung Joong of
Architects Group (0f which he had been a partner since
1980), he studied at theArchitectural Association School
of Architecture in London, UK, in 1989/1990. In 1992, he
started his own practice H. Min Architect and Associates.

Extending his architectural interests into urbanism, he

participated in several urban planning and design projects
, for example, "Paju Landscape Script" for Paju Book City,
and the schematic design of "Gwangju, the Capital City of
Asian Culture". His works and ideas have always been the
center of debate and controversy, and have marked
important turning points in Korean architecture and urbanism.
MIN HYUN SIK
 KIM SWOO GEUN

was born the first son of Kim Yong-hwan (김용환) and Kim
Usudal (김우수달) in Sinap-dong (신압동), Chongjin, North
Hamgyong province. While Kim was in second year at
Kyunggi Public Middle School (경기공립중학교), he began to
take an interest in architecture, introduced by his English
tutor and a US soldier.After his graduation from the school
In 1950 and Kim entered Seoul National University, majoring
in architecture. In 1952, during the Korean War, he withdre
from the school and went abroad to Japan where he
studied modern architecture at Tokyo National University
of Fine Arts and Music. During his study at this school, he
interned at Hirada Matsuda (松田平田)'s architectural firm.
In 1960 he received a master's degree in architecture from
Tokyo University where he finished his doctoral course
as well.
KIM SWOO GEUN