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> The construction of buildings is often done without any central heating This seems incredible for a country that is so proud of ondol https://en.m.wikipedia.

> The construction of buildings is often done without any central heating This seems incredible for a country that is so proud of ondol https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondol https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondol

taneq 2y ago
The U.S. is (justifiably) proud of sending astronauts to the moon, despite it being far from ubiquitous.
karmakaze 2y ago
It was so odd when I visited in 1998 that there were many tv commercials for carpeting and yet hardly anyone had carpets. Heated floors are so great, but great for sound absorption. Everyone just learns to live with lots of noise like in the city itself.
- bane 2y ago
  Carpets never did take off. Today most Koreans view carpets with suspicion and with a kind of grossness for what they might inhabit. Rugs on the other hand can be washed and beaten to properly clean. In 20 years of bi-yearly trips to South Korea, I've never seen a wall-to-wall carpeted indoor space. Even the Blue House, where you wear shoes inside, is rugs IIR.
bane 2y ago
The expectation is that heating is supplied by individual tenants of a building, however they chose to provide (or not provide) it. The building itself functions as a public commons area with the same lack of accommodation as a sidewalk. Bathrooms exist in a kind of weird grey-space where it's better to centralize the plumbing for all tenants to save space and money, but provide almost no other amenity than lights. Having traveled all over the world, the relationship different cultures have with the distinctions between "inside" and "outside" a structure can be quite fascinating. In the Eastern parts of the U.S., north to south, inside is strictly segregated from the outside due to various climate issues. But in the Western states like California, many semi-public venues like restaurants are open to the outside. Western Europe tries to maintain a inside-is-outside like the Western U.S., with lots of cafes and open store and restaurant fronts. And they tend to withdraw inside in colder weather. In places like Southeast Asia, Central America, or the Carribean, there may not even be a real "inside" with most places being not much more than rain cover or a simulation of windows with no glass. South Korea seems to exist somewhere in this continuum with the first floor and common spaces of many buildings being a sort of "outside" while the shops and restaurants may be either "outside" and open to the elements or "inside" and warm and cozy depending on the season. Public and semi-public restrooms seem to be universally "outside" even if they are in 4 walls with a roof.

taneq 2y ago

The U.S. is (justifiably) proud of sending astronauts to the moon, despite it being far from ubiquitous.

karmakaze 2y ago

It was so odd when I visited in 1998 that there were many tv commercials for carpeting and yet hardly anyone had carpets. Heated floors are so great, but great for sound absorption. Everyone just learns to live with lots of noise like in the city itself.

bane 2y ago
Carpets never did take off. Today most Koreans view carpets with suspicion and with a kind of grossness for what they might inhabit. Rugs on the other hand can be washed and beaten to properly clean. In 20 years of bi-yearly trips to South Korea, I've never seen a wall-to-wall carpeted indoor space. Even the Blue House, where you wear shoes inside, is rugs IIR.

bane 2y ago

The expectation is that heating is supplied by individual tenants of a building, however they chose to provide (or not provide) it. The building itself functions as a public commons area with the same lack of accommodation as a sidewalk. Bathrooms exist in a kind of weird grey-space where it's better to centralize the plumbing for all tenants to save space and money, but provide almost no other amenity than lights. Having traveled all over the world, the relationship different cultures have with the distinctions between "inside" and "outside" a structure can be quite fascinating. In the Eastern parts of the U.S., north to south, inside is strictly segregated from the outside due to various climate issues. But in the Western states like California, many semi-public venues like restaurants are open to the outside. Western Europe tries to maintain a inside-is-outside like the Western U.S., with lots of cafes and open store and restaurant fronts. And they tend to withdraw inside in colder weather. In places like Southeast Asia, Central America, or the Carribean, there may not even be a real "inside" with most places being not much more than rain cover or a simulation of windows with no glass. South Korea seems to exist somewhere in this continuum with the first floor and common spaces of many buildings being a sort of "outside" while the shops and restaurants may be either "outside" and open to the elements or "inside" and warm and cozy depending on the season. Public and semi-public restrooms seem to be universally "outside" even if they are in 4 walls with a roof.