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

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.