Posts Tagged ‘Christmas Korea’

Korean Business: Year-end Norms, Practices, and the Holidays

Sunday, December 19th, 2010
Korean Business: Year end Norms, Practices, and the Holidays

By Don Southerton, KoreaLegal.org Editor

With the year end, Korean Groups are in the middle of annual end of year reporting, restructuring, promotions, and new assignments. Many Korean team members already have begun to share news of the re-assignments, others will find out next week. Samsung Group announced a record number of Director and above promotions, we’ll see what happens at Hyundai Kia Motor Group and the other Groups. Meanwhile expect some change both at senior leadership and across the teams. Those receiving promotions should be congratulated–promotions bring considerable status along with a boost in wages.

On a more personal level…
As the holidays approach, you may wish to greet Korean colleagues with:
Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo! (Seasons Greetings)
(I’ll modify the Romanization for easier pronunciation)

Hint: Break the greeting into: sae hae bok—mahne—bah deu say yo

Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo! works well both in person, in a card, or an email. It is a common seasonal greeting into the New Year.

On behalf of myself and Korea Legal.org have a happy holiday season!

Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo!
Questions? Feel free to contact  dsoutherton@bridgingculture.com 1-310-866-377

Korean Business: Year end Norms, Practices, and the Holidays

Happy Holidays 2009

Monday, December 21st, 2009
Happy Holidays 2009

Happy Holidays 2009
As the holidays approach, you may wish to greet your Korean colleagues with:
Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo! (Season’s Greetings)

(I will modify the Romanization for easier pronunciation).
Hint: Break the greeting into: sae hae bok—mah ne—bah deu say yo

In South Korea, the government recognizes Christmas December 25 as a public holiday. Christians, who make up about 30% of the population, celebrate the occasion as a religious holiday.

Like in the West, both Christians and non-Christians may engage in some holiday customs such as gift-giving, sending Christmas cards, and setting up decorated trees in their homes.

Each year I see more signs of commercialism in Korea with stores and buildings displaying Christmas decorations and offering holiday sales. What may surprise some is that public and company Christmas trees and decoration stay up way past the holiday. In fact, many stay in place to the Lunar New Year.

Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo! works well and is a common seasonal greeting. For those wanting to wish someone Merry Christmas use Sung tan jul chuk ha.

If you have a specific holiday question, please feel to contact us by email.

On behalf of myself and Korea Expert Witness, have a happy holiday season!

Sae hae bok man i ba deu say yo!

Happy Holidays 2009