Toilet Paper in Korea Other than throwing used toilet paper in a garbage can instead of flushing; there are some more things that might surprise you. Some Korean bathrooms will have toilet paper outside the stalls. Some even have it outside the bathroom. And some just won't have any!
You may also noticed that some stalls in Korea also have trash cans next to them, which is another holdover from the past. People are often discouraged from flushing toilet paper, especially in public restrooms in older buildings. Instead, you throw it into the trash can near the toilet.
The people of this culture use water to clean themselves when necessary. China, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, and Taiwan: In most Asian countries, it is very difficult to find toilet paper, even in stores. Some hotels may have it available in the guestrooms.
If you flush your toilet paper in South Korea, you risk clogging the toilet. The best practice is to throw your used paper in the trash bin which will be provided near the toilet.
South Korea
South Korean toilet culture is much like Japan's: you'll find a mix here, depending on where you go, of old-school squat toilets and Western-style sitters. Many of the Western ones have taken their lead from Japan, with push-button bidets built in, meaning you won't have to worry too much about TP.
Older buildings have the traditional Korean setup while the newer ones have been upgraded to Western-style toilet bowls. Some of the squatter-style toilets don't have a flushing device. They will have a bucket of water with a smaller bucket for scooping. Just scoop water into the toilet and let gravity do its work!
France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
Koreans bring rolls of toilet paper or laundry detergent, the two most common jipdeuri gifts. The meaning behind giving toilet paper is that the giver is wishing the recipient continued success and good health, just as easily as the paper unravels from the roll.
While Americans in particular are used to flushing their used toilet paper down the pipe, they must break that habit if they are traveling to Turkey, Greece, Beijing, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Bulgaria, Egypt and the Ukraine in particular. Restrooms will have special waste bins to place used toilet paper.
Male condoms are considered to be cost-effective, readily accessible, and 85% effective at preventing STDs and HIV. However, condom use has been found to be very low among young people in South Korea.
Like many other countries in Asia, tampons remain largely unknown or unpopular. According to a survey (link in Korean) by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety released in May, some 81% of women use sanitary napkins, and 11% use tampons.
In South Korea, most of the females use sanitary pads [3] while most of the European-American females use the tampons during the period [69].
There's no trash can inside a public bathroom for hygiene reasons. You have to flush toilet paper. It's water-soluble so there's no need to worry about clogging.
According to science, the correct way to hang toilet paper is "over." Why? Because "under" vastly increases the possibility that food-poisoning bacteria will spread from the restroom to the rest of the workplace.
Squatter toilets are leftovers from before Korea's rapid modernization, and are commonly found in less developed areas of Korea. The Korea Herald reports the government replaced many squat toilets with flush toilets in 1988, when the Summer Olympics were held in Seoul.
Statista Consumer Market Outlook
Nail salons in the U.S. Estimates from the Statista Consumer Market Outlook show that the United States leads the way when it comes to the use of toilet paper. On average, an American can be expected to get through 141 rolls of the stuff per year, equating to roughly 12.7 kilograms.
Toilet paper is used in Japan, even by those who own toilets with bidets and washlet functions (see below). In Japan, toilet paper is thrown directly into the toilet after use. However, please be sure to put just the toilet paper provided in the toilet.
Modern Punctuation
The modern Korean punctuation system is largely based off of European punctuation, with the use of periods (마침표), commas (쉼표), and question marks (물음표).
In the past, most Korean households had people sit on the floor to eat their meals. This custom was prevalent under the pretext that sitting on the floor leads to a calm and peaceful state of mind and encourages a sense of belonging.
Korean toilets are notorious for their unique features such as bidets and air drying functions. Often seen as both odd and fascinating, such toilets are very common in South Korea, installed in hotels and many households.
Wiping Front to Back
This prevents the transmission of bacteria and goes a long way in preventing UTIs or an itchy, uncomfortable bum.
University of Birmingham researchers have discovered that at least 50% of people do not have a habit of automatic handwashing after using the toilet in China (77%), Japan (70%), South Korea (61%) and the Netherlands (50%).
Always wipe from front to back in order to keep from spreading bacteria that can cause an infection, and don't forget the importance of good hand washing. This remains true even if you are a person who can't reach around behind your back. If the skin at your anus is irritated, try using wet wipes.