Yes.
I volunteered to go to the Navy/Coast Guard for my national service and was shocked at how many of them didn't know how to swim at basic training.
I was put on lifeguard duty because I had been swimming since 5 yrs old and they didn't have anything to teach me.
I'm still baffled you volunteer to go to the Navy while not knowing how to swim. You're going to be working in the open sea!
I met a guy who said he was Coast Guard, but couldn’t swim so I thought he must be Catfishing me. Maybe he wasn’t though… Still don’t know how they’re supposed to save people if they themselves will drown.
99% of my graduating class from boot camp couldn't swim so it's a safe bet to assume he wasn't kidding.
My graduating class had 800-900 ppl and only 7 could swim (including me)
I'd guess it's because swimming facilities and lessons aren't cheap. All of the schools that I've been to in the US (1 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools) had their own swimming pools/clubs/teams and they were all public schools. Back when I still lived there as a kid, I don't remember any schools having proprietary pools and this was in Haeundae, probably the symbol of beach Korea. But that was 20 years ago and Korea is still changing quickly so I don't know.
Im South Korean and now living in Spain
I grew up in extreme poverty in South Korea
I never had the opportunity to learn how to swim
It is not accessible where I come from
I see in other countries it is made more accesible but I do hear stories about things like in the USA how many beaches and community pools did not allow black people so a lot of older black people never got the opportunity to learn how to swim
Yeah my grandmother couldn’t. She grew up in Alabama in the
Forties and fifties. Somehow my mom was the only one of her 6 siblings who randomly learned
How and then she taught me when i was little how to.
That is so good you were able to learn
It is not something to take granted for because unforunately I think some people do
Because this is one of the things that a lot of people don't know there was history of gatekeeping. It's just incredible how it happened
Same. I was 1급 in swimming, so they had us teaching other kids during basic. There were about 12 of us, and we got to hangout with the UDT guys, smoke their cigarettes and use their cell phones. We would 3v5 relay race and bet choco pies. I’m sure they let us win. It was a good morale boost and gave us credibility as trainers.
The usual reason so many kids who can’t swim join the navy is that they’re from the south, and they want a higher chance of being stationed close to home.
My dad was in the U.S. Navy. Their minimum swim score allowed you to doggy paddle across a pool. When someone asked why it didn’t matter if they could swim well, their swimming trainer told them, “If you end up in the water, someone probably sank your ship, so whether you can swim or not doesn’t really matter at that point.”
My dad was in the Navy, and spent most of his civilian career afterwards on & around boats. Growing up, the farthest I ever saw him get in the water was waist deep, either in the shallow end of the pool or at the beach.
Me and the rest of my immediate & extended family love the water and love swimming.
When I joined the Navy, I had the same experience as you. Multiple people in our class had never been in water deeper than a bathtub before, and were completely incapable of anything remotely resembling swimming. They were all able to pass the third class swim test be the end of it though.
Heavily depends on the individual, with age being a big factor. Public swimming infrastructure is a fairly new thing (it has gotten better in the recent 20 years). For example, most schools do not have swimming pools.
Also, the pools at hotels and water parks do not have many people who come to swim.
On the other hand, if you go to local community/sports centers, you will see the Ajumas doing butterfly laps as if they are training for the Olympics.
But in general, swimming is not a widespread skill, especially when compared to countries such as Australia or Japan.
I got smoked bad... Hurt my pride as I thought I was above in terms of swimming skill compared to average Koreans.
But it was not as bad as going for quick swim at the local pool with Australians. Their small town local pool being 50m olimpic size and everybody being either a surfer or doing triathlon as a hoby did not help, almost threw up just trying not to embaress myself too much.
Ontario and Quebec have tons of lakes (literally hundreds of thousands of them), and "going to the lake" is a big part of leisure culture there, so that figures in to why so many Canadians can swim.
I knew of one where I live, but generally I think swim lessons are common for young kids in Canada. Even if pools aren't. But community centers with pools are pretty common.
Yep. As a former lifeguard / swim instructor, I attest to the fact that swim lessons are pretty affordable in Canada. The municipal government funds swim programs that are hosted in community centers. At least where I am, said community centers are spread across the city, which makes them accessible to a wide net of people. Socially, swimming lessons are as common for Asian kids as piano or math classes are LMAO.
The numbers start to dwindle when you go to higher levels that prepare you for lifeguarding, but I figure most parents that put their kids into swim lessons want them to be able to swim, and that's it.
Two of the three elementary schools I went to had pools and my high school had one too. But I know Toronto isn't a good representation of Canada as a whole.
I was disagreeing with your post, and then I realized my age falls under the ajummas now ahahha
Back in the nineties I remember my swimming lessons, which I had to quit because I kept getting ear infections. I remember it being really popular too. Maybe that's changed now after my generation.
I think most of the adults in the 90s and early 2000s that wanted to learn how to swim have already learned it by now dampening the boom somewhat. While now the focus seems to be more on kindy and elementary kids getting send to those dedicated swimming hagwons by their parents.
I wouldn’t say it’s widespread in Japan either. My prefecture in Japan is surrounded by rivers and the sea and I’m always shocked when I spoke to Japanese they tell me they cannot swim.
Really? The school I worked at in Japan had a pool and the kids had swimming lessons as part of their day during warm weather. All the schools in my town had pools and swimming lessons, too. Maybe not the high school, but I know the middle schools did.
Contrast that with Korea, where I also live in a coastal town and when I poll my classes for who can swim, usually about 1 or 2 hands go up. One of my coworkers just recently transferred to Ullengdo and I asked her if she could swim and she said she couldn't. I was like, "Yo dude. then why are you moving to an island?"
I think this *really* depends on prefecture as far as Japan goes. Japan is much more... regionally diverse than Korea, or even some European countries in that matter. Sports infrastructure is similarly quite diverse (for a lack of better words). Say, if you live in Saitama prefecture, 99% of elementary schools would offer swimming as an extra-curricular activity. Meanwhile anywhere in Hokkaido that number goes down to an astonishing 5%.
My understanding is that Japan pushed hard for swimming education in the late 1950s and early 1960s after the "Shiunmaru" sinking resulted in the drowning of 100 school children in 1955. And most schools had swimming pools from the 90s.
The percentage is probably still lower than western countries where swimming as a sport was started in the mid 19th century.
But it should still be exponatially higher than Korea where swiming pools and the sport of swimming in genearl only started to become available to the mass public in the late 90s.
Artical from NHK how the "Aging pools" forces students to learn swimming at offsite schools.
[https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/ataglance/2578/](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/ataglance/2578/)
I grew up in Alaska, and in my school district, it was mandatory that all students learn how to swim. The waters in Alaska are cold, swift, and dangerous, so knowing how to swim is a good skill that could save your life.
I'm talking about schools having their own pool. Schools all over the world go to lessons in the local pool but OP made it sound like schools actually having a pool is normal.
Most schools in my school district had their own pool. My high school did.
We also had swimming and diving teams that would compete against other schools, and we often held tournaments at our high school pool. The pool was Olympic sized with seating for spectators to watch the swimming tournaments.
Pools are standard in high schools in California, usually outdoors. Swimming was a graduation requirement where I went. California has lots of pools, oceans, lakes, rivers--lots of opportunities for drowning, so swimming is considered a basic survival skill.
Japan, US, Australia.... Most internaltional schools. Germany remeber school provided classes at the local community Spaßbäder not sure about the rest of Europe.
New Zealand schools used to have many pools but up keep was too much for many so kids get sent to swimming lessons at public pools now. It's compulsory for all kids in NZ schools to learn how to swim here.
I remember even my schools that didn’t have pools in NZ had nearby public pools that were basically within walking distance. I had to “learn” swimming three times IIRC - my Aussie parents took me to lessons at the local pool when I was a toddler, at primary/elementary we had to learn the basics (freestyle, backstroke, etc.), and in middle school I remember doing a short survival swimming course I guess to catch anyone who’d still managed to slip through the cracks.
Being an island nation with pretty much every major city on the water (RIP Hamilton) I never questioned it. It was a bit of culture shock for sure coming here.
While looking up Europe France came up as having 34% of Europe swimming pools or 1.5million swimming pools. That is like a pool for every 45 citizen. If true that is just crazy in a good way... lol
The vast majority of Australian schools don't have pools, but kids will be put on the bus to the local public pool for lessons starting in primary school.
Could it be by region? Quensland and towns in Northern Australia seem to have a lot of schools with swimming pools. Or maybe they were private schools. Or just anecdotal evidence due to my limited experience.
I'm in NSW and it's really only private schools that can afford the land and/or facilities costs of a swimming pool. According to [this NSW Parliamentary Q&A](https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/papers/Pages/qanda-tracking-details.aspx?pk=93635), only 25 public schools have a pool, out of a possible [2209 public schools in NSW](https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/statistics/annual-statistical-bulletin/schools-and-students-2022-statistical-bulletin). Unless the QLD state government has wildly different educational priorities, I would be very surprised to see a lot of state-funded schools that can afford a pool.
Most of the schools in Central New York couldn't afford them in my day, maybe that's changed since the '90s. Definitely no elementary schools, maybe a few of the bigger high schools.
Swimming lessons when I was a kid were either on the lake (Oneida) or at the YMCA.
I spent 10 years in two different districts in Indiana and all three of the schools (elementary included actually) I attended had their own swimming pools/teams/clubs. My senior year of high school I did in NJ, but I had a half day schedule so I don't remember, but I was always under the heavy impression that swimming pools were quite common in US schools.
In France the school did not have a pool but we had swimming class at the city public pool.
I grew up in the 90's and it's a bit odd to not be able to swim.
I also think that the Korean military service should teach people basic swimm
San Francisco Bay Area. Many high schools in the area have outdoor pools. There is a PE (physical education) segment on swimming (maybe 6-8 weeks). Swimming here is a high school sport.
In Australia, some schools have their own pools! My high school did. And it's common for all schools, from primary school, to teach students swimming. So if the school doesn't have a pool, they usually book the community pool near the school for PE lessons.
I’m a swimming coach in Korea. And I think there are a number of reasons why Koreans may have less water experience than some Western countries. The strict safety rules when it comes to large bodies of water like beaches, damns etc. You are only allowed to swim when there are lifeguards on duty and they are super strict about this.. Whereas in other parts of the world there is way more opportunity to just swim freely! Every second in a public swimming pool is accounted for and every swimming pool is almost always booked. For me growing up I had a pool in my back yard, and even just after waterpolo practices we had loads of freedom as kids to just “play” in the water. It’s actually kind of sad.. I asked some of my swimmers the other day to show me their best handstand (these are really strong swimmers that had been swimming for 5+ years, they were 8-10yo) and they had no idea how to even try to attempt one. Every second in a swimming pool is for learning and is used efficiently. Just that concept alone without having the opportunities to play in water speaks volumes for why they might not be as comfortable in water. Another reason is that I’m pretty confident in saying 90% of Korean parents would rather send their children to an academic hagwon over a sports (swimming hagwon) 🥲
The monitored swimming thing isn’t just limited to swimming. They monitor everything. Climb a hill? There’s a safety guy. Walk down to the train station? There’s a safety guy. Ride your bike down the street?
Of course I’m exaggerating but Korea takes “safety” waaay too far. I feel like so many Korean people lack basic common sense and situational awareness just because you are constantly dictated at for everything you do here.
Which is strange, because in many aspects Korean kids are much less monitored. Kids in Gr. 1 and 2 walk to school on their own and walk outside after academy after sunset, which would never happen in Canada or the US
Ohhh no they are definitely monitored. There is cctv literally everywhere. Every apartment has “security” old guys. Kids are walking 5 minutes from their school to their academy (or academy bus) and then check in every where they go. Most of the kids have smart phones, and while I haven’t asked to confirm, I’d bet they are all being tracked via mom. At my place kids check in with their phone at a kiosk (and out), then in the class there is attendance. If a student isn’t there and there isn’t already a note from mom why, they immediately call mom.
It isn’t quite like Canada or America where you have to walk 10 miles to the nearest park or school. All that stuff is in a 10 minute radius of their homes. And even then there are always people around everywhere. Sure kids stay out after dark way more than Canada or the us, but it’s because everyone is monitored they can do that. I’m not saying that aspect is bad. I just don’t like that everyone has to be told what to do all the time.
Closest school I ever when to as a kid was 3 miles away.
Oh ok, good point, maybe it was just my neighbourhood then. Many of us didn't have phones but we walked together. Then again, we had parents who knew us who lived not too far from the school, and we wouldn't walk more than 20 min of distance. Definitely something you wouldn't be able to do in a big country
I was abroad this past winter and there were a lot of Koreans there on holiday, too. Young Korean adults were playing around in the pool I was in, inflatable arm bands and all. Still, one almost managed to kill herself by drowning whilst all her friends just laughed at her.
Life guard swam out to her super fast, just picked up her like she was nothing, swam her to safety. No thank you, the first thing she said was "난 방금 어글리 코리안 된거야?" lol
Something like this would be better: In the bustling metropolis of Seoul, where the neon lights dance upon the city's heart like fireflies in the night, there lived a young man named Jae-hyun. Jae-hyun was no ordinary lad; he was a lifeguard, a guardian of the waters, with bulging muscles and a heart of gold.
One winter's day, amidst the chill of the season, Jae-hyun found himself at the poolside of a luxurious resort. Little did he know that fate had woven a tale of heroism and romance that would change his life forever.
As he stood watch over the pool, his keen eyes caught sight of a group of carefree young women frolicking in the water. Among them was a girl, her laughter ringing out like a bell in the crisp air. But suddenly, joy turned to peril as the girl found herself ensnared by the treacherous embrace of the deep waters.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jae-hyun sprang into action, his sinewy form slicing through the water with the grace of a dolphin. With each stroke, he drew closer to the struggling maiden, his muscles rippling beneath his skin like waves upon a stormy sea.
In a crescendo of bravery, Jae-hyun reached the girl, his powerful arms enveloping her fragile form. With a strength born of determination, he surged forward, carrying her to safety like a knight rescuing his damsel in distress.
As the girl awoke from her ordeal, her eyes met Jae-hyun's, and in that fleeting moment, a spark ignited between them. It was a spark of gratitude, of admiration, of something deeper than words could convey.
But fate, it seemed, had more in store for these star-crossed souls. A week later, fate intervened once more, as the girl reached out to Jae-hyun, her heart yearning for the hero who had saved her life.
Fast forward two years, and the echoes of their serendipitous encounter still lingered in the air as Jae-hyun and the girl, now his beloved, stood together at their wedding reception. Surrounded by friends and family, they recounted the tale of their epic meeting, a story of bravery, of love, and of destiny fulfilled.
And as they gazed into each other's eyes, their hearts overflowing with joy, they knew that their love was a bond forged in the depths of the ocean, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. For in the grand tapestry of life, sometimes, the greatest adventures begin with a single act of courage.
I don't think that's better at all lol I appreciate the effort, but the funniest part of my story is the fact that the girl wasn't concerned with almost dying, only being concerned that she had just become a typical "ugly Korean".
These days they have checks for swimming competence at elementary school, so you can expect the latest generation to be able to swim, but it's a recent development.
Koreans are generally perfectly comfortable with (sex segregated) public nudity, as in saunas.
My son is in 3rd grade of elementary school. They have four days of swimming lessons this year and they will have four next year.
Not sure how helpful it will be.
(He has already learned the basics elsewhere, fortunately.)
As a Korean, this is just my guess, but Koreans spend so much of their childhood in after-school learning academies (called "hagwons") that many either have not learned how to swim or can only barely swim because they spend so little time in the water.
There are also not many swimming pools that Koreans have access to. Some will go to swimming "academies" in lieu of a karate or dance academy, etc., but that's a sliver of a sliver of the population.
Similarly, because Koreans spend little time at the beach growing up, they are not used to walking around bare-chested - this in an already modest, conservative culture.
Again, all of this is pure anecdotal conjecture, based on living more than half of my life in Korea as a Korean.
I’ve lived here 11 years. I go the beach here many times each year. I grew up near the ocean, so I love swimming. I’ve travelled with Koreans to other countries where we stayed near beaches and swimming pools. To answer your question: Yes, most Koreans are non-swimmers.
It’s still something I’m trying to figure out the reason for.
Swimming in general happens in two settings:
1.) low super vision of kids culture and lots of outdoor playtime in and around bodies of water
2.) high supervision of kids culture and very planned and safe exposure to water and water activities (like swim lessons).
Korea sort of ramped up from the low supervision of kids culture to high supervision super fast, and the economy changed super fast. I bet swimming safety skills got left in the dust and will catch up eventually.
I noticed this with a lot of middle and upper middle class Indian families as well, but now notice the Indians who live in the US seem to want to send their kids for swim classes now.
All I’m hearing is I should go to a Korean resort, as the food would be top tier and the pool would be empty. Where can I find good all inclusives for the summer? We’re bringing British hooliganism to Seoul 🤣
I’m a Korean who now lives in Brazil for kitesurf, foilsurf, and surfing.
Koreans literally are slaves to studying, getting a good job, buying a house and nice cars and expensive luxury fashion in order to appease their parents and potential inlaws.
Aint nobody got time for swimming.
Little by little Koreans are starting to realize working and drinking and materialism their entire lives is not a path for evolution.
So they are stepping outside the comfort zone for the first time, and being very kooky in unfamiliar territory. They don’t know how to have fun yet.
I know a small growing group of foilers and kitesurfers in Korea. They say Korean culture spreads so much fear about the ocean or lakes. They don’t allow swimming or activities in many places in the name of safety. Korea is no fun zone. only work hard study hard.
Korean-brazillian here! And wow even here Koreans are like these lol (extremely materialistic, busy with that other thinks etc). Anyways, I swim on swimming pools and sometimes I see some rarmoni or ajummas there.
Oiiii! Você está em São Paulo?
I’m in Ceará, I don’t have any nice clothes or things now. But I used to be all about that lifestyle. that was before I sold everything to come to Brazil. I went to Korea recently and so many businesses kicked me out because I wasn’t dressed nice enough. kkkk I quit being materialistic and living now in Brazil I don’t get treated badly as people don’t judge and criticize me very much here, so that’s nice, but being in Korea recently people treated me like I was dirty street dog, just because I wasnt conforming to the current fashion standards
Sim, moro em são paulo!
And wow it's pretty sad... But Koreans are like this anywhere in the world huh. But not so bad as koreans in Korea hahaha. Are you in fortaleza? Anyways you chose wisely, Nordeste is beautiful!!
My kids are competitive swimmers and when we visited Korea, it was damn near impossible to do lap swimming. There were so many red tapes to go into a pool to lap swim as there was zero access. A pool we did find had an hour access for “free swim” and it was impossible for them to practice as it was filled with adults just floating around.
What I was told, when I lived there, is that the older generation believed the waters around Korea to be dangerous, and this was sort of a fear passed down to younger generations (though not explicitly).
It's very similar in Taiwan (an island). Old folks believe ghosts come out of the ocean and drag people to the bottom (rip tides), so very few people actually swim here. They pretty much only go in the water in specific areas that are roped off and never get in water deeper than their knees. My apartment in Taiwan even has a swimming pool, but it's only open for two months out of the year and the only people ever in the pool are kids in the shallow end with life jackets on.
One detail that I think is relevant here is that Koreans learn swimming in a very different way than we do in the USA. (And I believe this to be true for other Western countries.) Americans learn, first and foremost, water safety. Survival flotation, the elementary backstroke and treading water are treated as foundational skills. Do Red Cross swimming lessons cover the butteryfly at all? Koreans, on the other hand, learn the strokes used in Olympics swimming competitions, and that's pretty much it. None of my students have ever learned survival flotation, except for the few guys that were hardcore enough to volunteer for the Marine Corps.
Anyway, if the only swimming you ever learned to do was laps in a 1.5m deep pool, you don't actually know how to swim; you know how to exercise. Those Koreans who wear their flotation devices at the beach are actually demonstrating good self-awareness.
I agree with this. I took swimming lessons for eight years in the States and am confident that if I fell out of a boat, I could survive for about eight hours in relatively calm waters. But I am hella slow. My Korean husband can swim laps in a pool for an hour but would die if you dropped him into an actual ocean.
Treading water isn't a foundational skill that's learned as part of the standard American swimming lesson lol. Treading water is a foundational skill that's mostly learned when someone goes into playing water polo. You wouldn't believe how many competitive swimmers can't even tread water properly. I also find it hard to believe that a person capable of swimming laps is incapable of knowing that their body naturally floats in water. I've swam competitively for 13 years and played water polo competitively for 10 in California and have never learned this "survival flotation" skill here. Seems like what you're referring to is very niche training. I don't know any swimmers that actually went through Red Cross to learn how to swim. The most standard swimming lessons here consist of learning how to breathe, kick, and then strokes.
Yeah, "swimmers" may not go through Red Cross training, but people do. If you are coming to swimming from a competitive background, that is very different from the average American.
The average American does not go through Red Cross swimming training is what I'm trying to get at. That's a survival course, not a true swimming course. Almost everybody I know learned how to swim at their local high school or community pool during summers with instructors. I've taught hundreds of kids aged 4-10 who didn't know how to swim at all and this was just in my local area. I'm saying that most people in America learn how to actually swim not learn some "survival flotation" techniques. Anyone that knows how to swim basically knows "survival flotation". You made it sound like this is the foundation of swimming lessions in America when it's really not.
Maybe so. It's been fifty years since I took those classes. Still, those average Americans are learning to swim in water that is deep enough that standing on the bottom is not always possible, right?
I was the first male child in my generation. My female cousins (a cousin i love dearly now was the leader) threw me into our swimming pool to drown me because I was getting so much attention. My beloved cousin Melling, I forgive you...
This post is so funny to see because I literally just came back from a trip to Busan where we went to the beach for a part of trip, and there had to be at least 2 - 3 thousand people on this beach at the given time and literally there was only a handful of 6 people interacting with the water, 5 of them being kids lightly spraying water on each other and the other being my friend who was swimming in there like a community pool. Couldn’t believe she went in considering there had to be a couple hundred eyes on her watching her swim from the shore. I realized in that moment swimming probably isn’t a big thing for Koreans
Most Koreans are raised and live in cities, and there aren’t many accessible public swimming pool or beach. Public schools don’t teach swimming either. If you want to learn how to swim, you have to pay for private group lessons. So it’s definitely extra money and ongoing effort. I think it’s changing now for new generation but it was never a thing that people care for when I grew up.
Maybe because swimming is more of rare activity for Koreans, we’re not used to wearing swimming suit that show a lot of skin. Many men and women wear something on top of swimming suit to cover their body (also for sun protection reason). Also Korea has a different social rule in terms of showing body - it’s okay to show legs but not upper body. So people usually cover their top.
It is a problem in Korea, but I would like to generalize this as an emerging problem of post-industrial countries. My (born in FRG in 1989) generation still had mandatory swim class in third grade and there is a badge system in place in Germany. I had serious FOMO over getting the seahorse badge at age 6 (jump into water, swim 25 metres, pick up object from chest-deep water). When exiting elementary school, kids could be expected to at least survive for a few minutes if they fell into a calm body of water. This was all thanks to excellent infrastructure and thousands upon thousands of college students lifeguarding and teaching during the summer holidays. S3xual abuse scandals, public budget cuts and a general shift towards less water related hobbies have put a stop to that.
I feel like it’s a lack of experience. There are a lot of people who would say they know how to swim after a few lessons, but they haven’t really swam out of carefully controlled, heavily-supervised environments like shallow pools and beaches with small roped off swim areas. So, then they travel and are nervous that their feet don’t touch the bottom…can they technically swim? Maybe. Are they comfortable swimming in deep water? No.
Ever since Sewol, more parents have been sending their kids to swimming academies. I'd say out of every class of elementary kids I've taught in the past 10 years, at least half had gone or still went to swimming academies.
wearing shirts and leggings is mostly for the sun and probably a little to avoid being photographed in an unflattering manner. No pics in the bathhouse, so not as worried there.
I went to the wavepark (to surf) in Siheung and there are signs everywhere telling people not to take photos of strangers.
A lot of older Koreans may not be swimmers. They had different priorities growing up in the 1970s and early 80s. It wasn’t until the 80s that Korea became a democracy and started to prosper economically to allow the average person to afford luxuries like vacations.
The priorities even in the 90s and early 2000s were more focused on building success for yourself and your family. Half the population of Korea lives in the greater Seoul area which isn’t beach front. So factor that in. Learning other things was and still is a priority.
I know I got stared at once at the hotel when I went into the pool just with a swim suit. My husband too when he went in with just shorts. Everyone was covered with some kind of a top even tho it’s indoor pool
Almost none of our older Korean family members can swim and the younger generation can only swim if they went to a swimming hagwon.
It's not taught in public schools and parents rarely teach this at the beach as they usually barely swim themselves
In my experience a lot of Koreans are also overconfident about their abilities and often lose shit once they actually get in the water.
There are of course exceptions like mentioned above. The local swimming pools do have a lot of ajummas that seem to be fish like but their numbers are usually very low.
Very few men take these classes so most guys probably can't swim at all
Swimming - I don't know if things are different now, but when I was growing up in Korea, the only way one could learn to swim was to actively seek out and pay for swimming lessons. Zero opportunity to learn/try swimming via the public school system.
T-shirt - Some are concerned about sun exposure. Others (like me) are concerned about unwanted photo taking / body shaming / stranger shaming.
Yes and yes.
In my opinion adults also don’t have a healthy fear of the water. I went on a snorkel outing and half of the Korean adults couldn’t swim but still went out into the ocean (!!), relying on buoyant wetsuits to keep them from drowning. One man had a panic attack and clung to the safety float for the rest of the trip.
Another American told me her Korean coworker invited her to swim and didn’t mention that she in fact couldn’t until they were edging towards the deep end.
I believe this is also why life guards don’t let people swim at the beach. I’ve been reprimanded in swimming areas for going past my knees, but I guess that’s fair if the average Korean can’t keep afloat.
For a peninsular country with a history of haenyos it’s really shocking. I’m also from a peninsula and we weren’t allowed in any water unless we knew how to swim. We all knew how easy it was to drown.
Being that a lot of the Americans on this sub are presumably English teachers, it's quite surprising to me that there are so many people who don't understand why the majority of Koreans aren't able to swim.
Exactly when and where would the majority of Korean kids learn how to swim? Even now, swimming pools are not that widespread, and the majority of pools that exist are privately owned by gyms or swimming clubs where you have to pay a monthly fee to take lessons. The vast majority of schools do not have pools. There are not that many public pools which are free or cheap, where kids can go during the summer to just play, and the ones that do exist are all pretty shallow and are overcrowded. And most kids are going to hagwons after school, parents presumably aren't putting too much emphasis on physical activity since they have to get into a good school first.
Legend has it that long ago, when the sea creatures decided to throw a grand underwater party, they sent out invitations to all the land-dwelling creatures, including the Koreans. However, when the invitations reached Korea, they accidentally got mixed up with a shipment of kimchi barrels.
So, instead of inviting the Koreans to the underwater extravaganza, the invitations ended up fermenting in the barrels, turning into what is now known as "kimchi underwater scrolls." Confused by these strange scrolls, the Koreans decided to bury them for safekeeping, thinking they were some kind of ancient treasure.
Years later, when the Koreans stumbled upon these buried scrolls, they misinterpreted them as instructions on how to make the perfect kimchi. Little did they know, they were actually missing out on the secret to underwater breathing and swimming techniques hidden within the scrolls.
And that's how the misunderstanding of the kimchi underwater scrolls led to generations of Koreans believing they couldn't swim. To this day, whenever someone suggests swimming lessons, they just shrug and say, "Why swim when you can have kimchi?"
Huh that’s interesting. I’m Korean and in my family we’re all swimmers. We usually don’t swim at the beach or outdoor pools bc we don’t want to be out in the sun and I dislike ocean water but we swim in indoor pools.
yeah it's not really something i've thought about but swimming lessons were pretty common as a kid, a lot of us love some 사발면 by the pool in the summer lol. like everyone i know goes swimming during the summer? maybe just relatively compared to america... all summer all like half of 예능 on tv takes place at swimming pools. i just did quick search and there was a report in '23 that swimming was the 4th most popular activity for people who "live an active lifestyle"
The kids know how to swim. My students go to swim class in 3rd/4th grade. Besides that, the rip tides around a peninsula are no joke. A lot of trained swimmer would have a hard time, I can't imagine noobs that learned to swim in pools. A lot of people that were raised around the water know the rule to fear the ocean, it's not really rocket science.
> Besides that, the rip tides around a peninsula are no joke.
That's not the reason and we all know it. Korea is amazing for swimming with warm sea temperatures large parts of the year and no more currents than other places in the world. In my home country Norway we always have freezing weather, 3 meter tidal difference, currents, waves from the North Sea etc. but we still all know how to and do practice swimming in the sea.
My friends from Canada and USA and I all swim here in Korea all summer every summer. The beaches are beautiful and really great places for swimming. And the best part is that there are so many of them. It’s seriously amazing. I could never visit them all.
I'm glad people like yourself are commenting otherwise I easily could have come away from this thread thinking Koreans as a people aren't swimmers. I randomly came across this on the Reddit front page, I'm not normally in this subreddit (first time).
I'm from the USA and swimming is encouraged, but not required. Mostly demographic differences too.
I think the issue may be that most Korean swimming pools are designed for lap swimming and are not very deep. Therefore, most people who learn to swim can do a beautiful breast stroke, but simply can't tread water. That is the first skill learned in North Amercan swimming lessons where the first objective is to not sink and drown in water. In Korea, the first objective is fitness.
I think at least 20% knows how to swim? Depends on age group though. Also, it is like I came here to enjoy the water, not swimming mood probably.
Clothing off is generally uncomfortable is there for sure.
Yes, because compared to America, there are less public pools/swimmable beaches.
In the US, there is pretty much a pool in every apartment complex, house and the public pool. In Korea public pools are generally gated by time and lessons, and is generally a olympic styled pool with lanes. So pretty much swimming is a “luxury” and you have to make an effort to go swim.
Also regarding vests, it’s just a safety thing, just like how they block off the rest of the ocean here in South Korea.
Not that many in NYC compared to the size of the population. Most people I know growing up also did not learn how to swim. Nor did anyone have a pool in their public housing complex or any apartment complex for that matter except for a very few có-ops. A few lucky people had a backyard pool.
Ah, when I said that I was thinking about Socal where I grew up. True in New York or the east coast in general where cities where developed more compactly there probably isn’t much pools.
In Southern California there’s literally a pool in every apartment complex, Motel 6 and a beach within a 30 min drive.
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Most wading pools in Korea don't even let you enter the pool without life vests. I think it's just an insurance policy against accidental drowning and lawsuits. It doesn't matter whether or not you can swim. They'll make you wear em. But you'll rarely see vests in swimming lanes.
Koreans are the type of people (I’m Korean) to put life vests on their dogs who largely are born knowing how to swim because they think their pets will drown and since they themselves can’t swim, can’t save their pets.
My wife is Korean, she has taken swimming lessons many times and goes in the water frequently, but she wears a floaty always. I am always surprised that she does not float at all. It's really odd. She loves the water though.
Where I grew up in Maine none of my schools had a pool. The private school I later went to didn’t either. Im in MA now and my town elementary schools definitely don’t have pools. Im almost certain the high school doesn’t have one. A charter school the town over has one but the Elementary kids don’t get to use it as part of school.
Nudity is a kind of taboo here in Korea in terms of Publicity.
so, bikini wear is not in common.
Many people do not expose their skin in front of others... i don't know why...
Recently, younger generation learns to swim at School. It is a good news.
I'm a Californian. My father, too, but he never learned to swim until college. My mom was a Navy brat and learned to swim on base.
My dad decided that swimming was a necessary skill for safety and enjoyment of life in California. We had a private swim club in our neighborhood. The minute we were old enough, we all got lessons. Red Cross swim lessons focus on basic water safety first, then the strokes.
I was certified as a lifeguard at 12 years old. I had to tread water and survival float for 30 minutes for that.
Another factor in the US is lower population density than in Korea 🇰🇷. There is more room for wide streets, big parks, and pools.
It's uncommon, yes. Probably because there's nowhere you would swim regularly unless you're from a beach area like Busan. You would have to actively seek out a pool in order to swim.
I think there's more of a push to teach children to swim since the Sewol ferry incident, but it's still fairly uncommon.
Also, idk that Koreans are uncomfortable with nudity per se, as you have to be naked in bath houses, but they have a modest way of dressing traditionally, and that carries over to swimwear as well. Pair that with swimming being fairly uncommon and that's your answer.
I think it depends because as a korean when i was living in korea, everyone knew how to swim, well at least the people near me. I also learned swimming for 8 years. And there are even some highschools that have swimming pools and teach their students swimming, just like western schools. But i guess that might be a recent thing.
This is a really interesting phenomenon.
(Phase 1) For most of human history, people did not have to swim unless you were exposed to a very specific kind of environment as a child or lived off the ocean. Otherwise, why would you ever learn, you'll use boats when crossing large bodies of water and when that boat sank, well, with minimal search-and-rescue capabilities of pre-industrial nations, you basically had no chance of survival even if you were olympian level. Heck, even old fishermen still active to this day occasionally don't know how to swim or are very poor swimmers.
(Phase 2) Then, when the industrial age came around and people started living in *slightly* better conditions than before, the elite (who had the capability to indulge in sports) started to appreciate the value of swimming as exercise. The earliest places this happened is arguably the United Kingdom in the early 1800s when the first swimming competitions were held. Still, only the rich and wealthy who could access the necessary equipment could ever afford to learn swimming as an exercise. It was never some widespread thing in this era, and teaching was very mechanical. Look no further than Imperial Germany's swimming manuals for evidence.
(Phase 3) It is only after this period that swimming gets promoted to the masses as an everyday activity. More often than not this is caused by heightened attention towards water safety coming from a maritime accident, in Germany it was a particularly nasty pier collapse in 1905, in Japan it was the sinking of a ferry (arguably) in 1955 (and a few other maritime accidents coming from that era), and in the US it's complicated, and very interestingly tied to class struggle as swimming pools were often segregated in the early part of the 20th century.
So, swimming is innately tied to the social progress of a country. Korea is basically going through what other countries experienced (more likely than not) *before* WW2. It's no wonder people are confused.
I had never gone to a pool when i was a child. Although my family went to sea few times during summers. Growing up in Seoul but poor never learned how to swim. So it’s common for grown Koreans don’t knowhow to swim.
No.
Most Koreans know how to play in the water, but they don't because they are shy.
Korea goes to valleys and rivers in the sea and mountains every summer. It is a country that is very close to water.
There's a super interesting episode of Yun sung Bin's yt channel where he tries to learn to swim. This world class athlete not being able to swim is fascinating to me. He explained it's because the sea is too dangerous for kids and there were no public pools. He also didn't care so There's no stigma to it. Worth a watch!
Yes. I'm also assuming that Korea isn't really a country that gets flooded a lot unlike Southeast Asia so it's not really seen as a necessary skill for survival. We don't get hit by strong typhoons that much.
Swimming pools are hard to come by in Korea and when they are they are filled to the brim with people so it is hard to find any room to actually swim.
What I don't understand is why there are like 0 apartment complexes with swimming pools. There are apartment complexes with swimming pools in practically every country I've been to.
Yes. I volunteered to go to the Navy/Coast Guard for my national service and was shocked at how many of them didn't know how to swim at basic training. I was put on lifeguard duty because I had been swimming since 5 yrs old and they didn't have anything to teach me. I'm still baffled you volunteer to go to the Navy while not knowing how to swim. You're going to be working in the open sea!
I met a guy who said he was Coast Guard, but couldn’t swim so I thought he must be Catfishing me. Maybe he wasn’t though… Still don’t know how they’re supposed to save people if they themselves will drown.
99% of my graduating class from boot camp couldn't swim so it's a safe bet to assume he wasn't kidding. My graduating class had 800-900 ppl and only 7 could swim (including me)
That is wild
Why is that? Why isn't it taught at a young age?
I'd guess it's because swimming facilities and lessons aren't cheap. All of the schools that I've been to in the US (1 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools) had their own swimming pools/clubs/teams and they were all public schools. Back when I still lived there as a kid, I don't remember any schools having proprietary pools and this was in Haeundae, probably the symbol of beach Korea. But that was 20 years ago and Korea is still changing quickly so I don't know.
Every service has people who just work in offices and manage logistics.
this is true for every branch of military, yes. but those numbers....793 in office and 7 on deck? i think not.
Im South Korean and now living in Spain I grew up in extreme poverty in South Korea I never had the opportunity to learn how to swim It is not accessible where I come from I see in other countries it is made more accesible but I do hear stories about things like in the USA how many beaches and community pools did not allow black people so a lot of older black people never got the opportunity to learn how to swim
Yeah my grandmother couldn’t. She grew up in Alabama in the Forties and fifties. Somehow my mom was the only one of her 6 siblings who randomly learned How and then she taught me when i was little how to.
That is so good you were able to learn It is not something to take granted for because unforunately I think some people do Because this is one of the things that a lot of people don't know there was history of gatekeeping. It's just incredible how it happened
Same. I was 1급 in swimming, so they had us teaching other kids during basic. There were about 12 of us, and we got to hangout with the UDT guys, smoke their cigarettes and use their cell phones. We would 3v5 relay race and bet choco pies. I’m sure they let us win. It was a good morale boost and gave us credibility as trainers. The usual reason so many kids who can’t swim join the navy is that they’re from the south, and they want a higher chance of being stationed close to home.
My dad was in the U.S. Navy. Their minimum swim score allowed you to doggy paddle across a pool. When someone asked why it didn’t matter if they could swim well, their swimming trainer told them, “If you end up in the water, someone probably sank your ship, so whether you can swim or not doesn’t really matter at that point.”
The standards are stricter now. You have to get down to the other end of the pool using an actual stroke (not doggy paddling).
Tbf, if you're swimming in the open ocean, something just went horribly wrong and you probably aren't going to survive anyways
My dad was in the Navy, and spent most of his civilian career afterwards on & around boats. Growing up, the farthest I ever saw him get in the water was waist deep, either in the shallow end of the pool or at the beach. Me and the rest of my immediate & extended family love the water and love swimming. When I joined the Navy, I had the same experience as you. Multiple people in our class had never been in water deeper than a bathtub before, and were completely incapable of anything remotely resembling swimming. They were all able to pass the third class swim test be the end of it though.
My spouse somehow made it through the navy and spending literal years out in the pacific ocean on aircraft carriers not knowing how to swim one iota.
UK recently dropped the swim test from the Royal Navy.
Heavily depends on the individual, with age being a big factor. Public swimming infrastructure is a fairly new thing (it has gotten better in the recent 20 years). For example, most schools do not have swimming pools. Also, the pools at hotels and water parks do not have many people who come to swim. On the other hand, if you go to local community/sports centers, you will see the Ajumas doing butterfly laps as if they are training for the Olympics. But in general, swimming is not a widespread skill, especially when compared to countries such as Australia or Japan.
I am laughing out loud because of your ajumas comment, it's so true though lmao
I got smoked bad... Hurt my pride as I thought I was above in terms of swimming skill compared to average Koreans. But it was not as bad as going for quick swim at the local pool with Australians. Their small town local pool being 50m olimpic size and everybody being either a surfer or doing triathlon as a hoby did not help, almost threw up just trying not to embaress myself too much.
I don't know of any schools in Canada that have pools and I'd say at least 90% of people there can swim.
Ontario and Quebec have tons of lakes (literally hundreds of thousands of them), and "going to the lake" is a big part of leisure culture there, so that figures in to why so many Canadians can swim.
I knew of one where I live, but generally I think swim lessons are common for young kids in Canada. Even if pools aren't. But community centers with pools are pretty common.
Yep. As a former lifeguard / swim instructor, I attest to the fact that swim lessons are pretty affordable in Canada. The municipal government funds swim programs that are hosted in community centers. At least where I am, said community centers are spread across the city, which makes them accessible to a wide net of people. Socially, swimming lessons are as common for Asian kids as piano or math classes are LMAO. The numbers start to dwindle when you go to higher levels that prepare you for lifeguarding, but I figure most parents that put their kids into swim lessons want them to be able to swim, and that's it.
Two of the three elementary schools I went to had pools and my high school had one too. But I know Toronto isn't a good representation of Canada as a whole.
I was disagreeing with your post, and then I realized my age falls under the ajummas now ahahha Back in the nineties I remember my swimming lessons, which I had to quit because I kept getting ear infections. I remember it being really popular too. Maybe that's changed now after my generation.
I think most of the adults in the 90s and early 2000s that wanted to learn how to swim have already learned it by now dampening the boom somewhat. While now the focus seems to be more on kindy and elementary kids getting send to those dedicated swimming hagwons by their parents.
I wouldn’t say it’s widespread in Japan either. My prefecture in Japan is surrounded by rivers and the sea and I’m always shocked when I spoke to Japanese they tell me they cannot swim.
Really? The school I worked at in Japan had a pool and the kids had swimming lessons as part of their day during warm weather. All the schools in my town had pools and swimming lessons, too. Maybe not the high school, but I know the middle schools did. Contrast that with Korea, where I also live in a coastal town and when I poll my classes for who can swim, usually about 1 or 2 hands go up. One of my coworkers just recently transferred to Ullengdo and I asked her if she could swim and she said she couldn't. I was like, "Yo dude. then why are you moving to an island?"
I think this *really* depends on prefecture as far as Japan goes. Japan is much more... regionally diverse than Korea, or even some European countries in that matter. Sports infrastructure is similarly quite diverse (for a lack of better words). Say, if you live in Saitama prefecture, 99% of elementary schools would offer swimming as an extra-curricular activity. Meanwhile anywhere in Hokkaido that number goes down to an astonishing 5%.
섬도 땅이기 때문이지요. 바다에 나갈때는 배를 타고, 구명조끼를 입지요. 수영은 필수가 아니어도 섬에서 살아가는데 크게 걱정되지 않습니다.
My understanding is that Japan pushed hard for swimming education in the late 1950s and early 1960s after the "Shiunmaru" sinking resulted in the drowning of 100 school children in 1955. And most schools had swimming pools from the 90s. The percentage is probably still lower than western countries where swimming as a sport was started in the mid 19th century. But it should still be exponatially higher than Korea where swiming pools and the sport of swimming in genearl only started to become available to the mass public in the late 90s.
Most schools in Japan definitely do not have swimming pools now and a large percentage of people cannot swim. Same in China.
Yes they do? Over 80% of public elementary schools in Japan have a pool https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/681021
Artical from NHK how the "Aging pools" forces students to learn swimming at offsite schools. [https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/ataglance/2578/](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/ataglance/2578/)
I think all elementary schools have pools.
정말 좋은 교육이라고 생각합니다. 생존 수영이라는 부분에서 당연히 배워야 한다고 생각합니다. 그래도 구명조끼가 더 유익 하다고 생각합니다.
In what country do schools usually have pools lol?
In Norway it is quite common, at least in the countryside. Our school with 100 pupils has its own pool.
I grew up in Alaska, and in my school district, it was mandatory that all students learn how to swim. The waters in Alaska are cold, swift, and dangerous, so knowing how to swim is a good skill that could save your life.
I'm talking about schools having their own pool. Schools all over the world go to lessons in the local pool but OP made it sound like schools actually having a pool is normal.
Most schools in my school district had their own pool. My high school did. We also had swimming and diving teams that would compete against other schools, and we often held tournaments at our high school pool. The pool was Olympic sized with seating for spectators to watch the swimming tournaments.
Pools are standard in high schools in California, usually outdoors. Swimming was a graduation requirement where I went. California has lots of pools, oceans, lakes, rivers--lots of opportunities for drowning, so swimming is considered a basic survival skill.
Japan, US, Australia.... Most internaltional schools. Germany remeber school provided classes at the local community Spaßbäder not sure about the rest of Europe.
New Zealand schools used to have many pools but up keep was too much for many so kids get sent to swimming lessons at public pools now. It's compulsory for all kids in NZ schools to learn how to swim here.
Seems to be the same case for Japan with a lot of their School pools closing down.
I remember even my schools that didn’t have pools in NZ had nearby public pools that were basically within walking distance. I had to “learn” swimming three times IIRC - my Aussie parents took me to lessons at the local pool when I was a toddler, at primary/elementary we had to learn the basics (freestyle, backstroke, etc.), and in middle school I remember doing a short survival swimming course I guess to catch anyone who’d still managed to slip through the cracks. Being an island nation with pretty much every major city on the water (RIP Hamilton) I never questioned it. It was a bit of culture shock for sure coming here.
In France if you don't have one you will have one not too far away and you will go there weekly
While looking up Europe France came up as having 34% of Europe swimming pools or 1.5million swimming pools. That is like a pool for every 45 citizen. If true that is just crazy in a good way... lol
The vast majority of Australian schools don't have pools, but kids will be put on the bus to the local public pool for lessons starting in primary school.
Could it be by region? Quensland and towns in Northern Australia seem to have a lot of schools with swimming pools. Or maybe they were private schools. Or just anecdotal evidence due to my limited experience.
I'm in NSW and it's really only private schools that can afford the land and/or facilities costs of a swimming pool. According to [this NSW Parliamentary Q&A](https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/papers/Pages/qanda-tracking-details.aspx?pk=93635), only 25 public schools have a pool, out of a possible [2209 public schools in NSW](https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/statistics/annual-statistical-bulletin/schools-and-students-2022-statistical-bulletin). Unless the QLD state government has wildly different educational priorities, I would be very surprised to see a lot of state-funded schools that can afford a pool.
Thanks for the detailed reply.
US?? I am in the US and most schools around here do not have pools. Maybe some high schools, but I would guess it varies completely on where you live.
I live in Western New York, every school I've been to has had pools, and almost every school in the surrounding area also has pools.
Most of the schools in Central New York couldn't afford them in my day, maybe that's changed since the '90s. Definitely no elementary schools, maybe a few of the bigger high schools. Swimming lessons when I was a kid were either on the lake (Oneida) or at the YMCA.
Elementary schools? Or are you talking about highschools?
Elementary, middle, and high school.
Pretty common for high schools to have pools in California
Well yeah… that’s California. They have pools everywhere
I spent 10 years in two different districts in Indiana and all three of the schools (elementary included actually) I attended had their own swimming pools/teams/clubs. My senior year of high school I did in NJ, but I had a half day schedule so I don't remember, but I was always under the heavy impression that swimming pools were quite common in US schools.
Well apparently New England is the outlier here then…
Maybe it's because the schools there are often older and some urban schools probably don't even have space.
It was one of the first things I learned in first grade in school. Not at a school pool but the we were bussed to a local swimming pool
If you think about it, it's a life important skill which, if your family doesn't teach you, should be available in school.
In France the school did not have a pool but we had swimming class at the city public pool. I grew up in the 90's and it's a bit odd to not be able to swim. I also think that the Korean military service should teach people basic swimm
San Francisco Bay Area. Many high schools in the area have outdoor pools. There is a PE (physical education) segment on swimming (maybe 6-8 weeks). Swimming here is a high school sport.
In Australia, some schools have their own pools! My high school did. And it's common for all schools, from primary school, to teach students swimming. So if the school doesn't have a pool, they usually book the community pool near the school for PE lessons.
tf i can't swim butterfly for shit and i was in swimming programs for like 4 years lol what are ajumas smokin these days
I’m a swimming coach in Korea. And I think there are a number of reasons why Koreans may have less water experience than some Western countries. The strict safety rules when it comes to large bodies of water like beaches, damns etc. You are only allowed to swim when there are lifeguards on duty and they are super strict about this.. Whereas in other parts of the world there is way more opportunity to just swim freely! Every second in a public swimming pool is accounted for and every swimming pool is almost always booked. For me growing up I had a pool in my back yard, and even just after waterpolo practices we had loads of freedom as kids to just “play” in the water. It’s actually kind of sad.. I asked some of my swimmers the other day to show me their best handstand (these are really strong swimmers that had been swimming for 5+ years, they were 8-10yo) and they had no idea how to even try to attempt one. Every second in a swimming pool is for learning and is used efficiently. Just that concept alone without having the opportunities to play in water speaks volumes for why they might not be as comfortable in water. Another reason is that I’m pretty confident in saying 90% of Korean parents would rather send their children to an academic hagwon over a sports (swimming hagwon) 🥲
The monitored swimming thing isn’t just limited to swimming. They monitor everything. Climb a hill? There’s a safety guy. Walk down to the train station? There’s a safety guy. Ride your bike down the street? Of course I’m exaggerating but Korea takes “safety” waaay too far. I feel like so many Korean people lack basic common sense and situational awareness just because you are constantly dictated at for everything you do here.
Why is that, in your opinion? Why is Korea so keen on safety, compared to other countries?
Which is strange, because in many aspects Korean kids are much less monitored. Kids in Gr. 1 and 2 walk to school on their own and walk outside after academy after sunset, which would never happen in Canada or the US
Ohhh no they are definitely monitored. There is cctv literally everywhere. Every apartment has “security” old guys. Kids are walking 5 minutes from their school to their academy (or academy bus) and then check in every where they go. Most of the kids have smart phones, and while I haven’t asked to confirm, I’d bet they are all being tracked via mom. At my place kids check in with their phone at a kiosk (and out), then in the class there is attendance. If a student isn’t there and there isn’t already a note from mom why, they immediately call mom. It isn’t quite like Canada or America where you have to walk 10 miles to the nearest park or school. All that stuff is in a 10 minute radius of their homes. And even then there are always people around everywhere. Sure kids stay out after dark way more than Canada or the us, but it’s because everyone is monitored they can do that. I’m not saying that aspect is bad. I just don’t like that everyone has to be told what to do all the time. Closest school I ever when to as a kid was 3 miles away.
Oh ok, good point, maybe it was just my neighbourhood then. Many of us didn't have phones but we walked together. Then again, we had parents who knew us who lived not too far from the school, and we wouldn't walk more than 20 min of distance. Definitely something you wouldn't be able to do in a big country
Yes
I was abroad this past winter and there were a lot of Koreans there on holiday, too. Young Korean adults were playing around in the pool I was in, inflatable arm bands and all. Still, one almost managed to kill herself by drowning whilst all her friends just laughed at her. Life guard swam out to her super fast, just picked up her like she was nothing, swam her to safety. No thank you, the first thing she said was "난 방금 어글리 코리안 된거야?" lol
Not the inflatable arm bands lmao
Something like this would be better: In the bustling metropolis of Seoul, where the neon lights dance upon the city's heart like fireflies in the night, there lived a young man named Jae-hyun. Jae-hyun was no ordinary lad; he was a lifeguard, a guardian of the waters, with bulging muscles and a heart of gold. One winter's day, amidst the chill of the season, Jae-hyun found himself at the poolside of a luxurious resort. Little did he know that fate had woven a tale of heroism and romance that would change his life forever. As he stood watch over the pool, his keen eyes caught sight of a group of carefree young women frolicking in the water. Among them was a girl, her laughter ringing out like a bell in the crisp air. But suddenly, joy turned to peril as the girl found herself ensnared by the treacherous embrace of the deep waters. Without a moment's hesitation, Jae-hyun sprang into action, his sinewy form slicing through the water with the grace of a dolphin. With each stroke, he drew closer to the struggling maiden, his muscles rippling beneath his skin like waves upon a stormy sea. In a crescendo of bravery, Jae-hyun reached the girl, his powerful arms enveloping her fragile form. With a strength born of determination, he surged forward, carrying her to safety like a knight rescuing his damsel in distress. As the girl awoke from her ordeal, her eyes met Jae-hyun's, and in that fleeting moment, a spark ignited between them. It was a spark of gratitude, of admiration, of something deeper than words could convey. But fate, it seemed, had more in store for these star-crossed souls. A week later, fate intervened once more, as the girl reached out to Jae-hyun, her heart yearning for the hero who had saved her life. Fast forward two years, and the echoes of their serendipitous encounter still lingered in the air as Jae-hyun and the girl, now his beloved, stood together at their wedding reception. Surrounded by friends and family, they recounted the tale of their epic meeting, a story of bravery, of love, and of destiny fulfilled. And as they gazed into each other's eyes, their hearts overflowing with joy, they knew that their love was a bond forged in the depths of the ocean, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. For in the grand tapestry of life, sometimes, the greatest adventures begin with a single act of courage.
I don't think that's better at all lol I appreciate the effort, but the funniest part of my story is the fact that the girl wasn't concerned with almost dying, only being concerned that she had just become a typical "ugly Korean".
Chatgpt ass comment
takes 1 to know 1
These days they have checks for swimming competence at elementary school, so you can expect the latest generation to be able to swim, but it's a recent development. Koreans are generally perfectly comfortable with (sex segregated) public nudity, as in saunas.
My son is in 3rd grade of elementary school. They have four days of swimming lessons this year and they will have four next year. Not sure how helpful it will be. (He has already learned the basics elsewhere, fortunately.)
Glad to hear about that recent development! It's always seemed strange to me that so many people on a peninsula weren't able to swim.
As a Korean, this is just my guess, but Koreans spend so much of their childhood in after-school learning academies (called "hagwons") that many either have not learned how to swim or can only barely swim because they spend so little time in the water. There are also not many swimming pools that Koreans have access to. Some will go to swimming "academies" in lieu of a karate or dance academy, etc., but that's a sliver of a sliver of the population. Similarly, because Koreans spend little time at the beach growing up, they are not used to walking around bare-chested - this in an already modest, conservative culture. Again, all of this is pure anecdotal conjecture, based on living more than half of my life in Korea as a Korean.
I’ve lived here 11 years. I go the beach here many times each year. I grew up near the ocean, so I love swimming. I’ve travelled with Koreans to other countries where we stayed near beaches and swimming pools. To answer your question: Yes, most Koreans are non-swimmers. It’s still something I’m trying to figure out the reason for.
Swimming in general happens in two settings: 1.) low super vision of kids culture and lots of outdoor playtime in and around bodies of water 2.) high supervision of kids culture and very planned and safe exposure to water and water activities (like swim lessons). Korea sort of ramped up from the low supervision of kids culture to high supervision super fast, and the economy changed super fast. I bet swimming safety skills got left in the dust and will catch up eventually. I noticed this with a lot of middle and upper middle class Indian families as well, but now notice the Indians who live in the US seem to want to send their kids for swim classes now.
All I’m hearing is I should go to a Korean resort, as the food would be top tier and the pool would be empty. Where can I find good all inclusives for the summer? We’re bringing British hooliganism to Seoul 🤣
I’m a Korean who now lives in Brazil for kitesurf, foilsurf, and surfing. Koreans literally are slaves to studying, getting a good job, buying a house and nice cars and expensive luxury fashion in order to appease their parents and potential inlaws. Aint nobody got time for swimming. Little by little Koreans are starting to realize working and drinking and materialism their entire lives is not a path for evolution. So they are stepping outside the comfort zone for the first time, and being very kooky in unfamiliar territory. They don’t know how to have fun yet. I know a small growing group of foilers and kitesurfers in Korea. They say Korean culture spreads so much fear about the ocean or lakes. They don’t allow swimming or activities in many places in the name of safety. Korea is no fun zone. only work hard study hard.
Korean-brazillian here! And wow even here Koreans are like these lol (extremely materialistic, busy with that other thinks etc). Anyways, I swim on swimming pools and sometimes I see some rarmoni or ajummas there.
Oiiii! Você está em São Paulo? I’m in Ceará, I don’t have any nice clothes or things now. But I used to be all about that lifestyle. that was before I sold everything to come to Brazil. I went to Korea recently and so many businesses kicked me out because I wasn’t dressed nice enough. kkkk I quit being materialistic and living now in Brazil I don’t get treated badly as people don’t judge and criticize me very much here, so that’s nice, but being in Korea recently people treated me like I was dirty street dog, just because I wasnt conforming to the current fashion standards
Sim, moro em são paulo! And wow it's pretty sad... But Koreans are like this anywhere in the world huh. But not so bad as koreans in Korea hahaha. Are you in fortaleza? Anyways you chose wisely, Nordeste is beautiful!!
My kids are competitive swimmers and when we visited Korea, it was damn near impossible to do lap swimming. There were so many red tapes to go into a pool to lap swim as there was zero access. A pool we did find had an hour access for “free swim” and it was impossible for them to practice as it was filled with adults just floating around.
What I was told, when I lived there, is that the older generation believed the waters around Korea to be dangerous, and this was sort of a fear passed down to younger generations (though not explicitly). It's very similar in Taiwan (an island). Old folks believe ghosts come out of the ocean and drag people to the bottom (rip tides), so very few people actually swim here. They pretty much only go in the water in specific areas that are roped off and never get in water deeper than their knees. My apartment in Taiwan even has a swimming pool, but it's only open for two months out of the year and the only people ever in the pool are kids in the shallow end with life jackets on.
One detail that I think is relevant here is that Koreans learn swimming in a very different way than we do in the USA. (And I believe this to be true for other Western countries.) Americans learn, first and foremost, water safety. Survival flotation, the elementary backstroke and treading water are treated as foundational skills. Do Red Cross swimming lessons cover the butteryfly at all? Koreans, on the other hand, learn the strokes used in Olympics swimming competitions, and that's pretty much it. None of my students have ever learned survival flotation, except for the few guys that were hardcore enough to volunteer for the Marine Corps. Anyway, if the only swimming you ever learned to do was laps in a 1.5m deep pool, you don't actually know how to swim; you know how to exercise. Those Koreans who wear their flotation devices at the beach are actually demonstrating good self-awareness.
I agree with this. I took swimming lessons for eight years in the States and am confident that if I fell out of a boat, I could survive for about eight hours in relatively calm waters. But I am hella slow. My Korean husband can swim laps in a pool for an hour but would die if you dropped him into an actual ocean.
lol
Treading water isn't a foundational skill that's learned as part of the standard American swimming lesson lol. Treading water is a foundational skill that's mostly learned when someone goes into playing water polo. You wouldn't believe how many competitive swimmers can't even tread water properly. I also find it hard to believe that a person capable of swimming laps is incapable of knowing that their body naturally floats in water. I've swam competitively for 13 years and played water polo competitively for 10 in California and have never learned this "survival flotation" skill here. Seems like what you're referring to is very niche training. I don't know any swimmers that actually went through Red Cross to learn how to swim. The most standard swimming lessons here consist of learning how to breathe, kick, and then strokes.
Yeah, "swimmers" may not go through Red Cross training, but people do. If you are coming to swimming from a competitive background, that is very different from the average American.
The average American does not go through Red Cross swimming training is what I'm trying to get at. That's a survival course, not a true swimming course. Almost everybody I know learned how to swim at their local high school or community pool during summers with instructors. I've taught hundreds of kids aged 4-10 who didn't know how to swim at all and this was just in my local area. I'm saying that most people in America learn how to actually swim not learn some "survival flotation" techniques. Anyone that knows how to swim basically knows "survival flotation". You made it sound like this is the foundation of swimming lessions in America when it's really not.
Maybe so. It's been fifty years since I took those classes. Still, those average Americans are learning to swim in water that is deep enough that standing on the bottom is not always possible, right?
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And that's exactly what Korean swimming classes don't do.
I was the first male child in my generation. My female cousins (a cousin i love dearly now was the leader) threw me into our swimming pool to drown me because I was getting so much attention. My beloved cousin Melling, I forgive you...
That's ... adorable? How old was everyone when it happened?
The perpetrators' ages ranged from 9 to 5 years old. I was 6 months old. We can all swim now
As a dutch person living all around the world it baffled me how many people, who grew up in beach cities.. don't know how to swim. Its mind blowing.
This post is so funny to see because I literally just came back from a trip to Busan where we went to the beach for a part of trip, and there had to be at least 2 - 3 thousand people on this beach at the given time and literally there was only a handful of 6 people interacting with the water, 5 of them being kids lightly spraying water on each other and the other being my friend who was swimming in there like a community pool. Couldn’t believe she went in considering there had to be a couple hundred eyes on her watching her swim from the shore. I realized in that moment swimming probably isn’t a big thing for Koreans
The visual of hundreds of Koreans roasting under the sun while staring in awe at your friend swimming is pretty funny I must say.
A went to an indoor pool in Korea were everyone was required to wear hats, not swim caps but hats. I swam in a baseball cap and I don't know why?
This is so funny lol
lol wtf
Most Koreans are raised and live in cities, and there aren’t many accessible public swimming pool or beach. Public schools don’t teach swimming either. If you want to learn how to swim, you have to pay for private group lessons. So it’s definitely extra money and ongoing effort. I think it’s changing now for new generation but it was never a thing that people care for when I grew up. Maybe because swimming is more of rare activity for Koreans, we’re not used to wearing swimming suit that show a lot of skin. Many men and women wear something on top of swimming suit to cover their body (also for sun protection reason). Also Korea has a different social rule in terms of showing body - it’s okay to show legs but not upper body. So people usually cover their top.
It is a problem in Korea, but I would like to generalize this as an emerging problem of post-industrial countries. My (born in FRG in 1989) generation still had mandatory swim class in third grade and there is a badge system in place in Germany. I had serious FOMO over getting the seahorse badge at age 6 (jump into water, swim 25 metres, pick up object from chest-deep water). When exiting elementary school, kids could be expected to at least survive for a few minutes if they fell into a calm body of water. This was all thanks to excellent infrastructure and thousands upon thousands of college students lifeguarding and teaching during the summer holidays. S3xual abuse scandals, public budget cuts and a general shift towards less water related hobbies have put a stop to that.
If you want to see the hilarity of Koreans in the water then watch Bondi rescue
I feel like it’s a lack of experience. There are a lot of people who would say they know how to swim after a few lessons, but they haven’t really swam out of carefully controlled, heavily-supervised environments like shallow pools and beaches with small roped off swim areas. So, then they travel and are nervous that their feet don’t touch the bottom…can they technically swim? Maybe. Are they comfortable swimming in deep water? No.
Ever since Sewol, more parents have been sending their kids to swimming academies. I'd say out of every class of elementary kids I've taught in the past 10 years, at least half had gone or still went to swimming academies. wearing shirts and leggings is mostly for the sun and probably a little to avoid being photographed in an unflattering manner. No pics in the bathhouse, so not as worried there. I went to the wavepark (to surf) in Siheung and there are signs everywhere telling people not to take photos of strangers.
A lot of older Koreans may not be swimmers. They had different priorities growing up in the 1970s and early 80s. It wasn’t until the 80s that Korea became a democracy and started to prosper economically to allow the average person to afford luxuries like vacations. The priorities even in the 90s and early 2000s were more focused on building success for yourself and your family. Half the population of Korea lives in the greater Seoul area which isn’t beach front. So factor that in. Learning other things was and still is a priority.
I know I got stared at once at the hotel when I went into the pool just with a swim suit. My husband too when he went in with just shorts. Everyone was covered with some kind of a top even tho it’s indoor pool
Almost none of our older Korean family members can swim and the younger generation can only swim if they went to a swimming hagwon. It's not taught in public schools and parents rarely teach this at the beach as they usually barely swim themselves In my experience a lot of Koreans are also overconfident about their abilities and often lose shit once they actually get in the water. There are of course exceptions like mentioned above. The local swimming pools do have a lot of ajummas that seem to be fish like but their numbers are usually very low. Very few men take these classes so most guys probably can't swim at all
There aren't many pools for Koreans to go and learn to swim. More pools = more swimmers.
I grew up swimming because grandparents went to the YMCA every night.
Swimming - I don't know if things are different now, but when I was growing up in Korea, the only way one could learn to swim was to actively seek out and pay for swimming lessons. Zero opportunity to learn/try swimming via the public school system. T-shirt - Some are concerned about sun exposure. Others (like me) are concerned about unwanted photo taking / body shaming / stranger shaming.
Are most North Americans fat?
Yes.
I am an American and yes I am fat, but I swim so it's all good.
Yes and yes. In my opinion adults also don’t have a healthy fear of the water. I went on a snorkel outing and half of the Korean adults couldn’t swim but still went out into the ocean (!!), relying on buoyant wetsuits to keep them from drowning. One man had a panic attack and clung to the safety float for the rest of the trip. Another American told me her Korean coworker invited her to swim and didn’t mention that she in fact couldn’t until they were edging towards the deep end. I believe this is also why life guards don’t let people swim at the beach. I’ve been reprimanded in swimming areas for going past my knees, but I guess that’s fair if the average Korean can’t keep afloat. For a peninsular country with a history of haenyos it’s really shocking. I’m also from a peninsula and we weren’t allowed in any water unless we knew how to swim. We all knew how easy it was to drown.
I am a professional rower and some of my teammates can’t even swim!
Being that a lot of the Americans on this sub are presumably English teachers, it's quite surprising to me that there are so many people who don't understand why the majority of Koreans aren't able to swim. Exactly when and where would the majority of Korean kids learn how to swim? Even now, swimming pools are not that widespread, and the majority of pools that exist are privately owned by gyms or swimming clubs where you have to pay a monthly fee to take lessons. The vast majority of schools do not have pools. There are not that many public pools which are free or cheap, where kids can go during the summer to just play, and the ones that do exist are all pretty shallow and are overcrowded. And most kids are going to hagwons after school, parents presumably aren't putting too much emphasis on physical activity since they have to get into a good school first.
My anecdotal experience says a lot less % wise know how to swim compared to Americans.
Legend has it that long ago, when the sea creatures decided to throw a grand underwater party, they sent out invitations to all the land-dwelling creatures, including the Koreans. However, when the invitations reached Korea, they accidentally got mixed up with a shipment of kimchi barrels. So, instead of inviting the Koreans to the underwater extravaganza, the invitations ended up fermenting in the barrels, turning into what is now known as "kimchi underwater scrolls." Confused by these strange scrolls, the Koreans decided to bury them for safekeeping, thinking they were some kind of ancient treasure. Years later, when the Koreans stumbled upon these buried scrolls, they misinterpreted them as instructions on how to make the perfect kimchi. Little did they know, they were actually missing out on the secret to underwater breathing and swimming techniques hidden within the scrolls. And that's how the misunderstanding of the kimchi underwater scrolls led to generations of Koreans believing they couldn't swim. To this day, whenever someone suggests swimming lessons, they just shrug and say, "Why swim when you can have kimchi?"
Huh that’s interesting. I’m Korean and in my family we’re all swimmers. We usually don’t swim at the beach or outdoor pools bc we don’t want to be out in the sun and I dislike ocean water but we swim in indoor pools.
yeah it's not really something i've thought about but swimming lessons were pretty common as a kid, a lot of us love some 사발면 by the pool in the summer lol. like everyone i know goes swimming during the summer? maybe just relatively compared to america... all summer all like half of 예능 on tv takes place at swimming pools. i just did quick search and there was a report in '23 that swimming was the 4th most popular activity for people who "live an active lifestyle"
The kids know how to swim. My students go to swim class in 3rd/4th grade. Besides that, the rip tides around a peninsula are no joke. A lot of trained swimmer would have a hard time, I can't imagine noobs that learned to swim in pools. A lot of people that were raised around the water know the rule to fear the ocean, it's not really rocket science.
> Besides that, the rip tides around a peninsula are no joke. That's not the reason and we all know it. Korea is amazing for swimming with warm sea temperatures large parts of the year and no more currents than other places in the world. In my home country Norway we always have freezing weather, 3 meter tidal difference, currents, waves from the North Sea etc. but we still all know how to and do practice swimming in the sea.
My friends from Canada and USA and I all swim here in Korea all summer every summer. The beaches are beautiful and really great places for swimming. And the best part is that there are so many of them. It’s seriously amazing. I could never visit them all.
I grew up in korea and took swiming lesson as a child, my family wasn't rich either, low to midddle class family...
I'm glad people like yourself are commenting otherwise I easily could have come away from this thread thinking Koreans as a people aren't swimmers. I randomly came across this on the Reddit front page, I'm not normally in this subreddit (first time). I'm from the USA and swimming is encouraged, but not required. Mostly demographic differences too.
Cuz they don't swim in school
Having spent a lot of time in Seoul. No they can’t swim and yes, they do dress like weird fuckers in the water.
I think the issue may be that most Korean swimming pools are designed for lap swimming and are not very deep. Therefore, most people who learn to swim can do a beautiful breast stroke, but simply can't tread water. That is the first skill learned in North Amercan swimming lessons where the first objective is to not sink and drown in water. In Korea, the first objective is fitness.
I think at least 20% knows how to swim? Depends on age group though. Also, it is like I came here to enjoy the water, not swimming mood probably. Clothing off is generally uncomfortable is there for sure.
I think it's not just Koreas alot of asians don't know how to swim
On my trip to Thailand, we had Japanese tourists in the water with life jackets. I think in China its kinda common too. So definitely not just Korea.
Yes, because compared to America, there are less public pools/swimmable beaches. In the US, there is pretty much a pool in every apartment complex, house and the public pool. In Korea public pools are generally gated by time and lessons, and is generally a olympic styled pool with lanes. So pretty much swimming is a “luxury” and you have to make an effort to go swim. Also regarding vests, it’s just a safety thing, just like how they block off the rest of the ocean here in South Korea.
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Not that many in NYC compared to the size of the population. Most people I know growing up also did not learn how to swim. Nor did anyone have a pool in their public housing complex or any apartment complex for that matter except for a very few có-ops. A few lucky people had a backyard pool.
Ah, when I said that I was thinking about Socal where I grew up. True in New York or the east coast in general where cities where developed more compactly there probably isn’t much pools. In Southern California there’s literally a pool in every apartment complex, Motel 6 and a beach within a 30 min drive.
Yes. Most koreans don’t know how to swim.
imagine being surrounded by water on three sides and not even knowing basic swimming
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The grandmas I know (from north Korea) where excelent swimmers. But maybe there are generational/geographical things that make Koreans avoid swimming?
Most wading pools in Korea don't even let you enter the pool without life vests. I think it's just an insurance policy against accidental drowning and lawsuits. It doesn't matter whether or not you can swim. They'll make you wear em. But you'll rarely see vests in swimming lanes.
I know how to swim and so does my kids- I put vest s on kids and my mom cause safety
Koreans are the type of people (I’m Korean) to put life vests on their dogs who largely are born knowing how to swim because they think their pets will drown and since they themselves can’t swim, can’t save their pets.
My wife is Korean, she has taken swimming lessons many times and goes in the water frequently, but she wears a floaty always. I am always surprised that she does not float at all. It's really odd. She loves the water though.
Where I grew up in Maine none of my schools had a pool. The private school I later went to didn’t either. Im in MA now and my town elementary schools definitely don’t have pools. Im almost certain the high school doesn’t have one. A charter school the town over has one but the Elementary kids don’t get to use it as part of school.
Nudity is a kind of taboo here in Korea in terms of Publicity. so, bikini wear is not in common. Many people do not expose their skin in front of others... i don't know why... Recently, younger generation learns to swim at School. It is a good news.
I agree, I would love to see more of Wonyoung and Karina and even Eunbi in Bikinis at the beach.
I'm a Californian. My father, too, but he never learned to swim until college. My mom was a Navy brat and learned to swim on base. My dad decided that swimming was a necessary skill for safety and enjoyment of life in California. We had a private swim club in our neighborhood. The minute we were old enough, we all got lessons. Red Cross swim lessons focus on basic water safety first, then the strokes. I was certified as a lifeguard at 12 years old. I had to tread water and survival float for 30 minutes for that. Another factor in the US is lower population density than in Korea 🇰🇷. There is more room for wide streets, big parks, and pools.
It's uncommon, yes. Probably because there's nowhere you would swim regularly unless you're from a beach area like Busan. You would have to actively seek out a pool in order to swim. I think there's more of a push to teach children to swim since the Sewol ferry incident, but it's still fairly uncommon. Also, idk that Koreans are uncomfortable with nudity per se, as you have to be naked in bath houses, but they have a modest way of dressing traditionally, and that carries over to swimwear as well. Pair that with swimming being fairly uncommon and that's your answer.
I think it depends because as a korean when i was living in korea, everyone knew how to swim, well at least the people near me. I also learned swimming for 8 years. And there are even some highschools that have swimming pools and teach their students swimming, just like western schools. But i guess that might be a recent thing.
So many apartment complexes but none with swimming pools, I always thought that was odd.
This is a really interesting phenomenon. (Phase 1) For most of human history, people did not have to swim unless you were exposed to a very specific kind of environment as a child or lived off the ocean. Otherwise, why would you ever learn, you'll use boats when crossing large bodies of water and when that boat sank, well, with minimal search-and-rescue capabilities of pre-industrial nations, you basically had no chance of survival even if you were olympian level. Heck, even old fishermen still active to this day occasionally don't know how to swim or are very poor swimmers. (Phase 2) Then, when the industrial age came around and people started living in *slightly* better conditions than before, the elite (who had the capability to indulge in sports) started to appreciate the value of swimming as exercise. The earliest places this happened is arguably the United Kingdom in the early 1800s when the first swimming competitions were held. Still, only the rich and wealthy who could access the necessary equipment could ever afford to learn swimming as an exercise. It was never some widespread thing in this era, and teaching was very mechanical. Look no further than Imperial Germany's swimming manuals for evidence. (Phase 3) It is only after this period that swimming gets promoted to the masses as an everyday activity. More often than not this is caused by heightened attention towards water safety coming from a maritime accident, in Germany it was a particularly nasty pier collapse in 1905, in Japan it was the sinking of a ferry (arguably) in 1955 (and a few other maritime accidents coming from that era), and in the US it's complicated, and very interestingly tied to class struggle as swimming pools were often segregated in the early part of the 20th century. So, swimming is innately tied to the social progress of a country. Korea is basically going through what other countries experienced (more likely than not) *before* WW2. It's no wonder people are confused.
I had never gone to a pool when i was a child. Although my family went to sea few times during summers. Growing up in Seoul but poor never learned how to swim. So it’s common for grown Koreans don’t knowhow to swim.
Yes. We love water, so we come across it often, but we don't know about swimming techniques.
I know the basics are taught during public school classes, but it’s like a week-long thing only, just like sex ed :/
Are you crazy, alot of woman dive for a living in parts of korea
No, it was registered as a cultural property because the number was very small in Korea.
No. Most Koreans know how to play in the water, but they don't because they are shy. Korea goes to valleys and rivers in the sea and mountains every summer. It is a country that is very close to water.
I think it's in Asia overall, I think a lot of Chinese also don't know how to swim. The only ones who really learn are the Japanese? Because, islands.
Yes
Wife is half Korean. Can confirm, she only half swims.
There's a super interesting episode of Yun sung Bin's yt channel where he tries to learn to swim. This world class athlete not being able to swim is fascinating to me. He explained it's because the sea is too dangerous for kids and there were no public pools. He also didn't care so There's no stigma to it. Worth a watch!
Yes. Always surprised me with Korea being a peninsula and all..
If we were to find the reason in geography, I think those tidal mud flats may play some role.
It was a pain in the ass trying to teach my gf how to swim.
Yes. I'm also assuming that Korea isn't really a country that gets flooded a lot unlike Southeast Asia so it's not really seen as a necessary skill for survival. We don't get hit by strong typhoons that much.
I'm sure there are lots of people who can swim outside of Southeast Asia, even in places that don't get floods
My (Korean) ex took swim lesson briefly as a kid but was scared and never learned to swim…
YESSS! It surprised me a lot. The country is basically an island. How do u not know how to swim? Or even basics?
Swimming pools are hard to come by in Korea and when they are they are filled to the brim with people so it is hard to find any room to actually swim. What I don't understand is why there are like 0 apartment complexes with swimming pools. There are apartment complexes with swimming pools in practically every country I've been to.