Comments on: Sitting on the Floor in Korea

By: Rae Ben

Rae Ben — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 01:52:00 +0000

Can you explain the expression translated in English as “that guy isn’t sitting on a cushion”? I’ve been watching the Korean series Stranger on Netflix and this came up. This must be an expression right?

By: MIN BJ

MIN BJ — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 01:57:00 +0000

The cultural difference is definitely difficult and serious.

By: Sentarse en el suelo para mejorar nuestra salud - Juanje Ojeda

Sentarse en el suelo para mejorar nuestra salud - Juanje Ojeda — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 16:37:38 +0000

[…] la autora del siguiente dibujo y artículo se queja de lo que le cuestan todas esas posturas. Y algunos de los comentarios hablan de lo […]

By: TSK

TSK — Sat, 09 Jul 2016 21:44:00 +0000

IF you don’t like foreign customs then get out of that country and go back to your own. Fair deal?

By: Chanel | Cultural Xplorer

Chanel | Cultural Xplorer — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 03:43:00 +0000

I have trouble sitting with my legs crossed in Korea – I am actually curious to know how so many Koreans can sit comfortably with their legs crossed.

By: Eunji Choi

Eunji Choi — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 15:42:00 +0000

Being a Korean I actually feel sitting on a floor is more comfortable than a sofa. But when you go to those sitting down type of restaurants, and you’re wearing a skirt, then I am uncomfortable.

By: John Lee

John Lee — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 17:06:00 +0000

In reply to Nic.

No offense, but doesn’t that say something about your parents health, more than it does about floor sitting? And BTW, I’m reading all these comments about people agreeing with your sentiment… it is an excuse-making, Western mentality (and I’m “Western). Floor sitting is not for everyone–I certainly get that. At the same time, your body really should be more accustomed to it, and if it is not–you are in less than optimal health.

Think of the folks who have the easiest time with floor sitting–KIDS! Kids can sit on the ground no problem, because they’re healthy. That is, they are less fat, more flexible, etc. Think of the people who have the most problem with floor sitting–elderly, and fat people.

See, the truth is that chair sitting is more comfortable. But therein, lies something of a metaphor for life. That is, if you get TOO comfortable, you lose an equal or greater aspect of your being by eschewing the less comfortable thing. In this case, your body loses that gentle flexibility (in knees, hips) that sustain you through old age. Old Americans struggle with that… Old Asians, I see crouching, walking, bending, with more ease. I would attribute some of that, to better flexibility.

By: Aäron Doesnotendorsethis Johns

Aäron Doesnotendorsethis Johns — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 01:30:00 +0000

Although I, too, have tremendous difficulty sitting on the ground, I disagree with many of the comments that it is unhealthy! On the contrary, I think Western society is unhealthy for getting everyone accustomed to only one way of sitting. Which do you think is a more natural posture for a human: sitting on the floor or a chair?

Anyway, living in Asia and having to sit on the floor so often has been forcing me to confront many of my back / leg issues and so I turned to yoga. I can’t tell you how much it’s changed my life. Not only can I sit comfortably on the floor for hours, now, but my back pain and bad posture are melting away quickly, and I’ve only been doing about 20-30 minutes per day for two weeks.

I’m still nowhere near as versatile and flexible as my Korean fiance, who sits in all manner of pretzely configurations, but I feel like I am on my way and I really strongly recommend you check out some yoga videos on YouTube and invest in a small mat. They sell foam matts that should work fine at Daiso, if I recall, for less than 5,000won.

Good luck and 나마스테! 🙂

By: Xaka

Xaka — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:02:00 +0000

I love sitting on the floor, actually. Always have. There have been times in my life where sitting on the floor for long periods would bring about a tingly sensation, but I have found that by switching positions every now and then and learning to breathe properly, this tendency has disappeared.

By: Liese

Liese — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:25:00 +0000

In reply to Nic. I just went to a Jjimjilbang here in New York City/New Jersey.. They had some lovely sturdy and comfortable floor chairs with backs.