K-Culture Sweeps Egypt: From Korean Products and K-Beauty to Korean Men's Manners

Popularity of Korean goods and Korean men runs very high in Egypt. Ja-na Walid says Korean products such as Samsung and LG now rank first in the Egyptian market, and that Korean cars make up most of what you see on the streets. She added that products marked 'Made in Korea' sell regardless of anything else.

She explained that Korean men are very popular locally because of their consideration and their attentive, gentlemanly way of treating women.

At the time she did not particularly feel the speed of Korean culture, and she says she accepted life in Korea as the standard for social life.

She added that through her life in Korea, she herself naturally absorbed 'ppalli-ppalli'.

Viewing Egypt through a lens that took Korea's fast pace for granted, she says everything felt painfully slow.

She mentioned that she genuinely felt frustrated by Egypt's slow-moving culture.

Ja-na Walid explained that it is common culture for no one to say anything even if someone is two hours late.

In Egypt, if you set a 5 o'clock appointment with friends, you should expect to actually meet around 7, Ja-na Walid said. She explained that 5 o'clock is the time people start getting ready to go out.

This appointment custom stems from the distinctive sense of time known as 'Egypt Time.'

Ja-na Walid said that in Korea, being even one minute late makes her feel great anxiety and stress. She explained that it is typical for Koreans to keep checking the remaining time and growing fretful about being late for an appointment.

She added that there are times when time seems to pass too slowly and she feels frustrated.

In Egypt, time-keeping customs apply in a distinctive way to dating as well. When boyfriends and girlfriends meet, Ja-na Walid explained, a woman may be an hour or two late without a problem, but a man is expected to keep the appointment.

She added that if an appointment is set for 5 o'clock, it is taken for granted that the man arrives at 5 and waits for about two hours below the woman's building.

She said Korean men form habits in the army of eating quickly, washing their hair within 10 seconds, and showering within 30 seconds.

She explained that such military training greatly influenced the overall fast-paced lifestyle habits of Korean men.

Ja-na Walid cited the convenience of Korea's public transportation as something hard to give up. She praised Korean transit apps for showing accurate arrival times for buses and subways, and for marking congested roads in red, clear roads in green, and roads likely to jam in yellow.

She said Korea's public transit system impressed her greatly, since Egypt has no equally convenient transit apps.

Ja-na Walid described Egyptians as preferring analog methods, like those of "50 years ago." She said that even though apps such as Google Maps work well, there is a tendency to feel one's pride is hurt by using them.

She explained that Egyptians believe they should find their way smartly, and have a cultural tendency to prefer asking people directly and communicating rather than using an app.

Ja-na Walid stressed that Korea's subways, taxis, and buses are very convenient, and that you can go anywhere even without a car.

She cited Korea's outstanding transit system, along with the warmth of Korean people, as her reasons for wanting to live in Korea.

Ja-na Walid explained that older people like Korea because of its technology and products such as Samsung and LG. She added that Korean products hold the top spot in the Egyptian market, and that Korean cars are easy to spot on the streets.

By contrast, she said, younger people in their teens and twenties prefer Korea more for K-culture such as K-pop and K-dramas than for technology.

K-pop and K-dramas are known worldwide, but there are reasons they are especially popular in Arab countries. Ja-na Walid explained that Korean culture shares many similarities with Arab culture, making it easy to understand. Examples include a family-oriented culture, attentiveness to family, dining etiquette, and the practice of eating meals together as a family.

She added that Korean dramas and films, which show little skin and observe good manners, fit well with the cultural sensibilities of Arab countries, which is why they are so popular.

K-beauty fever is also intense in Arab countries. Ja-na Walid said cosmetics labeled 'Made in Korea' sell 100%, even when the brand is not famous or does not suit her. Even brands little known in Korea sell at high prices in Egyptian pharmacies.

She explained that Egyptians hold the fantasy that using Korean beauty products can make them as handsome or beautiful as Korean actors.

She explained that a positive image of Korean men is taking shape as a result of these dramas.

Most Egyptian men have a strong, rugged appearance. Ja-na Walid explained that Egyptian men often look strong and have beards, and that over 90% have a strong personality to match their looks.

However, she added, one thing Korean men and Egyptian men have in common is that they are considerate.

Ja-na Walid said Egyptian men are more open-minded than other Arab men, and that Egypt has many laws for women. She explained that because Egypt historically had female-centered traditional culture, such as queens and goddesses, women tend to be highly regarded there today.

To show how strong the 'ladies first' culture is, she gave examples: at restaurants, when taking a queue number, a woman is served first even if a man arrived earlier, with the words "ladies first," and on subways and buses, older men typically give up their seats for young women. Because of this custom, it is easy to see women all seated on subways and buses. Ja-na Walid stressed that this consideration for women is what Korean and Egyptian men have in common.