SOME STRANGE FACTS ABOUT SOUTH KOREA

The Sino-Korean word for the number four is “sa” (사) which sounds the same as the Korean word for “deceased” or “died.” This has caused some to be wary of the number. The number is almost always skipped when floors and rooms are numbered, especially in hospitals, funeral halls, and some public buildings. At some places, instead of the number four, the label “F” for “fourth floor” can be seen on the elevators. If there are multiple occurrences of the number in an apartment number, it’s real estate value is significantly affected. Some of the number combinations with four have particularly bad sounding meanings are the Korean term for “14” which sounds like “time to be deceased,” and “44” which sounds like “died and deceased.”

August 7, 2022 | 9:39 pm