Yo – the bedspread
If you’ve ever used Altavista’s Babelfish to translate Korean to English, you most likely have seen the word “bedspread” in the translation. That’s because the word ěš” (yo), used as informal polite ending, is also the word for the Korean sleeping mat.
A site visitor once sent me an email asking me if ordinary people have beds in Korea. He’s been watching Korean dramas and he sees that rich folks have beds while the financially challenged use the floor mattress to sleep on. On the average, Korean houses are small and the cold months are long. The heating system is “ondol” style (from the floor) so you trap more heat with the Korean style bedding. Most people prefer to sleep on the floor for the heat, but more people prefer a bed.
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Haha, that is cute. I do not have a preference myself, but I like a bed that is removalable. That way you get the space back during the day. I have seen bed versions too.
^^ Aww! it’s really tiring to make the bed day in and day out…
[...] still eat at low tables, sitting on the floor, and sleep on the floor using a sleeping mat, yo, and ibul, Korean-style [...]
Hi, I was wondering where do I get the yo-bedspread here in California in San Francisco? Thanks so much for your time.