All the nations of the world have symbols that represent them, such as the flag. South Korea is no exception and it's interesting to find out what's behind it.
The Korean flag is quite complex, especially for those used to the tricolor, and for this reason it is also very easily recognizable. Each of its parts has the specific purpose of giving the viewer a message that follows the nation's cultural principles.
In the center there is a red (positive part) and blue (negative part) taegeuk, which is the representation of the fundamental reality that originates all things, in a perfect balance between two opposite principles.
Around it are four black trigrams which, starting from the top left and proceeding clockwise, represent the sky, water, earth and fire.
Even the white background is not accidental, on the contrary it symbolizes peace.
This flag, which in Korean is called taegukgi, really condenses an enormous amount of meanings, but everything tends to suggest the idea of harmony and balance.
Taegugki was conceived in 1880, under the reign of Emperor Gojong, but was officially adopted only after World War II, when the Korean peninsula split and North Korea and South Korea were formed.
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