AK is a first generation Korean American from Cypress, California. She is majoring in Occupational Therapy at USC.

“Koreans say not to buy your girlfriend or boyfriend shoes because they will walk away, meaning that they’ll break up with you.”

Original Translation: 신발 선물하면 도망간다
Pronunciation: shin-bal sun-mul-ha-myun do-mang-gan-dah
Literal Translation: If you gift someone a pair of shoes, he/she will run away

“This is a common phrases I heard growing up that was often used in a comedic way.”

I find it interesting how even in giving gifts, there are cultural taboos, or things that generally avoided. Also, the interpretation of the symbol of shoes is that they are specifically used for running away, and not something else such as protecting the feet from the ground. It could be useful to know metaphors such as this, because you could accidentally send the wrong message by buying your significant other shoes if they are Korean!