If you often enjoy dining at places like our Bellevue Korean restaurant, you’ve probably come to recognize the distinctive appearance of the South Korean flag. This highly unique banner is known to the Korean people as “Taegukki”, representing the values that the country holds most dear.

In the middle of this flag is the yin-yang, a symbol that should be familiar as a sign of balance from Buddhist tradition. This is surrounded by a set of four trigrams which serve to denote elements of change. On the top left corner are three solid lines, a symbol for heaven. In the lower left corner is a set of two unbroken lines and a single broken line, which serve to represent fire. In the top right corner is a set of two broken lines and one unbroken line, representing water. In the lower right corner are three broken lines, denoting earth. All of this is displayed on a white background, representing the sense of purity and peace that the Korean people value.