The Inexplicable World of Korea #12 - Mopping the Train Station Floors

This isn't even everywhere in Korea. In fact, this was the first time JM and I had seen this, but it was just plain strange. And dangerous!! (Frickin' dangerous - right Mom?) - This woman was literally pushing around a garbage pail full of water and baptizing the floor. Like showering it. She even asked people to move out of the way so that she could chuck water in their direction. It was so bizarre. 

Of note, there was a man driving around on one of those zamboni floor buffers.  But he was no where in sight when I was taking these pictures. The floor was very slippery.

Wet Floors! No caution sign.

Chuckin' water.

The Inexplicable World of Korea #11 - False Advertising

It is very common in Korea to buy a product because it looks good in an advertisement or on the packaging, only to be thoroughly disappointed when you open it. I'm pretty sure there are laws against this in Canada, but not in Korea! You can promise just about anything, and then give something else and no one seems to complain. It's pretty annoying. We were looking forward to walnuts and flax seeds on these cookies. At least they taste good!!

The Inexplicable World of Korea #10 - Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery in Asia - The Desire to Look "Western"

An interesting observation that one can make when coming to Asia is that the ideals of beauty are the complete opposite from western cultures. In North America, we desire to be thin and dark skinned. That tanned look is "healthier", and maybe even indicates wealth. In poorer countries in Asia if you are fat and white, then you are rich. The fat people have enough food and the lighter your skin means you don't have a job working in the sun, thus you are more well off.

In Korea and China, they have taken it one step further. They actually want to RESEMBLE western/European people. They have taken to rejecting their own racial features (almond eyes, flatter faces, darker skin), in search of having a more "western" face. In Korea, a smaller face, high cheek bones, protruding nose and bridge, the double eyelid, smaller chin and jaw are all considered to be part of a beautiful face. It's astonishing to watch as parents are buying their daughters plastic surgery as a high school graduation gift. The younger you have the surgery is considered beneficial because you still have time to grow into your new features. The subway is full of plastic surgery clinic ads. I'm pretty sure there are more cosmetic surgeons in Korean than regular doctors. Plastic surgery is so prevalent In Korea, that approximately 1 in 3 people have had it, and most aren't ashamed of talking about it.

Here are some videos that both appalled and intrigued me. Plastic surgery is a very foreign craze to me. The host of the show in the Korean video is sporting what is called the "Gangnam face". Plastic surgeons are so prolific in Gangnam, the wealthy upscale neighbourhood in Seoul that was put on the world map by rapper Psy, that you can literally pick out the typical face that women are getting. Even scarier is how all the Miss Korea pageant contestants in 2013 looked identical.

China is one of the biggest consumers of Korean plastic surgery

Korean plastic surgery show

Plastic surgery has become part of the culture here; a very scary, unappealing part. Even foreigners come to Korea in search of cheap surgery. The airport information booth has brochures about surgical clinics, procedures, and medical insurance. In a country with such a high demand for perfection, and an abundance of surgeons, it's no wonder a nose job will cost you a fraction of the price in Korea compared to the USA. You can pay for your flight, the surgery, and in patient care for less than it would be to have it at home.

A simple Google search reveals lots of news articles being written about it. A really disturbing one was about a clinic that was fined for having a monument of chin bones they had removed from patients displayed in their entrance.

Personally, I think Korean women are beautiful and they should stop trying to look like a completely difference race! The ideals of beauty in this country are frustrating, as so many people don't fit into their mold of perfection. I think Korea needs a beauty reality check.

Jennika

The Inexplicable World of Korea #9 - Driving and Cellphones

In Korea, there are so many distractions for drivers that appear not to be illegal, it's astonishing. If you stand on the street and watch drivers go by, over half of them will be on their cell phone. Talking, texting, watching videos, taking self portraits, checking their hair; you name it, I've seen it. In addition, many cars have GPS screens/screens for the camera on the back of their car that have satellite capabilities. So I've had taxi drivers who are watching TV while they are driving! It's insane.

This particular one made me very uncomfortable. My bus driver was texting while driving a huge bus with lots of people. He was swaying over the lines and approaching cars a little too close. It bothered me, but what could I do?? I don't know how to say 'Please put your cellphone away' in Korean, and while this action is apparently illegal, the police NEVER enforce it and if caught, the penalty is a $50 fine. THAT'S IT. So in a country where everyone and their dog have a cellphone, how does that teach anyone social responsibility?

It doesn't.

PS. After taking this picture, he heard the click of my camera and looked over his shoulder before putting the phone down. In Korea, all cellphones make the 'click' sound when taking a picture so that you cannot sneak a picture of someone (ie: everyone has the right to know a picture is being taken of them). Apparently that's how you get someone to stop texting and driving!

Inexplicable World of Korea #8 - Random gifts that get put on your desk

One day it's a vitamin C tablet, the next it's a tomato. I will never understand.

Inexplicable World of Korea #7 - Cheese

We love cheese. We love cheese so much we are willing to pay outrageous Korean prices to have the delicious taste of imported cheese. We love cheese so much we bring it back with us from Canada, in small cooler bags, in hopes that it doesn't get confiscated so we can enjoy the old cheddar, dill havarti, or cranberry goat's cheese in the comfort of our own home.

Korean cheese is plastic. No joke. Think Kraft Singles, but worse. They have pineapple and other flavoured cheese slices. When it's placed under heat it actually melts the way plastic melts. This means that at the grocery store, all the decent cheese is imported. This also means that it is a big ticket item. So stores unleash a high level of security on such items. At least, this is what I found on my recent trip to E-mart.

Must be all those criminal foreigners ... stealing cheese.

This one is actually in a locked plastic box. I wonder if it melts the way Korean cheese does?
It retails for around $10.

Oh no! It might dye your cheese. Seriously, who wouldn't just cut around that?
This one retails for about $6.

Inexplicable World of Korea #6 - Matching Outfits for Couples

Just something I cannot comprehend, nor do I endorse. I have heard a lot of foreigners say that "it's cute" in response to my cynicism and negativity regarding the matching of outfits. Couples who are dating in Korea like to wear the EXACT same clothes to show that they are a couple. Maybe because public displays of affection are looked down upon, they feel like wearing the same thing shows the world that they are together. I say - be your own person and don't succumb to labeling yourself!!

Also, you look ridiculous.

This particular couple was the worst I've ever seen. Usually matching shoes, or shirts, is common. This couple was wearing identical Abercrombie and Fitch sweaters, bright blue sweatpants, and Nike shoes. I couldn't help but take a picture and blog about it!!

Inexplicable World of Korea/Picture of the Week #5

This recent discovery goes under both the Inexplicable World of Korea and the Picture of the Week because it is hilarious!!

So in Korea it is very common to see signs written in English with spelling and grammar errors. And frequently, it creates a very amusing image for native speakers. I find it incomprehensible how they don't ask someone to look over their publications before sending it for printing (I mean, if I were doing something in Korean, or even in French, I would always have a native speaker read over it). But on the other hand, I get a real kick out of it on days when I'm feeling particularly down about living here.

Last weekend, I was in Daegu for our ultimate frisbee games. On the way to the train station I found a crepe restaurant!!! Being as excited as I was to find this familiar dish, I took pictures of the window display and then the name of the place. That's when I realized that they missed a letter.

Yummy!!

Muahahaha!

Poor guys probably have no idea their sign says "I heart RAPE".

The Inexplicable World of Korea, 4

This one almost goes without saying. I'm in my office with heat blasting on me so I check the gauge to turn down the temperature.

Yes, it is only 1ºC outside, so we need heat. But if it were friggin' 30ºC outside right now, you'd be blasting the A/C!!!! Why do the people at Bugil, students included, believe that turning up the heat to 30ºC will make the room heat up faster? Put a sweater on people!

The Inexplicable World of Korea, 3

Well folks, it happened. I have previously posted on Facebook about the inexplicable amount of rice, and rice products, in this country. Seriously, rice pasta, rice puffs, rice treats, rice noodles (different from pasta, I assure you), rice paper, rice drinks, rice cake (also known as 'dok', which comes in many forms, each as equally deceiving as the next). Back in September, I joked, what's next - rice cotton? Rice hamburgers? Rice cream??

Here you are my friends. At a gelato shop in the mall ... rice flavoured ice cream.



The Inexplicable World of Korea, 2

Well, it took only a few hours from writing that first post to arrive at my second. It is common custom in Korea (or at least at my school) that if you get married, buy a car, or your baby turns 1 year old, you bring a small gift to everyone at the school. Kind of like sharing the joy and celebrating the achievements with your co-workers. Generously enough, the Korean teachers have included the natives in this tradition and I have to date received various beverages, hand towels, and cake.

Another fun fact about Korea is that they don't often use chocolate in their desserts. Instead red bean paste (which is sort of sweet, but not like chocolate) is used in many things, like pastries and ice cream. Finding chocolate cake is not as common here as back home. And the brownies I've tried (all except 1) have all been meh. For those of you who know me ... I'm a chocoholic!!!!

So when this girl who got married last weekend came to our office with a tray of cupcakes, I was delighted!! They looked sooo good. When asked which one I wanted, I promptly responded: 'whichever one has chocolate!!' And so, I was handed the brown one. I told the English teacher in my office (who is Korean) how delicious it looked and how excited I was. Then, through her laughter, she informed me that in fact it wasn't a cupcake .. but a brown hand towel wrapped up to look like a cupcake. I should have known Terry Bakery meant Terry Cloth Towel. FRIG! I will never understand this country.



Couldn't you just eat me up?

The Inexplicable World of Korea

As a foreigner, it's really easy to get caught up saying 'this would never happen back home' or making comparisons. But is it really fair to compare?

We grew up in a free country, where women's rights, multiculturalism, and yes, even the gay movement have made grounds. Koreans, however, had their country occupied by Japan for over 30 years in the early 1900s. Then, after they gained freedom, there was a civil war, fueled by the Russians and the Americans (communism vs. capitalism). They haven't really had time to develop all their individual rights or move into the 21st century, until now. This country was poorer than some African countries after the Korean War in the 50s. They have few natural resources and thus, have pushed their human resources. Now, South Korea is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, especially for technology (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, or Kia anyone?). Here in Korea, things can seem a little backward. There is this hierarchy that you cannot break. Foreigners, aka non-Koreans, are looked down upon. And being different, like being gay or marrying a non-Korean, is also not common. Preserving the Korean heritage is a big deal.

Before I moved here I was told that there is a honeymoon phase, where everything is new and exciting. Then there is a bitter phase where suddenly nothing in Korea is good enough. I don't know if I've hit this phase, but I can say I've been uttering the words 'this would never happen in Canada' quite a lot lately.

So in my attempt to share (and perhaps lighten) my bitterness, I'm going to post things about the inexplicable world of Korea. Starting with something we 'stumbled' upon yesterday while walking to the grocery store. Luckily, JM looked down in time to avoid the manhole.

No signs, no pylons. Just a giant hole in the sidewalk.

That would have hurt.