Gangnam Style

So strangely enough, soon after I moved to this great nation of South Korea, an epidemic took over the world.

This disease, which began here in Korea and quickly spread internationally, is known only...as Gangnam Style.

For those of you who have been hiding under a sound-proof rock, here's the song above.

This song non-sensically touts the "badassery" of living the high life in Gangnam, the wealthy area of Seoul, but really focuses on the most assinine dance move since the hand-jive. Dubbed the "horse dance" Gangnam style has swept the world.

And here in Korea, a country that has a non-existent drug culture, Gangnam style is crack.

First of all, the one thing Koreans may love almost as much as kimchi, is choreographed dance routines. The art of the music video still reigns supreme here, and when a new k-pop song comes out, the choreography is immediately absorbed, copied, and performed en masse in clubs across the nation.

I first heard Gangnam Style during the Miryang English Camp at the end of July/ beginning of August this past summer. The students showed us the video by singer Psy, and then learned the dance for my end-of-the-week production of the hit broadway play, "Goiter Man" (It was tony-award winning, trust me). I almost blame myself for the worldwide craze, as soon after I posted the song to my Facebook profile, and seeing as how I am so popular and I have so many friends and I am so well-loved and amazing and humble....it was bound to take off.

Psy could be compared to a Weird Al Yankovic in the states. A comedic singer, he actually attended Boston University (Sucks to BU!) and Berkelee College of Music...so ya...we can partially blame the hub for all this...

Also, I found out that one time he got arrested for possession of marijuana here in Korea, and paid his way out, the equivalent of about $400,000 dollars. That's some Gangnam Style shit, yo'...represent!

His video plays on both the slapstick humor that is popular here in Korea, as well as the borderline vulgarity that we love oh-so-much back in the USA. That combined with a gimmicky dance move, toe-tapping beat, and catchy catch-phrase, this one was destined for complete airwave takeover.

But Americans, playa please, quit your complaining about the incessant overplaying of this song, because if you think it is annoying back in the states, than your head would literally explode over here.

I cannot go a day without hearing Gangnam style. It's not even like they overplay it on the radio, I'm talking they play it in the stores, the train stations, the classrooms..even just on the street.

But that isn't the worst part. Even more annoying than the song itself (which I will admit, I do have on my ipod...when in Rome!) is the fact that EVERY Korean person will come up to me and ask:

"Do you know Gangnam style?"

Oh no, I'm sorry, I am unfamiliar with the song that has turned my eardrums into Zildijian cymbals. I don't recognize that seizure-inducing beat that makes me want to kick puppies. What is that dance you are doing? It looks like you are riding on an ass? Oh it's a horse dance! My mistake, I thought people around here just enjoyed looking completely moronic. Thanks for clearing it up!

Now, at first, I was all about it, and to be honest, when I am drunk, I can Gangnam Style like no other. What is also unfortunate, is that this song will be over in approximately one month (Remember Gotye's hit "Somebody that I used to Know? Ya...neither do I) and then South Korea's 15 minutes of world-wide fame will fade into the background of the United Nations until North Korea tries to shoot off another failed bomb again.

In a sense, I feel for Korea. Gangnam style is now more than just an annoying song, it is an annoying anthem of a generation. One day this song will be nothing more than a wedding line dance, and we will be able to look back and think, "I knew this song when it was cool." I mean, think of the "Macarena." There was once a time where we all took joy in the monotony of group arm choreography, and now, our bodies just seem to automatically go through the motions at the occasional Bar Mitzvahs.

Stop the madness now. Save this song from it's eventual demise. Try and keep this chaos as a novelty. Hey...Sexy Lady....

Oppa Gangnam Style!

Oh ya...and this happened.....


http://www.happyplace.com/18380/person-gets-music-tattoo-theyll-regret-fifteen-minutes-from-now

PS-that's not me...




or is it?


PEACE
Annie G.

Coffee in Korea

Coffee is a valuable resource that seems to be lacking in both quantity and quality here in Korea.

On an unrelated note...I am learning how to use the video editor on my IPad.

Chuseok 2012: Nobody puts baby in a corner

I apologize for not updating in a while, life has been a little crazy here in the orient!

Most notably was the recent long holiday weekend known as Chuseok. From Friday, September 28th until Wednesday, October 3rd we were in full celebration mode.

Chuseok is like a Korean thanksgiving. Koreans go to the graves of their ancestors, cut the grass that has overgrown, and then go home to visit their families, overeat and then sit around playing computer games.

My holiday started on Thursday.

After work, I went to meet up with other foreigners at one of our favorite fried chicken and beer restaurants, to celebrate my dear friend Tim's birthday! Of course, this drunkenly lead us to our favorite noraebang, where we sang until about 3am....

Needless to say, this was only the beginning...

I had no classes on Friday because my students were on a field trip, so I basically spent the whole day as a zombie staring at a computer screen. After school, the teachers all went out for dinner, where my principal insisted I sit next to him, and also suggested we should buy matching outfits so he could be my boyfriend...

It was later that the fun all began. Charle and I went to Busan to meet friends for some girls birthday. Apparently, I talked with her for a good hour that night.... I wouldn't know.

On our journey to Busan we decided to create a game, based on a point system with strangers. High fives were one point each, hugs and photobombs were 5 points each, and a bum pinch was 10.

After bum pinching about 5 strangers on the subway (which we got on in the wrong direction) we were waiting for our connecting train when a waltz came on the loudspeakers. We dramatically danced around the platform, specifically circling an innocent Korean couple. Soon we realized, amidst our twirling, that this couple was apparently breaking up, hence the heaving sobs coming from the girl and the look if apathy on the guy's face. We escaped that scene, and I began flexing my new muscles in the reflection of the glass on the platform (I've been working out).

Soon a semicircle of old people cheered me on as I flexed, and I told them I could beat up anyone on that platform.

Finally we made it to our destination, and the party began. We ended up at rock and roll bar, and the song from Dirty Dancing came on, which of course, spawned the catch phrase of the weekend, "nobody puts baby in a corner." As luck would have it, I was put in a corner about 3 times, but we won't get into that....

At about 5 am, we stumbled home. At about 4pm the following day, I had the strength to get off the bathroom floor and leave the house. I vowed that night would be different, that I would go to bed at a decent hour and not do anything inappropriate to try and score points...

18 bum pinches, 36 high fives, 20 hugs, 3 photobombs, and a bottle of Soju later, we were 3 hours deep into an intense noraebang night. I had won all the points for the night, because I had fed a girl kimchi on the street, so I was basking in my glory. You see, all the college students return home for chuseok weekend, so while Miryang is normally a ghost town, this particular weekend it was as busy as the Vegas strip. The noraebang was FULL, and we even found two girls passed out in a room, microphones still in hand. It was beautiful.

The following night we decided to go to Daegu. Now, from all the noraebanging the night before, my voice was really husky. We laughed at my mannish voice as we prepared for our night out. As I dressed in my normal outrageous fashion, I laughed to myself that I resembled a drag queen. What a silly notion! We laughed all the way to Daegu as I joked about stuffing my pants and telling everyone I was actually born "Andy."

We arrived at a party at a bar called Bunnies, that Robert (the man the myth and the legend) recently did some artwork for.

Robert is one of the funniest people I have met. He has exceeded everyone's expectations with regards to wit, and height. Originally from Texas, he has the swagger of an astronaut and the knowledge of a retired police officer. His virtual presence is unrivaled, and we first made our official acquaintance at a barbecue honoring South Africa. He sat and listened to me recount stories from yesteryear, and laugh at the silliness of this life that we live. Little did I know, his omnipresent personality already knew more about me than I could imagine. I really hope he is reading this right now.

My friend Terisha invited her friends from the Army out to meet us, and during the longest Beirut game of my life...I notice an older Korean man observing our game. I spoke aloud, remarking about a recent play. The Korean man turned to me, looked me quizzically in the eye, and asked....


"Lady?"

It took me a second to realize that he was asking about my gender, and not about the delicate way I am always acting. I just turned around and said, "Who brought this guy?" And continuously expressed my hatred for him for the remainder of the game.

The army boys turned to us at the end of the game and suggested we all go to the local casino for floor drinks and blackjack. Anyone who knows me, understands my love of midnight Foxwoods trips and roulette, so naturally us ladies obliged. We made our way threw the smoky throngs of Phillipinos to the roulette table, where I lost 15 bucks in short order. We then decided, being 3am and all, it was a wise idea to play drinking games until 630 am. Another sleepless night.

The following night was another late night Miryang BBQ, which got me to bed at around 4am again. In the afternoon on Tuesday we decided to have another quiet, adult like visit to Daegu. Ingrid, Rich, Kef and myself journeyed to the city to meet up with Terisha. We did a little bit of shopping and decided to make our way to Travelers, the only place where you can get good burger in Daegu. As we walked in, we saw our friends Tim and Jitesh, and also met up with some other long lost buddies that seemed to all migrate tot travelers that evening, as if fate was bringing us all together to party. Around midnight, we decided to be wise and take the earlier train home (the last night train from Daegu leaves at 2:30 am) and call it a night.

Now, maybe it was my off-kilter body clock, or maybe it was the bright lights of Daegu, but I was in no mood to turn in yet, so I convinced Kef to stay out, and madness ensued.

At 7am, as we waited for the early train home, we dazed in and out of consciousness as we remarked about the previous hours when we got adopted by a group of Korean students, were invited for unlimited Jack Daniels at another groups table, got into numerous gangnam style dance-offs, and even got invited to a Korean wedding.

Personally my favorite character of the night was a little drunk Korean girl named Sook Jee, who loved me so much that she physically cried upon my departure.

All in all, Chuseok was an overwhelming success, even though I was ready to get back to work, purely to save what was left of my liver for a few hours.

Taiwanna vacation!!

Geez, it's been a while since my golden shower in Goeje...A bit of an overdue post, but let me bring you all up to speed!!

For my summer break, I took a hop skip and a jump over to the lovely island of Taiwan. Accompanied by my dangerously tall South African neighbor Greg, we knew it would be a miracle if we made it out alive.

We started our trip in Hualien on the East coast. After a day of exploration we decided to do what any educated, responsible traveller would do....find a bar.

After wandering around aimlessly for an hour, we happened upon "All Star Pub."

Approximately 6 hours into a new country, and the G came out.

The All Star Pub had a traditional band playing the stage that night, they were good to begin with, but after several tequila sunrises, they went from OK to FANTASTIC. After they finished their set, the stage was opened up to Kareoke....

Well, after getting the entire bar up and dancing to "I will survive", I got free jäger shots and was asked by other patrons to be the chosen back up dancer for various other performances. This was followed the next night by befriending a German man who lives in Taiwan with his wife. Him and I discussed Travelling, europe, and life, and when asked about other places he experienced during his time in Asia he responded..."I don't go many places around here....I don't like Asians."

Then, to Taipei we went to meet up with our darling friend Ingrid. We spent the time in Taipei at the typical tourist attractions: Taipei 101 Tower, Hot springs, snake alley...etc.

Amidst all the sightseeing, I decided there was one thing left for me to do.

Street Tattoo.

We went to Shilin Night Market, which is a big open air market where you can buy anything from stinky tofu to rolex watches. Now, though I have never gotten a tattoo before, I had been thinking about this particular idea for some time now. I walked past a street tattoo parlor and thought to myself, this is the place to go.

I showed up the next day and met up with Fong (don't worry, him and I are facebook friends now) and told him I wanted a lotus flower on my ankle. I bravely sat down and clenched my teeth, as Fong assured me "Don't worry, you are my woman." I was still unsure of what that meant when the tattoo began.

Barring any hepatitis, it was a great vacation. The food was delicious, the people were fun, and we had a splendid time! Until we had to get back on a plane to the land of the Kimchi.....

A pee filled weekend...

Camping! Such a fine idea! Such a nice idea! An idea for some whole hearted foreign fun!

Or so we thought....

The plan was to go to Goeje, an island off the coast of Busan, and spend the weekend swimming, sunning and sleeping in tents. A group of about 20 foreigners showed up, mostly on Saturday, but myself, Rich, Charle and a few others showed up on Friday to start early.

The trip from Miryang to Goeje is about 2 hours...

So 6 hours and half a bottle of whiskey later we arrived.

After a successful scavenge for firewood, AJ and I set off to build the firepit and create the nest egg that would be our home for the rest of the weekend. Friday was a low key night, as we all sat around the fire and prepared for the inevitable shenanigans of the next day.

By the time we crashed it was about 5am. I slid into my little tent ready for some quality shut eye. At approximately 7am I awoke in a pool of my own sweat..as the tents quickly became our own personal saunas. I pulled out a pillow and a towel and slept on the beach for another couple hours, then awoke and ran immediately into the ocean where the others had already found refuge.

The water was crystal clear, and luckily for us, all the fully covered beach Koreans and their umbrellas were down at the far end of the beach, giving us the place to ourselves (minus some Russians who came out of nowhere).

In the distance, probably about a mile offshore, existed an island. We decided to name this Waygook Island and made it a personal mission to conquer the territory by days end.

As a group, we found that our scavenging skills were particularly astute on this day, as we found an assortment of floats, goggles, and other beach accessories that would be crucial to storming the beaches at Waygook island.

Now before I continue, it's important to note that Koreans are not the most adept swimmers. Perhaps it's because they are weighed down by clothing, as they swim fully clothed to avoid the sun.

As if by telepathic genius, we all simultaneously began our swim out.

2 people had paddled out ahead on a raft we found near the bathrooms, whereas myself and a couple others decided to go at it Micheal Phelps style on our own. We had made it about a kilometer out, when we started to here the whistles. Now Korean lifeguards will blow the whistle if the water is merely at your waistline...so at this point they were in full freakout mode. A few immediately turned back in, but myself and a few others continued the quest in spite of him.

Finally, after 10 minutes of whistle blowing and watching him dive in and chase us with his red buoy, team Phelps decided to turn in. The flotation crew were still going full speed ahead, and now were over halfway to the destination.

And as luck would have it...the lifeguard reached me first.

"WHATEVER!" he said to me, a face full of pure anger.

This was not the correct greeting for someone in the middle of the ocean.

"Whatever what man? Don't worry about us, we are ok."- Annie

"Not ok! Dangerous!"-anger guard

"Nah man, we are good swimmers! We are fine!"- Gold medalist in guard dodging

"I call coast guard on you!"-pure rage

"That seems a bit excessive"-Waygook jerk

He gestured to the flotation crew asking if they were my friends, and telling me they cannot swim out there. At this point I responded that there was not much I could do about that unless he wanted me to swim after him.

At this point I felt there was nothing much left for him and I to discuss so I swam ashore. Later, the flotation crew would also come ashore, except this time they would be in speed boats accompanied by angry covered Koreans. They made it to the island but told us it was covered in trash and jagged rocks.

The day progressed with many giggles, laughs, and even a few guffaws. Everyone was getting along great, I even learned how to play cricket! But then...disaster struck.

We had been playing water frisbee. I missed the one thrown to me, and I went to swim after it, afraid that it would float away otherwise (a mistake I had made earlier in the day with a beach ball...I screamed "Wilson" as it floated out of reach). I focused on the frisbee, began to swim after it, and it was just out of reach when AHHHH. My whole arm felt like it was on fire and simultaneously being pricked with a thousand death pins. I had swam right through the tentacles of a jellyfish.

Now back home, I have been stung on more than one occasion, and never has the pain or discomfort lasted more than 10 minutes or so. Even earlier that day, on my journey to Waygook island, I had felt a sting on my knee, but it disappeared rather quickly.

I jumped out of the water to see my arm rapidly swelling up. I could see where the jellyfish stung my flesh, as it was white and bubbly. I have a fairly high pain tolerance, but this was not subsiding and was spreading to the entirety of my left arm.

Joel, a guy who was also in the frisbee game, had been stung years ago and jumped into action. He helped take me to the lifeguard stand, where he said they would likely have ammonia to neutralize the burn.

Well the lifeguards had no such thing, but I sat there with ice as Joel and I laughed at anger guard as he sat there stewing at us. The guards insisted that I go to the hospital, to which I replied "aniyo, Soju joseyo." translation "no, I want to drink." They finally understood that a hospital trip would really disrupt the long night of drinking I had planned ahead, they let me go, saying if I became nauseous or felt dizzy to immediately seek help.

The only problem was the ice did nothing for the pain, and as I walked back to base camp, I remembered hearing about an alternative way to neutralize the sting....

"Hey....does anyone need to pee?!"

Now if you had told me that morning, that I would be getting pissed on, I would have laughed and thought, oh what a silly thing to say! How silly! What a silly thing!

But there I was, arm burning an swollen, with my friend Charle and y new friend Chris (we bonded quickly) preparing for the first Golden Shower of my life. We were outside the bathhouse, amidst the stares of the Koreans (only their eyes were uncovered) preparing for the urine bath I was about to endure. Charle, beig a female, took the courtesy to pee into a coke bottle ahead of time, and we poured the 98.6 degree liquid over the top of the sting. Because the tentacle had wrapped all around my arm, and because I was trying to limit the amount of excess body juice that would be getting all over the rest of my body, Chris was crucial in aiming for the underarm. I stood up, with my arm fully outstretched, my eyes closed, and ready for the taking. Chris had no stage fright, and soon my sting was fully covered in urine. Fortunately and unfortunately, both friends had been evidently dehydrated that day, so the antidote was pungent and concentrated.

Nonetheless the golden shower did help the sting a bit, and mostly made for a good story. The rest of the night went off fairly smoothly: drinking, night swimming, cooking on the fire, playing guitar, and vowing that I would seek revenge on the jellyfish who did this to me. I will find you one day you little blobby jerk...and when I do, I will pee all over you and your jelly family.

The next morning we awoke in our saunas, hungover, shamed and dirty, and prepared to pack up for our journey home. I was in desperate need for a shower (fear not, I did wash the pee off my arm after the sprinkling incident). We bid everyone adieu, and drive-of-shamed it back to Miryang. We were tired, salty, tan, smelly, and still a little drunk, but mostly happy that we were probably the strangest group of people the covered Koreans have ever witnessed in their heavily visored lives.

English Camp

Poor little Korean Kids.

Shortly after my arrival in this fine country, I had a bit of a crash course in the life of a Korean student. Being a teacher, I felt it necessary to understand the ins and outs of the education system here, but was a bit surprised at what I found out....

The first shocking fact came within my first week. It was here, in my class, that I found out that corporal punishment is still alive and well in the classrooms of Korea. If a student is acting out, it is perfectly acceptable, nay encouraged, to smack him or her in the back or face. Occasionally, students receive a swift kick to the side, or the friendlier pinch on the neck. Sometimes it is a more lighthearted slap, other times it is a beating that leaves the kid in tears. I have seen teachers even reward the good students by letting them stand up and smack around the bad student.

Needless to say, this was a bit of a shock at first, but what is arguably more shocking is how quickly I became unphased by such actions. In fact, I didn't even think about it until the other night when I was on the phone with Debbie and explained to he these classroom activities. "Ya Kiddin me Annieeee" she exclaimed in her Tauntonesque accent, "isn't that a little hahhhrsh?"

Well yes ma, it is, but to be honest, it is the least of a Korean students worries.

When it comes to physical abuse in Korea, well that's a whole other post entirely. But when it comes to educational abuse (for lack of a better term) quite frankly, being a Korean student suuuuccckkksss.

When researching a teaching opportunity in Korea, you are faced with two main options, public or private. I work for the public schools, so technically I am a Korean government employee with all the benefits and protections clearly stated in my contract. Private gigs, at places called "hagwons" tend to have a bad rap by being a bit shadier, because they are businesses and tend to be a bit more labor intensive.

You see, the average Korean student goes to school from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm every day. Then, they go immediately to hagwons for further instruction, often coming home past 10pm. Basically, a Korean kid is studying from 8:30 to 10 everyday, and typically when they finish, they go home, do homework (or play computer games, but more on that another day) and go to sleep.

The education system here is broken into trimesters. The first trimester begins around May. The kids receive summer "break" for about a month in August, then they begin again end of August/ early September. There are log holiday weekends sprinkled throughout the year, then they get winter break for December or January, come back for a couple weeks, another break, then may semester begins.

However, their breaks are merely a facade, as often they continue to go to hagwons daily...or they are forced to go to...dun dun dun...English camp.

English camp is a week of in-classroom activity that is supposed to be an intensive language acquisition program...which it rarely is. The native English teachers are fully in charge and have to develop the lessons..which usually involve games, movies and minimal educational absorption.

This break, I have a total of 3 weeks of English camp. I just completed the camp for the city office of education, and now I have two weeks of camp for my school (which has basically been me babysitting the one or two kids who show up).

For the Education office camp, all the foreigners here in Miryang (there's about 16 of us) got together for a week of enriching the minds of the Asian youth. We all paired up and chose both a topic, and a 7- minute "play" that our students would be performing in a grand closing ceremony.

Naturally I chose the hit theatrical production titled "goiter man" for our young thespians. If you are wondering what goiter man is about...just think about the title..it will lead your way.

Anyways, our topic was culture, and I basically just spent time telling the kids about American and Italian food and played a game. The week was boiling hot, so I taught all students to say "It's wicked hot out heaaaaahhh." My class was very cute, and though it was a week, we all created a solid bond and they told me they would miss me. ::tear:: I even got a few hugs out of the deal!

At one point, Greg and I told the students that we were married and had 2 children named Shadynasty and Ezekiel. The students were shocked beyond belief, and fell for our charade hook line and sinker.

The last day, the goiters were ready, we had painted our faces, and our little play went off without a hitch..except for all the hitches that went off. But all in all the kids had a great week.

What made me sad though, was that a lot of these children were having fun for the first time in a long time within a classroom environment. Because this camp was for the most gifted of the students, most of them spend their days in schools and hagwons, trying to constantly appease their parents dissatisfaction. Some of them don't get hugs on a daily basis, and don't even get a "good job" or a paper on the refrigerator from their parents. This causes two interesting things about Korean students, 1) spontaneous crying and 2) the highest suicide rate in the world.

To elaborate on the first point, every day I have a cryer. Usually it is about something ridiculously stupid. Now, when the little 3rd graders start crying, I try and comfort them a little bit. But when the 6th grade boys are having a sobfest, I just tell them to walk it off. So let's look at the English Camp, at one point, a bunch of girls were accusing a boy about having many girlfriends. He got embarrassed and stormed out of the class. I gave him a minute or two, and went to go find him crying on the staircase. I sat next to him and asked "Tom*  What is wrong?" To which he explained the situation about the girlfriends and he had a best friend who was a girl but they were not in love. I explained to him how the girls in the class probably had a huge crush on him, and how next time they say things like that, for him to respond "Of course I have ton's of girlfriends, I am awesome!" I gave him candy, patted him on the back, and sent him back into the classroom. Problem Solved.

But onto the bigger problem. Because of the insane amount of stress put on these students, there are constantly reports about preteens and teenagers committing suicide. During test days, they have extra street guards out just to make sure kids don't jump in front of cars. A lot of them decide that they just can't take the pressure anymore and try and end their lives. It's insanely sad, but what is also sad is the fact that Koreans don't change their ways to better the system and decrease the suicide rate. Reduce Hagwon time, or allow for more time off during vacation. Do not put such pressure on standardized tests, or try and praise a student for doing a good job. I know this is all radical and crazy sounding, but sometimes Koreans lack that type of problem solving ability.

Anyways, I have about a week left of my school's English camp. Yesterday I had the students all dancing the electric slide and the cotton-eyed joe around the classroom because we had a lesson in line dancing, because screw learning, it's camp time!

Things Koreans Like Part 1.

So in another series of postings, I will be investigating some of the various like of the general Korean populus. The list is long, and continues to grow, but I will be updating throughout my journey here in the Far East.

1) Kimchi.

For those of you unaware of Kimchi, it could also be known as the national pride of Korea. It is eaten at every meal, and constantly praised for its miraculous health benefits. Now for those of you unaware of what Kimchi actually is...it is fermented cabbage mixed with spices. It tastes like a soggy, spicy piece of garlic, and causes your breath to smell like the seventh layer of hell. One would think it would be easy to avoid such a food, but they want to shove it down your throat like its going out of style. They love to talk about all the good bacteria in it, and how it cures all these diseases and stuff. All I know, is that it is seriously reeking havoc on my breath. 


2) Driving like idiots.

I have LITERALLY seen someone driving full speed on the wrong side of the road here. They have no sense of right of way, they use their horns randomly and inappropriately, they ride the brakes, and stop for no reason. They will pull a u-turn in the middle of the street into oncoming traffic. They will ride with a family of 4 on a moped, with no helmets...I have seen a man driving a scooter while holding a baby...all helmet-less. I have thought my life would end in a taxi cab in numerous occasions now. There is no stopping for pedestrians at walkways, or stopping at red lights even. And when they do stop, they ALWAYS put the car in park and put the ebrake up. They always back into parking spaces. It is so bizarre. So the stereotypes about Asian drivers...they are ALL true.

3) Angry Birds and Hello Kitty.

There is a straight up OBSESSION with Angry Birds and Hello Kitty. Now, I was expecting the Hello Kitty...this being Asia and all... but the Angry Birds caught me for surprise. As far as copyright infringement goes...that's a whole other topic...but all I know is that the little birds and pigs are on EVERYTHING...socks, bags, clothes, bus cards, food, commercials...everything.

3) Relationships.

Relationships in Korea are the worst. I mean the worst. First off, the society is not focused around "sexiness" like the west is. In the west, Sexy sells...and people try and appear sexier to attract the opposite sex. Nay, Korea is the land of the Cute. Cute is what gets people going. Hair bows, soft giggling, headbands, t-shirts with puppies on it. And one of the cutest things a couple can do.....matching outfits. I kid you not, couplewear is all the rage here. the first time I saw it, I assumed it was accidental. It's not. It is on purpose. They wear matching outfits. Everyday. Down to the shoes. It's sickening.

4) Nonsensical T-Shirts

The current "in" style here in Korea is T-shirts with English phrases on it. This would be fine....if they could understand what they are wearing. I guess it all started my first weekend here, I was waiting outside the train station in Busan when I saw a young teenage girl with a t-shirt that said "Free Mustache Rides." The poor girl must have felt uncomfortable as I stood and laughed at her. Some other gems have been a teacher with a shirt reading "Bitch, Please" and the various "Boston Massachubatts" shirts I seem to see everywhere.

5) Spam

I am not talking about junk emails here. I mean spam, as in the mystery meat in the can. For a health-obsessed nation, this particular product seems a bit out of place. They love it tho. It's in everything, it is sold everywhere. They have Spam Gift packs for crying out sakes! I was told that during the Korean War, Korean people would eat rations sent in for the American Troops, thus introducing and injecting spam into local Korean dishes. They chow down on spam like its a filet mignon, and I don't have the heart to tell them that it is the official delicacy of trailer parks across the nation.

Keep an eye out for more to come.