Today the world lays to rest a man who overlooked a country during a massive famine. During a time when millions starved to death. We lay to rest a man who chose to build nuclear weapons than feed his people. A man who lived in excess while his people suffered. We lay to rest a man who oppressed his people. Who under his rule, imprisoned his own innocent people. Today, the world can say good riddance to a man who turned his own country into a prison where millions have died. A man who chose himself and not his country. Goodbye, Kim Jong-il. Bless the people of North Korea.
- Gilad
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Presso. My new(est) love.
Presso: Quick to make. Quicker to drink. Not a bad tagline I made there, huh?
Got this machine in Korea and haven't been able to properly use it until we finally moved back home in Toronto yesterday. Just having fun here.
Anyway, have at it.
- Gilad
Got this machine in Korea and haven't been able to properly use it until we finally moved back home in Toronto yesterday. Just having fun here.
Anyway, have at it.
- Gilad
Friday, December 23, 2011
Kim Jong-dead
These are crazy times in Asia right now with the news that Kim Jong-il passed away. I left Korea a few hours after the news broke and even though I've been back in Canada for a handful of days now, I'm having the hardest time getting over my let lag which definitely affected my ability to write this piece. Anyways, read ahead."
So what the hell just happened in North Korea? You can cruise through the Internet and get everyone's take on it. Will the Koreas reunify? Did Kim Jong-il really die in his train? Are those people truly grieving? Why are they crying so much? What the hell happens next? From questions surrounding where North Korean leadership is heading to whether a blindfolded Kim Jong-il really bowled a perfect game of 300 using a Ping-Pong ball with both hands tied behind his back while at the same time inventing the Internet -- you can find a topic on the matter online. There are people with far more initials before their names than myself who are more credible to offer their opinions on what's going on right now but from what I gather, their opinions are all they've really got right now. The truth is, nobody knows what will happen next in North Korea. The country is so closed off from the rest of the world. If the world was the first Home Alone movie, North Korea would be the old neighbour with the shovel. The weird guy next door who stopped talking to everyone else. The guy who everyone found weird, started rumours about and always saw walking around with that weapon of his. What's the point of this? That South Korea is Macaulay Caulkin, America is Michael Jackson, and this whole situation is fucked.1
My last day of three months in South Korea was on Monday, December 19th. Since Dawna and I didn't have to be at the airport until 3pm, we sort of last second decided to head to the PSCORE office where we had been working on North Korean human rights issues since October. We got in at 11am and I caught a cryptic message on Twitter that North Korea was posed to make a "major announcement" at noon. I imagined something along the lines of "The Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il, has discovered how to fly and while up in the air, he invented the cure for cancer and from the goodness of his heart, solved world hunger". Out loud, I joked with my South and North Korean co-workers that they would announce the death of Kim Jong-il which of course was met with laughter. We sat there and guessed for the next forty five minutes what this announcement would be. Maybe they'll say something about stopping their nuclear program or that they've reached an agreement with the United States on food aid. Time passed and passed and passed while we waited. Right at noon, one of our North Korean co-workers heard the news, live as it was being announced by the North Koreans. Pause here.
A few years ago, we were celebrating Christmas with Dawna's family. We got Dawna's dad an iPod, which at this point in the story, was still sitting under the tree waiting to see the light of day. Not sure why or how, but somehow that wrapped up iPod ended up in the hands of Dawna's five year old niece. While we're all concerned with hunting down our own gifts to unwrap, we hear this five year old shriek: "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I GOT A NEW IPOD!"2 You know that sound, when a child is so over-joyously thrilled that they've finally gotten something they've wanted forever. When they're jumping up in the air, flailing their arms everywhere and wearing the largest smile on their face. The smile on their face that indicates, for a brief moment, that everything is perfect. This look and sound was genuinely reenacted when my North Korean co-worker, who by the way is a grown adult in a business suit, got the news that Kim Jong-il had passed away. Rarely in Korean society do you see a businessman act in such a manner and to see it all unfolding in front of me was something I will never forget.
I consider myself to be fortunate to have been in the presence of North Korean defectors as the news broke that their former Dear Leader, who for the most part was directly responsible for these North Koreans defecting in the first place, was no longer alive. It's not everyday you get to hang out with North Koreans and despite the fact that Kim Jong-il was born under a double rainbow and doesn't defecate like the rest of the world, he only gets to die once. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, New Years, and their birthdays came early for these defectors this year as news broke that Kim Jong-il was no longer around. And despite the images on TV showing massive grieving in the North, I'm sure many of the Koreans living there secretly feel the same way too.
With North Korean defectors, we often overlook and forget to think that by leaving their country, they've in turn left their friends, in some cases families, communities, memories and lives. For one reason or another, and in most cases simply because of starvation, North Koreans decide to run away in search of food and something better. By leaving, they are considered traitors and are no longer able to return. If you've been away from home for a while, you're likely familiar with the feelings of being homesick. The familiar cuisine, your family and friends, your bed and shower and your routines. All of the North Koreans I've met are also homesick. Really, really homesick. They too, yearn to go back to their communities and get over their homesickness, but in their case, there's no way of getting over it. There's no going back. There's no reunion. There's no re-living the memories. At least not on North Korean soil. With Kim Jong-il dying, many North Koreans now feel more hopeful that within their lifetime, they'll be able to go back home.
Are these hopes realistic? Will the Koreas become more friendly or even reunify? Does Kim Jong-il’s death boost the odds? Like I said earlier, nobody really knows. For reunification to happen, all parties involved (i.e. South Korea, North Korea, China, etc.) need to want it to happen and the feeling I get is that nobody really wants it. For the Chinese, over 80% of North Korea’s foreign business comes from them. They wouldn’t want that to end. For the South Koreans, reunification (under their control) would cost too much. You’d basically have to take a (very poor) society and country currently constructed as if its 1950 and bring it 60 years into the future. This means training people on how to use things like the Internet, banking, vehicles or how to live in a capitalist society, as well as creating an infrastructure to support all of these things. Not to mention feeding millions of people who haven’t been able to eat properly in over a decade. This could cost trillions of dollars and for a society so hell bent on making as much money for themselves as possible, this doesn’t really make sense for South Korea. With North Korea, the leaders in charge are happy to be the leaders in charge and don’t appear willing to let go of that. Of course, there are many other factors, but the common denominator is a want for reunification to come and until all players get there, my opinion is that it will not happen.
Either way, Kim Jong-il’s death ushers in a new era. Whether or not this brings forward any positive change is unknown, but for the time being, North Korean defectors worldwide can rejoice and live knowing that at least temporarily, everything feels perfect.
1. This sentence is a definite affect of jet lag. In my head, North Korea is so obviously that old guy from Home Alone.
2. Trust me that taking away an iPod from a little kid is exponentially worse than taking candy from a baby.
- Gilad
So what the hell just happened in North Korea? You can cruise through the Internet and get everyone's take on it. Will the Koreas reunify? Did Kim Jong-il really die in his train? Are those people truly grieving? Why are they crying so much? What the hell happens next? From questions surrounding where North Korean leadership is heading to whether a blindfolded Kim Jong-il really bowled a perfect game of 300 using a Ping-Pong ball with both hands tied behind his back while at the same time inventing the Internet -- you can find a topic on the matter online. There are people with far more initials before their names than myself who are more credible to offer their opinions on what's going on right now but from what I gather, their opinions are all they've really got right now. The truth is, nobody knows what will happen next in North Korea. The country is so closed off from the rest of the world. If the world was the first Home Alone movie, North Korea would be the old neighbour with the shovel. The weird guy next door who stopped talking to everyone else. The guy who everyone found weird, started rumours about and always saw walking around with that weapon of his. What's the point of this? That South Korea is Macaulay Caulkin, America is Michael Jackson, and this whole situation is fucked.1
My last day of three months in South Korea was on Monday, December 19th. Since Dawna and I didn't have to be at the airport until 3pm, we sort of last second decided to head to the PSCORE office where we had been working on North Korean human rights issues since October. We got in at 11am and I caught a cryptic message on Twitter that North Korea was posed to make a "major announcement" at noon. I imagined something along the lines of "The Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il, has discovered how to fly and while up in the air, he invented the cure for cancer and from the goodness of his heart, solved world hunger". Out loud, I joked with my South and North Korean co-workers that they would announce the death of Kim Jong-il which of course was met with laughter. We sat there and guessed for the next forty five minutes what this announcement would be. Maybe they'll say something about stopping their nuclear program or that they've reached an agreement with the United States on food aid. Time passed and passed and passed while we waited. Right at noon, one of our North Korean co-workers heard the news, live as it was being announced by the North Koreans. Pause here.
A few years ago, we were celebrating Christmas with Dawna's family. We got Dawna's dad an iPod, which at this point in the story, was still sitting under the tree waiting to see the light of day. Not sure why or how, but somehow that wrapped up iPod ended up in the hands of Dawna's five year old niece. While we're all concerned with hunting down our own gifts to unwrap, we hear this five year old shriek: "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I GOT A NEW IPOD!"2 You know that sound, when a child is so over-joyously thrilled that they've finally gotten something they've wanted forever. When they're jumping up in the air, flailing their arms everywhere and wearing the largest smile on their face. The smile on their face that indicates, for a brief moment, that everything is perfect. This look and sound was genuinely reenacted when my North Korean co-worker, who by the way is a grown adult in a business suit, got the news that Kim Jong-il had passed away. Rarely in Korean society do you see a businessman act in such a manner and to see it all unfolding in front of me was something I will never forget.
I consider myself to be fortunate to have been in the presence of North Korean defectors as the news broke that their former Dear Leader, who for the most part was directly responsible for these North Koreans defecting in the first place, was no longer alive. It's not everyday you get to hang out with North Koreans and despite the fact that Kim Jong-il was born under a double rainbow and doesn't defecate like the rest of the world, he only gets to die once. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, New Years, and their birthdays came early for these defectors this year as news broke that Kim Jong-il was no longer around. And despite the images on TV showing massive grieving in the North, I'm sure many of the Koreans living there secretly feel the same way too.
With North Korean defectors, we often overlook and forget to think that by leaving their country, they've in turn left their friends, in some cases families, communities, memories and lives. For one reason or another, and in most cases simply because of starvation, North Koreans decide to run away in search of food and something better. By leaving, they are considered traitors and are no longer able to return. If you've been away from home for a while, you're likely familiar with the feelings of being homesick. The familiar cuisine, your family and friends, your bed and shower and your routines. All of the North Koreans I've met are also homesick. Really, really homesick. They too, yearn to go back to their communities and get over their homesickness, but in their case, there's no way of getting over it. There's no going back. There's no reunion. There's no re-living the memories. At least not on North Korean soil. With Kim Jong-il dying, many North Koreans now feel more hopeful that within their lifetime, they'll be able to go back home.
Are these hopes realistic? Will the Koreas become more friendly or even reunify? Does Kim Jong-il’s death boost the odds? Like I said earlier, nobody really knows. For reunification to happen, all parties involved (i.e. South Korea, North Korea, China, etc.) need to want it to happen and the feeling I get is that nobody really wants it. For the Chinese, over 80% of North Korea’s foreign business comes from them. They wouldn’t want that to end. For the South Koreans, reunification (under their control) would cost too much. You’d basically have to take a (very poor) society and country currently constructed as if its 1950 and bring it 60 years into the future. This means training people on how to use things like the Internet, banking, vehicles or how to live in a capitalist society, as well as creating an infrastructure to support all of these things. Not to mention feeding millions of people who haven’t been able to eat properly in over a decade. This could cost trillions of dollars and for a society so hell bent on making as much money for themselves as possible, this doesn’t really make sense for South Korea. With North Korea, the leaders in charge are happy to be the leaders in charge and don’t appear willing to let go of that. Of course, there are many other factors, but the common denominator is a want for reunification to come and until all players get there, my opinion is that it will not happen.
Either way, Kim Jong-il’s death ushers in a new era. Whether or not this brings forward any positive change is unknown, but for the time being, North Korean defectors worldwide can rejoice and live knowing that at least temporarily, everything feels perfect.
1. This sentence is a definite affect of jet lag. In my head, North Korea is so obviously that old guy from Home Alone.
2. Trust me that taking away an iPod from a little kid is exponentially worse than taking candy from a baby.
- Gilad
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Do Something About North Korea
My latest video on the topic of North Korean human rights. Please take a few minutes to watch it and provide some feedback if you can. Thanks!
- Gilad
- Gilad
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Happy Birthday
Today is our co-worker’s mom’s birthday and I wanted to wish her a very happy birthday. A mother’s birthday is always a special event however this day in particular deserves some special recognition.
It is the sad reality that our co-worker (and friend)’s mom are apart for this day, and even in this time of technological innovation they cannot be connected, even by handwritten mail. This is because one lives in North Korea and the other in South Korea.
When speaking about issues in North Korea one often focuses on nuclear weapons or famine. How often do we think about the families that have been permanently separated due to an ongoing war and oppressive dictator? While we so often conclude that defection from North Korea is the best possible answer for most hunger stricken people, leaving your family, friends and entire life behind is a decision that cannot be reversed. Once you leave, you can never go back. Can you imagine being only a few short hours away from your loved ones with no opportunity for phone, internet or mail communication let alone a face to face meeting? We often take for granted not only the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the homes we live in, but also the ease with which we can relate to one another. I cannot help but want to cry on this happy day for the sadness both sides of this family must feel. A birthday is meant for celebration, but for too many defectors it is a day for heartbreaking nostalgia.
While many North Korean defectors do appreciate the improved living conditions of South Korea, I know that many, or most, dream for the day when they can live fulfilled in their hometown in North Korea. It is for this reason (among others) that I hope we can keep working hard towards a reunified Korea.
- Dawna
It is the sad reality that our co-worker (and friend)’s mom are apart for this day, and even in this time of technological innovation they cannot be connected, even by handwritten mail. This is because one lives in North Korea and the other in South Korea.
When speaking about issues in North Korea one often focuses on nuclear weapons or famine. How often do we think about the families that have been permanently separated due to an ongoing war and oppressive dictator? While we so often conclude that defection from North Korea is the best possible answer for most hunger stricken people, leaving your family, friends and entire life behind is a decision that cannot be reversed. Once you leave, you can never go back. Can you imagine being only a few short hours away from your loved ones with no opportunity for phone, internet or mail communication let alone a face to face meeting? We often take for granted not only the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the homes we live in, but also the ease with which we can relate to one another. I cannot help but want to cry on this happy day for the sadness both sides of this family must feel. A birthday is meant for celebration, but for too many defectors it is a day for heartbreaking nostalgia.
While many North Korean defectors do appreciate the improved living conditions of South Korea, I know that many, or most, dream for the day when they can live fulfilled in their hometown in North Korea. It is for this reason (among others) that I hope we can keep working hard towards a reunified Korea.
- Dawna
Monday, November 28, 2011
How did I end up in South Korea for a third time?
What am I doing in Korea for a third time? I'm middle-class. Young. Graduated from University. In debt. Surely, I must be here teaching English. To be described as I just was and be here doing anything else is clearly out of the question. While I am guilty of having lived here for a year between 2007-2008 and teaching English, it's quite different this time around. Yes, I'm still in debt and arguably incurring more. Although I've been here on my third round since this past September, the real reason I'm here again dates back to over three years ago.
Back in June 2008, I was presented with an opportunity to travel to North Korea. It was only a day trip, a little bit more expensive than I could afford and a tough sell when I was here with the intentions of saving money. I'm not sure whether this applies to me, my friends or just males in general but there comes a few times in life where bragging is absolutely important. You know, the "I just won $650 at that poker tournament" or "I just drank 5 litres of eggnog in a contest to win an iPad, vomited, lost but man, three people cheered me on and it was great!” I’ll be the first to admit that although I couldn’t financially justify a trip to North Korea at the time, bragging was (and usually is) of utmost importance and so if $250 was the price tag to show off, I was more than happy to be a customer. Heck, buy me two. I’ll bring Dawna along. Because really, who gets to say they went to North Korea?
A few weeks later Dawna and I took a five or six hour overnight bus from Masan to Seoul, slept in a PC room and before we knew it, we were on a bus to North Korea. I wrote a piece on this a few years ago so I’ll spare you the details of the whole process but what I will reiterate is an image I still have in my mind today. As we were sitting there in our bus I remember the sight of our South Korean military escort turning around and heading back south of the DMZ after having driven in front of us for the better part of the last hour. In what seemed like somewhere between 10 minutes and forever, we sat there, an entire bus silent, wondering what the heck was going to happen next. Why are we not moving? Where did the South Koreans go? Is this trip over? Why is nobody saying anything? Thought after thought crossed my mind and although a bus full of passengers sat quietly and waited, you just had to know that everyone on that bus was thinking the same thing. It’s like being at a grade 8 dance where the boys and girls stand awkwardly, each group on opposite sides of the gym, as K-Ci and Jojo’s “All My Life” plays in the background. Take that tension, remove the hormones, place it on a bus and drive that bus to the demilitarized zone of two countries at war since 1950. That’s what that felt like.
Without warning and in the distance, we saw a jeep driving towards us. Few moments in life happen in slow motion. For me, it’s my first kiss, proposing to my fiancée, seeing my friends and family at the airport after being gone for a long time, eating a perfectly grilled steak and this moment in the bus. You knew who was on that jeep ahead by the soviet style military uniform the passengers were wearing. You knew where they came from and if the goosebumps on my arms were any indication of the feeling during that exact moment, you knew that something cool and somewhat rare was taking place. I remember my thoughts at the time and how I must have felt just like Elliot from E.T. when he first saw that alien, because really, who gets to drive behind a jeep full of North Korean soldiers in you know, North Korea? Oh man, the things I’ll tell my friends. What’d you do today? Eat a grilled cheese? Go to work? Take a flight to Fiji? Unless you were on a rocket to the moon, I win, because I got to go to North Korea.
I’m glad to say that my first introduction to North Korea evolved beyond my ability to brag to everyone. Admittedly, I knew very little about North Korea before arriving there. I knew that it was a closed off society and something about nuclear weapons. I knew a little about the regime and the control it had over its people but to be completely honest, I didn’t know much more. But quite a few times throughout that short trip, I saw things that raised questions in my mind. Why do these roads look so wide? Why aren’t there any cars driving on these roads? Where is everyone? Why does everyone I see look so happy? Is everyone happy? People here do dress much more conservatively than they do in South Korea. Why is that? Why’s everyone wearing a pin of Kim Il Sung? What happens if they don’t wear one? Why are Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il the only authors for the books in this store? What is this place?
Upon returning to South Korea, I had to know exactly what North Korea was. What was going on over there and to what extent. Over the next three years, I spent a lot of time asking questions, reading, researching and meeting people who knew some answers: South Koreans, North Koreans, Canadians and others. While I will admit that it has not always been easy learning about what happens in the North, the most surprising thing after all these years is not the information I have come across, but my feeling that a larger part of the world has no clue that all this stuff is going on.
And so this is what brought me back to South Korea for a third time. To continue learning and asking questions. But also to teach others and reach out to that larger part of the world that is asleep to the hardships of day-to-day life in North Korea.
- Gilad
Back in June 2008, I was presented with an opportunity to travel to North Korea. It was only a day trip, a little bit more expensive than I could afford and a tough sell when I was here with the intentions of saving money. I'm not sure whether this applies to me, my friends or just males in general but there comes a few times in life where bragging is absolutely important. You know, the "I just won $650 at that poker tournament" or "I just drank 5 litres of eggnog in a contest to win an iPad, vomited, lost but man, three people cheered me on and it was great!” I’ll be the first to admit that although I couldn’t financially justify a trip to North Korea at the time, bragging was (and usually is) of utmost importance and so if $250 was the price tag to show off, I was more than happy to be a customer. Heck, buy me two. I’ll bring Dawna along. Because really, who gets to say they went to North Korea?
A few weeks later Dawna and I took a five or six hour overnight bus from Masan to Seoul, slept in a PC room and before we knew it, we were on a bus to North Korea. I wrote a piece on this a few years ago so I’ll spare you the details of the whole process but what I will reiterate is an image I still have in my mind today. As we were sitting there in our bus I remember the sight of our South Korean military escort turning around and heading back south of the DMZ after having driven in front of us for the better part of the last hour. In what seemed like somewhere between 10 minutes and forever, we sat there, an entire bus silent, wondering what the heck was going to happen next. Why are we not moving? Where did the South Koreans go? Is this trip over? Why is nobody saying anything? Thought after thought crossed my mind and although a bus full of passengers sat quietly and waited, you just had to know that everyone on that bus was thinking the same thing. It’s like being at a grade 8 dance where the boys and girls stand awkwardly, each group on opposite sides of the gym, as K-Ci and Jojo’s “All My Life” plays in the background. Take that tension, remove the hormones, place it on a bus and drive that bus to the demilitarized zone of two countries at war since 1950. That’s what that felt like.
Without warning and in the distance, we saw a jeep driving towards us. Few moments in life happen in slow motion. For me, it’s my first kiss, proposing to my fiancée, seeing my friends and family at the airport after being gone for a long time, eating a perfectly grilled steak and this moment in the bus. You knew who was on that jeep ahead by the soviet style military uniform the passengers were wearing. You knew where they came from and if the goosebumps on my arms were any indication of the feeling during that exact moment, you knew that something cool and somewhat rare was taking place. I remember my thoughts at the time and how I must have felt just like Elliot from E.T. when he first saw that alien, because really, who gets to drive behind a jeep full of North Korean soldiers in you know, North Korea? Oh man, the things I’ll tell my friends. What’d you do today? Eat a grilled cheese? Go to work? Take a flight to Fiji? Unless you were on a rocket to the moon, I win, because I got to go to North Korea.
I’m glad to say that my first introduction to North Korea evolved beyond my ability to brag to everyone. Admittedly, I knew very little about North Korea before arriving there. I knew that it was a closed off society and something about nuclear weapons. I knew a little about the regime and the control it had over its people but to be completely honest, I didn’t know much more. But quite a few times throughout that short trip, I saw things that raised questions in my mind. Why do these roads look so wide? Why aren’t there any cars driving on these roads? Where is everyone? Why does everyone I see look so happy? Is everyone happy? People here do dress much more conservatively than they do in South Korea. Why is that? Why’s everyone wearing a pin of Kim Il Sung? What happens if they don’t wear one? Why are Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il the only authors for the books in this store? What is this place?
Upon returning to South Korea, I had to know exactly what North Korea was. What was going on over there and to what extent. Over the next three years, I spent a lot of time asking questions, reading, researching and meeting people who knew some answers: South Koreans, North Koreans, Canadians and others. While I will admit that it has not always been easy learning about what happens in the North, the most surprising thing after all these years is not the information I have come across, but my feeling that a larger part of the world has no clue that all this stuff is going on.
And so this is what brought me back to South Korea for a third time. To continue learning and asking questions. But also to teach others and reach out to that larger part of the world that is asleep to the hardships of day-to-day life in North Korea.
- Gilad
Monday, November 14, 2011
The A-Z of Korea
A
Dawna: Ajummas and Ajushis = Ajummas are basically married women and ajushi's are married men. Just picture the smallest, fiercest women and men in hiking gear, with their hand on your back, literally pushing you out of the way in every instance of life.
Gilad: Yes, this is true. But there's so much more. Like being the only male, the only one under 50 and the only one without a perm at the gym. Being this guy, I constantly have to workout in the presence of ajummas who don't hesitate to take my towel off the bench I'm using while I get up to take a breather so they can sit down on it and watch TV for 30 minutes. On the only bench in the gym when there's chairs everywhere. But a simple one that comes to mind which is Ahhhhhhh. When a Korean finally grasps what it is you're trying to say, they let out that sound. Sometimes, it can be the most satisfying sound ever - especially after you've been trying to explain what "inside out" means for the last 45 minutes.
B
Gilad: Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, home to the famous beach and seafood restaurants. We used to live forty five minutes from here when we first taught English. On some days, I still prefer it to being in Seoul.
Dawna: Busan will always hold a very special place in our hearts. A true escape from our farm town city (yes cities of 400,000 here are considered farm towns), Busan is where we lived our youth to the fullest, partying all night at the Underground Nightclub, drinking makguli in a former war tunnel, and dining at one of the best sea food buffets ever. Busan, you were the dream bay we longed for.
Other: Bosintang (Dog meat soup). Business suits (Worn by everybody, everywhere, all the time.)
C
Dawna: Cass Beer = The rival to Hite Beer. Both are cheap and terrible tasting. Which is the lesser of two evils is still to be determined.
Gilad: Dawna nailed it here. They could market these beers as the only ones that make you consider chilling your own urine for consumption. However, these beers do have their place in the world and thats alongside Korean BBQ. To me though, Customs is another more prominent word that jumps out at me. As in, Koreans have customs for everything. Being a culture deep in respect for older people, teachers, bosses, etc, you find that there's certain things you have to do that you wouldn't need to do back home in Toronto. You hand over money with two hands (or with one hand holding the money, and the other holding the wrist of the arm holding the cash). Same principle when pouring someone drinks, serving someone food, etc.
Other: Coffee Shops (extravagant and plentiful), Chopsticks (made out of silverware material, unique to Korea)
D
Gilad: Democracy. 100+ years ago, the separate Koreas were just Korea, as in one nation. Around that time, the Japanese took over and somewhat made attempts to colonize Korea. End of World War 2, the Japanese lose and hand over control of Korea to the Russians (who took the northern half) and the Americans (who took the southern half). I spent a day in North Korea in 2008 and after coming back to South Korea right after, it seemed like (in comparison) I was in the most democratic, open-society on Earth. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the North.
Dawna: For me, I think of Dunkin Donuts (most likely because I am called donut instead of Dawna most days) = What is considered a truck stop in Canada is a popular/trendy hangout spot in Korea. The other is Dogs which in Seoul are models, and the sidewalks are their runways. Seeing a dog without an outfit or its hair dyed or braided is a rare occurrence indeed.
Gilad: Dogs everywhere outside of Seoul? Dinner. Joking.
Other: Ddukbokki (rice-cake sticks smothered in red chill paste)
E
Gilad: E-mart. Need clothes? Go to E-mart. Need groceries? Go to E-mart. Need a haircut? Or a prescription? A veterinarian? Sporting goods? The meaning to life? Go to E-mart.
Dawna: Gilad you forgot the most important thing that E-mart has to offer! Free dinner! Grab a toothpick, sample, and run! This is our motto.
F
Dawna: Fried Chicken = The equivalent to our pizza and hamburgers. When people here say the chicken is spicy, they mean it!
Gilad: Flashing lights. Every building seems to be protected by an armour of flashing lights and signs. Everywhere! I once heard that my apartment here won't have heating in the winter because the bills come to be too expensive so the building shuts the ability to use heating off. But oh, God forbid we turn off any of the bright lights outside in the winter. Priorities, people!
G
Gilad: Have to go with Gimbap on this one. A poor man's sushi, it's basically rice (with tuna, processed cheese or an assortment of fermented/pickled vegetables) wrapped in seaweed and cut into pieces… just like sushi. You can pick them up pre-made at any convenience store (it's their version of hot dogs or taquitos!). For 1000won ($1) you can't go wrong! The ingredients inside are always cooked and never raw because gimbap was originally made to be packed up and eaten later on the go.
Dawna: Well the only time you can go wrong is if you get one of those really fishy tuna gimbaps. My first thought for G is Gochujang = red pepper paste. If kimchi is the staple food for the people then gochujang is the staple ingredient for the food! I love the sight of the big mats on the ground filled with drying red peppers - not only is it beautiful but it makes me think about what I will be eating next! (as it will inevitably include the red pepper paste).
H
Dawna: High heels – Going to work? To school? To the beach? To hike a mountain? Don’t forget to wear your heels! Also, Hiking – no Korean is a true Korean unless they LOVE to hike mountains. The only country where hiking a mountain will bring you less peace and quiet.
Gilad: Great ones. Just want to add that hiking is done here solely for the purposes for getting to the top and getting drunk. Honestly, people who hike here have special utility belts made just for carrying alcohol. One that comes to mind is Hagwon or private school in English. Whereas in Canada most kids go to school, come home and hang out with their friends, Korean students have it much different. Basically from the time that they're even able to go to school, they go to normal school, followed by a number of Hagwons throughout the day. For example, school, then an English Hagwon, followed by a math Hagwon, followed by some Tae Kwon Do, then a piano hagwon before finishing their day at 10pm. You then go home, do your homework, go to bed and repeat. Schooling is crazy in Korea which leads to a number of pressures which I can blog about on another day.
I
Gilad: Internet. South Korea brags that it has the fastest Internet in the world. And I can admit to this. Even though I'm stealing wifi off someone else, downloading 33GB (oops) of all Sopranos seasons in a few hours is something worth bragging about.
Dawna: Itaewon is the place where foreigners go to be foreign. Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure the area was founded by American soldiers stationed here. So when you go there, you come across a lot of American soldiers. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But what does feel wrong is that you can get anything you want there, you somehow end up losing your soul in the process.
J
Dawna: Jim Jil Bangs (public bath houses) – basically the greatest creation in history. Started long ago when houses weren’t equipped with bathing facilities, men and women (separately) would gather in an area and wash themselves (and each other). This became a time to socialize and relax. Today you have an area to soak in different mineral pools and saunas, and then another area to relax, watch tv, eat, lay in heated or cooled mineral rooms, workout etc.
Gilad: Always a pleasure to go to one of these where I'm usually the only foreigner there. Also not sure where it happens, but my face seems to trade places with my crotch at some point before I take all my clothes off. Awkward when they're always looking at me in the eye. In any case, I got over that and it's awesome.
K
Dawna: Kimchi = the Korean staple food. Fermented cabbage smothered in gochujang, garlic and other spices. Imagine it as the Korean version of a pickle. Smelly but delicious. You can eat it with anything and most Koreans do. Rice. Seafood. Cake. You name it.
Gilad: Kimchi is obviously the #1. I'd have to say that the #2 is the Kims (i.e. the ones of the North). Kim Il-Sung, the Eternal President of North Korea (has been dead for over 15 years and is still the President!) is revered like a God in the North (or so it seems). Largely responsible for steering his country into its current famine and hunger crisis. His son, Kim Jong-Il (the current de-facto leader), as if in a contest with his father to see who could bring upon even more suffering and shit to the people of the North seems to be winning. If North Korea was a mess before, it's even worse off now. But I digress.
L
Dawna: Love Motels = These motels are ALL OVER Korea and are basically designed for short term visits (if you get our drift). You can rent the rooms by the night, but only after the morning/lunch/evening rush has died down. Rooms are equipped with EVERYTHING you need for a successful visit (do we need to spell it out for you?!)
Gilad: Yes, we do need to spell it out for them. Each room comes equipped with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, towels, etc. Okay, normal. But they're not called Love Motels for nothing. They also come with condoms. Some replace walls with mirrors, and I mean every inch of wall (including the ceiling). Others have vibrating beds because heck, if you're feeling lazy, it doesn't mean you shouldn't procreate. A staple for young couples wanting to hide from their parents or cheating spouses wanting to hide from the rest of the world, some love motels have private parking garages for EACH ROOM (so there's no lobby where you can get spotted in) and a machine that accepts cash/credit built into your door (so you don't actually have to pay a real human being). Apparently there's a sensor when you leave to let the cleaners know it's time to get things in order before the next couple comes in. Of course, we've heard about this from others and not from personal experience.
M
Dawna: Matching Outfits = Who doesn’t want to wear THE EXACT same outfit as their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, mother, father, pets, etc. Korea essentially does the “I’m with him/her t-shirt,” but for real.
Gilad: With matching outfits, couples match everything from head to toe. Baseball caps, sunglasses, shirt, jacket, pants, belt, shoes, laces. A personal favourite of mine, though, is Makgulli. A fermented rice wine (looks like milk), it tastes like a combination of beer and milk, but for some reason, I love it. Makes for the worst hangovers of your life though.
Other: Mountains (everywhere in Korea), Mekju (Korean for beer)
N
Dawna: Noraebang (singing/karaoke room) = A place to sing your heart out in a private room. I have yet to hear a Korean NOT sing in the most perfect voice of life.
Gilad: Nakji, or small octopus, is a delicacy in South Korea. The way I've seen it eaten is called sannakji which consists of taking a live nakji, cutting into pieces and seasoning it with sesame oil and sesame. Even though it's cut up and dead, a lot of people still refer to the dish as "live octopus" as the little pieces still wiggle around for several minutes. Even the tentacles still work and stick to your chopsticks.
O
Gilad: Omija Cha is a tea often served in one of Korea's traditional tea houses. In Korean it basically translates to Five Flavour Tea and it gets that name because the tea has five distinct flavours: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. You can get this tea served hot or cold and it's the best. thing. ever.
Dawna: Old Boy - The first Korean and probably best (all around) film I have ever seen. Watch it as soon as you can. You don't know what you are missing.
P
Dawna: People. They are everywhere! Like literally. Name a place in Korea. Right now, do it! I bet you there is someone there! No but literally, this country is 70% mountains, has a population of 48,875,000 and can fit into Canada 99.66 times! In the biggest city, Seoul, there seems never to be a silent coffee shop, restaurant or street. It really is an adjustment coming from a country that just has so much space.
Gilad: There are a lot of people here. And they're all beautiful. So you stop and ask yourself, "why?" Well, that's because Korea has the highest rate of cosmetic plastic surgery in the world. Digging around on Google tells me that half of the female population has had some work done. Everything from getting their eyelids and noses to, well, you know. A crazy fact (after more Googling) is that 76% (!) of Korean women in their 20s and 30s have undergone plastic surgery (most of them were epicanthoplasty or the "double-eyelid surgery")
Q
Gilad: I'll start off by saying there aren't a lot of words that start with Q that I can think of off the top of my head. So, let's go with Quizzes. I would estimate that the average Korean has to write over 500 trillion quizzes or tests in their lifetime. For more information, refer to Hagwon up above.
Dawna: Ya, this one has me stumped. Quiet? No. Quirky? Perhaps, but no more than any other people. Let's stick to quizzes here.
R
Gilad: This one is much easier than Q. For example, you can wake up rate one afternoon and get inside your Rexus and drive to the ribrary where you can rook at some books. You can really rearn about anything from those books. For example, you can rearn about rramas, rions, or even rizards. If you get bored, you can call your friends and organize a game of raser tag, which is in the building to the reft of the porice station. It's rearry, rearry fun.
Dawna: And as one of Gilad's favourite jokes go, as a working democracy, Koreans, in 2012 will have a big erection to vote in a President.
S
Dawna: Samgyeopsal = thin slices of meat grilled on a bbq with an array of delicious side dishes, shared in a group, often accompanied by Soju. Pretty much is the BEST THING EVER.
Gilad: So Soju = Korean alcohol. Imagine a Korean version of Japanese sake that tastes like a sweeter, watered down vodka. For $1, you really can't go wrong. Especially if you're a businessman in his 50s-60s, on a Wednesday, passed out (literally) on the road after six of these at 7:30pm.
T
Dawna: Teacha teach! While I love love love Korea, often I wake up, panicked and sweaty from a recurring nightmare where I am running away from thousands of young, screaming, snotty nosed children. Suddenly I come to a cliff. Do I jump, or do I teach? I jump.
Gilad: …. anyway. Couldn't find more recent statistics but there were 17,000+ teachers teaching in South Korea on legal work permits. I'd bump that number higher as I think teaching has grown more popular since 2007 as well as all the people here teaching illegally (i.e. without work permits). From what I've heard, foreign teachers make more money than the average Korean, usually don't have to pay rent in their apartments, get free return flights and usually get paid 13 months worth of salary for 12 months of work. It's a great way to make money, pay off your debts and have fun. Interestingly, I heard recently that when foreigners first started working here as teachers, Koreans viewed the foreigners as intelligent and well-mannered people. As the number of teachers have grown (and as a majority of those teachers are fresh out of University party mode and ready to enter Korean party mode), Koreans are starting to catch on that some of the foreigners aren't necessarily here for their smarts. But I digress…
Other: Trains (more specifically, the Korea Train eXpress or KTX which can reach speeds of 350km/hr… very convenient for getting around).
U
Dawna: Umbrellas. In Korea, umbrellas aren't meant just for a rainy day, but for sunny days too (to protect from the sun). While we are desperately trying to be tanned and beautiful (at the risk of cancer), Koreans are desperately trying to be white and beautiful (by bleaching their face!). Pressures to be beautiful exist all around the world, in many different forms, and they all seem just as demented if you ask me. Wow I think I just went off topic there. Anyways, on a rainy day or a sunny day, umbrellas are used, in full force. It can really be a game of life and death while walking past an army of umbrellas with sharp spikes in a contained space.
Gilad: I would say that for me, it's unbelievable how South Korea is in the state that is is in today. In the 60s, South Korea had a lower GDP than Ghana and today ranks as one of the richest countries in the world. All within a working generation. And it is not easing up. When I compare today's Korea against the one I lived in three years ago, I can see so much more development. I'm not going to do a lot of research on it right now but I think that for the first time in my life, I may be returning to Canada from a place more developed and economically sound.
V
Gilad: "Asians can't handle their drink" - stereotype or fact? Not really sure. In a culture where drinking can (or must?) be part of everyday life (i.e. to cope with working impossible hours or to show respect to your boss who keeps pouring you booze), I've seen Koreans put away a lot of alcohol. But the vomit I come across outside, in the park, in the elevator, in the hallways or washrooms makes me wonder whether that stereotype has some semblance of truth to it.
Dawna: V is a hard one. I could be reaching here, but I guess I would say vain? I am by no means saying that Koreans are generally vain, but the constant need to stare into a mirror, fix their hair and makeup, I think could give the impression to an outsider that Korean women (and men!) appear to be vain.
W
Gilad: Waiters and Waitresses in Korea are the best. First off, you don't ever, ever have to tip them. Secondly, you don't need to try and make eye contact with them to get their attention that you want more water or one of your many side dishes refilled for the 7th time. You just have to press a button on the table and they're there, ready to serve you within seconds. And from my experience, if your table doesn't have a button, it's perfectly normal to yell at them across the restaurant to get their attention. Seriously the best.
Dawna: Winter Butterfly - Not only is this one of the best Korean movies (in addition to Old Boy) that I have seen, but it is a POWERFUL representation of the situation in North Korea. I can't talk about it too much without emotion, even now, as it has deeply affected me, but please, read the description, and if you can track this movie down, WATCH IT.
X
Gilad: Is Korea xenophobic? Well, for a long time they were considered the "Hermit Kingdom" as they refused to deal with the rest of the outside world. However, I think they're getting better with time although there still seems to be a certain fear or dislike of people from other countries. You see, Korean culture is rich. The history is deep and old. The traditions and customs have been followed for thousands of years. The Korean bloodline is pure and in many places you still hear about people refusing to marry non-Koreans for fear of tainting the bloodline. I can understand that. But at the same time, Koreans throughout history, have been pretty good at adapting to other cultures. It's believed that they inherited their confucian traditions from the Chinese. After the Japanese occupation, the North adapted to the Soviet, communist way while the South adapted seamlessly to the Western, democratic way. At the same time, Korean traditions (in both the North and South) continue to thrive through those adaptations and I think part of ensuring it continues to do so is by maintaining a sense of xenophobia.
Dawna: Xenophopic? Really? I for sure would have thought you would say xylophone. Koreans love xylophones! Ok you caught me. I have got nothing. Xenophobia is hard to beat.
Y
Gilad: Years, as in how many of them you've lived for, is a big deal in Korea. If someone is even a year younger than you, it may be taboo to hang out with them. You respect everyone who's older than you and refer to them as older brother (hyoungnim) or older sister. Age determines everything here. Four cars are stopped at the exact same time at a four way stop without a traffic light? Look around, figure out who's the oldest and let them go first. Also, in Korea, you're born at the age of 1 (not 0 like in most of the world). You automatically become another year older on New Years. So the reality is if you're born on December 31st, 2010, you'll already be 2 on the second day of your life.
Z
Gilad and Dawna: Zero as in how many words we can come up with that relate to Korea and the letter Z.
Dawna: Ajummas and Ajushis = Ajummas are basically married women and ajushi's are married men. Just picture the smallest, fiercest women and men in hiking gear, with their hand on your back, literally pushing you out of the way in every instance of life.
Gilad: Yes, this is true. But there's so much more. Like being the only male, the only one under 50 and the only one without a perm at the gym. Being this guy, I constantly have to workout in the presence of ajummas who don't hesitate to take my towel off the bench I'm using while I get up to take a breather so they can sit down on it and watch TV for 30 minutes. On the only bench in the gym when there's chairs everywhere. But a simple one that comes to mind which is Ahhhhhhh. When a Korean finally grasps what it is you're trying to say, they let out that sound. Sometimes, it can be the most satisfying sound ever - especially after you've been trying to explain what "inside out" means for the last 45 minutes.
B
Gilad: Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, home to the famous beach and seafood restaurants. We used to live forty five minutes from here when we first taught English. On some days, I still prefer it to being in Seoul.
Dawna: Busan will always hold a very special place in our hearts. A true escape from our farm town city (yes cities of 400,000 here are considered farm towns), Busan is where we lived our youth to the fullest, partying all night at the Underground Nightclub, drinking makguli in a former war tunnel, and dining at one of the best sea food buffets ever. Busan, you were the dream bay we longed for.
Other: Bosintang (Dog meat soup). Business suits (Worn by everybody, everywhere, all the time.)
C
Dawna: Cass Beer = The rival to Hite Beer. Both are cheap and terrible tasting. Which is the lesser of two evils is still to be determined.
Gilad: Dawna nailed it here. They could market these beers as the only ones that make you consider chilling your own urine for consumption. However, these beers do have their place in the world and thats alongside Korean BBQ. To me though, Customs is another more prominent word that jumps out at me. As in, Koreans have customs for everything. Being a culture deep in respect for older people, teachers, bosses, etc, you find that there's certain things you have to do that you wouldn't need to do back home in Toronto. You hand over money with two hands (or with one hand holding the money, and the other holding the wrist of the arm holding the cash). Same principle when pouring someone drinks, serving someone food, etc.
Other: Coffee Shops (extravagant and plentiful), Chopsticks (made out of silverware material, unique to Korea)
D
Gilad: Democracy. 100+ years ago, the separate Koreas were just Korea, as in one nation. Around that time, the Japanese took over and somewhat made attempts to colonize Korea. End of World War 2, the Japanese lose and hand over control of Korea to the Russians (who took the northern half) and the Americans (who took the southern half). I spent a day in North Korea in 2008 and after coming back to South Korea right after, it seemed like (in comparison) I was in the most democratic, open-society on Earth. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the North.
Dawna: For me, I think of Dunkin Donuts (most likely because I am called donut instead of Dawna most days) = What is considered a truck stop in Canada is a popular/trendy hangout spot in Korea. The other is Dogs which in Seoul are models, and the sidewalks are their runways. Seeing a dog without an outfit or its hair dyed or braided is a rare occurrence indeed.
Gilad: Dogs everywhere outside of Seoul? Dinner. Joking.
Other: Ddukbokki (rice-cake sticks smothered in red chill paste)
E
Gilad: E-mart. Need clothes? Go to E-mart. Need groceries? Go to E-mart. Need a haircut? Or a prescription? A veterinarian? Sporting goods? The meaning to life? Go to E-mart.
Dawna: Gilad you forgot the most important thing that E-mart has to offer! Free dinner! Grab a toothpick, sample, and run! This is our motto.
F
Dawna: Fried Chicken = The equivalent to our pizza and hamburgers. When people here say the chicken is spicy, they mean it!
Gilad: Flashing lights. Every building seems to be protected by an armour of flashing lights and signs. Everywhere! I once heard that my apartment here won't have heating in the winter because the bills come to be too expensive so the building shuts the ability to use heating off. But oh, God forbid we turn off any of the bright lights outside in the winter. Priorities, people!
G
Gilad: Have to go with Gimbap on this one. A poor man's sushi, it's basically rice (with tuna, processed cheese or an assortment of fermented/pickled vegetables) wrapped in seaweed and cut into pieces… just like sushi. You can pick them up pre-made at any convenience store (it's their version of hot dogs or taquitos!). For 1000won ($1) you can't go wrong! The ingredients inside are always cooked and never raw because gimbap was originally made to be packed up and eaten later on the go.
Dawna: Well the only time you can go wrong is if you get one of those really fishy tuna gimbaps. My first thought for G is Gochujang = red pepper paste. If kimchi is the staple food for the people then gochujang is the staple ingredient for the food! I love the sight of the big mats on the ground filled with drying red peppers - not only is it beautiful but it makes me think about what I will be eating next! (as it will inevitably include the red pepper paste).
H
Dawna: High heels – Going to work? To school? To the beach? To hike a mountain? Don’t forget to wear your heels! Also, Hiking – no Korean is a true Korean unless they LOVE to hike mountains. The only country where hiking a mountain will bring you less peace and quiet.
Gilad: Great ones. Just want to add that hiking is done here solely for the purposes for getting to the top and getting drunk. Honestly, people who hike here have special utility belts made just for carrying alcohol. One that comes to mind is Hagwon or private school in English. Whereas in Canada most kids go to school, come home and hang out with their friends, Korean students have it much different. Basically from the time that they're even able to go to school, they go to normal school, followed by a number of Hagwons throughout the day. For example, school, then an English Hagwon, followed by a math Hagwon, followed by some Tae Kwon Do, then a piano hagwon before finishing their day at 10pm. You then go home, do your homework, go to bed and repeat. Schooling is crazy in Korea which leads to a number of pressures which I can blog about on another day.
I
Gilad: Internet. South Korea brags that it has the fastest Internet in the world. And I can admit to this. Even though I'm stealing wifi off someone else, downloading 33GB (oops) of all Sopranos seasons in a few hours is something worth bragging about.
Dawna: Itaewon is the place where foreigners go to be foreign. Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure the area was founded by American soldiers stationed here. So when you go there, you come across a lot of American soldiers. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But what does feel wrong is that you can get anything you want there, you somehow end up losing your soul in the process.
J
Dawna: Jim Jil Bangs (public bath houses) – basically the greatest creation in history. Started long ago when houses weren’t equipped with bathing facilities, men and women (separately) would gather in an area and wash themselves (and each other). This became a time to socialize and relax. Today you have an area to soak in different mineral pools and saunas, and then another area to relax, watch tv, eat, lay in heated or cooled mineral rooms, workout etc.
Gilad: Always a pleasure to go to one of these where I'm usually the only foreigner there. Also not sure where it happens, but my face seems to trade places with my crotch at some point before I take all my clothes off. Awkward when they're always looking at me in the eye. In any case, I got over that and it's awesome.
K
Dawna: Kimchi = the Korean staple food. Fermented cabbage smothered in gochujang, garlic and other spices. Imagine it as the Korean version of a pickle. Smelly but delicious. You can eat it with anything and most Koreans do. Rice. Seafood. Cake. You name it.
Gilad: Kimchi is obviously the #1. I'd have to say that the #2 is the Kims (i.e. the ones of the North). Kim Il-Sung, the Eternal President of North Korea (has been dead for over 15 years and is still the President!) is revered like a God in the North (or so it seems). Largely responsible for steering his country into its current famine and hunger crisis. His son, Kim Jong-Il (the current de-facto leader), as if in a contest with his father to see who could bring upon even more suffering and shit to the people of the North seems to be winning. If North Korea was a mess before, it's even worse off now. But I digress.
L
Dawna: Love Motels = These motels are ALL OVER Korea and are basically designed for short term visits (if you get our drift). You can rent the rooms by the night, but only after the morning/lunch/evening rush has died down. Rooms are equipped with EVERYTHING you need for a successful visit (do we need to spell it out for you?!)
Gilad: Yes, we do need to spell it out for them. Each room comes equipped with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, towels, etc. Okay, normal. But they're not called Love Motels for nothing. They also come with condoms. Some replace walls with mirrors, and I mean every inch of wall (including the ceiling). Others have vibrating beds because heck, if you're feeling lazy, it doesn't mean you shouldn't procreate. A staple for young couples wanting to hide from their parents or cheating spouses wanting to hide from the rest of the world, some love motels have private parking garages for EACH ROOM (so there's no lobby where you can get spotted in) and a machine that accepts cash/credit built into your door (so you don't actually have to pay a real human being). Apparently there's a sensor when you leave to let the cleaners know it's time to get things in order before the next couple comes in. Of course, we've heard about this from others and not from personal experience.
M
Dawna: Matching Outfits = Who doesn’t want to wear THE EXACT same outfit as their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, mother, father, pets, etc. Korea essentially does the “I’m with him/her t-shirt,” but for real.
Gilad: With matching outfits, couples match everything from head to toe. Baseball caps, sunglasses, shirt, jacket, pants, belt, shoes, laces. A personal favourite of mine, though, is Makgulli. A fermented rice wine (looks like milk), it tastes like a combination of beer and milk, but for some reason, I love it. Makes for the worst hangovers of your life though.
Other: Mountains (everywhere in Korea), Mekju (Korean for beer)
N
Dawna: Noraebang (singing/karaoke room) = A place to sing your heart out in a private room. I have yet to hear a Korean NOT sing in the most perfect voice of life.
Gilad: Nakji, or small octopus, is a delicacy in South Korea. The way I've seen it eaten is called sannakji which consists of taking a live nakji, cutting into pieces and seasoning it with sesame oil and sesame. Even though it's cut up and dead, a lot of people still refer to the dish as "live octopus" as the little pieces still wiggle around for several minutes. Even the tentacles still work and stick to your chopsticks.
O
Gilad: Omija Cha is a tea often served in one of Korea's traditional tea houses. In Korean it basically translates to Five Flavour Tea and it gets that name because the tea has five distinct flavours: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. You can get this tea served hot or cold and it's the best. thing. ever.
Dawna: Old Boy - The first Korean and probably best (all around) film I have ever seen. Watch it as soon as you can. You don't know what you are missing.
P
Dawna: People. They are everywhere! Like literally. Name a place in Korea. Right now, do it! I bet you there is someone there! No but literally, this country is 70% mountains, has a population of 48,875,000 and can fit into Canada 99.66 times! In the biggest city, Seoul, there seems never to be a silent coffee shop, restaurant or street. It really is an adjustment coming from a country that just has so much space.
Gilad: There are a lot of people here. And they're all beautiful. So you stop and ask yourself, "why?" Well, that's because Korea has the highest rate of cosmetic plastic surgery in the world. Digging around on Google tells me that half of the female population has had some work done. Everything from getting their eyelids and noses to, well, you know. A crazy fact (after more Googling) is that 76% (!) of Korean women in their 20s and 30s have undergone plastic surgery (most of them were epicanthoplasty or the "double-eyelid surgery")
Q
Gilad: I'll start off by saying there aren't a lot of words that start with Q that I can think of off the top of my head. So, let's go with Quizzes. I would estimate that the average Korean has to write over 500 trillion quizzes or tests in their lifetime. For more information, refer to Hagwon up above.
Dawna: Ya, this one has me stumped. Quiet? No. Quirky? Perhaps, but no more than any other people. Let's stick to quizzes here.
R
Gilad: This one is much easier than Q. For example, you can wake up rate one afternoon and get inside your Rexus and drive to the ribrary where you can rook at some books. You can really rearn about anything from those books. For example, you can rearn about rramas, rions, or even rizards. If you get bored, you can call your friends and organize a game of raser tag, which is in the building to the reft of the porice station. It's rearry, rearry fun.
Dawna: And as one of Gilad's favourite jokes go, as a working democracy, Koreans, in 2012 will have a big erection to vote in a President.
S
Dawna: Samgyeopsal = thin slices of meat grilled on a bbq with an array of delicious side dishes, shared in a group, often accompanied by Soju. Pretty much is the BEST THING EVER.
Gilad: So Soju = Korean alcohol. Imagine a Korean version of Japanese sake that tastes like a sweeter, watered down vodka. For $1, you really can't go wrong. Especially if you're a businessman in his 50s-60s, on a Wednesday, passed out (literally) on the road after six of these at 7:30pm.
T
Dawna: Teacha teach! While I love love love Korea, often I wake up, panicked and sweaty from a recurring nightmare where I am running away from thousands of young, screaming, snotty nosed children. Suddenly I come to a cliff. Do I jump, or do I teach? I jump.
Gilad: …. anyway. Couldn't find more recent statistics but there were 17,000+ teachers teaching in South Korea on legal work permits. I'd bump that number higher as I think teaching has grown more popular since 2007 as well as all the people here teaching illegally (i.e. without work permits). From what I've heard, foreign teachers make more money than the average Korean, usually don't have to pay rent in their apartments, get free return flights and usually get paid 13 months worth of salary for 12 months of work. It's a great way to make money, pay off your debts and have fun. Interestingly, I heard recently that when foreigners first started working here as teachers, Koreans viewed the foreigners as intelligent and well-mannered people. As the number of teachers have grown (and as a majority of those teachers are fresh out of University party mode and ready to enter Korean party mode), Koreans are starting to catch on that some of the foreigners aren't necessarily here for their smarts. But I digress…
Other: Trains (more specifically, the Korea Train eXpress or KTX which can reach speeds of 350km/hr… very convenient for getting around).
U
Dawna: Umbrellas. In Korea, umbrellas aren't meant just for a rainy day, but for sunny days too (to protect from the sun). While we are desperately trying to be tanned and beautiful (at the risk of cancer), Koreans are desperately trying to be white and beautiful (by bleaching their face!). Pressures to be beautiful exist all around the world, in many different forms, and they all seem just as demented if you ask me. Wow I think I just went off topic there. Anyways, on a rainy day or a sunny day, umbrellas are used, in full force. It can really be a game of life and death while walking past an army of umbrellas with sharp spikes in a contained space.
![Umbrellas](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4700036680_ee80873afa.jpg"){kind=link}
Gilad: I would say that for me, it's unbelievable how South Korea is in the state that is is in today. In the 60s, South Korea had a lower GDP than Ghana and today ranks as one of the richest countries in the world. All within a working generation. And it is not easing up. When I compare today's Korea against the one I lived in three years ago, I can see so much more development. I'm not going to do a lot of research on it right now but I think that for the first time in my life, I may be returning to Canada from a place more developed and economically sound.
V
Gilad: "Asians can't handle their drink" - stereotype or fact? Not really sure. In a culture where drinking can (or must?) be part of everyday life (i.e. to cope with working impossible hours or to show respect to your boss who keeps pouring you booze), I've seen Koreans put away a lot of alcohol. But the vomit I come across outside, in the park, in the elevator, in the hallways or washrooms makes me wonder whether that stereotype has some semblance of truth to it.
Dawna: V is a hard one. I could be reaching here, but I guess I would say vain? I am by no means saying that Koreans are generally vain, but the constant need to stare into a mirror, fix their hair and makeup, I think could give the impression to an outsider that Korean women (and men!) appear to be vain.
W
Gilad: Waiters and Waitresses in Korea are the best. First off, you don't ever, ever have to tip them. Secondly, you don't need to try and make eye contact with them to get their attention that you want more water or one of your many side dishes refilled for the 7th time. You just have to press a button on the table and they're there, ready to serve you within seconds. And from my experience, if your table doesn't have a button, it's perfectly normal to yell at them across the restaurant to get their attention. Seriously the best.
Dawna: Winter Butterfly - Not only is this one of the best Korean movies (in addition to Old Boy) that I have seen, but it is a POWERFUL representation of the situation in North Korea. I can't talk about it too much without emotion, even now, as it has deeply affected me, but please, read the description, and if you can track this movie down, WATCH IT.
X
Gilad: Is Korea xenophobic? Well, for a long time they were considered the "Hermit Kingdom" as they refused to deal with the rest of the outside world. However, I think they're getting better with time although there still seems to be a certain fear or dislike of people from other countries. You see, Korean culture is rich. The history is deep and old. The traditions and customs have been followed for thousands of years. The Korean bloodline is pure and in many places you still hear about people refusing to marry non-Koreans for fear of tainting the bloodline. I can understand that. But at the same time, Koreans throughout history, have been pretty good at adapting to other cultures. It's believed that they inherited their confucian traditions from the Chinese. After the Japanese occupation, the North adapted to the Soviet, communist way while the South adapted seamlessly to the Western, democratic way. At the same time, Korean traditions (in both the North and South) continue to thrive through those adaptations and I think part of ensuring it continues to do so is by maintaining a sense of xenophobia.
Dawna: Xenophopic? Really? I for sure would have thought you would say xylophone. Koreans love xylophones! Ok you caught me. I have got nothing. Xenophobia is hard to beat.
Y
Gilad: Years, as in how many of them you've lived for, is a big deal in Korea. If someone is even a year younger than you, it may be taboo to hang out with them. You respect everyone who's older than you and refer to them as older brother (hyoungnim) or older sister. Age determines everything here. Four cars are stopped at the exact same time at a four way stop without a traffic light? Look around, figure out who's the oldest and let them go first. Also, in Korea, you're born at the age of 1 (not 0 like in most of the world). You automatically become another year older on New Years. So the reality is if you're born on December 31st, 2010, you'll already be 2 on the second day of your life.
Z
Gilad and Dawna: Zero as in how many words we can come up with that relate to Korea and the letter Z.
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