So your coming to Korea .....

In a few months my friend will be arriving from home and I am over the moon. I am really touched that she is flying all the way across the world to see me so I want to make sure she has a fantastic time. This got me thinking about the new things she will experience. Obviously there are cultural differences that I noticed right off the bat (See this earlier post) but after living here for 6 months there is quite a large list of things that may help with her trip.

So for her, any, and all of the new recruits just joining us in lovely Korea, here is a guide to the weird and wonderful ways of this country:

1.     Mirrors – You will see a lot of mirrors while in Korea, mainly in the hands of girls in the subway, on the bus, walking the street and everywhere in between. They can vary in size from the small hand held, to a a4 paper sized doozie that they carry at all times. The favorite is normally the camera phone switched around and used to see themselves. Ahh the beauty of technology.

2.     Drinks – Drinks are deadly here. Soju seems innocent (since it’s cheaper than water) but it is as strong as vodka. Makgeolli (a milky rice wine that is great when flavored) packs the worst punch. You may think you are fine but when you try to stand the rest of the night will be a blur. Apart from that, if you are heading into Daegu then any drink that comes in a bag (Gogo’s I’m looking at you) will be the last thing you remember. Better men have lost the battle with more than one Gogo’s. Everyone be warned.

 

Soju

Makoli

Bunnies in a bag

Soju cocktail

3.     Old people – This was on my last list but I feel it needs to be talked about more. They will stare, they will shout and they will be randomly the kindest people you’ve ever met as well as hate you with their very being. They won’t do anything more than glare at you but be warned. Approach softly and hope for the best. There are some amazing gems of old people here.

4.     Make up – It’s cheap and the best stuff I’ve ever bought. Be prepared to stock up.

5.     Shower heads – Korea has wet rooms. The shower is connected to the sink tap and has a very small knob to turn from shower to tap. Always check its set on the right setting or be prepared for a wet head and a ruined outfit.

There is also the heated seats....ahh heated seats!

6.     No keys – This seems too insignificant to mention but for a person like me who use to carry around a janitors wad of keys , its heaven. Bring paper to write key pad passwords and you are golden. Lost keys be gone!

7.     Lost in translation – If in London a foreigner tried to speak to you in broken English we could probably piece together what they are saying but in Korea they have never had to learn how foreigners pronounce their language. For example: If a French foreigner asked for ‘Eathrow Aerport’ we’d instantly know he means Heathrow. Here unless every letter is right (even with the word airport or station added on the end) they will not understand you. You are not going mad. What you are saying sounds exactly like when they say it. You won’t be the first person left confused but I can only assume they have never heard American/English people attempt these words and are at a loss.

8.     Cutest babies – This is a weird one but I swear Korean babies are the cutest things I’ve ever seen. I fall in love with every one of them.

9.     Cars on pavement – The driving here, I’m afraid to say, is abysmal . Going through a red light is not uncommon. Ignoring a pedestrian crossing is an every day occurrence and randomly pulling in front of you, even when you are on a pavement, is something I see everyday. You will want to scream and shout but somehow (touch wood) I’ve never seen an accident.

10.  Green men take forever – speaking of roads. If you do see a ‘green man’ on a crossing you need, run for it! It will be at least five minutes before you see it again.

11.  Woman smoking is a big no-no – I don’t know why but culturally its seen as something only hookers do (?) westerners do it outside bars so don’t worry but if in public you may get shouted at so be warned.

12.  Side dishes – yes, those 20 plates delivered with the meal you ordered are all free, and delicious.

13.  Bring an umbrella – It will be a beautiful day then it will be torrential rain for 10 minutes. Don’t be caught unaware. Umbrella it!

14.  Slippers – You may have to remove your shoes in a few restaurants and in people’s homes. It’s actually a perk.

15.  Lemonade/cider – If you hear people say cider they mean lemonade (this is an American thing)

16.  Pension – a pension is a hotel where a lot of people can stay in one room.

17.  You may be silenced – On public transport you may be asked to be quiet. It isn’t an every day occurrence but it has been known to happen. Just smile and be a little quieter.

18.  Kakao – a Korean social network app that allows you to talk to your friends. Korean people all use it.

19.  Chopstick usage is preferable – If you want to brush up on your chopstick skills before arriving, it would be useful.

20.  The Button – in a restaurant you will have a button on the table. This is to call the waiter and is a genius idea. I might have to try and sneak this one home some how.

21.  Tomatos are a fruit here – Don’t be shocked when a fruit salad has more tomato than anything else.

22.  Gherkins – Pickles/gherkins come free with almost all home deliveries but make sure to open over a sink or you WILL be covered in pickle juice.

23.   Offensive words – When you hear westerners add extra vowels onto words we aren’t being offensive. We are actually speaking Korean. As hard as it is to believe Bus-Uh, Nice-Uh and Change-E are actually how Koreans speak.

24.  You will sing – whether you are here for a week, a month, a year or a day. You will sing. You will ‘Nora bang’. They are small karaoke rooms located on every street. Private places to sing your heart out with your friends are a must. What happens in Nora stays in Nora, unless you are loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

25.  Motorcycles – They use the pavement here. Not the road. You’ve been warned.

26.  Weird foods – Silkworms, penis fish, pig anus and live octopus are all foods eaten quite commonly but don’t worry, Dog isn’t that popular, after 6 months I’ve never seen it and believe me the cost of it will make sure you’ll never eat it by accident.

27.  Grapes – If you are here during grape season it is quite good to know that Koreans don’t eat grapes like normal people. You suck out the middle, throw away the skin and spit out the pips. The grapes taste more like red wine than traditional British grapes and they are lovely so although a weird thing to experience, give them a try!

28.  Tights – For some reason they don’t really sell tights here. You can find them but they are in actual underwear shops. IF you buy what seems to be tights in a 7-11 or small store they will always be stockings. Those kinky Koreans.

29.  Gangnam Style – This is more of a reference to K-pop. You will hear it, you will be addicted and it will take over your life. If you do know a few choice bands you will be a hero when you arrive. IF you know the Gangnam style dance/ Gentleman dance the Koreans in the bars will think you are some kind of dance guru. Believe me, this fluffy glittery music will get to you and you will unfortunately love it (either that or it will drive you slowly insane).

30.  Have fun – sometimes a culture can overwhelm you, sometimes it can be strange and odd but it is great. Please have fun and take a second to love the craziness.