Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Keen Observations (Korea edition)

It won't take a month for me to notice things (around me) as interesting. It took me just a week. These things hold true, for now. And may not hold true, few months after.

1.) In public transportation, don't ever sit on seats reserved for senior citizens, disabled people and pregnant women. When it's reserved, it is RESERVED. Especially senior citizens, be wary of them. If they caught you sitting on their seats (or any other seat, granted that nothing is vacant), they will shove their rights into your face.

One time, I was commuting this train on my way to Sadang. Two stations after, an old man with a cane came aboard, and the train being full, was left standing. To where he was standing, in front was a young boy (junior high, I think), sleeping. Having seen this, old man with a cane woke the young boy, and getting no response, a middle-aged office man (standing beside old man) came to rescue --- nudging the boy, so as to let the old man sit. The young boy woke and offered his seat to the old man.

2.) Curls are 'it'. If Japanese women are soooo into hair-coloring, Koreans are sooo into curls. Typical for old women hair is cropped short, and curly. The younger ones prefer curls with bangs.

3.) They inject spice in every food. This is common knowledge.

4.) They only have one greeting for any time of the day. That is, 'Annyeong Haseyo'.

5.) They are vain. Skincare commercials are more common here as shampoo (or hair-related) commercials are to Philippines.

6.) They have rip-off versions of popular US TV shows, too. KPSI for CSI. Project Runway Korea. Korea's Next Top Model. 'Gossip Girl' for I-don't-know-what-title-because-it's-in-Hangeul.

(4/13) UPDATE! It's not 'Gossip Girl' but 'Boys Over Flower'. Same as 'Meteor Garden'

7.) PDA is everywhere, in a decent way. Nothing ewww-ish I've seen, so far.

8.) Bus drivers can put any F1 Grand Prix driver to shame. They drive as if they're always in a hurry. They enjoy driving at high speed that can give you a terrible headache. If you try sleeping to kill travel time -- is not possible (unless you've been deprived of sleep). Just suck it up, and enjoy the ride.

9.) Again, about bus drivers. Before alighting, make sure to position yourself near the exit doors after pressing the 'stop' button. Believe me, you sure don't want to miss your stop. They will close the doors at will, and they don't heed pleads. Don't even try pleading -- it won't work.

10.) Wayfarer-type eyeglasses are sooo in. Everybody seems to be wearing it.

11 comments:

The Demigoddess said...

Korea sounds like an interesting place. I hate the spin-offs but I guess it's everywhere. And the part about the senior citizens and their reserved seats, I saw a situation like that in the movie "My Girl".

ChinkyGirLMeL said...

#3- THEY INJECT SPICE IN EVERY FOOD--- omg! my kind of place. I love spicy spicy food. One of my friends commented though that Korean food just tastes spicy, everything tastes the same way. I haven't really noticed.

amor said...

@Angel, it's one interesting country. About TV franchise(s), like you said, it's common nowadays. Some are good, especially the likes of Project Runway -- for every country has different aesthetics. And just to show the world that fashion breeds everywhere, not only in Paris or Milan. *obviously, i'm a huge fan of the show* lol.

@ChinkyMel, Everything (almost) tastes the same because everything is spicy. Lol. My only complain are the chopsticks. Unlike the Japanese (they use bamboo), here they use metal chopsticks which requires a lot of effort on my part because the food slides off from the grip. The bamboo-made is more convenient, IMHO.

Andhari said...

The spice, the vainness,the pda, and the curls are so how it is in Jakarta too!:) I love Asia.

Katy said...

Yeah Korea is a very vain country from what I've heard. Makes me want to go there more though. =P LOL

I hate people who don't give seats to the old/disabled on busses too!

amor said...

@Lolita - I never thought Indonesia is into spicy foods too. Must try!

@ko0ty - Same here. Those 'reserved stickers' are not pasted as decoration. People should know that earlier.

ChinkyGirLMeL said...

Hi amor! Yes yes, I had a hard time using bamboo chopsticks and even more so using the metal chopsticks. grrr...maybe that's why most people in korea and japan are so skinny. They have to work hard just to get the food into their mouths and by the time they do they get tired, sweat the food since it's sooo spicy, and finally puts down the chopsticks and go about their daily routine. hehehehe

Nashe^ said...

Gosh. There was a big deal here when a pregnant woman fought with a teen girl over a seat in the train.
-- http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=53863

Anonymous said...

#6: must be great. I always love korean type of tv show. hilarious and so mellow.

amor said...

@Chinkymel, you're right. Maybe it's an effective way of losing weight. lol!

@Nashe, I read the link and not sure if I'm buying it. There should be two sides of the story..

@Nityamoto, the last K-drama I got addicted to was Winter Sonata. It was a longggg time ago. lol.

Nashe^ said...

Yeah there were both sides, and more people were sympathetic towards the girl. I just gave you one link. LOL.