I am now convinced that Seoul is the hands down winner of the “most excellent street food in the universe” competition. I have never seen so much tasty, cheap food in my life. Having spent a lot of time in Istanbul, where street food is widely available but limited, I was wondering what Seoul would be like. In Istanbul, street food typically means simit, a kind of crispy sesame-covered bagel, roasted chestnuts (which were also all over the place in Seoul) or very scary looking fish sandwiches, complete with fish freshly caught from the polluted Bosphorus. Simit is absolutely wonderful, and I dream about it quite often, but Seoul has Istanbul beat by a mile.

My favorites were hoddeok, bbopki, tteokboki and boong-uh-bbang.

Hoddeok are wonderful doughnut-like pastries which are made from a yeasty dough, filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and peanuts. Once closed, they are plopped down into hot oil, flattened into the shape of a plump pancake, and fried until golden brown. Not only are these absolutely wonderful, they are cheap. They only cost about $0.80 each. On a busy Saturday in Myeongdong, we had to wait about 10 minutes for a couple fresh ones. These are VERY popular.

‘

Hoddeok, a brown sugar/peanut/cinammon-filled doughy miracle

Bbopki are wonderful sugar (or corn syrup?) and baking soda concoctions that are cooked, pressed with a heart-shaped tool, and end up looking like golden brown disks of sweet goodness. I am just mildly embarrassed to tell you that I still (one week later) have a little baggy in my purse that contains bbopki crumbs. I miss this stuff!

They taste like burnt marshmallows (in a good way), and remind me a lot of a much tastier version of Nigella Lawson’s Hokey Pokey.  These were also about $0.80 each, and rumor has it that if you can eat around the heart shape without breaking it, you get a free bbopki.

A woman making bbopki, which tastes like burnt marshmallows. Yum!

Really, who could resist steaming-hot sausages on a stick when it is 30 degrees outside? We were freezing out there! These sausages were really amazing with the perfect amount of spice and pork. Some even came wrapped in bacon. BACON! Needless to say, Seoul natives much do quite a bit of walking to burn off these street food calories.

Sausage grilling outside, warming up passersby

We were only there for a week and I can safely say that I probably only tasted a fraction of what is available on Seoul streets. Thinking about these treats makes me hungry and I want to go back immediately to keep sampling all of these amazing foods. Maybe I will have to find some reliable recipes and try to throw a Korean street food party. Hmm…

By Kevin Grewal

As the U.S. and most developed countries struggle to get out of the global recession, faster-growing emerging markets may be the answer to many questions.  When speaking of emerging international markets most automatically think of Brazil, Russia, India and China, the BRIC countries, but there are other opportunities to consider.

One such opportunity lies in Africa.  South Africa is known for its mining and production of precious metals and as long as the dollar remains weak and investors worry about inflation, precious metals will remain a hot commodity.  To further boost its appeal, South Africa’s government has implemented a spending restraint which has enabled its currency to remain relatively strong and its debt ratios favorable.  The easiest way to gain exposure to the nation is through the iShares MSCI South Africa Index ETF (EZA). 

Another opportunity lies in Eastern Europe in the emerging nation of Turkey.  Turkey is attractive because its consumer confidence levels are rising, it has a relatively young workforce, it boasts a thriving manufacturing sector and has an up and coming financial sector which is driven by an increase in consumer and business lending.  Additionally, the nation’s government is doing everything it can to meet all the requirements and be accepted by the European Union.  Gaining exposure to Turkey can be done through the iShares MSCI Turkey Invest Mkt Index (TUR).

Mexico has undergone a huge fiscal face lift which is drawing attention as well.  The emerging nation recently recorded a record foreign currency reserve and an investment grade debt rating.  Additionally, its ties to large U.S. companies, like Wal-Mart (WMT), bring down risk factors.  Mexico can be accessed through the iShares MSCI Mexico Investable Mkt Idx (EWW).

The last place to look is South Korea.  This Asian nation is attractive for many reasons.  First, it has heavy ties with China, so as China continues to remain a global economic powerhouse, South Korea will indirectly reap the benefits.  Secondly, the nation recently announced a trade agreement with the European Union and is in talk with the Obama Administration to form a similar agreement with the U.S.  Thirdly, South Korea has boasted a double digit growth rate in industrial production, a big part of the nation’s GDP.  Lastly, there doesn’t seem to be any employment issues in the nation, as it is near full employment.  The iShares MSCI South Korea (EWY) is a good way to play this market.  For those who want to gain leveraged exposure to South Korea, the Direxion Daily Emrg Mkts Bull 3x Shares (EDC) is a possibility in that it allocates nearly 7.6% of its assets to the nation.

A notable mention which will enable one exposure to some of these markets without a specific county-focus, adding a bit more diversification is the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Composite Titan Index Fund (EEG).  EEG gives exposure to South Africa and Mexico, in addition to the BRIC nations.  

Although these nations and ETFs show several signs of prosperity, keep in mind that they come with inherent risks, lack of liquidity being one of the biggest.  .   Implementing an exit strategy, like one found at www.SmartStops.net can help mitigate these risks.

i want to visit South korea before i die..

i live in Botswana,palapye..

cold,dry winters has just passed and now its hot and rainy..

Outside its all green and colourful,in flowers..

Rain is rare here,except during this season..

When you visit my country you’ll hear or see  ‘goroga ka Pula’

It means ‘welcome,with rain’

Rain is respected here,even our national motto and currency is Pula!

Pula means rain..my people pray for rain when its too dry..and it rains.

The rain caller is called ‘Moroka”

I think we should be called THE RAIN PEOPLE.

We sometimes get rain with a bit of hail..there is no snow here..

I prefer winters than summers here..maybe that’s why i had a hard time at Malaysia..

I wish to experience my first snow at South Korea..

Will my wishes ever come true..Only God knows..

South Korea has thrown out a half-century old law banning men from falsely promising marriage in return for sex.

A court has ruled the code violated women’s sexual freedom and that the law should not interfere in such matters, reports The Sun. Men who tricked their girlfriends into having sex had previously up to a two years in prison or a fine of more than £2,000.

The law was scrapped following appeals made by two men who had recently been reprimanded. A final verdict read: “The government should refrain from interfering in men’s sexual activities of tempting women in an unharmful manner.”

A court spokesman said the verdict meant the 56-year-old law was immediately abolished and that all men penalised under the law could be acquitted and receive state compensation.

bron: www.ananova.com

Waydaldo is a small island off the coast of Mokpo that has a decent beach for swimming. It’s roughly a 50 minute ferry from the Mokpo Ferry Terminal and you can get a return ticket for 8,000 Won. One of my favorite things about the island (aside from swimming at the beach) is the sign. I took this picture back in May but only recently found it on my computer at school.

My Right To Ravage Myself (2003)
directed by Jeon Soo-Il

Out of all the Jeon Soo-il films that were screening, I wanted to see this one the most because of its unique subject matter.  The story follows a man who along with his regular job is also a suicide designer who helps people commit the perfect suicide.  It’s an adaptation of a novel by Kim Young-ha which has been translated into English under the title “I Have the Right to Destroy Myself”.  At the time of the original Korean novel (1997) and this film adaptation (2003) the topic of suicide was taboo in Korea and rarely spoken about openly even though it’s a serious problem where it’s estimated that on average 20 Koreans commit suicide per day.  Today there might be some discussion especially with the recent rash of Korean celebrity suicides but clearly this is an issue that still needs to be addressed.

The film starts out with a rather shocking and bloody scene that will certainly elicit a strong reaction from the viewer.  Although I figured some bloody scenes would occur, I wasn’t expecting some of the graphic sex scenes and nudity in the film which seem to dominate the first 20 minutes or so.  After that the narrative progresses in a non-linear way weaving back and forth in time.  For the most part it makes sense although it does require the viewer to piece the puzzle together and fill in the blanks.  The cinematography is excellent throughout with some really nice shots of different outdoor locations.  Although the pace of the film is not fast, there’s a good balance of quiet moments with loud, tense ones which keeps the story moving.  Jeon Soo Il has a firm grasp of how long a scene should last as well as when to have ambient sound and when to have a musical score playing in the background.  If a scene lingers it’s for a reason and not overindulgence on the director’s part.

There isn’t a lot of dialogue but there are certainly a few memorable lines, one being a Shakespeare quote.  What is said and shown gives us a good glimpse into these characters’ lives but what seems to be lacking at least on the surface are deeper motivations for committing suicide.  One person does it because they’re bored of life, another wants to die like a rockstar and the last one, I have no clue.  It’s difficult for me to sympathize with these characters when their rationales seem so ill-defined or misguided.  I am certainly no suicide expert but I doubt that the majority of suicides in Korea would be a result of any of these reasons portrayed in the film.  Furthermore in the Q&A afterwards, one audience member keenly pointed out that the film did not deal with religion.

If I may deviate from the review a bit, the audience was lucky enough to have the director himself appear after the screening for a Q&A having just gotten off the plane.  Although Jeon did study in France for a few years and spoke in French, he was obviously quite rusty.  My French isn’t great but I had trouble understanding him and wouldn’t be surprised if others did too.  Without a capable French-Korean translator, he wasn’t really able to answer any of the audience questions well.  It didn’t help that most of those questions were rather complex.

I do not know if I will have a chance to see any of Jeon’s other films (two more films will be screened on Tuesday and Wednesday, check here for more info) but I was sufficiently impressed by this one that I would not hesitate at all to watch any of his other works.  This one was well-made and thought-provoking with some striking images that will no doubt elicit some strong emotions.  According to Jeon, this film is quite different from the rest of his works so it may not be representative of his general style but regardless this is a compelling piece of work that deserves to be seen by more people.

For those of you lucky enough to have the Jeon Soo-Il retrospective come to your city, if you have any genuine interest in Korean cinema then I would definitely recommend that you to at least see one of the films whether it be this one or any of his other award-winning features.  In fact, Jeon’s films will be touring various Canadian and American cities in January 2010 which I previously listed in a past post.

…I make faces at whining toddlers behind their parents’ back to try and get them to laugh?

…I purposely try to block the elevator doorway to bug those who live in my building who MUST be on or off the elevator FIRST?

…that I only call on the cute kids, not the annoying ones?

…I actually only ate peanuts for dinner on Thanksgiving night?

…I keep complaining about my yoga teacher’s adjusting techniques- but not even to her, just behind her back, to Liz, who actually couldn’t care less?

…keep my iPod in and on when I am shopping so I can pretend to not notice the salesclerks on my heels at every turn?

…I put my kids in teams named “Monkeys” and “Rascals” in hopes they understand the irony.

…I make care packages home containing only quintessential Korean things and nothing anyone would really want for the holidays?

There it is again! Blubber sloshing in my stomach, heavy liquid swaying up and down with my footsteps, nauseous, disgusting! A very distinct feeling, but it only comes when I walk up the stairs, and I must extinguish it! Is this how it feels to be fat? A chubber? Nothing I do changes the fact. I feel I could limit every day to a handful of cold rice, and spend the whole of that day sprinting away from exploding machine guns, and still steadily apply pound after pound of greasy flesh to this belly. By the time I escape Busan I’ll be a hutt, I’ll have lost my legs to evolution, and I’ll be slithering on my skin…no more pants, just a button-up shirt.

In the U.S. we have these fake advocacy groups running TV commercials, the mom who doesn’t want a tax on soda, the people who want “clean coal.” Of course we know it’s bullshit. These are slick campaigns from fronts for industries that don’t want their businesses affected. In the less sophisticated sectors of the world, we have plenty of astroturfing and fake protests happening. A couple years ago in China there were all these “spontaneous” protests against the French for something or other. The target, the only real “French” presence in Beijing et al, the Carrefour big box stores. Turns out of course the groups of “angry” students were all bused in by the government. Beijing does this all the time and organized angry violent mobs to protest something about the Japanese a few years ago too. From my first-hand experience (had a bunch of Japanese classmates in another Asian country) all this did was scare Japanese off ever visiting China.

A couple years ago, U.S. beef imports became a big astroturfing issue in Asia. There were protests and even “riots” in South Korea against the importing of U.S. beef. Riots against meat? Doesn’t that seem excessive and a bit far-fetched, couldn’t people simply decline to buy the offending meat, you ask? You are right. It is ridiculous and it was totally invented. Not content with simple (and probably effective) pressuring and boycotts, the local Korean beef industry wanted to get maximum publicity for their cause. So the organized (and paid for) these protests against beef (still makes me laugh to write that).

Not to be outdone, the tiny schizoid island of Taiwan is up in arms over beef. To try to counter the import of our offensive meat, trade groups there have organized similar “protests” (see here: Taipei Times). Now, a logical, intelligent person could see these publicity stunts and say “gee, isn’t it odd that ‘regular’ people are so inclined to get riled up and protest about something as small as a product being sold in their country?” When is the last time that you marched to stop Thai shrimp from being sold here (much of the shrimp we eat in the U.S. is from Thailand)? That’s right, never. Because you are an intelligent, perceptive person and you know that if you were so adamant about not consuming a product you would simply NOT CONSUME IT. But the problem is that not everyone in the world is as sophisticated and intelligent as you or I. Some of my Taiwanese friends are completely unaware that these anti-U.S. beef protests are complete astroturf, fakery and fiction. There is the problem. We have seen in the U.S. with things like Sarah Palin and George Bush that there are lots of stupid people here who accept whatever they are told. There are tons of folks in Asia as well who believe whatever they see on TV at face value and will think that there really is huge public anger about our meat.

In short, Astroturfers, and anyone who preys on the lack of intelligence of others, are the WORST PEOPLE.

Thanks for reading!

-WorstPeople

Today it was Sunday, the day of rest. It should really be spent chilling, drinking tea and watching illegal downloads. Especially since it was raining. Instead, I dragged my sorry ass out of bed to make the mission to Songjeong beach to go and collect my surfboard. It has been sitting there for two months, and I pay a rental fee to leave it there – so before it ticked over to 1st December I thought I best go collect it.

To get to Songjeong from my house involves the following transport route. 30 minute bus ride from my house to subway. Ride subway (with one changeover) for 40 minutes until the end of the line. Then catch bus to Songjeong or get a cab which costs 3500 won. So an hour and half later I am at the shop, drenched, searching for my board. It seemed to have been stolen – but my close to tears state of being was thankfully quelled when I (and a very nervous looking shop attendant) found my board stashed behind an enormous long board.

When I paid up my account, the lady shop owner led me to the wall in the lounge area and proudly showed me some pictures that had been blown up and stuck on a huge laminated poster. There I was, in all  my poo-man glory…being dropped in on by their star surfer. Wow. Talk about awesome immortalised poses.

Eventually, what seemed like years later, I was on the final leg of my journey home. I was pushed into a chair by a well meaning Korean man and was gripping my board to stop it flying around the bus (yes, it’s a shitty thing to lug around on public transport but when it’s raining its even worse). Just when I was beginning to get bored after 5 hours of solid Sunday missioning, I looked over to the lady sitting parallel to me. She was playing with something in her hand but I couldn’t quite see what it was. Apparently there was no need to wonder what it was, because she deftly opened up her mouth and plunged it between her lips, smacked her gums noisily and then did a ‘testing’ smile into the window. Her toothy reflection smiled back at me.

Yes, when all else fails there WILL be someone putting their false teeth back in on the good old 71. I giggled the last 5 minutes home and then made some mini banana pancakes to save the day.

The biggest as well as the capital city of the Republic of Korea (South Korea,) Seoul is an intriguing destination, situated in the mid western region of the Korean Peninsula, on the Han River, near the North Korean border, otherwise known as the de-militarised zone (DMZ), which in turn is a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. Spread over an area of 605 sq km, Seoul has been designated with the status of a Special City, and is directly under the administration of the national government.

Seoul’s history dates back to as early as 18 BC when Paekche Kingdom made Wiryeseong, which is today’s southeastern Seoul, as its capital. Later, Seoul became the capital of the Goryeo era during the 11th century. Seoul was then known as Southern Capital, which was later renamed Hanyang in 1394 when the Joseon dynasty made Seoul its capital.

In 1948, Seoul became the capital city of South Korea. Additionally, Seoul witnessed several wars and destruction during various phases of its history. But, Seoul has been now transformed into an international destination, with a sound commerce and sports scene. Despite its modern soaring buildings and sophisticated expressways, Seoul still retains its old world charm.

For those who want to enjoy the traditional culture of Korea, a visit to Seoul’s Insa-dong would be a great experience. Situated in the middle of the city, Insa-dong is an exciting as well as colorful place with alleys on either site.

All of the alleys seen here are packed with traditional restaurants and teahouses, cafes, and shops, where both traditional and precious items are put for sale. It is also home to a number of interesting art galleries such as Gana Art Gallery, Gana Art Center, and Hakgojae Gallery, which is the center of folk art. One of the best ways to tour these galleries is via the Art Center Bus, which takes you to more than 10 much famed art galleries in the region.

Of the marvelous attractions in Seoul that deserve a special mention is the Gyeongbok Palace, also known as Northern Palace. Built in 1395 by Taejo Seonggye Lee of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbok is perhaps the most beautiful of all palaces in the area.

Sprawling over an area of 495,000 the palace’s highlights cover Geunjeongjeon – the main hall, Gyeonghoeru – the banquet pavilion, and Hyangwonjeong, which is island developed within a pond. Also, within the palace is the National Folk Museum, with some rare artifacts.

Another fabulous palace in Seoul is Deoksugung, which has to its credit an amazing mix of temples and gardens. Also, a great palace in the area is Changdeokgung Palace, which still serves as the residence of Royals. However, a guided tour is the required to take a visit to Changdeokgung Palace, the oldest palace in the city. Seoul’s incredible attractions also include a variety of ancient shrines and pagodas, such as Chongmyo Shrine and Chogyesa Temple. A specialty is that many of the shrines in Seoul are graced with beautiful Buddhist art.

Your visit to Seoul would not be complete without taking a tour to Dongdaemun Market, which is dubbed as the ‘Mecca of Fashion.’ With a large collection of shopping malls, Dongdaemun Market is a place to shop a full range of clothing items and that too at cheap prices. Both retail and wholesale shops can be seen here, and few among them are Freya Town, Doosan Tower, Migliore, Designer’s Club, Nuzzon, Migliore Valley, and Gwanghee Fashion Mall. Also, found in the vicinity is Dongdaemun Stadium, which is a great place to shop sporting materials.

Another popular market place in the area is Namdaemun Market, where everything from men and women’s apparels, children’s wear, and shoes to kitchenware, indigenous items, and imported goods can be shopped. Since this market area has such a great number of shopping malls, it is recommended to plan in advance prior to shopping.

A must-see attraction in Seoul is Mt. Namsan, a 252 m mountain located in the heart of the city. Mt Namsan and its surrounding areas have been maintained as a public park. Among the highlights of this symbolic mountain are the Palgakjeong Pavilion, Seoul Tower, Namsan Library, and a marine aquarium, and a botanical garden. You can reach the summit either via the hiking trail or through a cable car ride. Namsangol Traditional Korean Village is close to the mountain.

Other not to miss attraction in the area are War Memorial, National Theater, Korea House, Myong-dong Catholic Cathedral, Sejong Cultural Center, and Sejong Cultural Center.

It was Monday morning and the start of another long week. I hadn’t been feeling well the night before and I thought I was coming down with flu. I had a huge headache, was nauseas and had incredible pain in the right lower side of my stomach. I decided that I wasn’t going to take chances with this new H1N1 flu and asked my co-teacher to take me to hospital. The doctor did his poking and prodding and suspected Appendicitis. He wanted to take blood and some x-rays. After having done that, he told me they couldn’t find my appendix. Well, so much for the Appendicitis. He said that I should monitor the symptoms and if they continued, I should come back again.

The following morning, the headache, nausea and pain had increased beyond bearable limits. We rushed off to hospital and went to the ER. A doctor examined me and the next thing I knew I was hooked up to a drip and been given an injection. I was told further x-rays and other tests were needed. About three hours later after all the tests were done, I had another session with the doctor. I was told that I had a 6,25mm kidney stone in my right kidney. Apparently, any stone over 5mm requires medical intervention. The thought of an operation and having to spend time in a Korean hospital scared the hell out of me.

Let me put things in context here. A Korean hospital is run a little differently to a traditional Western hospital. There are nurses, but the majority of them work an eight to five day. Obviously they have a skeleton staff that takes care of emergencies. However, if you are recovering in a Korean hospital, your family takes care of you – no nurses! Furthermore, there are no meals that are brought to you; you need to provide your own. In other words, all after care is the responsibility of your family. So if your like me, a foreigner in a foreign country, chances are your family are back in your home country. The other noticeable thing is that Korean hospitals are not as spacious as Western hospitals, with very little privacy. The space between the hospital beds is probably less than 0,5m. Two people standing back to back in the space between two beds would find it a tight squeeze. The other thing that I noticed while lying on one of the beds in my pain drugged filled haze was the amount of beds that had dried blood stains running down the sides of them. I assumed this was from where peoples’ drips had come unstuck.

As terrible as all of this sounds, I would rather spend time in a Korean hospital just to get rid of the pain. One person had this to say about the pain of having a kidney stone, “Imagine someone punching you in the stomach, kicking you in the groin and then stabbing you numerous times with an ice pick. When you can imagine this type of pain, and then multiply it by ten!”

As ‘luck’ would have it, I would not require any surgery. I was to undergo Extracorpeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL). It costs around $450 (R3500-00) and uses microwave shock waves to shatter the kidney stone into smaller pieces, so that it may pass easily through the system. If you lucky, it will work first time around, otherwise you have to have repeated sessions at $450 a pop.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

I was given two more injections for the pain and then sent to the room where I would receive my ESWL treatment. I lay down on the table while the doctor was pulling me this way and that way to try and position me over the ‘sensor’. He started the machine up and it started making this gentle whirring sound. I thought this was nice and soothing. The doctor walked around the machine a few times and then left the room. I could have sworn he locked the door…although the drugs could have made me imagine it. The initial pain that I experienced was excruciating. Imagine that your kidney is a piñata and the excited kid with the baseball bat is the machine and the kid is repeatedly bashing the piñata to try and get the candy. This is what was happening to me. The machine was repeatedly ‘shooting’ these microwave shock waves directly at the kidney, trying to smash the kidney stone. At one point that son-of-a-bitch doctor sent in my co-teacher to tell me to breathe normally and stop holding my breath as the treatment wouldn’t work. He knew if he came in and told me, I would have probably given him a quick sharp ninja kick to his groin. The pain was so intense that I was holding my breath trying to brace myself for the next wave of attack! The whole process lasted about forty minutes, although it seemed like forty years. At the end of the session I felt like a million bucks. No headache, nausea or pain…the drugs had definitely kicked in!

It has been almost a week now and I still have not passed the kidney stone. The pain comes and goes and one just has to try and manage it the best way you can. I’m due back at the doctors in a day or two to check whether the stone has passed through my system or not. If not, they want to do another ESWL treatment. There is an English expression, once bitten twice shy. They’ve made my right kidney a piñata once before, I think I will give it a miss this time around and try some natural home remedies instead…if the pain will let me that is!

Will South Korea eventually have a higher GDP per capita than Japan?

Most people reading this question would have no trouble answering almost immediately with an emphatic No! Some would probably snort or chuckle at the mere suggestion but as time goes on and – if North Korea doesn’t collapse in the foreseeable future – I think answering Yes isn’t all that far-fetched considering a number of variables at play in modern Japan and South Korea.

First, let’s look at the current GDP per capita figures for both Japan and South Korea. Surely, Japan’s miles ahead of South Korea, it’s one of the richest countries in the world after all! Well, the truth is that Japan was one of the richest countries in the world and that since its over decade long slowdown it has never fully regained its feet nor found significant strategies to improve its rut. The most recent figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and CIA World Factbook indicate that Japan has a Gross Domestic Product at purchasing power parity per capita (in US dollars) of $34,166, $34,099 and $34,000 respectively, placing Japan as only the 24th, 18th and 28th richest country in the world respectively. These figures came as huge shock to me as I’ve known for a long time that Japan has had an extended rut, but I never foresaw just how significant that rut has been. I still thought that Japan was still one of the ten richest countries in the world, if not surely in the top 15. But, as you can see I was wrong.

Back in 1990, according to World Bank and CIA World Factbook figures, Japan was the ninth richest country in the world with a GDP (at PPP) per capita of $24,430. Whereas, South Korea’s GDP per capita was a much more humble $6,153 being ranked all the way down at #48. Just less that twenty years ago, South Korea was nearly four times comparatively poorer than Japan was!

Now, let’s have a look at South Korea’s current GDP (at PPP) per capita figures to determine just how big a gap still exists between Japan and South Korea economically. South Korea’s current GDP (at PPP) per capita figures come out as $27,692, $27,939,and $27,600 according to the IMF, World Bank and CIA World Factbook respectively. That places South Korea at 33rd, 24th, and 39th on the world’s richest nations totem poles respectively, and just nine, six, and eleven positions behind Japan according to the figures calculated by the IMF, World Bank and CIA.

This is a tremendous improvement in the past twenty years on South Korea’s behalf and an incredible bridging on what was a huge gap between Japan and South Korea. South Korea was, on average, $18,277 ‘poorer’ than Japan in 1990 compared being on average to just $6,474, $6,160 and $6,400 ‘poorer’ now depending on whoever’s stats you prefer. At this rate, South Korea should overtake Japan sometime within the next decade! Well, let’s not just yet get ahead of ourselves …

Regardless, this is a phenomenal improvement in South Korea’s relative wealth compared with Japan’s, especially considering both countries experienced the devastating Asian Financial Crisis of the late ’90s. If these stats are anything to go by, it seems to show that South Korea managed to ride out the storm and keep on moving about after the AFC whereas Japan has just never been the same.

Now I’m no economist, far from it. Despite having to take two year’s worth of economics classes at uni I’d be buggered if I remember the difference between macroeconomics and microeconomics, and all those charts we used to draw and analyse seemed more like an educated guess than scientific analysis to me. But, nevertheless these figures are interesting and somewhat compelling, despite knowing some of the inevitable questions , queries and disputes to be raised from more economically-minded individuals on this analysis:

These figures just reflect what happens when you compare the growth of a nation with high growth rates moving from a developing to a developed economiy as opposed to a firmly developed economy which has stabilised and plateaued.

- Well, you’re most likely right there. Japan, too, was once a developing country with high growth rates relying largely on an export-oriented economy with its highly skilled, hardworking labour force. South Korea followed and expanded on Japan’s business model to get to where it is today where it competes and seemingly more frequently beats its longer established Japanese rivals, who they not so long ago sought to emulate. South Korea did indeed receive significant capital enumerations and labour skills training from the Japanese during the Park Chung-hee era to help kickstart its economy, and indeed Korea would not be where it is today without this assistance, and a lot of assistance from other nations – in particular, the US – during its economic developing period following the Korean War.

The more critical question will be whether South Korea can continue to expand on its growth and economy, and manage to stabilise – which it inevitably will* do at some point -at a higher economic plane than Japan.

* – a country which is effectively an island (thanks to North Korea) with a rapidly aging workplace, one of the lowest birth rates in the world (though Japan’s is darn low too), an ethnically homogeneous nation displaying growing pains at allowing a larger proportion of non-locals in, and being right near a nation in China with all the economic benefits for growth (a huge, still largely untapped rural labour force that will work for peanuts; an ever-growing, ever-affluent , ever-consuming, educated and hardworking middle class;  furtheringly sophisticated technology and consumer goods and a huge landmass) will surely taper South Korea’s growth sooner than later. Unless, of course, South Korea can manage to successfully walk the tightrope and capitalise on China’s growth.

South Korea has a reputation for being slow to change, what with its chaebols and corrupt businessman, its sometimes myopic, outdated viewpoints, its Confucian-based traditions and still significant xenophobia.

- Well, again you make good points. But, again I think everything you mentioned could also be applied to Japan. Furthermore, you could well argue that Japan has had a good two to three to four decade jump on South Korea to assess, adjust and alleviate these issues but in Japan today these issues are to some degree still as relevant now as they were in 1970, 1980 and 1990. Japan has undoubtedly changed and modified its economy, society and psyche over the past few decades, it’s just my belief that South Korea has done so more – granted it started from a much lower base – and also my hunch that South Korea is prepared to continue to do so to a greater degree than Japan will. I base this assumption largely on South Korea’s obsessive drive to learn English and further open its economy and society, and its obsession with being an economic power. Japan’s already been an economic and cultural power, perhaps it won’t be as inclined to put in the hard yards to continue to be an economic and cultural power, particularly with the rising dragon of China just round the corner.

In my view, Japanese society has reached the enlightenment stage when an economy gets to the point that its citizens – in particularly its youth – start questioning whether it’s worth breaking your back and spending all your time working to ‘get ahead’, and start to re-assess just what is important in life. This is largely great news for individuals in Japan but not so good news if you want your economy to grow at any cost, as people become less inclined to do that bit more to ‘get’ ahead when they question whether it will really help them in the long run. Japan, I believe, has increasingly entered this stage over the past decade whereas I believe it’s still a good 5 to 10 years away until South Korean society really starts to question the get ahead and work hard at all costs mentality on a significant level.

How’s South Korea going to grow when its got no kids, everyone’s over sixty and they don’t really want outsiders moving in?

- Again, valid points. But, again points that could equally be leveled at Japan. In fact, whereas South Korea does have one of the lowest birth rates in the world (Japan’s is lower), at least its population is growing whereas Japan’s is already starting to decline.

OK, yes, South Korea AND Japan are two of – if not – the most ethnically homogeneous nations on Earth which have over recent history shown a reluctance to actively use immigration as a ways of growing their populations and economies, instead actively trying technology and ethnic-focused immigration as a means to alleviate these problems. Both countries, according to recent statistics, still have low immigration rates. Japan’s is higher than South Korea’s as South Korea actually has a negative growth rate due to higher numbers of individuals emigrating than immigrating.

Conclusion

So, as these figures show South Korea has indeed experienced a rapid, sustained period of economic growth which is continuing to this day despite the huge setbacks of the Asian Financial Crisis in the late ’90s and recent Global Financial Crisis. Japan, on the other hand, has slowly gone off the boil in terms of its economic development to the degree that South Korea is now within sight of catching up with Japan’s GDP (PPP) per capita with the next decade, something that would have either been laughed at, mocked or scorned by most individuals just 10 or 15 years ago.

Can South Korea catch up with Japan’s GDP per capita? Who really knows. A lot depends on what occurs in South Korea and Japan, a whole series of factors and variables come into play that make it seemingly impossible to accurately predict whether South Korea will indeed one day surpass Japan’s GDP per capita. These variables become all the more complicated when we figure in external factors such as China and North Korea. East Asia is one of the most dynamic, volatile regions of the planet. Who knows just what exactly could develop over the next five years here. There’s an infinite numbers of critical developments or disasters that should significantly effect not just this region but the entire world.

All that said, I do believe that South Korea has significant chance of one day within the next 15 years having a higher GDP per PPP than Japan. How long it would occur for and what happens after that is anyone’s guess.

There are a lot of things that make me happy and  they happen to be from South Korea. This summer, my friend sent me a website with a bunch of Asian television shows and movies.

I started watching a Korean drama called “Boys Over Flowers,” also known as “Boys Before Flowers.” It’s the greatest show I’ve ever seen! I then developed a huge crush on one of the actors, Kim Hyun Joong, who is in a boy band called SS501. After searching YouTube for some SS501 and Kim Hyun Joong videos I began watching a reality type of show called “We Got Married.” It’s really funny, cute, and very entertaining, even though I don’t know who any of the celebrities are because I’m American. Watching these shows has shown me a little bit of the culture and it has really inspired me. I now want to learn how to speak Korean, so I could enjoy these shows without reading the subtitles and the songs of SS501 while understanding the lyrics. I’ve also been reading a manga called I.N.V.U., which happens to be written by a woman from South Korea. May I also mention that I think Asian people are like the most beautiful people in the world? Sometimes I wish I was from some kind of Asian descent. Well, I hope you enjoyed this post, and I apologize if I offended anyone. People of all races and ethnicities are beautiful!

Click here for part 1.

Day 4: Back to work for us

Since it was Monday, Micah and I had to go back to work.  But we told the boys to go check out Seomun Market.  (We’d done this a couple weeks ago).  So, no pics to show.  They did have a good time eating all the street food and partaking in the craziness of the market.  Ken got sad when he saw the dogs and cats in cages…apparently in the same cages as chickens.

We have gotten word from a Korean friend that those cats and dogs are for pets, not eating. 

Once we got off work, we headed to some yummy Korean BBQ nearby. 

Day 5: Pig intestines are yummy

Again, Micah and I had to work.  This day, the boys ventured over to Woobangland – an amusement park in Daegu.  The park was pretty much dead, but they had fun taking in the rides, bumper cars, batting cages – and no lines for any of it! (Micah and I haven’t even gone here yet!)

After work, we all met up with four of Micah’s co-workers for dinner: Young, Shinso, Sunny, and Saerom.  We decided to eat mackchang (aka pig intestines) – apparently a food for which Daegu is famous. 

The mackchang – uncooked – looked absolutely unappetizing.  But once cooked and cut up into small pieces – it was really tasty.  You dip the pieces of meat into this spicy sauce.

   Of course, along with mackchang, we had an assortment of makoli (Korean rice wine), mekjew (beer), and soju.  We had a great time eating and drinking with Micah’s teachers, and decided to continue the fun and show the boys Korean karaoke (aka norebang).  You can’t visit Korea and not norebang!

I’ll just let the pictures speak for themselves.  Keep in mind, we continued to drink the mekjew throughout the night.  And the boys were loving many of the K-pop songs. 

P.S. You can’t properly norebang without tambourines.

Everyone had fun…perhaps, a little too much (for a school night).

Day 6: Hashed

Hmm…well, due to Day 5 festivities, Micah was HASHED (aka very very very hungover).  This might seem quite irresponsible for an English Teacher, but it’s actually quite common to see your Korean teachers at school a little hashed too.  Plus, it doesn’t happen often – and it’s not like we have friends visiting us all the time.  I believe Josh was a little hashed too.

We, of course, still had to go to school.  And the boys slept in…and visited Micah’s school in the afternoon. 

For our last night together, what better way to celebrate than a trip to…COSTCO!  Alapa’i wanted to check out the Costco in Korea, and the boys managed to find some good gifts to bring back home. 

Day 7: Anneyong kaseyo!

The boys took off while we were at work.  They had to spend at least 4 hours of travel time to get from Daegu to Incheon Airport + a nine hour flight back to Honolulu.

To our pleasant surprise, we came home to a clean apartment and a brand new slow cooker.  Thanks boys! 

We had such an awesome time.  Who’s coming next?

Micah’s friends from Hawaii were in Korea visiting us for about a week.  It was SO MUCH fun to see them.  There were plenty of good eats, good drinks, and poking fun at Ken.  We had a really great time and were sad to see them leave.   Here’s my attempt to condense 6 days of fun into a couple of long (but picture-filled) blog posts.

Night 1: The arrival

Took them to dinner (along with our other teacher friends’ Charissa and Gabe) to one of our favorite places.  The food was awesome and our Korean server was really nice and liked Alapai’s big arms.

After dinner, off to Hof Hama for mini-kegs and many drinking games.  Ken couldn’t last the night.  But neither could Josh (totally out of it on the taxi ride home).

A little DDC cuddle action at the end of the night. 

Day 2: To Busan we go!

Caught a train to Busan (Micah and I had already been there before, but this time we went to see different parts of the city).

• Stop #1: Jalgachi Fish Market

The mecca for FRESH seafood.  Creatures I’d never seen before…in varying stages of aliveness. 

After some browsing around the HUGE market, we ate an amazing seafood lunch.  Alapa’i was king. Instead of having to sit down and eat on the floor like the rest of us, the server arranged it so he could sit in a chair. 

Ken did some shopping.  Although there was a nice selection of VHS “entertainment” available (see circled area), he opted for a fishing pole instead.

• Stop #2: Gwangalli Bridge

After exploring this area and the nearby international market, we headed over to Gwangalli Bridge.  At night time it’s all lit up and really peaceful and cool to look at. 

• Stop #3: Shinsagae

It was starting to get pretty cold, so we decided to make one last stop before catching the train home.  We headed to Shinsagae – the largest department store in the world (complete with its own ice rink).  We didn’t spend much time there, but it was pretty swanky.

• Heading home

Ah…the boys were pooped.  We caught the last train back to Daegu.  Once in Daegu, we had to run to catch the last subway back to our area of the city.  Ken, barely made it – blaming it on him still being half asleep.  Although, we are quite certain his cardio (or lack thereof) is more to blame.

Day 3: Fishy feeding frenzy

Met up with a few of our friends and headed to Dr. Fish in downtown Daegu.  It’s an interesting place.  It’s part cafe’ (with a complete menu of coffees and teas, as well as an all-you-can-eat “bread” bar), part studying lounge (with a mini-library of books and people studying all over), and part fish pedicure (where the little fishies eat the dead skin off your feet). 

 How to get a fish pedicure:

1. Rinse off your feet – fish don’t like dirty feet

2. Stick feet in tub full of water and a hundred or so tiny carp (I believe they come from China – where this is quite popular)

3. Let fish go to town!  It doesn’t hurt at all – actually, it’s a bit ticklish.  They just nibble away on the little bits of dry skin all over you feet, toes, and ankles.

4. Fifteen minutes later – you’re done.  Clean your feet again and enjoy your soft feet. (Some places might follow this up with an actual pedicure, but not this place. It was only $2 for the fish pedicure part and about $5 for the coffee and toast).

I did this lesson last week with my high schoolers. I began the lesson by asking them what they have a fear of (spiders, insect, mouse). I then gave them a brief definition of a phobia and told them three phobias I have and asked them to try and guess what they are. I then gave the class six examples of phobias and showed them some youtube clips of fear factor. I then asked them to work in groups and create a phobia and explain it to the class. The lesson went pretty well and got some interesting phobias. I posted the lesson Waygook and the lesson can be found by following this link.

PS. You must join waygook.org if you want to download the lesson to use. Waygook is a great resource site and has a very active community. It’s well worth checking out.

Voy a contar esto porque fue mi primer gran choque cultural que tuve en Korea (después de adaptarme al estilo de trabajo de los coreanos).

A finales de julio y principios de agosto a mi escuela vinieron alrededor de 75 maestros/as de inglés coreanos/as a coger un training con nosotros, los “English Native Speakers”. El propósito era aprender a como dar clases de inglés en inglés en el salón de clases. Para todos aquellos que fueron a escuelas públicas en Puerto Rico saben que allí se enseña inglés en español. Pues en Korea se enseña inglés en coreano.

Ok. Pues durante las dos semanas del training me hize pana de un corillo de maestras coreanas de mi edad. Nos veíamos por las noches después de las clases, a veces a beber o a hablar. Cool. Una de ellos me gustó y yo sabía que ella también estaba interesada. La invité a salir el día después que se acabó el training y tuvimos una cita chévere por Daegu, diría que hasta perfecta. Quedamos en encontrarnos de nuevo.

Yo tuve una semana libre en agosto (que se convirtió en como un mes) y ella también porque el semestre todavía no había empezado en las escuelas públicas. Fuimos a varios pueblos de Korea cerca de Daegu, más como excusa para pasar tiempo juntos que para conocer los sitios. Todo chévere.

Nos hicimos novios y ahí es que comienza el choque cultural. Me dice que no sabe que hacer porque si su mamá se entera no le va a dejar salir conmigo.

Ok. Dejemos algo claro. Ella tiene 27 años.

Decidimos seguir saliendo como lo estabamos haciendo hasta ahora, lo que significaba que si ella iba a verme tenía que mentirle a la mamá. Todo sigue cool.

Se terminó mi contrato en Korea pero conseguí otro trabajo que comienza el 28 de diciembre en Chilgok, muy cerca de Daegu. En parte busqué trabajo en esa área para estar cerca de ella y de mis nuevas amistades que también se habían quedado en ese pueblo. Me fui a Europa de vacaciones y todo entre nosotros estaba BIEN.

Una semana en mi viaje por Europa me llega un email:

(traducido al español)

Después de dos emails nice y uno no tan nice que le envié me contestó. Tuvimos una “conversación” por email que simplemente confirmó el hecho de que no nos veríamos más.

Nos borramos de Facebook y de Cyworld (como un facebook/myspace coreano) y no hemos tenido más comunicación después de eso.

Chocando culturalmente; Parte #1.

Fall in Busan is beautiful. The leaves on the trees have (finally!) changed colors, so the mountains and pathways are looking amazing. As well, my area of town is getting into the Christmas spirit with little white Christmas lights set up on the trees of the sidewalks; Starbucks in in full-fledged Christmas stock; and even some local stores are become festive!

A couple weeks ago we had a bitter cold spell for about a week, which was terrible. And to make matters worse, my school is generally a couple degrees colder than the outside temperature in the Winter … so it made for some pretty long and uncomfortable days. I literally wore my winter jacket, under armor leggings, two pairs of socks, a long sleeve, and a hoody just as an attempt to stay warm. Not to mention how much green tea and other hot drinks I consumed those days! But luckily the cold has gone and the last couple weeks have been gorgeous fall weather. The evenings and nights are generally pretty chilly, but during the day, the sun is shining and it’s enjoyable weather to be outside in.

Wow. It’s been over 9 months since I started this amazing journey. It’s hard to believe how quickly the years start to go by as we get older … but more importantly, how quickly they go by when the days are full of enrichment and adventure.

I’ll admit 3 weeks ago, I found myself antsy to hit the road and see some other parts of the world … but now that I can comfortably say that I only have 3 months left here, it certainly is a bitter sweet feeling.

For starters, Maria and Leah have finished their year contract and are currently surfing the beaches in Bali, followed by 3 weeks in India. I think I can blame them for stirring up the anxiety of me wanting to hit the road after countless nights spent at Starbucks brainstorming travel ideas and future travel plans. We came up with some pretty amazing (perhaps borderline outrageous) travel plans, but it certainly is fun to talk about! Seeing them off was sad but exciting… sad because I am now down 2 friends in my area … but exciting because they have amazing plans ahead of them, and I can’t wait to be in that position in 3 months.

Now that the dust has settled since their departure, I find myself torn between wanting to stay and wanting to leave. I told my coteacher that I won’t be re-signing a contract for next year … mainly because most of my friends here aren’t, and because I suppose I should be home and act like a maid of honor to my sister, rather than just fly in for the wedding like I’d originally planned. So I am in planning mode in order to get ready for a few months of traveling when my contract is finished … I am constantly on travel websites and reading my lonely planet books to find the best itinerary for my travels. I can’t wait! The next 3 months are going to fly by, and again, it’s a bitter sweet feeling.

For starters, however, I am going back to Seoul for FREE … free train ticket and hotel and food from EPIK (English Program in Korea) for a Winter Reunion. So we get a Friday off school and spend the Friday night in Seoul. So that’s the weekend of December 11th. Pretty excited for it!

Then Caitlin and I are planning on going to get out of Korea for Christmas so that we keep busy for the holidays, so we’re planning on flying into Tokyo Christmas day for 3 days ! I’m super excited! Then right after that my Winter English camps start for 3 weeks … then it’s off to Boracay, Philippines in January (google this .. you will be jealous) for a RELAXING 10 day vacation in the sun and sand.

Once I get back from the Philippines it’s only a short few weeks before the end of my contract (end of Feb) … then it’s back on the road to do some real, rugged traveling! So far my itinerary includes China, Thailand, Bali, Australia and New Zealand – followed by a brief Canadian West Coast tour, then it’s back in Ontario just in time for cottage season! I am beyond excited, but it’s going to be really hard to pack up the memories I’ve made over the course of the year here, and say goodbye to people that I consider family.

It certainly will be a rollercoaster ride over the next 3 months as I struggle with feelings of excitement, anxiety, sorrow, and adventure, but I am ready for the next challenge.

November 26, 2009

All Pictures

Mini Mini Land

How to get There: From Jeju City Bus Terminal go to gate 7. The bus driver will tell you where to get off if he knows where you’re going.

Admission: 6,000KRW

Hours: 8:30-19:30

Phone: 064-782-7720

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Sangumburi

How to get there: We walked here MiniMini Land.

From Jeju City Bus Terminal go to gate 3.

Admission: 3,000KRW

Phone: 064-783-9900

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The Trick Art Museum

How to get there: This museum is near the Seong Folk Village. Take the bus from gate 7 or 3 from Jeju City bus terminal.

Admission: 8,000KRW

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The buses on the island can drive anyone crazy. I’m talking about the intercity buses, but the one you see in the cities with numbers on them. It’s not so much that they seem to come so infrequently, but that a bus map is hard to find and sometimes the bus drivers give conflicting information. These bus have no numbers so it’s hard to talk about them with someone who doesn’t speak your language. But, here’s what I managed to figure out. The gates given are for Jeju’s bus terminal.

From Jeju inter-City Bus Terminal to and from Seogwipso inter-City Bus Terminal:

Gate 1: No bus at this gate

Gate 2: This bus runs between Jeju’s Bus terminal and Jungmun. It does not go to Seogwipo.

It runs every 60-80 minutes.

With this bus you can get to:

Halla Arboretum, Love Land, the Mysterious road, Jeju YMCA camp site, Hanbatsuwonji, Eorimok Bus Stop, 1,100-meter Hill Resting area, Yeongsil bus stop, Seogwipo Natural Recreation Forest, Jungmun Resort

Gate 3: There are 2 buses for this gate. They both run down road 97 and end at the Folk Village in Pyeseon. One deviates from the 97 road at the “Check Point”* and goes to Minimini Land and Sangumburi. This bus does not go to the bus terminal in Seogwipo.

The buses runs ever 60 and 40 minutes.

With these buses you can see:

Elephant land, Goblin Park, Minimini Land, Joy World, Sangumburi, Seongbuloren, Jeju pony town, reptile theme park, Seongeup Folk Village, Kim Jung-mun Aloe farm, Jeju folk Village

* I don’t know what that is. It’s just what my map calls it.

Gate 4: This bus runs clockwise on the 1132 road starting from Jeju City Bus Terminal to the city of Seowipo.

It runs every 15-20 minutes

With this bus you can get to:

The Anit-Japanese Memorial Hall in Jochen, Hamdeok Beach, Gimnyeong maze Park, Manjang Cave, Gimnyeongsa Cave, The Haenyeo Museum, The Migratory Bird Area, The Shell Fish Museum, The Udo Ferry, Sea World Submarine and Cruise, Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sun rise Peak), Seopjikoji, Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak, Eomeongabang Janchimaeul, Pyoseon Beach, Jeju Folk Village Museum, Jeju Herb Garden, Shinecill Luxury Resort, Jeju Shinyoung Cinema Museum, Namwom Keuneong Seashore Picturesque Place

Gate 5: No buses leave from this gate

Gate 6: This bus runs up and down road 1131.

It runs every 12-15 minutes

With this bus you can get to:

The Jeju Education Museum, Tamra Mokseokwon, Jeju Pony Pasture, Halla Mountain, Suptunnel, Suak Valley, Cherry Tree Habitat,  Seondeonsa, Donnaeko Valley

Gate 7: This runs on the 97 road until something called “Check Point” on my map. Then it turns onto the 1118 road until Namwon. It then turns onto the 1132 road and heads into Seogwipo City.

It runs every 20 minutes

With this bus you can get to:

Bonggae-dong, Elephant Land, Sudang Ranch, Jeju Stone Culture Park, MimiMini Land, Joy Land, Jeju Shinyoung Cinema Museum, Namwom Keuneong Seashore Picturesque Place

Gate 8: This bus goes up and down road 1135 with a deviation at Changcheon-ri that takes you past Sanbangsan then down to Moseulpo port. This bus doe not go to Seogwipo City.

It runs every 20 minutes.

With this bus you can get to:

Jeju Magic World, Jeju Dinosaur Theme Park, Psyche World, Jeju Horse Racing Park, Elysian Country Club, Everis Golf Club, Green Resort, Crocodile Town, Happy Town, Andeok Valley, The Museum of Sex & Health, Jeju Sculptuer Park, Sanbangsan, Poetry and Maze Park, Marado Ferry

Gate 9: This bus runs almost the same route as the bus from gate 8, except at from Chancheon-ri it goes to Seogwipo City.

It runs every 10-15 minutes.

With this bus you can get to:

Jeju Magic World, Jeju Dinosaur Theme Park, Psyche World, Jeju Horse Racing Park, Elysian Country Club, Everis Golf Club, Green Resort, Crocodile Town, Happy Town, Jungmun Resort, Gaetggak, Shiri Bench, Pacific Land Yacht Tour, Jeju water world, Seri World Hot-Air ballon, Seogwipo Maze Park

Gate 10: No buses leave from this gate.

Gate 11: This bus runs counter-clockwise on the 1132 road.

Runs every 12-15 minutes.

With this bus you can get to:

Yeondae Smoke Platform, Hagui-Aewoal Coastal road, Gwakji beach, Hallim Park, Hyeopjae beach, Geumneung beach, Geumneungseokmulwon, Cactus Habitat, Sinchang-Yongsu Coastal road, Chagwido Submarine, Gosan-ri Prehistorical Remains site, Marando Ferry, Hamo Beach, Poetry and Maze Park, Sanbangsan, Jeju Sculpture park, the Museum of Sex & Health, Andeok Valley, Jungmun, The Teddy Bear Museum, Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, Sound Island Museum, Jungmun Beach, Gaetggak, Shiri Bench, Pacific Land Yacht Tour, Jeju water world, Seri World Hot-Air ballon, Seogwipo Maze Park

Gate 12: I couldn’t find any information on this bus.

Notes: On Jeju Island there duplicate attractions. There are many submarines tours, many mazes, many folk villages, many vocanic craters, many lava tubes, many miniture world attraction parks, … So when planning your trip keep this in mind. You might not have to go from one end of the island to another to see “blank” because there may be one nearby if you look for it.

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The Maddening Buses!!!

My mistake was this. I wanted to see Minimini Land, then the Trick Art Museum, then the Chocolate Museum. I looked at map and the bus route information and thought that it could be done.

We would take the bus from gate 7 to Minimini Land then walk to Sangumburi. After that we would take a bus (gate 3) to the Trick Art Museum then catch that same bus to Pyoseon. From there we would catch the gate 4 bus to Seogwipo City bus terminal then get on the gate 11 bus to somewhere near the Chocolate Museum, then get a taxi.

Everything was going well until we got to somewhere near Seogwipo. I’m not sure where we stopped. The bus driver told us that it was our stop and we needed to change buses, to get near the Chocolate Museum. But when we got off and asked what bus to take next, everyone told us, “NO BUS!”

I’m not sure what was going on. Because a bus driver before told us that we would have “3 changee” which is what I worked out also by looking at my map and bus info. But at that one stop, no one wanted to help us.

The man at the ticket counter couldn’t understand my English map. He pulled out a Korean map for me to show him where I wanted to go. I kept my English map open for me to compare the two and find the location on his map. But he kept pushing my English map aside and tried to knock it out of my hands. He seemed to have gotten annoyed and just shouted, “NO BUS”. After that, no one was very helpful. Later a new bus driver showed up and we asked him. He pointed out the bus that we should take. But by then it was too late. The museum closed at 5:00.

All this could have been avoided if only there were a bus map and the buses had numbers. The island is too big to take taxis around. Most tourist just sign up for bus tours, but you don’t have much control over what you see and do with your time. I don’t like bus tours.

If you go to Jeju, I recommend one of two things:

1. Rent a car.

2. Pick one bus per day. See all the stuff on that bus route and never change buses. Remember that most buses stop running around 21:00.

I also think that whenever you find a free map, you should take it no matter what language. There are tons of attractions on this island and they can’t all fit on any one map. So every map leaves out many things.

Since I’ve spent most of the blog entry giving bus information and wining about the lack of bus route map I think I should post some videos. This is to show that we did have loads of fun, when we weren’t waiting a bus.

MiniMiniLand:

The Trick Art Museum:

All Pictures

Next:

Previous: Jeju: Hairy Black Pig

My latest live videos for PHONEBOOTH.

제가 세폰부스의라이브비디오

TIME IS OVER

The best “Fuck Off” in Korea

유리문/GLASS DOOR

REVOLVER

Cameras/가메라: Hye Won, Jae Ho, Me

Edited on CS3