Beijing Bound

Seoul was (and really is) terrific, but...

...here I go again on my own (thanks, Whitesnake!).

Wired: A case study of the Seoul Subway

In my last moments in Seoul, it occurs to me that I haven't properly blogged about what it's like to live in the most wired country on earth. Well, it's not as if it's the Jetsons or I'm living in the future or anything. But life is a lot more convenient in a lot of ways...and maybe kinda futuristic, too? The Seoul Metro is a good example of this.

Yet another cute Korean mascot - this time, in the form of an anthropomorphic subway car.

Besides being sparkling clean and super efficient (on Line 2, I sometimes wait a mere 90 seconds - if that! - between trains), the Seoul Metro (subway, tube, whatever you want to call it) is an example how high-tech and "wired" Korea (or at least Seoul) can be.

Of course, I realize that "wired" usually refers to internet (and, specifically, broadband) access, but I'm most impressed with the cell phone network and the "wired" status that this brings.


First of all, there are few (any?) where that you will not have cellular reception in Seoul. Are you in the subway? In an elevator? Buried alive six feet under the ground? You'll have full reception anywhere. This makes text messaging a popular activity on the subway.

Also, I've seen quite a few Korean phones equipped with satellite TV, so you can catch up on your favorite shows, too. A lot of people just buy little satellite TVs and watch those.

Of course, it's not as if a TV is ever far away....

Check out those flatscreens while you're waiting for your train (you know, the 90 seconds or so...).

Or during your actual subway journey. Unfortunately, it's mostly commercials and news tidbits. Still, it's all pretty impressive to someone used to the now-very-obviously-subpar Chicago and New York subway systems.

Living in the future all comes with a price, of course. This story specifically references internet addiction in South Korea (oddly enough, people don't use their phones to surf the web very much....although they do have Korean-English dictionaries and subway maps on them). While awesome cell phone services do not equal playing interactive video games for 16 hours a day, you can only imagine what it must be like to live in a society so connected to everyone and everything by cell phones and computers. Take the good and bad where you will.

Seoul Living: (Yet Another) Trip to Bandi & Luni's

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is slowly rolling out in Korea. It's slow because the book is translated in small chunks; a paperback "mini-book" of a few chapters comes out as the translations are ready. It could take 8 (or more!) mini-books to make up a whole edition! At 8,000 won (about US$8.50) per mini-book, this makes for a costly reading experience - as well as an infuriating wait!

This is the 3rd mini-book to come out so far.

Seoulites seem pretty fond of reading, and one of the larger bookstore chains in town, Bandi & Luni's, is usually packed. I enjoyed joining the hordes, although I usually hung out in the (quite well-stocked!) English (and "Learn Korean") section.


People here are watching the US election, too. I saw a TV program on Barack Obama, and here's a book on Hillary (Hireori in Korean).


Hmmm, who knew they published Foreign Policy in Korean?

Christmas (and Christians) in Seoul

Nutcracker is also sad that Christmas is just a tool of the Man in South Korea.

Merry Christmas! I'm blogging to the sound of some Christmas caroling outside. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in Korean. Cute. ^_^

Still, you'd think in the most Christian country in East Asia, Christmas might be a bigger deal than just a day off. Apparently not. Of course, I'm sure that depending on one's faith, this differs. But most of the people I know (my church-going friends and their youth group friends) see Christmas as simply a day off. Christmas is not necessarily spent with family, either. I've been informed that restaurants and shops will be doing business as usual - and actually it's quite a good day for business because everyone is out and about. Hmmm, OK. So it's just like when Chinese restaurants and movie theaters in New York are really busy on Christmas. Ooookeeeey.

Still, with all the churches around Seoul, there's enough lovely reminders of why Christmas exists in the first place.

Asian-looking Jesus in front of (Catholic) Myeongdong Cathedral's draped chapel (clever way to hide the facade work being done to the church!).

Nativity scene in front of Myeongdong Cathedral.

And, just like any other big city, I just think Seoul looks a little prettier during the holiday season, whether or not people are celebrating Christmas.

Bright, non-denominational (as far as I can tell...) holiday lights around Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul.

So back to the topic of Christianity...yeah, maybe you didn't know that South Korea is actually about 30% Christian. Yup! And according to a recent Economist article, 5 of the world's 10 largest megachurches are in South Korea. Scholars have theorized why Christianity took hold so strongly in Korea as opposed to Japan and China (both traditionally hard nuts to crack). Andrew E. Kim suggests that western religions like Protestantism were easily to transplant into Korea because the belief system simply adapted to existing Korean shamanist traditions. Whatever the reason, it has made some sights I've encountered in Seoul quite interesting. Maybe it's unlikely I would find them so easily elsewhere in Asia...?

Our Lady.

Worshippers sitting at the Catholic prayer grotto of Myeongdong Cathedral.

The church in front of Yonsei University that I pass by everyday and oddly do not know anything about.

Wha...? I dunno, either.

Merry Christmas / Happy Hanukkah / Happy Kwaanza / Happy Holidays / Happy New Year...however you choose to celebrate it. ^_^

Election time!

Today was election day - the good citizens of South Korea had the day off (wow!) to go to the polls and vote for their next president. There were 12(!) candidates for the next prez of the world's 12th biggest economy. Election day was thus the culmination of several days of last minute campaigning, consisting of many on-the-street rallies like this:

There were lots of choreographed dances set to peppy music. I only wish I had the chance to provide video of this impressive routine by supporters of Kwon Young-ghil (#3), who seems to be the pro-Labor, popular-with-college-kids, Howard Dean-esque figure (albeit "circa late in the 2004 Democratic primary" Dean, because he doesn't stand a chance of winning).

Plus, the fair share of large vehicles parked in the middle of traffic with supporters giving speeches about their candidates in the middle of speeding traffic.

Like Dean, Kwon Young-ghil was trying hard! Probably just to try to make front-runner's Lee Myung-Bak's impending victory seem a little less authoritative (see below...)

The Korean election was not an election for a next-stage run-off, but the winner-takes all type of deal. Efficient (fewer elections) and fair (what-you-pick-is-what-you-get), I suppose, but may smack of some fault for those of us used to either a run-off style system or the US two-party system.

Front-runner Lee Myung-Bak (#2) urges all the citizens of South Korea to be prosperous...by voting for him, I guess.

As of 11:19 PM Seoul time on Election Day, it is pretty clear that Lee Myung-Bak will be the next president of the Republic of Korea, with over 50% of the vote. In a field of 12, I suppose that constitutes a landslide. Lee has been leading for weeks, despite a lot of controversy that he is a shady character: he's been connected with corporate scandals (he's an ex-Hyundai Group executive).

Quick facts on Lee: He will be the first conservative president in at least two terms (10 years). Prez-elect Lee is pro-business (less regulations), pro-America (we're gonna love that!), and more critical of relations with North Korea than his predecessors. Given the fact that South Korea has been working hard over the past few years (for better or worse) to, er, liberate (for lack of a better term) from US military influence, Lee's presidency could mean a major change in policy. Ditto for the recent North Korean diplomatic events. Lee used to be the mayor of Seoul, and people I talked to said they like him because he did a pretty darn nifty job of revamping the confusing public bus system (lest I remind them that coordinating public transportation is not the same as foreign affairs...whatever...). Anyhoo, despite the shady character, Lee is definitely the "I'm gonna get shit done" candidate. His nickname is the "Bulldozer." 'Nough said.

I wonder what effect his shady business connections will have on the legacy of corrupt public officials in South Korea. I must admit that Lee has a pretty impressive biography (what can I say? I'm a sucker for the pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps history). Still, between the shadiness of character associated with the corporate scandal and campaign imagery of his head pasted on a cartoon body (popular Korean campaign technique, by the way), I'm not so sure the respect will run as deep.



Still, I'm impressed by the liveliness of electoral politics (complete with its fair share of drama and silliness) in South Korea among the youth and elders, particularly since democratic elections were re-established only as recently as 1987. Maybe I should pay a bit more attention to the US presidential primaries now... ^_^

방학 (School Holiday)

Best picture ever (or pretty close to it).

You can't fake enthusiasm like this. Ah, to be a kid again! ^_^

Seoul Living: Street Art

Seoul is a pretty clean city, and an orderly one at that, so there is not much graffiti (artistic or vandalistic). But you can find some pretty spiffy street art if you poke around.

Like under a bridge in Sinchon...



...or in in an subterranean pedway near Hongdae...

I wish this was a T-shirt!

...or on the stone hand railings at a park in nearby Incheon's Chinatown (note: not much of a Chinatown, but I had to try and look, didn't I?).






The last head reminds me of my brother. Hee.

Seoul Living: Where you can hang out (but not too often, please)

I live in the Sinchon neighborhood of Seoul, which is an area bursting with youthful energy. So unlike me, I know. ;) This is probably helped along by the fact that there are four major universities in the vicinity: Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University (Not a typo or grammar mistake! Really, it's "Womans"!), Sogang University and Hongik University. You can probably already tell from the Hongik (known more commonly as 홍대 or "Hongdae"...even by English speakers) website that it's the artsy school. ^_^

The area around Hongdae especially has quite a bar and club scene - maybe the liveliest in Seoul. Even Beyonce had her after-party in Hongdae when she was touring in Seoul! However, as my friends know, this fact is so wasted on me, since I'm not much of a club or bar hopper in my advanced age (or ever, for that matter).

Still, no matter if you're ESL or not, artsy or not, I'm not sure I advocate naming a bar in this manner.



Er, I'm sure it's just a name...?

DMZ: In front of them all

Facing North Korea from the South Korean side of Panmunjeom, UN village between the two Koreas. The soldiers patrolling in the foreground are South Korean, but, if you look really closely, you can see a North Korean guard by the front door.

The Korean War armistice defined a military demarcation line (roughly, but not quite, the 38th parallel) that divides the Korean peninsula into North and South. The 2.5 mile area that surrounds this border line and runs coast to coast is called the demilitarized zone or DMZ - a buffer zone where no troops are allowed. Ironic, then, that the DMZ is considered the most heavily fortified border in the world. (doubly ironic, fun fact: it's also a terrific nature reserve because of the lack of human interference over the past 60 years...well, minus the land mines that are still rife throughout the DMZ, it would be more terrific!).

Where things lie.

Seoul is remarkably close to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) - only about 60 kilometers (40ish miles) - so I took the opportunity to go on a tour of the DMZ. You can only go on a tour of the area as part of an organized tour. DMZ tours are a big (and kinda creepy) tourist draw in South Korea, and so there are no shortage of tour groups. I decided to go with the USO. Maybe all tours get the same treatment, but on the USO tour we had a US Army Captain tour guide plus a South Korean "RoK" (Republic of Korea...but pronounced like "Rock!") soldier leading us around the U.N. village of Panmunjeom. Neat!

These little blue huts are right on the military demarcation line. Most of the North-South negotiations have occurred in the "neutral" ground of these trailer-like buildings in Panmunjeom. Both the North and South Korean sides are patrolled by the respective countries' soldiers, who surely must have stressful jobs!

So, for most of us in the "free" world, the Korean situation feels pretty hunky dory! 1953 was a long time ago, and South Korea is doing pretty well on all fronts (economic, social, and cultural - thanks, Samsung, Rain, and Korean soap operas!). But touring the DMZ makes you feel as if war could break out at any minute...and I suppose it could, given the fact that the war has not officially ended with a peace treaty. The South Korean RoK soldiers (and, as a matter of fact, those from the North plus the handful of US Army that remain there) thus consider themselves "in front of them all."

The reason why this guard is half-hidden behind the building is so that if a North Korean guard starts shooting at him, he at least has a good chance of having cover and time to draw his own weapon. Holy crap. I feel sorry for the one soldier (i.e., sitting duck) who stands between the two huts and has no cover at all.

There is a dress code to visit Panmunjeom (read: don't be a slob in front of the North Koreans). In case of close contact with North Korean guards, we were instructed not to wave or make funny gestures or look at them (apparently, they can use negative images of us as propaganda!!!). Tourists are not allowed to take pictures, like, anywhere. No snaps out of the bus window or even in the gift shop - you can only take pics where it is "authorized". I only got very few pictures of the day-long outing - you're basically looking at them here.

South Korea has mandatory military service for all male citizens. Apparently, the RoK soldiers assigned to DMZ (and especially Panmunjeom) duty must be tall (over 6 ft), in shape, and good (as well as tough!) looking, too. Call it intimidation factor. At least they get government-issued Ray Bans.

Some highlights of the tour included climbing down part of the Third Infiltration Tunnel. Discovered by the South in 1978, it was one of the (many!) tunnels dug by North Koreans in an attempt to attack Seoul well into the 1970s! They smeared black paint and coal on the limestone walls and said it was a coalmine!

Then there was seeing the giganto North Korean flag in a North Korean border village right across the DMZ. The thing is huge and has to be hauled down when it rains because it will rip under its own weight. Oh, and the village where it is located is a "show" village - relatively modern buildings, but no one works or lives in them.

Also, there was learning about the Axe Murder Incident of 1976 (wow, lots of things happened in the late 70's!) in which people basically died over chopping down a tree. Okay, it's more complicated than that and shouldn't be taken in such jest, but you just can't make this stuff up!

As in all things (South) Korean, there is a way of making everything - even the most intimidating and scary aspects of one's culture - look really cutesy.

The tour was super-interesting, and I'd highly recommend it if you're ever in Korea. More than anything, it makes you realized that the conflict between the two Koreas is very far from over, and maybe we should be more closer attention that we currently are.

Seoul Living: War Memorial of Korea

This statue, called "Brothers", represents two brothers - one fighting for the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and one fighting for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) - who are torn apart by the Korean war. Here, they meet in a field and embrace each other. I like the statue a lot, but can't help but think, "Hey, why is the South Korean soldier the older brother?"

A few weeks ago, I decided to visit the War Memorial of Korea (English website here, where the Ideal Korean Family does not look nearly as happy as they do here). There were the far share of outside memorial-type monuments, but the Memorial is, in fact, a museum. You know me and museums! And this was quite a good one!

The Korean War Memorial represents the separation of the two Koreas.

Although the museum technically covers the entire history of war on the Korean peninsula since the Joseon period (yeah, turtle ships!), it focuses a lot on the Korean War (1950-1953). (What would I do without Wikipedia, right?!?)

I've seen this before -it looks just like the monument of the Communist revolutionaries in China. Hmmm, interesting! This half of the monument represents the South Korean troops lookin' tough!

North Korean side of the patriotic fighters monument.

I get the feeling that most Americans sort of think of 20th Century History in terms of two wars: World War II ("Yay! We won!") and the Vietnam Conflict ("Boo, we lost!"). Somehow the Korean War gets lost in there. Sure, one could argue that was the only U.N. commanded war in history, but it isn't as if the US didn't send as many troops or just as many soldiers didn't die (check out the comparisons here). So that the WWII-Vietnam definition of the 20th century is so embedded in most Americans' minds while the Korean War is not leaves me a bit puzzled. Does it mean we were better at restoring "peace" on the Korean Peninsula? Does the success of South Korea (and relative nuttiness of the North Korean regime) justify the history of war in some way? I'm still trying to figure it out.

Outside the museum building, there are loads of old tanks, planes, and miscellaneous war vehicles from the Korean War. Most of the big stuff, like this plane, were US Air Force stock.

Technically, the Korean War has not ended formally, although recent happenings suggest that this might end. Indeed, to understand the origins, events, and aftermath of the Korean War is to understand just why North and South Korea - and much Northeast Asian domestic and international affairs - are the way they are today. Toss in a little bit the history of the Korea under Japanese rule (OMG, Wikipedia, what would I do without you?), and you'll understand much more.