Movie Season

It's that time of year where movies get good. Of course, I don't have time right now to watch movies, but that doesn't stop me from viewing trailers to see what's coming out and what I might like.

Imagine my surprise upon seeing a picture of an Asian man next to the button for the Green Lantern trailer. "WHOA," I thought. "We're finally getting an Asian lead in a major movie." I quickly clicked on the play button.

Imagine now my disappointment upon seeing that the lead wasn't Asian, but white, just like every other movie Hollywood produces. My disappointment wasn't too great, since it's Ryan Reynolds, but I was disappointed nonetheless.

I started going through my mind to determine how many minorities were in these major super hero action films. ... ... ... Halle Berry. Oh, and I guess Will Smith. ... ... ... There are others, but they're either villains or their roles aren't even memorable enough for me to know their characters' names.

I suppose I should celebrate the fact that Asians are no longer portrayed by a buck-toothed Mickey Rooney, and blacks are no longer relegated to the positions of household servants. I do recognize this, but I'm not satisfied by it. When do minorities play lead roles? When the role itself requires a minority, or is targeted to that minority population. I realize that the majority of America is still white. Census estimates whites at about 65%, Hispanics around 14%, blacks around 13%, and Asians around 5%. We mixies are about 2%. One would think that on the west coast, these Hollywood power houses could realize that there are other races running around.

The fact that a minority isn't playing the lead doesn't mean that I won't watch the movie. If it looks good, I'll watch it, and if it's any good, I'll enjoy it. Putting a minority as a lead probably won't garner more money, or turn a mediocre movie into a blockbuster. But, perhaps, if we put more minorities in lead roles, roles that could be filled by people of any race, all Asians wouldn't have to look alike. Perhaps blacks wouldn't have to be athletes. Perhaps minorities can be accepted as entrepreneurs, accountants, bums, doctors, farmers, heroes, jerks and nuns. Perhaps they wouldn't have to be placed in their predetermined roles.

Come on, Hollywood. Minorities can fill lead roles in films that don't involve kung-fu, barbershops or Disney. You have a whole color palette to work with; learn to use it.

September update

Fine, Austin, I'm posting. It's been a busy 8 months? Classes, finals, moving, boredom, work, boredom, and classes.

I finally got around to unpacking my last box this week. It was mainly driven by desperation; I had invited some friends over for Chuseok, and really needed to clear the boxes out so they wouldn't know the extent of my patheticness. The move was...interesting. I went from a furnished studio to an unfurnished one-bedroom, so most of my time was spent between looking on craigslist for furniture and visiting Home Depot so I could build my own. And to be honest, 'my own' didn't turn out quite so bad.

The first item on the list was a place to sleep. I decided on a platform bed. It arrived in pieces of wood, and wasn't that hard to put together. The problem was that the wood underneath was cheap particle-board, which would show since I decided to forgo a mattress in favour of a pad which I could fold up during the day. So I bought some contact paper, lined the boards, and also took the time to line the night-stand near the furnace, just to add some continuity to the room.

The next projects were my shelves. There isn't a lot of storage space in the house, since the fireplace takes up a large portion of one of my walls. So it was necessary to install, and on two occasions build, storage space in the form of shelves.

My last project was to find some more room for my clothes, since I still had two 'winter' boxes left over. Of course, 'winter' means coats, scarves, and sweaters. I managed to fit most of my sweaters onto a shelf in my closet, but I still had some long-sleeved shirts that needed a home. So with some creative engineering, I fashioned t-shirt cubbies out of pvc pipe & spray paint, freeing up some dresser space for the sleeved shirts.

So now I'm officially done with my unpacking, and in light of it all, I don't think I want to move for quite a while.

Travel Plans

Law school has many downsides. (Honestly, at this point, I'm having trouble thinking of many upsides.) You go from being top of your class to hoping you're in the upper 50%, but not really knowing. You start to realize that you're squinting a lot more. You read not til the wee hours in the morning, but to when 'real worlders' are getting up to take showers. Most of all, though, unless you're independently wealthy or your parents are ridiculously wealthy and crazy generous, you don't really have much disposable income. So I don't know if I'll even be able to head anywhere this summer, much less anytime in the next 2 1/2 years, and my K-Deutsch friends aren't helping my any bit. :)

Anna posted pictures of Heidelberg and Hamburg. And I facebook stalked Tanya's brother and went through his whole Germany album. And I WAS JEALOUS. I miss the quaint red-roofed houses, and the gothic cathedrals, and the rustic mountains. I miss armour-filled castles and schnitzel and real bratwurst. But then I miss...Koreanness: serene, sloped-roofed temples, mountaintop fortress walls and towering apartment skylines; I miss $5 비빔밥 and 소주집 and 떡복기 at midnight.

So, the question is, what's going to be at the top of my list in 2.5 years? Will it be Korea? Or Germany? For me, they're both D-land.. heh heh. Or...are we going to go with Africa to fulfill noraebang dreams? I'm accepting votes.

Finals schminals

I love lists. And now, I'm prepared to unveil my list of the Top 10 Things I'd rather be doing than studying for finals!

10. Write a stupid blog about it.














9. Label my tab dividers















8. Express myself artistically

7. Sleep















6. Pop antacids




















5. Drink tea




















4. Drink coffee





















3. Buy Christmas gifts for family and friends














2. Buy Christmas gifts for numero uno















1. Not study for finals!

Further education

I've survived five weeks of law school, and the difference it's made in me is unbelievable. I've been cold-called in every single one of my classes, including once for a reading I hadn't done. After the mortification dissipated, I was able to look back and laugh. Or at least manage a watery smile...

But I know that the lessons I've learned are life-changing.

LRW has taught me more than I ever want to know about Michigan's fireman's rule.

Contracts has taught me that no good deed goes unpunished.

Torts has taught me two things. First, yes, people are as stupid as we joke about them being. Second, people are out to get me.

Crim Law has taught me that I need to read ahead. Or at least have more plausible excuses for not reading. Even better, though, I've learned that people can and will empathize with killers who murder and eat me on the high seas.

Civ Pro... I've learned that... well... Peterson gets really animated on Pennoyer.

But most importantly, I've learned that I should never put anything self-incriminating or self-deprecating online, including Facebook and my blog, at the risk that it will reflect badly on me when future employers see it. That said, this is a joke and I've REALLY REALLY REALLY learned a lot about everything I have to know to become a really successful student, intern and lawyer. Also, I'm really smart and I'm only getting smarter. Furthermore, I'm a really hard worker and I learn from my mistakes; I'm actually a lesson ahead in Crim Law. Hire me!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

As you may remember, it's been years since the first time you put 'necessities' in my stocking: deodorant, floss, lotion, and the like. And the whole of my college years involved my 'big present' consisting of a pile of textbooks. I've taken these developments with grace, only slightly ruing my waning adolescence. And, now that I've completed my second day of school, I think it's time to fully embrace my adulthood by foregoing all pretensions of a happy Christmas. Thus I present this year's list.


School supplies

• 7 6-packs of highlighters, rainbow colours
• 6 3-packs of yellow, orange and pink highlighters
• 3 3-packs of yellow highlighters

Health and Beauty

• 1 free pass to optometrist of my choosing for a new prescription
• 2 new lenses for my glasses
• 1 year's supply of contact lenses

Grocery

• 3 bags of gourmet coffee [OR] 1 espresso maker
• 3 bottles of Tylenol PM (gelcaps, thank you)

Household

• 3 2-packs 60-watt "soft white" non-halogen light bulbs for desk lamp

Automotive

• directions to a medical center that will pay for blood, plasma, ova, kidneys, whatever

Any remaining quantities of Christmas magic can be applied to:

• 1 Canon EOS macro lens [AND/OR]
• 1 Canon EOS wide-angle lens [AND/OR]
• 1 Canon EOS telephoto zoom lens

In exchange for above services, as well as any other required services*, I will continue to believe in you for approximately one year. The fulfillment of your services will not be deemed complete until the items are in my possession (under my tree).


Sincerely,

Monica Kim


*I reserve the right to change this list. This right will expire at 11:59:59 PM EST on 23 December, 2009, giving you a minimum of 24 hours to comply with any changes.

As cosignor AND transit company CEO, you are compelled to certify that reindeer are fed only 'organic' magic oats, as per WFGO rule 17. Also, it is your responsibility to comply with regulations and statutes established by Congress, the FAA and DoD while in American airspace. You are hereby warned that you are on the radar and non-compliance can result in a trial in Federal court or by military tribunal.

Elven labour must be conducted in a 'sweat-free' environment, as per NP statute 24 s. 49(a)(ii). Failure to comply can result in a $2500 fine and up to 10 months in jail.

Today's post

Finally. I'm getting to today's post. Which, after three hours of typing and editing, is technically yesterday's post. But I'm going to call it today's post.

Today, I had my first day of Orientation. Which is quite marvelous, because it took me less than 45 minutes to prepare for it. This includes showering, outfit-choosing, and make-up. Amazing.

I'm a member of Section 14. Sounds like some secret government agency. Sections 11, 12 & 13 are each composed of 100+ students, but luckily for me, Section 14 is much smaller. Oh happy day.

During orientation, Dean Lawrence was talking. I spent most of my time listening fairly attentively, but something really caught my attention. He was talking about how to survive our 1L, and he got on the topic of our drive. What's driving us as students? What will drive us as lawyers? Money? Prestige? Power? Position?

Then he said something that gave me a moment of panic. Ever since I took a law school prep course a few days ago, I've been feeling a little overwhelmed, a little panicky. There's so much I don't know that I'll be expected to know. For once, I may not be one of the smartest people in my group. Can I handle disappointing myself? I'm completely unprepared for this. Can I earn a GPA that will maintain my scholarship? WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?

His words made it worse. He said, "Remember why you decided to study law."

I took my LSAT for the first time in 2006. Since then, I've graduated college, got a job, moved to a different country, met a boy. So much has happened, yet in the back of my mind, law school has always lingered. It's just always been 'the next step.' It's been what's been expected of me, and what I've expected myself to do. Last year, I wondered if it was really the right path for me, but I brushed aside those queries because it had been, for so long, 'the next step.'

And he told me to remember why I decided to study law, and I asked myself why I decided to study to law and I realized what I had known in the back of my mind for a very long time: that I couldn't answer that question.

Thankfully, he answered the question. He reminded me that it wasn't the money, the prestige, or the power (although, admittedly, those are certainly some perks). He reminded me what that naive idealist had thought three years ago: it's a means to do something good. And now, just a little more knowledgeable, a little less naive, I know that I can still do something good.

I just have to remember why I decided to study law.

What I love about America

Yet another list compiled on the plane.


10 July

Now that I've listed the things I’ll miss about Korea, I think it’s fair to go into things I’m super excited about in the US.

• Obviously I’m excited about seeing my family and friends, and Fat Tommy.
• Heterogeneity: It goes past seeing only black hair and black eyes. I’m so excited about the variety in the US. In Korea, you hear one K-pop song non-stop for two months, or you see a shirt that a character wore on a popular TV drama EVERYWHERE. The US isn’t fadless, but the difference in styles and the individuality is more noticeable.
• Fitting in while remaining different: In a similar vein, it’ll be great to not be abnormal anymore. It’s not that only that I look different because of my mixed ethnicity. It’s that I dress differently and (thank God!) act differently. If I ever fall into cute sissy girl mode, please, just shoot me.
• Food: Mexican, pit barbecue, and real cheese.
  
• Beer: Tasty beer that doesn’t cost 10 bucks. I think a Guinness & Bass half’n’half is in good order.
• English: English, English, English, this mother tongue that I’ve missed so much. Korean’s not so bad, but it’ll be nice to read something and not have to translate it.

20 August

Now, to make one special note. In Korea, it's easy to make fun of Koreans. Especially the people who are my age, since they should really know better. The women, and men, are kinda sissies. Women pretend to be wusses to "cute-ify" themselves in front of their boyfriends. You can always tell when a woman is on the phone with a man because her voice will go 4 pitches higher and she'll giggle a lot more. Men...I'm not sure if they really are stronger than the women. They certainly lack any muscle tone to disprove my theories. I'm ok with metro guys. But they're not metro; they're just pretty boys. And usually mama's boys. *I'm talking about popular culture; there are still a few sensible people running around.*

I couldn't wait to get back to the US, where people are normal.

Back here, after one week in the law school dorm, I realize that American 20-somethings are pretty stupid, too. These are all people with at least bachelor's degrees, yet they act like morons. Apparently neither their parents nor their Greek siblings taught them how to hold their liquor, because I've heard drunken bellowing almost every night. Inside and outside of my apartment building. And let's not even get started on, like, those totally weird accents, and, ya know, like, those weird space fillers that predominantly, ya know, women tend to interject into, like, their speech? Or, ya know, to end everything with, like, a question mark? Like it's a question, even though it's a statement?

[Let me do some social commentary here, too. In Korea, the older people get drunk and act like morons. This is because they're higher up in the hierarchy and they've 'earned' the right to act stupid and people shouldn't call them out on it. The younger people, while drunk, don't act like idiots (at least in the presence of the older ones). Contrast that to the US, where younger people get drunk and act like morons. Here, instead, the mindset is that they're young and stupid and haven't learned how to properly conduct themselves in public settings. Older people are more cultured and have wisened up enough to realize that such behaviour is inappropriate.

Let me conclude. In each culture, there are sufficient numbers of people who live down to society's expectations of their stupidity to make my generalizations valid.]

Moving on. Korean 20-somethings, I apologize. I ridiculed you for your silliness. While that was perfectly legitimate, well-grounded and just, I was wrong in ethnocentrically thinking that 20-somethings in my culture aren't as silly as you. In fact, they are. What I've come to realize through this mental debacle is that I'm more mature than other people my age. I rock.

Korea unforgotten

I'm on a roll here. Like butter. Unfortunately, as per, I managed to...defer...my blogging until I had a sizable pile. Since I want to do these chronologically, I had to type some up as I went along (the last Korealists), and I have to finish these before I actually get to "today's."

So, yet another list, this time of things I miss about Korea. I actually typed this up on my Word processor on the plane, so...it's pretty old.

10 July
I was supposed to have written this before. Unfortunately, there were extenuating circumstances that prevented me from doing so. I've been really busy in the last two months: we had a demo lesson in mid-June, which meant that the first two weeks of June were spent preparing it. After that, my time was spent getting my documents together, as well as dealing with a fiasco between my school and our real estate agent over my housing. It was a mess. With school over, my last 9 days in July were spent meeting people, conquering a mountain, and transferring funds between bank accounts. And I’ve been internetless. Survival was doubtful for awhile. In a word, Hectic.

Let's move on. Things I'll miss about Korea. I’ve gathered a few lists, and I’ve lost just as many. So I spent a few minutes of my plane ride developing a new list of things that I’m going to miss about Korea. (It’s about 1am Korea time here, and a large percent of the plane is asleep. I accidentally put my earphone jack into the microphone outlet, and turned my mute off. It was loud. oops hehe)

There’s no particular order to this, with the exception of numbers one and two.

1. 김대용: He was definitely the hardest to leave. For days, I’ve been crying every time I thought about him (I never witnessed a single tear come from his eyes, but he called when I was boarding and I could hear the tears in his voice). He’s the most gentle, affable, contented and patient man that I know. I know I don’t deserve him, but somehow I got lucky.
2. My “family” and friends: There are so many wonderful people, I can’t even begin to go through them all. Some have already left, while others I’m leaving. I just hope that we can stay in touch so that we can meet up when I return to Korea. Or so, wherever they might live in the world, I have a sofa to sleep on if I come a-knockin.
   
3. Food: Korean food is, in my unbiased opinion, one of the best cuisines in the world (along with Indian, Thai & German. yum). There are so many things that one might miss about Korean food: 닭갈비, 떡만두국 when fighting a cold, 삼계탕 or 콩국수 on a hot summer day, or my favourite black sesame seed cereal. And need I mention fruits? I’ll never eat watermelon or strawberries with the same gusto. Luckily, mom & dad have Korean pears and persimmon growing in their garden. Perhaps what I’ll miss the most, though, even more than 한식 or 김밥, is a simple snack of 떡복기 순대 at midnight from the cart outside.
4. 술: What’s food without drink? Most gyopo Koreans think soju when they think Korean drink. I’ll admit I’m not a big fan. During my tenure, I tried to sample the traditional drinks, and think that I’ve experienced a fair bit. Give me a bottle of 백새주, 복분자 or a bowl of 막걸리, and I’ll be super happy. And bamboo wine, with its spicy cinnamoniness, is a new flavor that I doubt I’ll find outside of Korea.
5. Wonderful places: Seoul is home, but need I admit that Seoraksan tops the list of places to take a short holiday? Beautiful scenery, great exercise, 20 minutes from the beach, and rife with happy memories… Another thing I’ll really miss is seeing Namsan Tower. To me, that defines Seoul. Seoul is not Seoul without those beautiful lights piercing the haze. Also, Jeollado, with its rolling hills and farmland, and down-to-earth natural people -- it's weird knowing that I can't hop on a train for a weekend trip to that rustic area.
6. Urbanity: Officetels, where I head downstairs to the 24-hour convenience store at 2am to buy toilet paper. 100 Mb/s internet connection at $40 a month, instead of 30 Mb/s connection at $60/month, like the US. Mobile reception EVERYWHERE. It’s great sending a picture to friends of a mountain conquest…at 1700 metres. Obviously I wouldn’t feel this way if I didn’t live in the Seoul MA. [after being in the US for a month, cell phone reception is driving me nuts!! And yes, everything closes by 10pm, even 'convenience' stores]
   
7. Low medical costs: I got quality medical care without getting robbed. Wicked.
8. Low crime rates: This didn’t really come to mind immediately, but I think it’s something that I’ve grown to take for granted. Leaving my purse at the table while I grab my coffee or walking through a low-traffic area at night just doesn’t scare me anymore. I guess I should change that attitude pronto, before I get mugged.
9. Speed cameras: What a simple, effective solution to speeding. Now, if I'm correct in assuming that the purpose of a speed limit is to lower accidents/fatalities/injuries, and not to increase any slush funds, the idea of speed cameras is perfect. In Korea, they place cameras in dangerous areas, and warn drivers about the cameras with pretty yellow signs. The driver slows to the appropriate speed, and once the danger area is passed, speeds back up. Simple. Efficient. Purposeful. Contrast that to the US, where tax dollars are wasted with cops sitting in gas-guzzlers, gunning down speeders. Instead they could be walking the beat, assuring citizens that their neighbourhoods are protected and watched after by a thoughtful and caring police force, building repoire with their communities, and deterring crime simply by their presence. Even worse are speed traps, but I'm not going to mention slush funds again because that's unfair.
   
10. Movie theater seating: I don't care how much a movie theater "hypes" up a movie by making people wait in line, WE NEED THIS! How stupid is it to arrive at a theatre 4 hours early? Or to have to sit apart from one's friends because there aren't seats together? Just let me pick my seat when I buy a ticket, because my time is more valuable than a line, and if I can't share overpriced popcorn with people I care about, I don't want to spend 10 bucks on a ticket.
    
11. Restaurant simplicities: I loved getting a buzzer when I went to a coffee shop. But what can top that? A service bell on the restaurant table, so I can buzz the server. I don't have to waste the server's time, and the server doesn't have to waste mine. Culinary bliss.

Now that I'm back in the US, let me go ahead an add some more as they come to me.

• Electronic selection: I'm sorry, Best Buy, you're just not what I need at this point in my life. All I want is a simple outlet converter. $2, maybe $3. Just a 220 to 110 volt. I don't need the $20 international switch-out-the-gadget-roo premium pack. And if I want a wire to connect my DS with my PC, you should have it. And seriously, nobody in the US makes car stereo faces that play off of SD memory cards? Who wants a flash drive sticking out, ready to stab somebody in the eye? Also, no, iPod is NOT the only music/video player available. I miss Yongsan.
• Did I already mention DaeYong?
• Public transit ease: Maybe it's just DC. I want metro busses that have their major stops written on the bus. Or at least at the bus stop. Or somewhere besides a massive online .pdf. I wanna know where these things are going before I get on them.
  

Korealist 2009: my accomplishments and my deferments

I'd hate to think that I can fail at anything. Rumour has it that I can, but I beg to differ. Therefore, I'd prefer if everyone think of my failures as...deferments. To be accomplished next time I go to Korea.

So, to recap the list:

1. Tour the three Seoul palaces I haven't yet visited: 창덕궁, 창경궁, & 경희궁
On 24 May, D & I went to 창덕궁, and on 27 June, Anna & I did a quick walk-thru (it was hot, and there was nothing significant there!) of 경희궁. 창경궁 is deferred.

2. Climb Mt. Bukhan
Done

3. Watch a Bears baseball game in Jamsil
Done. Twice.

4. Watch an Ilhwa soccer game.
Deferred. Might be exchanged for Seoul FC.

5. Buy a nice camera a whole day wandering around Seoul, taking pictures.
I bought the nice camera, and I've wandered around Seoul (and other areas) multiple times, but I never got quite the picture that I wanted (a clear shot of N. Seoul Tower at night). So defer the N. Seoul Tower shot til next time.

6. See the giant free-standing Buddha on Songnisan.
Deferred.

7. See the parted waters in Jindo.
I went. I walked. I waded. I wondered.

8. Actually visit Busan.
Done.

9. Actually visit Japan.
Technically, I stopped in Tokyo on a layover. Does that count? If not, deferred.

10. Eat live octopus
Done.

11. Do my taxes in August.
I don't think I technically have to do my taxes, since I didn't make any money in the US. I guess I'll find out when the IRS comes knocking.

12. See Dokdo
Deferred.

13. Visit the folk village in Yongin.
I'm still not sure if this should have been a priority. I just kinda threw it on cuz it's one of those things you're supposed to do. But, ok, deferred.

14. Master past tense
I may have forgotten it, but done.

15. Learn future tense
Ditto on 14

16. Buy a new mp3 player.
I wasn't sure if my phone would work with a US carrier (it doesn't) so I never actually did this while in Korea. But happily, my dad doesn't know how to use the one I bought for his birthday last year, so my mom "gave" it to me. Preloaded with the Eagles and Air Supply. Sweet. It's the gift that keeps giving.

17. Buy external memory
Done. And it's almost kinda full.

18. See the Zen Rocks in northern Seoul
Done.

19. Visit Seodaemun Prison
Done

So, the grand total

Done: 10
Deferred: 4
Questionable / halfsies: 3
Totally unnecessary in retrospect: 2

And, I managed to squeeze in two extras that I didn't list, but should have: 두륜산, and...

대청봉! @ 1708 metres


Those that have been deferred/halfsie'd will be composing Korealist: 20_ _. Here are some other early frontrunners that may make the cut:

• Conquer Mt. Jiri, SK's tallest mountain
• Scan Jeju's beauty from atop Mt. Halla
• Photograph a sunset from Taean Coastal park
• Actually go somewhere in Gangwon-do that ISN'T Seoraksan
• Check out Gyeongsangdo, which I heartlessly ignored over the last two years (this includes forcing HaKyung to redo Sobaeksan just for the fun of it^^)

Korealist 2009: 19

19: visit Seodaemun Prison

Oops. This is really late, since I've been in the US for over a month. But so are the next two posts, so it's not that bad.

On 27 June Anna & I checked out Seodaemun Prison, and I still remember how I felt. The English descriptions were a little bit funny; it would say what a certain document is, and apparently the English-speaker is supposed to know its significance, etc. Since we've all taken university-level courses on occupation-era Korean history?

Of course the creepiest part was walking through the sections with the figurines undergoing torture. I decided that that'd be the perfect place for a haunted sleepover dare. But I think the worst exhibit was where they were torturing a female prisoner; they were doing the 'shove the needle under the fingernail' that really grosses me out everytime I think about it. I had seen it in a movie and it had grossed me out then, and as I type I'm getting a little nauseous thinking about it.

Anna really puts the horrors of the prison into perspective in this rather candid photo

Korealist 2009: 8, 10

8: Actually visit Busan

This is one of those on-the-beaten track places that hides some of those off-the-beaten track sites. Unfortunately, I didn't hit any of those. This was a purely tourist-trap trip.

KyungHee managed to find a tour package for 80,000원, which is actually cheaper than train tickets. The tour covers a temple, Haeundae Beach, an island, and THE FISH MARKET. Not being too thrilled about exploring Busan (I wish I had read its background before, but it's too late now), I accepted the idea of being herded like cattle without sacrificing too much of my dignity.

So I woke up at 5:50am (actually, I jumped out of bed because the sun was shining brightly and I thought I had slept through my alarm) and speed-dressed. KyungHee was going to pick up the bus at her stop then call me when the bus reached my stop. Around 6:20 she texted that she's getting on the bus, and it would be around 5 minutes. So I ran out of the house (forgetting jacket and sunglasses) and around 6:25 I got on the bus. Apparently, it was the wrong one, and we didn't end up meeting up til we arrived at Seoul Station.

How long had it been since I had eaten a fast-food restaurant breakfast? A long time, and it gave me a stomachache. Eating my Burger King croissanwich and tater tots, I suddenly had visions of McGriddles floating through my mind, even though I think I've only eaten it once. A glimpse of Napoleon Dynamite, too, but the McGriddles stole the spotlight.

We arrived in Busan after an uneventful train ride. The first place we headed to was 용궁사, or Dragon Palace Temple. I like to mix some culture and history into my trips, so this to me was the redeeming part of the Busan trip. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let-down; the name is way cooler than the temple itself.. Rebuilt during the Japanese occupation, it was rather new and flavourless. Nonetheless, I guess it was good to experience a modern-style temple, although I infinitely prefer the older ones. Also, it's the only temple that's right on the ocean.

in front of Dragon Palace Temple

We hit Haeundae (해운대, or 海雲臺). 海 means sea; 雲 means cloud; and 臺 means I have no idea. I looked up the hanja and came up with three definitions: heights, support, or typhoon. Take your pick. Height makes sense, since Choi ChiWon's rock carving (from which the beach gets its name) is on a hill; typhoon can make sense since it's on the beach. I'm going to go ahead an risk ruling out 'support' though.

It was rather cold, and I didn't have any beach materials, so it wasn't that exciting for me. We walked up the beach a bit, then went inland to see if we could find a decent pair of sunglasses (my eyes have been really sensitive to light lately). No dice, so we walked around a bit more before getting on the bus for the island.

KyungHee on Haeundae Beach

About 15 minutes away, and perhaps 1 kilometre, was 동백섬 (Camellia Island). Actually, it's more appropriately called 동백공원, as land reclamation has turned it into a peninsula. It was a nice walk, and we got to see Nurimaru House, the sight of the 2005 APEC Summit. Even better, though was the Tarzan bridge: a reinforced jungle bridge constructed of fresh wood with steel bars. A girl was trying to be an "urban" Korean girl (aka SISSY!) by pretending to be scared of the bridge and KyungHee started making fun of her rather loudly. It was funny.

Nurimaru House, with 광안 Bridge on the left

Last stop: 자갈치 시장. Which, of course, brings us to:

10: Eat live octopus

We bought it, and I splashed on the sesame oil and ate it. It was good while eating it, but I think it's one of those things that you experience once in your life, enjoy, and never do again. The suctions would latch onto my mouth, and a few times it kind of hurt. And one has to chew a lot to make sure the tentacles don't attach to one's throat, and I feel a little sick when I have to chew raw octopus too much.

they were sticking to the chopsticks

Korealist 2009: 2

2: Climb Mt. Bukhan

7 June, 2009

Did the hike, took the pictures.

D, Elli & I left bright and early (no joke!) for Bukhansan. After getting conned by a parking lot operator (we paid 5,000 on a side lot instead of free in the park lot), we started the trek up. It wasn't bad, and the view was nice from the top. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see much, but we did glimpse the north part of Seoul to the south and Uijeongbu to the northeast.

We had a nice jog down, using a different, less accessed and more scenic route.

On Bukhansan there are the newly-renovated remains of Bukhansanseong (North Mountain Fortress); we deemed it proper to head to Namhansanseong (South Mountain Fortress), where we grilled burgers for dinner. Yum!

at the summit marker

D & Elli looking towards Uijeongbu

Korealist 2009: 18

18: See the Zen Rocks in northern Seoul

끝. Sammi and I headed to 독립문 Station today to see the strange Zen Rocks. Running late, I caught a cab and got the added benefit of seeing Dongnimmun "Independence" Gate, ironically named, as it was built during occupation.

We began the long, hot trek up 인왕산. There was a map at the base, but we were a bit too preoccupied (searching for a washroom) to notice it. So we just continued uphill, not realizing what we were looking at until we returned and found the map.

This was by far one of the most conflicting visits I've ever been on. This whole area is rife with the conflict: modernity vs. tradition. Although it is a Buddhist area, and the rocks are 'Zen Rocks,' it's a place where shamanism is actively practiced.

Temples, while serene, have to me never conflicted with modernity. I guess because 1) in my mind, Buddhism is an enlightened religion; 2) it has survived into modernity and 3) monks with glasses, cell phones and cars aren't uncommon.

However, shamanism is different. To me, it represents the animalistic, the id, the Dark Ages. It is a pre-modernity religion that didn't survive industrialisation; it's a supernaturally-based religion that didn't survive the move towards reason; Asia's shamanism is England's paganism with one exception: paganism is essentially dead, while shamanism is dying. Granted, it is making a slight comeback, but that's due only to the swing of the pendulum, when people decide that emphasising old traditions and preserving nationalist practices are important.

Also, I remember stories from my mother's childhood about the shaman rituals. She told of one woman who, babbling continuously, danced on the edge of a sword without getting cut. She said that even as a kid, she felt like she was in the presence of something evil. Even though, in post-war Korea where she often had to skip meals, these rituals offered free food, she avoided them because they creeped her out.

So it was conflicting, leaving modern Seoul and walking up that mountain, void of the decent trails normally found in parks, listening to the gongs; seeing people traipsing around in brightly-coloured hiking garb, then a man praying in a pure-white silk robe; stumbling up the rugged, neglected paths, then turning around and seeing skyscrapers and high-rise apartments, expertly designed and built to a myriad of blueprints.

A man praying alone on a rock outcropping

I'll admit, heading up the mountain towards the shrine was a little spooky to me. I don't know if it's my mother's stories, or just the mysticism that surrounds the place. The people we came across didn't help me feel better; it was like some Twilight Zone episode, where you keep running into weird people. The man who was either sleeping, praying or drunk; the man who was shooting birds with a slingshot; the man who just stood around and stared at us (Sammi and I separately thought to ourselves that he might try to murder us). It wasn't until we were leaving the area that the creepiness left. Maybe it was the mountain releasing us; maybe it was the spirits leaving us; maybe it was all psychological and the western guys we ran into made the whole undeveloped spooky place feel a little less foreign.

Contrasting the id vs. the ego; the animalistic vs. the civilized; the supernatural vs. the enlightened; the obsolete vs. the modern -- enjoying the serenity and beauty of the natural scene, while being haunted by the ghosts of my mother's childhood -- this was my trip to 인왕산.

That said, I can't wait to visit again. Though I heard it, some strange magic intervened and I couldn't see the elusive shaman ritual in all of its mystical glory. I want to witness it.

But even better, who's up for a camping trip there and telling ghost stories?

Korealist 2009: 20

There is no number 20 on Korealist 2009, but there should have been.

So here's the honorary 20: Conquer Duryunsan.

Last year, I traveled to Jeollanamdo and visited a temple called Daeheungsa, located on Duryunsan. story here. I wanted to climb the mountain, but the monk with whom I was speaking told me not to go, since it would soon be sundown and he didn't want me to get hurt. However, I rather obstinately (and I suppose in character) told him that I would go quickly and return unharmed.

It was late afternoon when I left the temple and hit the trail to Duryun Peak, and sometimes it was a little difficult to see the trail with the little light that filtered through the dense trees. However, I did manage to reach the ridgeline.

the ridgeline where I had to turn back

That was as far as I got. I knew I had to go back down, still 330 metres short of my goal. Even then, it was a little dangerous going down in the twilight.

Last weekend, over one year later, I conquered my peak. And then some. In the company of friends -- Daeyong, Elli and Sharon -- we started up the trail a little after noon, giving us plenty of time for our trek. This time the ridgeline yielded much more to see; instead of a bluish haze, we could see the South Sea, dotted with islands. Unfortunately, no glimpse of Jeju-do.

the ridgeline...again

After we reached Duryun Peak (630 metres), we went back to the ridgeline, and decided that we had enough energy to climb Garyeon Peak (703 metres).

weird pose...but I'm there!

I hate starting things and not finishing them. Now I have closure.

Korealist 2009: 3

3: Watch a Bears baseball game in Jamsil

Done, and done. I decided to give myself an early birthday present, so I picked a game against Doosan's rivals, the SK Wyverns. The Bears delivered, with a 15-2 win.

Idiots on a bus

My trip gave me a chance to reflect on some of my very, very wrong conceptions of Western and Korean society. Let me just start out with a disclaimer that no matter where one is from nor how much one tries to prevent it, ethnocentrism will creep into one's mindset when living abroad. It's just too easy to compare cultures and to remember "how good it was" back home.

When I'm walking around, getting the one-arm shove, being stared at, or hearing people clear their noses (through their throats) at a dinner table, I often slip into the mindset that I come from such a courteous, conscientious culture. When that happens, the easy way to return to reality is to swallow a dose of "we think we're still in college," a.k.a. a group of 20-30 year-olds. Might I suggest a festival?

Large festivals will definitely draw expats. This is great for expats who want to experience a facet of their host country's culture, but also can leave distasteful memories when they fail to conduct themselves in a respectable manner. This reflects badly on Westerners, but Americans in particular; even if the individuals are Australian or Swedish, the automatic assumption to the untrained Korean ear is that any white person speaking English (or, sometimes, any foreign tongue) is American.

It was on the bus from Mokpo to Jindo. There was a group of three people; two were Australian, and one, I think, was British. Thank God I don't have to claim any of them! We have enough imbeciles giving us a bad rep.

I had decided to avoid them the moment I saw one of them boarding the bus with a half-empty soju bottle. Unfortunately for me, there were precious few empty seats when I boarded. They took 3 of the 5 back seats, leaving two empty. I didn't care if my avoiding them would offend them; the last thing I wanted was to be bathing in vomit. I wisely took a seat in a row cattycorner to them.

True to form, they proved to be overly loud, obnoxious, overbearing and ethnocentric. Not only did they lack any form of volume control, but they even sang on a bus. SANG. I cringed during the silence between my songs when I heard them.

I debated for awhile whether to confront them or not. I was sure they were bothering the rest of the bus, but I didn't really want to create a loud conflict that would add 'violent' and 'aggressive' to Koreans' list of adjectives describing Westerners. So I swallowed my bile and sat in silence, and now I rather regret that. I wish I had asked them, politely, to lower their voices, just to prove that we're not all a crowd of drunken rabble-rousers. I'm ashamed to admit that my courage failed me.

Why would they get drunk and get on a bus? Did they not see what problems that would pose? It was only noon, for crying out loud!

Cue in the waegugin factor. Often, foreigners can get away with things that Koreans can't get away with. Sometimes we get extra services. Sometimes, a cop won't prevent you from jaywalking, just because of a language barrier. Sometimes you can have seats to yourself because people don't want to sit next to a foreigner.

But the waegugin factor cuts both ways. Sometimes we get ripped off just because we're foreign. Sometimes cops hone in on you because you're an easy target. All too often, people will stare at you, just because your hair is different, your skin is different, and you have a big nose.

Perhaps, in their minds, those three on the bus justified their behaviour because Koreans are heavy drinkers and do occasionally cause a ruckus in public places. But they must have forgotten that in a foreign country, they do, in fact, represent Western society, English-speakers, English teachers, and like I mentioned, Americans, regardless of their country of origin. Because no matter how educated a person is, or how objective a person tries to remain, one's perception of a people group will be formed by one's exposure to persons of that group.

It's time for us expats to recognize that we aren't as important as we think we are, we're not as immune as we think we are, and that we are held to a higher standard of behaviour because we are representatives of Western society, and our actions will influence Korean perceptions.

Korealist 2009: 7

7: See the parted waters in Jindo

I walked the ocean road in Jindo!


Each year, the ocean parts in Jindo, due to the moon's influence on ocean currents, etc. But the mythical version is so much more fun.

Centuries ago, Jindo was full of tigers. One day, Jindo's inhabitants decided to sail a raft across a narrow inlet to the island of Modo. Unfortunately, they left dear old Grandmother Bbong to be eaten alive by the tigers.

Grandmother prayed to the Dragon King to be reunited with her family. The Dragon King told her to cross the rainbow to Modo. When she went to the sea, there was an arced passageway leading to Modo. She began to cross, but in her haste and excitement, she was overcome. Her family, also discovering the passageway, rushed to her, and she died in their arms, happy to be reunited.

The nice thing about legends is that you never have to include reality: why didn't the island's inhabitants learn how to swim instead of living there for years? how could you leave Grandma behind? why would Grandma want to be reunited with the people who deserted her? But as I said, you never have to even consider these things; it's a legend.

Korealist 2009: 14, 15 & 17

14: Master past tense
15: Learn future tense

Done! The grammatical structure isn't exactly unbearable; my main task now is to actually pick up the vocabulary necessary to carry on a conversation beyond "Have you eaten [fill in the meal]?" and "What did you eat?" and "What will you eat for [fill in the meal]?" that not-so-surprisingly comprises a great deal of Korean conversation.

17: 320 gigs; 115,000원. I find it frustrating that the won button on my computer doesn't work...

My favourite part by far is the fact that the little circles light up when I plug it in. Cooool

Big TVs

Yesterday, as I was walking home from school, I passed through AK Plaza. Usually, I take the stairs outside, but as my coworker was with me, I decided to go inside (she really likes to shop).

Periodically, the Plaza will have something akin to a sidewalk sale; vendors will take their sale items and display them at tables in the mall's hallways. Yesterday, one of the electronics vendors had a table set up in the main hall that runs from the east side to the west side of the building.

KyungHee was on my left, and so as we walked by I had a chance to see what was on the TVs. There were about 4 TVs on display, all with high-def screens. On two were some really pretty pictures. On the other two, though, was something different: apparently it was a movie.

The first glimpse I got was a between-the legs shot of a woman in a swimsuit as she lay tanning on a boat. First of all, might I point out what a curious film choice that is in a public setting where people of all ages may see it?

Second, it was interesting that four ajeossis were standing around these two TVs, their eyes unabashedly glued to the screens. I'm sure they were only admiring the picture quality, which obviously couldn't be admired on the other two TVs.

Noticing the men, I quickly pointed it out to KyungHee. We both started laughing. And curse my slowness! By the time I managed to pull my phone out of my pocket to take a picture, there were people in the way of perhaps the best shot of my life! At least one of the funniest shots of my life.

Being Korean, KyungHee did what I, as a representative of Western society, couldn't do: she pointed and started talking about them as loudly as she could in order to attract attention to these four 'gentlemen,' possibly hoping to shame them into tucking their..tails between their legs and going home to their wives?

Which brings me to wonder: could I actually be filmed in that type of a scene? Not necessarily a swimsuit shot, but the camera angle on that was a little risque. I don't think I can. The thought of three types of people watching a scene with me would deter me:

1) my mom. I can only imagine the response I would get from her.

2) my grandmothers. How perfectly horrifying!

3) old men and middle school boys. Need I say more?