Korea...friends

First a tribute to Korea and then a tribute to the friends made in Korea!!! We love you guys!! Thanks for making our time here so special!!

Korea...a video tribute

We just made a five minute video to pay tribute to all that Korea is....hope you enjoy it!!

The Horror that is Yellow

Korea has been wonderful. We have experienced beautiful people, amazing food, stunning places, and a society that is crime free and efficient. Sounds like a fantastic place, doesn't it? Well, let me tell you, it is.

So far (and were down to our last month here) we have had no major complaints. Sure there has been the odd Korean man or woman, who seems to have been suffering from xenophobia, and has treated us differently, but these could also have simply been horrible individuals, and let's be quite honest here, they exist everywhere.

I now have a major complaint. And the horrible thing is that it's not actually a complaint that I can share with anyone for the hope of it being remedied. It's a complaint that bothers me every morning, and no matter how much I complain and throw my toys, this complaint will arise every year for the forseable future. The complaint: Yellow Dust.

Kitsch Korean Art

Modern day Korea is kitsch and much of the art in Korea is also kitsch yet I wouldn't have it any other way.


Any attraction on Korea is bound to have photo opportunities, places where you can stand by hearts and be cute. Being cute is a very important quality in Korea.....its something I struggle with; I have never been good at batting my eyes. There are also bounds of abstract art things I don't quite understand.

Here's an update

Wow, things have been crazy and now is the first time I have a chance to update you on the situation.

My dream was to go to Korea and have one-year without any drama. A year of fun and awesomeness. Yes, a gap year.

Unfortunately, life doesn't quite work that way.

Jimjilbang......naked and steamy

Yay, I finally found enough courage to go to a Jimjilbang! I have been toying with the idea since we got here eight months ago but was super nervous. I also didn't want to go alone! Yikes!

So, what am I talking about! A jimjilbang is were Koreans let everything (and I mean everything) loose and relax. How exactly do they do this? Well, they get naked and relax in steaming hot baths of course!

Yip...now you know why I was so scared! Being naked in a room full of strangers sounds like a nightmare but in reality it was empowering and relaxing!

The most difficult thing about the whole experience was actually mustering up enough courage to drop my pants and just get on with it. Once everything was off and I was standing in the locker room in all my glory, I realised that no-one even blinked an eye! Relief set in.....phew!

Lauren (who was just as nervous as me) and I went to Dragon Hill which is a famous Jimjilbang in Korea and is apparently one of the best in Seoul. Go big or go home! We went big.

The entrance to Dragon Hill

So, let me set the scene for you! 

We arrive, we are spotted as being outsiders (surprise surprise) so one of the admin ladies takes it upon herself to help us. She explains how a Jimjilbang works and where all the good stuff is (I will get to that later). She also tells us several times that we are allowed on the third and second floor. We must not go to another floor (unless we want a whole bunch of penis in our face....no thanks!).

So we take our shoes off and head to the correct floor. We walk into a very large dressing room with naked women everywhere. Heart is pounding. Doof Doof Doof. Pants come off. Sigh of relief! Phew! OK, now what...well, we had to walk past the reception  area with nothing but a towel. And I am not talking about a big luxurious bath towel that you can wrap your around your whole body, no no, I am talking about what would be considered a hand towel in may other parts of the world, but is a legitimate towel in Korea. So the towel is strategically draped to cover important bits and we walk past the reception and down a flight of stairs...Eeeek...penis....No I am just kidding! We were safe, only women in sight and lots and lots of showers.

So we followed suit. We gave ourselves a good scrub down and got nice and clean...then we headed to the baths. Baths are really a luxury in Korea. Most people will only get a chance to bath if they stay in a pension (a slightly fancy motel room) or are lucky enough to have one at home. So bathing is definitely a novelty. I love baths! Hmmmm, so I was now in heaven!

They had tons of big baths ranging in temperature, some as hot as 49 degrees Celcius and others as cool as 29 degrees Celcius. My best combo was warm bath, hot bath, cool bath! Hmmmm, so nice!!! My muscles were so relaxed and soft!

And that's not all! If you have a little extra money on you (which I sadly did not) you can get a scrub down, a pedicure, a facial, a massage, etc. Bliss! Let me tell you a little but more about the scrub down. Although I didn't get to get one myself , I did get to see a couple being done (everything is open). So, you lie on the bed butt naked and an ajuma (old lady) with black underwear on scrubs you down, she really scrubs you down. She gets into all your nooks and crannies and makes sure you are spotless! And she is not gentle (I liked that, I hate massages that are soft).

These were some of the extras you could pay for

I get most of them, but some, I have no idea what they

are on about, but it makes me laugh!

But wait, there's more!

We decided to go the dual floor (where men and women can go together). Noooo, we are not still naked. We have to put on clothing, which Lauren aptly compared to clothing people would have to wear in a concentration camps. Seriously not flattering, but comfy and thick. Thick? Well, yes! Because the dual floor is a whole bunch of different saunas where you can go and sweat it out. There are straight up hot saunas, there are cold rooms, and there is a crystal sauna! The saunas were cool but they were packed with people which made it a little uncomfortable, so we headed back to the baths in all their naked awesomeness.

The cold room

The crystal sauna

People lying on crystals in the chrystal sauna

Looking flushed in the hot sauna

All in all we were at the Jimjilbang for just over three hours...whooop whooop! And when we left we felt so relaxed and revived...it was unbelievable.

Other benefits to Jimjilbangs, they are cheap (often costing between 6,000 and 12,000 Won to get in), there are internet facilities, there is a food court, you can sleep there (yip, for a very reasonable price you can pull up a piece of floor and sleep there overnight...super useful if you don't have enough money to get a motel room), and they are everywhere (Saunas and Jimjilbangs are a Korean past-time).

My only regret is that it took me this long to get naked and take a bath! sniff sniff!

Tomorrow we are going snowboarding the whole day and I plan to take full advantage of the jimjilbang at the resort! Hmmmmm....it makes the deal that much sweeter.

My advice to anyone who is a little nervous...just do it....bare all...

Post by Claudia

Missing the christmas vibe

It's that time of year again...shopping malls are filled with people, Christmas carols are playing in the background, every shop window has Christmas wishes and pictures, and even icons and symbols on TV have some sort of Christmas memorabilia attached to them. Unfortunately that's not the case in Korea!

I love Christmas, it has to be my favourite holiday, although I am not particularly religious I love the feeling of good will and giving...and all the presents under the tree make it that much sweeter. I simply love the atmosphere that comes with Christmas and I naively thought that everywhere would have the Christmas festivity. Sadly, I was wrong.

Despite Korea having a very large Christian population Christmas it is not as big a deal (or should I say it hasn’t been as commercialised) as it has back home.

It only dawned on me how little Christmas festivity I have encountered when we were in Seoul last weekend and we stumbled across a Christmas display outside a large shopping centre. So there is some Christmassy stuff in Seoul and I have been told that as soon as December starts it will escalate, but that is not the case in Wonju (sniff sniff weep weep).

Brock and Lauren wanted to get some photos done for their Christmas greeting cards, so they graciously asked Oliver. Brock was dressed in a Santa suit and Lauren had some cute accessories. In the middle of a busy street in Wonju we tried to take the photos. They came out really well!

When we were taking the photos it was amazing how people lit up and all of a sudden out of nowhere I got my first..."Merry Christmas".....YAY!

Even though Koreans aren’t big on their Christmas memorabilia I am certain that this Christmas will be a special! One: because it will be covered in snow; two: because we are planning to spend it with a big group of friends at a ski-resort; and three: because it will probably be my only Christmas in Korea.

So even though there are no Christmas carols playing and I can’t see pictures everywhere....I am still excited! So I am going to take this opportunity to send out my first seasons greetings! Have a safe, fun, and awesome festive season wherever you are!

Post by Claudia

Korea On Wheels

Korea is a place where a lot of walking takes place, at least for me. Some people from Europe or other parts of the world might see this as a normal thing, to walk on a daily basis, but for me it's different. The thing is, in South Africa, the public transportation system is absolutely laughable. It's pathetic. The so called 'taxis' are so far below what any sane country would consider roadworthy, that it is quite literally a gamble on whether or not you will arrive at your location.

Many times our South African taxis will have holes in the floor, so you can watch the road rush past underneath you, many times they don't have windows (only plastic bags in their place) and on occasion they don't have steering wheels. This has become somewhat of a joke in South Africa, that a taxi is driven without a steering wheel, but there are recorded instances when the steering wheel is nowhere to be found, only a monkey wrench in its place. It sounds incredibly far fetched, but sadly it is true.

The saddest thing about these taxis is that the only people to use them are the people that have no other means of getting about. People don't (for the most part) freely choose to use these taxis, especially if other means are available. The thing is that in South Africa, everything is so spread out, that walking is basically not an option. Imagine a 15 or 20 km walk to work in the morning....not gonna happen.

So on that depressing note; it gladdens me to sway back to thge topic at hand...getting about in Korea.

We do a lot of walking in Korea...already mentioned that, didn't I. Yeah. So, the reason we do so much walking is that in Korea everything is really, really on top of itself (figuratively, of course). Things are so close that walking is almost always a viable alternative to public transport. From our apartment, we can walk to the local cinema, to the bus terminal, to 2 or 3 different 'entertainment districts', where all the shops and restaurants are located, to the gym, to several supermarkets and many other places. And not one of the abovementioned destinations is more than about 20 minutes by foot. It's fantastic.

An old-school set of Chevrolegs

Doing all of this walking gives you (me at least) a sense of freedom that I never had in South Africa. South Africans, whether they like to admit it or not, have an underlying fear and paranoia that is always there. Walking through the streets can be a properly nerve-wracking experience in sunny SA. Either way, the walking here is beautiful and it feels fantastic doing it.

The other alternative

The greatest part about walking around Korea is that when you do get fed up with all the walking, it's very easy to simply wave your hand at the next available taxi (and there are many), climb in, tell him your destination, and be wafted away without having to fear for the floor to give way. Bliss.

Post by Oliver

Soju...the thing hangovers are made of

The Russians have Vodka, the Japanese have Saki, the Mexicans have Tequila and Koreans, well, Koreans have Soju! And let me tell you it is the thing hangovers are made of!

When we first arrived in Korea I was stunned by how small the selection of alcohol was. In South Africa I could drink anything from great wine, to alcopops to a variety of hard liquors. However, in Korea, there is a wine type liqueur thing but it is super sweet, relatively expensive and not found everywhere. So often I found myself being given the choice between beer, Soju or nothing. And like a true trooper (after years of refusing to drink it in South Africa) I chose beer. Apparently beer in South Korea is relatively mild (like a Miller if you will) so after a couple of weeks I started looking forward to a beer. Soju on the other hand, Soju took some getting used to. Only recently have I learnt to take it with a straight face!

Soju is often drunk neat as a shot but your more seasoned drinkers will sip on it. You never pour your own shot of Soju, someone else must pour it for you and in turn you pour it for them. You should also hold the tot glass with two hands while they are pouring for you. Only girls, and men that are not afraid to loose face, are allowed to mix it with Coke or juice. However, one manly way to drink it is mixing a shot of Soju with your beer (somek) which is very popular!

Soju is made from rice, is clear in colour and sells for between 1000-2000Won (1-2 USD) depending on where you buy it. You get between six to seven shots out of a bottle depending on how generous your shot glass is and after about three shots I am already buzzing...

After a good couple of shots and some beer you are bound to wake up with a headache. Soju is not drunk to get drunk in Korea, rather it is a way of life and has a whole culture attached to it. Rarely will you see a group of men eating out without a couple of empty bottles of Soju sprawled across the table.

So when you come to Korea, be sure to have a taste of this local drink because it really is a big part of the Korean people's lives and eating culture.

Post by Claudia

Scrambled eggs and bacon!

Tomorrow a friend of ours (Mason) is organising a brunch and he has promised that there will be scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes! Hmmmm, it is at times like these, when you get all giddy and child-like about breakfast, that you realise you miss the joys of a western breakfast!

You see, in Korea, breakfast is very much like lunch and supper. The breakfast will be hot, Kimchi will be involved, rice is likely to be there and I am pretty sure there will be a soup of sorts as well. And while I love all of these foods (I really do) they just don't appeal to me for breakfast, except if I am hung over like a crazy person, because let me tell you something, a good Budae Jjigae (a spicy soup with everything in it) will fix you up one time.

Other than that though, I like an ordinary breakfast. You know, cereal and milk, that sort of thing. And although there is cereal available in South Korea it is often of an incredibly sugary descent (not good for your health eating that every morning) and it's expensive (not good for your wallet either). On top of that, sometimes you just want a change!!!

Yes, there are bakeries that sell pastries that make you want to cry because you don't know which one too choose, but still, there is something missing...maybe it's the greasiness and awesomeness that is bacon! Or maybe the sweetness just gets too much and you need something a little savoury in the mix. Does that sound contradictory?

Well, you see, breakfast in Korea is either totally savoury or totally sweet, no taste-bud balance I tell you! However, this is where western breakfasts have got it down!

Just last weekend, when Oli and I were rocking at the Seoul Fringe Festival, we came across a little restaurant that was selling western breakfasts to die for (our first on since leaving South Africa so it was doubly impressive). It came complete with crumpets, potatoes, bacon, vegetables, coffee, and sausage. Amazing!

When you haven't had something for a long time, it becomes easier to forget it but once the flood gates open again and the eating demon inside me awakens, I crave it like a mad woman thereafter (so Mason's invite came at a great time).

Another flood gate, which we also opened at the Seoul Fringe Festival was the wine gate!!! Holy Molly! I haven't had a sip of good red wine since we left SA. We found an amazing open air wine bar in Hongdae (there aren't any in Wonju that I have seen), the wine was expensive but when I put my nose to the glass and got a whiff of its pleasurable aromas, I almost wanted to cry. So we sat savouring its flavours for as long as we could (with some complementary cheese and crackers) but alas, the wine soon dwindled and we were left with nothing but empty glasses. Good news though, later that evening I found out you can buy an alright bottle of wine from your local convenience store for a reasonable price, I just need to find some decent glasses now!

Sorry, I deviated a little bit there. Went from my breakfast rant to my wine rant....

I am not sure what else there is to say, except for the fact that I am looking forward to tomorrow and I am already salivating!!! Hmmmm, I bet you are now too! Heehe!

Post by Claudia

Great Gwangalli Beach

Busan is a large port in Asia and the second biggest city in South Korea. Although it's bigger brother Seoul has a lot to offer (and I mean a lot) Busan somehow manages to balance the relaxed atmosphere of a coastal town with the hustle and bustle of city living! So yes, we love Busan!

If ever you find yourself in Busan but you are not too sure where to stay, may I suggest Gwangan.

Gwangan (like most parts of Korea) has an individuality and a charm that is uniquely its own.

I have never seen skyscrapers so close to the ocean with a massive bridge stretching out over the sea. Gwangalli Beach was really something totally new for us.

When we tell people we went to Gwangalli Beach, many are surprised that we didn't go the South Korea's most famous beach "Haeundae Beach".

Well here's why we didn't:

Haeundae Beach is literally covered with umbrellas and people for as far as the eye can see! It is also more for people that are looking for a spring break type of vibe! So if that's what you after this is the place for you but unfortunatly it was not what we were after.

We were after something a little more relaxed, and Gwangalli Beach was perfect! Although it still has many people on it, it is nothing in comparison to Haeundae. Furthermore, it has a more family orientated, relaxed vibe. The type of place where you take long walks on the beach and try to find awesome sea shells (which we did by the way!).

Here is a photo of Gwangalli at night....spectacular isn't it?

However, one of the most impressive features about this beach is the bridge that covers the entire horizon. They have these awesome little DIY machines where you can take a photo of yourself with the bridge, for free! Pretty cool so we got a daytime and night time one:




Oliver got some great panoramics of the bridge, the symbol of Gwangalli Beach:


Another really cool thing about Gwangalli Beach is that on weekend the road running parallel to the beach is closed and takes on quite a festive atmosphere. There are street performances everywhere including men on stilts, jazz bands and puppet shows. What's more is you can have your picture painted or sketched by one of the many street artists or have a drink at a beach facing pub.


Just a short distance from the beach there is a complex which has tons of amusement park rides. It was here that I realised I am a complete and utter wimp! I screamed like baby on every ride.


Even the giant ferrece wheel got me going, we had such an amazing view (pity I was scared senseless).

We spent most of our days, exploring downtown Busan including the fish market, and the Busan tower (we will tell you more in posts to come) but Gwangalli Beach was a fantastic way to end the day!

It has the holiday vibe down to an art!

Just remember, if you want a budget deal for food and accommodation, go off the main road because if you don't you might find a big hole burning in your wallet.

Other than that, it is a great holiday destination!!!!

Post by Claudia

Bat in a cage.

Some people might be wondering, what the hell is there to do in South Korea...?

A lot, I can tell you. Aside from the usual stuff you might do with your friends back home, such as going for dinner, having some drinks or watching a movie (most movies here are shown in English with Korean subtitles) there are several other interesting and fun things that one can do to amuse oneself.

We have taken a particular liking to a certain 'past time' that we just have never encountered back home in South Africa. The thing I am talking about: Batting Cages. More specifically, Baseball batting cages. In SA there is no baseball following ( or maybe a very small one), and so we don't have these great facilities back home (not that I know of or have seen).

Sure we have Cricket nets, but the one problem with those is that you have to bring your own gear and your own bowler (e.g. a friend of yours, to bowl the ball). Carrying a huge bag with the balls and bats and padding is a little tedious if you're not going to spend the whole day playing cricket. And this is where baseball batting cages come in particularly handy. You have to bring nothing. The bat is supplied, there is a pair of gloves you can use, and there is a never ending supply of balls. No stress.

All you have to do is throw in your 1000Won, and off you go. Apparently there are a few smaller cities around Korea where the batting cages cost 500 Won, which is almost nothing. So, after throwing in your money(having put on the gloves and picked up the bat first) you stand ready and wait for the balls to be flung at you at high speeds and try to hit them. I have never counted them, but I reckon that the 1000Won gets you about 20 or so balls, all flung at you courtesy of a 'throwing machine'. Often there will be 4 or 5 different cages, each with varying ball speeds, so you can go from am to pro in just 5000Won, or so.

It really is a great way to spend a few minutes, especially after dinner, or if you just want to blow off some steam. They are a hell of a lot of fun, and I'm already looking forward to my next cage experience!

Post by Oliver

That's one way to find a meal

On our first night in Gyeongju we felt ourselves overcome with the desire to have some Dakgalbi (stir-fried marinated chicken), yummy, one of our favourite dishes.

So we hit the streets, we are used to there being Dakgalbi places on every street corner, but Gyeongju, to our amasement is quite dead at night. In fact we struggled to find a decent place open which wasn't on the tourist path.

So Oliver took the lead, turn left here, a right there, and another turn and yes before we knew it we were lost...horribly lost. So in true Claudia fashion I decided to take charge. Adamant that I could get us to our beloved Dakgalbi. But all I did was get us even more lost! Hmmmm!

Before we knew it we had been walking around for two hours, were starving, my feet were dying, and we had ended up where we had started. Dammit!

So we thought another approach was needed. We hopped into a taxi but didn't know the name of any place where we could eat. So I confidently said Dakgalbi to the taxi driver, in my typical mumbled Korean. She repeated, or at least I thought she repeated Dakgalbi. I smiled, and responded with a YES, VERY HUNGRY!

She drove for about ten minutes and we were in the heart of what felt like local territory (how did we miss this?), she did a couple of turns up small winding roads and before we knew it we were outside a restaurant (HALLELUJAH!!!).

We confidently stepped inside, greeted the host, and looked up at the menu anticipating the awesomeness of our Dakgali meal ahead! To our shock, there was no Dakgalbi on the menu, nothing! URG!

Stay or leave? stay or leave?

Skrew it, we have had Dakgalbi so many times, lets try something new! And I am so so happy we did!

We ended up eating Dwaegi galbi Jjim (steamed pork in a sauce that makes you want to cry it is so good). And in typical Korean fashion it was accompanied by several side dishes and salad leaves. That together with some beer and soju made for a great first dinner in Gyeongju!

Dwaegi galbi Jjim in a no fuss pot which comes straight off the stove

Some of the side dishes which accompany the Dwaegi galbi Jjim

Highly recommended!

Post by Claudia

Masks, spit and other hygiene woes

This entry hopes to highlight some hygiene woes we have encountered while being in South Korea.


And yes, some of these woes are in the bathroom itself.


Although our bathroom (kitted out with sky and all) is wonderful, not all Korean bathrooms are as welcoming. As is the case in most countries, public bathrooms are scary!


But brace yourself, in Korea it is not always customary to flush your loo paper down the loo. The plumbing system in Korea is not too good so people have resorted to wipe and throw (in the dustbin) tactics.


This often isn't an issue but some places never check the loo and you end up with paper stacking up to crazy heights.


While on the topic of loo paper, it would be in your best interests to carry some tissues around with you because many public toilets will have none.


Other hygiene woes include spitting...men spit everywhere and it is becoming more common for women to spit in public too. Many women however wait until they are in the bathroom before they pull flem from some or other place deep within.


Furthermore, people tend to not cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. So watch out for any flying mucus coming your way.


It is no wonder why some people decide to cover their faces with face masks. Instead of following basic hygiene practices, face masks are used widely.


What makes this bizarre perception of hygiene even more peculiar is how feet are obsessed over. You need to have shoes on at all times (probably to avoid the large clumps of spit everywhere) and you cannot wear outside shoes, inside.


So now you know, when you are in Korea you need to ensure that you cover you feet but don't worry about anything else, except for the fact that the only thing other people cover is their feet so there may be a couple of unwanted germs flying around!


Post by Claudia

Ridiculous Koreans...

...ridiculously efficient!

Living in Korea comes with its ups, and with those, it obviously, come the downs. One of those downs is the fact that we're still living within this very weird time/space called reality.

Reality dictates several things.

1) You jump off a tall building, you will get hurt.

2) You play with fire, you will get burned, eventually at least.

3) You want to live somewhere...there will be bills that need to be paid.

It's somewhat unfortunate, but as everyone out there (who has lived by themselves) knows that things need to be paid. Houses and apartments don't pay for themselves. There are things like electricity and gas bills, apartment complex levies and waste removal fees, and yes, regrettably, these things also apply in Korea. The difference in Korea is how you go about paying for this horrible accumulation of bills.

Coming from South Africa (which I will add I love and think is a beautiful, amazing country) I know all about inefficiency. I know what it's like standing in a queue at a bank or, more realistically, government department, for an hour, only being told that you were in the wrong queue once you get to the counter. Or the feeling of getting to a counter and being told you cannot be helped with your problem or enquiry, as you need to go the other city's department and do it there. Or possibly even the worst, being told you can be helped but then having to wait ridiculously long periods of time for a simple process.

Why you wait you don't know. Maybe the person behind the counter had a horrible accident and is lying at the bottom of a staircase with blood streaming from their eyes and mouth, unable to muster up enough energy to cry for help. Maybe they have been called in for a disciplinary hearing by their boss and have been fired and are, as you are waiting, in the process of unpacking their desk, crying because their family now has no one with an income to support them...dreadful stuff!

The reality however is usually more simple...in the middle of processing your request, they realised it's 12.01 and time for their lunch break, which was then promptly taken!

It came as a huge breath of revitalising fresh air, when we had to pay our first set of Korean bills. This is the process: Walk to the bank. Open the door. Walk to the counter. Greet the person behind the counter (who wants to do his/her job). Put down bills and the corresponding amount of money. Wait approximately 13.249 seconds for them to put the money in the till, stamp your bills and give you the appropriate change. Say goodbye. Leave.

I kid you not. And this process takes about 4 minutes. And those 4 minutes usually include the time you've had to wait after taking a number.

It truly is mind-blowing. I know there are other countries around the world that are as efficient, but I'll say it again, coming from SA this is simply magnificent!

Thank you Korea for making the worst part of my reality a completely painless experience!

Post by Oliver

1,2,3...I better stop there

In western cultures many buildings will not have a 13th floor because the number 13 is considered unlucky. No one really knows why 13 is unlucky but there are many speculations. For instance at the last supper there were 13 people (Jesus and his disciples) and long before the invention of calculators people could only use their fingers to count, there were 10 fingers and 2 fists, so counting to 12 was easy but 13 was illusive.

However, in Korea, 13 is not unlucky, rather, it is unlucky number 4 (pronounced sa). In fact 4 is considered unlucky in most, if not all parts of Asia. Unlike with 13, people know why they consider 4 unlucky. It's simple, the pronunciation of 4 in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cultures is similar to the pronunciation of death in their respective languages

One first realises how entrenched the idea of unlucky number 4 is once they set foot in an elevator. The dial of the elevator is 1,2,3, F (backwards), 5. So a backwards F has been used to replace the death symbol of 4.

What I did not know is that this belief in unlucky number 4 has stretched into the most suprisinging spheres. Nokia has never released a line that begins with the number 4.

Now you know another fact/superstition about the East which is quite different to the West.

Post by Claudia

Fan Death....Dom dom dom

Every culture has its own set of myths and Korea is no different!

One of the most commonly believed myths in Korea is fan death!

It is the only country in the world where the belief in fan death is prevalent, but what is fan death exactly?

Well, it is thought that if a fan is left running overnight in a closed room, the inhabitants will die...but why?

Aparently, there are several ways someone can die of fan death, these include:

• A fan left running overnight will create a vortex which will create a vacuum in the room and deprive the sleeping person of the oxygen they need to survive


• The fan literally halves oxygen particles by chopping them up, therefore rendering the oxygen useless which will result in suffocation.


• This is perpetuated by the fact that high levels of carbon dioxide are left in the air (because the oxygen has been all used up ) which will further aid your death through asphyxiation.


• The fan can cause hyperthermia.


• The fan actually sucks air away from the sleeping beauty meaning that they will be unable to breath.

Although all of these beliefs are unfounded and have no scientific bearing, they are, like most myths, staunchly believed in. This has meant that fan companies in South Korea have had to add timers onto all of their fans so that fans switch off for certain periods of time during the night so as to prevent any chances of fan death.

Due to the sweltering hot weather at the moment (between 29 -34 degrees) Oliver and I needed to buy a fan for the bedroom. And luckily we have yet to suffer any fan trauma. Phew!

Post by Claudia

Eyes on you!

One thing we have been unable to get used to in Korea is is being stared at. Sure, I have had some stares back home, but as soon as that person realised they have been caught staring they stop looking!! That is not the case in Korea!

Nope, you will catch someone staring...almost to the point that you are staring back at them...but they are unwavering and stare with an impressive amount of dedication.

At first we realised that we must look pretty odd, our features are very different and Korea is a very homogeneous society so being different is reason enough to stare!

Children do it all the time...just yesterday we went to the grocery store and a little girl (who could not have been older than 2) stared at us and followed our every move...so much so that I was left impressed by her concentration capabilities!

But it is not just children that stare! EVERYONE stares, in a way that is so blatant it is difficult to ignore. Here are a couple of our staring moments so far:

• We were leaving our apartment building when a man inside his apartment noticed us walk by, after we had gone past his window he proceeded to stick his head out of the window and follow us for a good 5 minutes before we were out of sight. Yes we turned back and looked at him a couple of times, but this did not deter him, we were far too fascinating!


• Oliver and I were in the back of a taxi at a traffic light when a fellow motorist noticed us. He drove up next to the taxi so that he was in line with us. He sat for a couple of minutes (traffic lights take forever here) just staring at us! He then plucked up enough courage to ask where we are from and give us his card!


• On more that one occassion Oliver has scared women and young girls...not intentionally...it's just that his height appears to honestly frighten them. How do we know this...well, first they gasp and flinch, then they giggle, and then they stare, and stare, and stare just a little bit more.

These are just some of the many moments we have been stared at. The only place where we attracted very few gazes was in Seoul, but I guess you can expect a certain amount of multiculturalism in any big city!!!

The only thing that seems to break the unwavering gaze of people staring at us is if we greet them! Just a light bow of the head! However, sometimes not even this works.

So if ever you have wanted people to stop, stare ( and I mean really stare) and take notice of you when you walk into a shop, go grocery shopping or walk down the street...Korea is the place for you! You don't even need to get dressed up, you are special as you are.

Just remember, the people mean no harm and it should not be read as a sign of rudeness...rather they are curious! You are different and they are curious!!! Embrace it....

Post by Claudia

Where we watch(ed) the Korea games

So, we've already done an entry on watching soccer games in a sports bar in Wonju and also about going to city hall in Seoul and watching a game amongst tens of thousands of other people(here).

Now I want to show you where we watched some of the other Korea games here in Wonju. There is a sports arena, that belongs to the military's marching band, called Wonju Tattoo, and it has a huge arena, a baseball field, a soccer pitch, a running track and several other amenities. The arena is often used for big events such a public holiday celebrations (when they are called for) and also World Cup soccer game screenings.

What they do, is build a relatively small stage area, bring in a huge crane, and let the crane hold up a very large screen. The screen is rested on and secured to the stage, and that's it. Now you're ready to project your soccer game onto the screen. The awesome thing is that this whole process only takes them about an hour to set up and an hour to break down.

The crowd will usually sit/stand on what is the running track and the basketball courts. There is enough space for at least about 5000 people, although it seems there arent that many die hard soccer fans in Wonju. If it does rain, as it so unfortunately did during our loss to Uruguay, people tend to huddle into the stands of the adjacent arena. The only problem is that from this angle you're watching a reverse projection of the game, which isn't really an issue, as it beats standing in the rain!

Pity our World Cup campaign is over. Koreans really are one of the most hardcore soccer fan nations (when it comes to the national squad), and it was really an amazing experience to be a part of all the festivities and cheering and chanting; and Korea has no shortage of chants which everyone from the youngest to the oldest sing along to!

Good Bye Korea, it has been awesome!

Post by Oliver

Drinking at your local convenience store

Drinking at your local convenience store is not something I am used to doing.

Convenience stores are a good place to get cereal, milk and other items that you forgot when you went on your weekly shop. Well, in Korea convinence stores are often also great places to meet up with mates.

So you buy a beer from inside, grab a plastic chair, sit at a plastic table and drink out of a paper cup. For many this wouln't sound like a great spot to spend a Friday night, but it is!

It is super hot in Korea at the moment and the open air is glorious. The beer is cheap and many people seems to gather outside these convinence stores so there is an atmosphere quite unlike anything I have encountered before. It is relaxed and energetic at the same time!

Lately what has made some convinence stores even more appealing is that that they have been airing the soccer world cup on big screen TVs. It is for this reason that the local Family Mart has become our favourite.



Because convenience stores are open 24hours we never have to miss a soccer game! What's more is if the soccer game was inspiring you and your friends can play some ball yourselves.

And if the game wasn't inspiring...well..you can drink!!!

So if you are stranded and in Korea and not sure where there is a god place to hang out! Go to your local convenience store...you may be pleasantly suprised!

Post by Claudia