If its one thing I can't stand, its complacency- especially when its applied to myself. I try hard to keep myself busy, and while I don't consider myself a writer at all I've started writing for the Expatriate magazine, Daegu Pockets, which very recently has become Daegu's English newspaper.
Either way, I've contributed to both these publications, and while I'm no writer/journalist, this post is me gloating.
However, I would also want to create an awareness for English expatriate publications designed to help all the newcomers orient themselves in their respective cities, and create an awareness of all the happenings in this country.
Websites
Daegu Pockets: I'm in the February edition (if you can find it)
In Daegu
First issue of In Daegu (PDF version)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Kindness of Strangers
I landed in Korea on Friday. I went out downtown Saturday, partied hard and was a little delirious and dizzy with jet lag. I got myself into a cab at 5am and with a little help from my awesome Korean friend Chloe, the driver was able to take me to my school. At 5:30am I took on my ten minute walk from my school to my home (because at the time I had no idea how to tell a cab driver in Korean how to get to my house). It was amazing to me, that nobody bothered me (I hardly even noticed if anyone was staring at me), nobody approached me and I felt perfectly fine walking home at that time of day. Having been here for almost 6 months, I can still say the same thing.
Now, back home this would never happen. There have been times when I've walked home from a bar at 3am, but have been subjected to car honks, bad pick up lines (the ones I hated the most was when I was fulfilling my street meat cravings and some jerk always has to walk by with a "enjoying that hot dog/meat eh?") and always being worried about walking past groups of people. I'm less scared than some people, but there is always that element of being a girl by herself at night that has been engrained in society and perpetuated by the media. Yet in Korea, even at 5:30am, with all the neon lights (I call it the Neon Jungle) and the drunk or late-nighters out at all times that only worry about themselves, its hard to find yourself worrying.
Another thing about myself, I can be a little careless. Thus far, I have dropped my cell phone in two different places and surprisingly, always gotten it back. The first time in a cab, where the driver drove back (after a couple of hours) and gave me my phone, and the second, (this surprised me the most) I dropped my phone on the street (please don't ask me how or why) near Camp Walker, the army base, and had a soldier return my phone. I'm not saying I don't trust people, but except for my friend Maria having extremely good luck, I have never heard a story of someone losing their phone and then getting it back almost right away- especially by a waegookin (foreigner) outside of Korea.
This notion of moral perfection stems from Confucianism that Korea has adapted even more strongly than China from where it was founded.
According to Wikipedia, "Humanity is core in Confucianism. A simple way to appreciate Confucian thought is to consider it as being based on varying levels of honesty, and a simple way to understand Confucian thought is to examine the world by using the logic of humanity."
It follows five main elements:
Ren - humanity
Yi - righteousness
Li - ritual
Zhi - knowledge
Xin - integrity
I first learned about Confucianism briefly in World Religions class, however, in Korea it is only considered a philosophy. Something can be gained from having a country follow the same principles in order to attain a higher level of being. It was a little hard to comprehend that in Korea you can get your phone/wallet back without a hassle, and with no extra long-distance charges on your phone or money missing from your wallet. Sometimes it just blows my mind how honest a society can be. The hardest part is thinking about what will happen when I leave Korea. But then I guess, I'll just have to work on my carelessness first.
Now, back home this would never happen. There have been times when I've walked home from a bar at 3am, but have been subjected to car honks, bad pick up lines (the ones I hated the most was when I was fulfilling my street meat cravings and some jerk always has to walk by with a "enjoying that hot dog/meat eh?") and always being worried about walking past groups of people. I'm less scared than some people, but there is always that element of being a girl by herself at night that has been engrained in society and perpetuated by the media. Yet in Korea, even at 5:30am, with all the neon lights (I call it the Neon Jungle) and the drunk or late-nighters out at all times that only worry about themselves, its hard to find yourself worrying.
Another thing about myself, I can be a little careless. Thus far, I have dropped my cell phone in two different places and surprisingly, always gotten it back. The first time in a cab, where the driver drove back (after a couple of hours) and gave me my phone, and the second, (this surprised me the most) I dropped my phone on the street (please don't ask me how or why) near Camp Walker, the army base, and had a soldier return my phone. I'm not saying I don't trust people, but except for my friend Maria having extremely good luck, I have never heard a story of someone losing their phone and then getting it back almost right away- especially by a waegookin (foreigner) outside of Korea.
This notion of moral perfection stems from Confucianism that Korea has adapted even more strongly than China from where it was founded.
According to Wikipedia, "Humanity is core in Confucianism. A simple way to appreciate Confucian thought is to consider it as being based on varying levels of honesty, and a simple way to understand Confucian thought is to examine the world by using the logic of humanity."
It follows five main elements:
Ren - humanity
Yi - righteousness
Li - ritual
Zhi - knowledge
Xin - integrity
I first learned about Confucianism briefly in World Religions class, however, in Korea it is only considered a philosophy. Something can be gained from having a country follow the same principles in order to attain a higher level of being. It was a little hard to comprehend that in Korea you can get your phone/wallet back without a hassle, and with no extra long-distance charges on your phone or money missing from your wallet. Sometimes it just blows my mind how honest a society can be. The hardest part is thinking about what will happen when I leave Korea. But then I guess, I'll just have to work on my carelessness first.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Gettin my food on
I've been in this country for quite some time and finally started venturing around trying to experience some new food. Its all quite daunting for foreigners coming into this city as the large majority of Korean restaurants don't have English on their menu, and even if you see pictures you still really don't know what you're getting. Either way, thanks to some great friends, and a lot of reading on the internet, I give you my top 10 food dishes in Daegu.
10. Breakfast at Holy Grill/Traveler's Bar and Grill
Now, this isn't Korean, I know. However, there have been many weekends spent at either of these two bars (outside of drinking hours) to enjoy bacon, toast, and eggs like I could never do them. Sometimes, I crave these breakfasts the night before, and I anticipate and wait eagerly on the cab ride downtown to eat some scrumptious breakfast. And, its to no surprise that the best breakfasts in the city (so far) are Canadian owned! Traveler's also offers all day breakfasts on the weekends as well, and Guinness on tap- best that I've tasted! (They also do have poutine on the menu which makes me happy although I know I'll never have a true poutine until I go home)
9. Tashkent - Uzbekistan
This may be one of the best kept secrets in Daegu, although it is still new. If its one thing about foreign food in Korea is that its expensive and usually created fusion Korean style, therefore, Italian doesn't really taste Italian, sushi has sweet pickles/pickled radish in it and so on. Of course, I'm not saying that all foreign restaurants are like this, but this place is a step up from all the rest. Before Korea, I've never tried Uzbeki food, neither have I had Russian food, however, maybe because of its prevalence of lamb and the taste, it reminds me a lot of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. The pastries are to die for, as the mixture of phyllo pastry and lamb makes it scrumptious, and just about anything on the menu is delicious, and if you don't know what to order, the owner, Alex, is super friendly.
8. Galbijim (날비찜)
One of Daegu's own. Made from short beef ribs, its stewed and very spicy, and its even become a tourist interest spot. Galbijim alley is famous and has been around for some odd 50 years. If you were to order galbijim in any other city it wouldn't taste quite as good.
7. Dorso Bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥)
I am a huge fan of bibimbap (rice, gochujang (hot pepper paste), fried egg, and random vegetables (excluding the kimchi) that you mix altogether, but what sets dorso (or dolset) bibimbap apart from that is that it comes in a hot pot. The rice at the bottom gets crispier, the hot pepper paste becomes a little more spicier, and it just adds more flavour to the meal in itself. I tend to get this every time we order in at lunch! Best part about this dish is you can buy it at your local kimbap place even if you are by yourself.
6. Meat on a leaf
This has become synonymous with my friends and I with going to any kind of barbecue restaurant. Whether you want galbi (갈비), samgyeopsal (삼셥설), sogalbi (소갈비)- any kind of meat that you sit around a table and barbecue yourself. Finish it off by wrapping a romaine or sesame leaf around it with a piece of garlic, onion and rice and it is one of the best and cheapest meals you can get in Korea. I live on a street that thrives on restaurants. I don't understand how you can have some 20 odd restaurants crammed together in one area that are always packed, but they serve everything pork/beef/fish related.
5. Kimbap (김밥)
By far, the cheapest food you can buy in Korea that will fill you up and is healthy (for the most part) for you. Koreans believe that this is essential in dieting. It is the Korean alternative to a maki roll without the fish. The regular kimbap roll consists of rice, pickled radish, egg, ham and other vegetables rolled with a layer of seaweed. If you want to add some variety to your life you could always try the other various versions of kimbap, such as kimchi, tuna, sogogi, and cheese. I don't like calling those orange stores which I frequent quite often Kimbap nara's because none of them around me are called such. If you haven't quite deciphered what the menu is like, I would recommend Mary Eats.
4. Dakgalbi (닭갈비)
A friend of mine took me to my first dukgalbi (or dalkgalbi) restaurant, and I've been in love with it ever since. Sitting at a restaurant with a huge grill in the middle of the table, a waiter asks you for your choice in spice level, and brings out the Chuncheon specialty dish consisting of diced chicken, gochujhang, cabbage, dduk (rice cake), and mixes it all up in the sauce and what you get is pure Heaven!
3. Jjimdak (찜닭)
I first had the pleasure of eating this delicious dish when I went to Andong for the Mask Festival. We stopped off at Hahoe traditional village and finished that part of the day with jjimdak (or jjimdalk). Jjimdak is the specialty of Andong village, but this delectable dish is full of chicken, peppers, noodles (aka japchae: see below), and potatoes in a brown spicy but sweet tasting stew. My only problem is that I am horrible picking up those noodles with chopsticks and end up with stains on my shirt and pants from all the splatter!
2. Japchae (잡채)
In theme with the last item japchae, otherwise known as cellophane noodles (or dangmyeon) are stir fried with sesame oil and then mixed with your choice of vegetables and/or beef. Hot or cold, these noodles are delicious. I love any restaurant that serves this as a side dish and I'm always asking for more. I just cannot get enough of these noodles!
1. Napjak Mandu (납작만두)
Another Daegu specialty, however, you cannot find these delectable treats anywhere else in Korea. Mandu is dumpling, and napjak means flat, but you fry these bad boy's up and its a scrumptious snack! Just make sure to dip it ddukboggi or spicy soy sauce.
10. Breakfast at Holy Grill/Traveler's Bar and Grill
Now, this isn't Korean, I know. However, there have been many weekends spent at either of these two bars (outside of drinking hours) to enjoy bacon, toast, and eggs like I could never do them. Sometimes, I crave these breakfasts the night before, and I anticipate and wait eagerly on the cab ride downtown to eat some scrumptious breakfast. And, its to no surprise that the best breakfasts in the city (so far) are Canadian owned! Traveler's also offers all day breakfasts on the weekends as well, and Guinness on tap- best that I've tasted! (They also do have poutine on the menu which makes me happy although I know I'll never have a true poutine until I go home)
9. Tashkent - Uzbekistan
This may be one of the best kept secrets in Daegu, although it is still new. If its one thing about foreign food in Korea is that its expensive and usually created fusion Korean style, therefore, Italian doesn't really taste Italian, sushi has sweet pickles/pickled radish in it and so on. Of course, I'm not saying that all foreign restaurants are like this, but this place is a step up from all the rest. Before Korea, I've never tried Uzbeki food, neither have I had Russian food, however, maybe because of its prevalence of lamb and the taste, it reminds me a lot of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. The pastries are to die for, as the mixture of phyllo pastry and lamb makes it scrumptious, and just about anything on the menu is delicious, and if you don't know what to order, the owner, Alex, is super friendly.
8. Galbijim (날비찜)
One of Daegu's own. Made from short beef ribs, its stewed and very spicy, and its even become a tourist interest spot. Galbijim alley is famous and has been around for some odd 50 years. If you were to order galbijim in any other city it wouldn't taste quite as good.7. Dorso Bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥)
I am a huge fan of bibimbap (rice, gochujang (hot pepper paste), fried egg, and random vegetables (excluding the kimchi) that you mix altogether, but what sets dorso (or dolset) bibimbap apart from that is that it comes in a hot pot. The rice at the bottom gets crispier, the hot pepper paste becomes a little more spicier, and it just adds more flavour to the meal in itself. I tend to get this every time we order in at lunch! Best part about this dish is you can buy it at your local kimbap place even if you are by yourself.6. Meat on a leaf
This has become synonymous with my friends and I with going to any kind of barbecue restaurant. Whether you want galbi (갈비), samgyeopsal (삼셥설), sogalbi (소갈비)- any kind of meat that you sit around a table and barbecue yourself. Finish it off by wrapping a romaine or sesame leaf around it with a piece of garlic, onion and rice and it is one of the best and cheapest meals you can get in Korea. I live on a street that thrives on restaurants. I don't understand how you can have some 20 odd restaurants crammed together in one area that are always packed, but they serve everything pork/beef/fish related.
 | ||||
| samgyeopsal translates to three layered flesh |
By far, the cheapest food you can buy in Korea that will fill you up and is healthy (for the most part) for you. Koreans believe that this is essential in dieting. It is the Korean alternative to a maki roll without the fish. The regular kimbap roll consists of rice, pickled radish, egg, ham and other vegetables rolled with a layer of seaweed. If you want to add some variety to your life you could always try the other various versions of kimbap, such as kimchi, tuna, sogogi, and cheese. I don't like calling those orange stores which I frequent quite often Kimbap nara's because none of them around me are called such. If you haven't quite deciphered what the menu is like, I would recommend Mary Eats.4. Dakgalbi (닭갈비)
 |
| I even get mine with heart shaped dduk! |
3. Jjimdak (찜닭)
I first had the pleasure of eating this delicious dish when I went to Andong for the Mask Festival. We stopped off at Hahoe traditional village and finished that part of the day with jjimdak (or jjimdalk). Jjimdak is the specialty of Andong village, but this delectable dish is full of chicken, peppers, noodles (aka japchae: see below), and potatoes in a brown spicy but sweet tasting stew. My only problem is that I am horrible picking up those noodles with chopsticks and end up with stains on my shirt and pants from all the splatter!2. Japchae (잡채)
In theme with the last item japchae, otherwise known as cellophane noodles (or dangmyeon) are stir fried with sesame oil and then mixed with your choice of vegetables and/or beef. Hot or cold, these noodles are delicious. I love any restaurant that serves this as a side dish and I'm always asking for more. I just cannot get enough of these noodles!1. Napjak Mandu (납작만두)
Another Daegu specialty, however, you cannot find these delectable treats anywhere else in Korea. Mandu is dumpling, and napjak means flat, but you fry these bad boy's up and its a scrumptious snack! Just make sure to dip it ddukboggi or spicy soy sauce.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
And this is why I won't be seeing MGMT
Its no question that I like my music. One of the things I loved to do back home was check out some live music at a bar. Once I came to Korea that part of my life dissipated. I do try, however to search out local promoters to find music made in Korea, and while many places in Seoul and Busan boast great music, Daegu is a low-runner in that department.
Local promoters such as Super Color Super and the guys behind Korea Gig Guide work hard to bring music acts to Korea like CocoRosie and Liars, but they also try to help support local Korean bands as well. The issue with gaining exposure as an up and coming band when promoters are always looking to gain the extra buck with bigger acts is nothing new and it makes these local promoters essential. In a city like Daegu where the live music scene is slim (but still there), I want nothing more than to keep these promoters' shows live and running. Most recently, the Liars show caused great controversy resulting in the show being cancelled in both Seoul and Busan.
Straight from the Super Color Super website comes the following message:
Now, what does this have to do with MGMT and why I won't be going? Well, MGMT tickets are going for 99,000w (~$90) WITH no opening band. This is ludicrous! When MGMT played in Toronto tickets were $40. I've also seen them play live at Lollapalooza 2010, and I wish I stayed for the entire set of Wolfmother instead. As much as I would like to see music from back home in Korea, I wouldn't pay more than 60,000w to see them, and for a show with no opening act. I also don't want to participate in feeding these bigger promoters for a show that won't last longer than an hour, which takes away from the integrity of the local promoters. At least they try to support music in Korea, and I have the ability to hopefully see these bands come to Daegu.
Just for the record, I have nothing against MGMT. I think they're an amazing group and I do love their music. This post is more of an awareness about the situation of what's going on with local music and my own personal protest. If you were to give me a choice between only seeing International (to Korea) music in large venues and paying an arm and a leg, or see local music in small venues, hands down I would chose only seeing local music. I just don't want this choice to be taken away from me at all.
Sites I use for music:
SUPER C۞L۞R SUPER
Korea Gig Guide
Daegu Pockets
Daegu Live (facebook group)
10 Magazine
HiExpat
Songkick
Local promoters such as Super Color Super and the guys behind Korea Gig Guide work hard to bring music acts to Korea like CocoRosie and Liars, but they also try to help support local Korean bands as well. The issue with gaining exposure as an up and coming band when promoters are always looking to gain the extra buck with bigger acts is nothing new and it makes these local promoters essential. In a city like Daegu where the live music scene is slim (but still there), I want nothing more than to keep these promoters' shows live and running. Most recently, the Liars show caused great controversy resulting in the show being cancelled in both Seoul and Busan.
Straight from the Super Color Super website comes the following message:
Important news for everyone, a bit of death by commitee. KMRB, the Korea Media Rating Board, http://www.kmrb.or.kr/ contacted SuperColorSuper’s lead manager this afternoon that to put on the show will result in prison time and serious fines- in light of the show has been properly reviewed by this censorship board. The Liars’ were fully prepared to perform and did everything properly, this is no way reflects upon them. The blockade comes from down to us by way of government. Our co-promoter had heard a few days together that someone (not sure which) was set to interfere with our shows now since our grassroots/DIY work had been gathering support, and we had been researching everything we could to be locked and loaded. We didn’t expect this though. Unless there is a way found to make the process easier, this might mean some drastic changes in concerts in Korea.
We’ve gotten Media Rating Board approval for shows in the past when they were possible, but for most venues they are impossible to get because of zoning classicications- places that constantly run shows are not eligible venues for this board, as they are not licensed in the exact way. There are a handful of governement-acceptable place in Seoul, and they are nil in Busan, Daegu.
So why is this coming about now, in the midst of years of regular unapproved shows? When asking the board why they were only shutting down Liars’, they confirmed they knew of many other unlicensed shows happening the same night as Liars, but were only asking us to stop at the behest of a company who called them.
Now, what does this have to do with MGMT and why I won't be going? Well, MGMT tickets are going for 99,000w (~$90) WITH no opening band. This is ludicrous! When MGMT played in Toronto tickets were $40. I've also seen them play live at Lollapalooza 2010, and I wish I stayed for the entire set of Wolfmother instead. As much as I would like to see music from back home in Korea, I wouldn't pay more than 60,000w to see them, and for a show with no opening act. I also don't want to participate in feeding these bigger promoters for a show that won't last longer than an hour, which takes away from the integrity of the local promoters. At least they try to support music in Korea, and I have the ability to hopefully see these bands come to Daegu.
Just for the record, I have nothing against MGMT. I think they're an amazing group and I do love their music. This post is more of an awareness about the situation of what's going on with local music and my own personal protest. If you were to give me a choice between only seeing International (to Korea) music in large venues and paying an arm and a leg, or see local music in small venues, hands down I would chose only seeing local music. I just don't want this choice to be taken away from me at all.
Sites I use for music:
SUPER C۞L۞R SUPER
Korea Gig Guide
Daegu Pockets
Daegu Live (facebook group)
10 Magazine
HiExpat
Songkick
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
One more thing Korea is famous for something
And I'm referring to something other than the North and South Korean tensions (which is pretty much the only thing the Western world knows and reports on about Korea).
As we wake up and go to school we are faced with a challenge. How on earth do we pass 8 hours where sometimes there isn't any work to do if we finish lesson planning and prepping for tomorrow's classes? You can tell the slow days when everyone comments and posts stuff up on Facebook, others have promised themselves that they will try to learn Korean or start reading rather than live the mundane life of waiting for new Facebook posts or watching/catching up on tv shows. Whatever people have chosen to make this deskwarming season more entertaining, I enjoy reading the links and posts people have found on the internet. You know its interesting if it starts getting recycled through each person's page.
Today's news story was Global Alcohol Consumption: Drinking Habits.
Apparently, from 2005, the World Health Organization reported that with all the alcohol consumed in the world it was enough to give each person 6.1 litres of pure alcohol. Now, I've become weary of studies (even if conducted by the WHO), but nevertheless, Korea seems to be equivalent to the world's leaders of alcohol consumption- Russia. In fact, it seems that Korea sets the drinking level as the highest in Asia.
I can't say I don't agree. There's not a day that I walk home in the evening that I don't encounter at least five different groups of drunk Koreans (guys and girls), and Monday mornings are the most entertaining/revolting walks to school as I try to avoid the puke stains made the night/couple of hours ago. I also can't say that us expatriats don't do anything to decrease these numbers as I have never been exposed to being able to buy alcohol in convenience stores open 24/7, nor have been able to buy alcohol (meaning soju being almost comparable to vodka) for only 2,000won (equivalent to less than $2).
Drinking with my teachers and Principle always ends in a drunken state of chaos as everyone has drunk themselves to oblivion and made a fool of themselves (quite frankly, I can't understand why you'd chose to be the drunken mess in front of your superiors, but hey! This is the life here, and nobody's going to remember because everyone's blitzed!). What I do like about the drinking lifestyle here is that it doesn't exclude women in the mix. For sure, men drink far more than women, but its not uncommen to see drunk women stumbling the streets with not a care in the world. I know that, back home in Toronto, you see drunk girls and you almost snicker to yourself as they make the fool of themselves (unless you are that drunk girl and then you have no care in the world, until you end up puking in an alley/car/yourself/your friends). Maybe I don't see the casting down upon and the general bad looks from the elders/males in Korean society when women chose to drink themselves dry, but either way, below is the picture of the world's alcohol consumption. Chose what you'd like to believe.
Yesterday's news story: K-Town
As well, I'm trying to figure out if this is a joke/spoof or real. Much like Toronto decided to join in on the Jersey Shore success, apparently, the Asian-Americans want in as well. The show's being called K-Town. Although, not everybody is Korean, the show follows these young adults around LA's Korean Town to see all their sloppy and karoaking (noraebanging) madness. Its humorous to me that the show's executive producer is model/actor Tyrese Gibson, although if he wants to incorporate the Blasian (I guess its too offensive to just say Black-Asian?), here's his venue. However, the pilot's been shot but not picked up by any network. But is it degrading to Asians? Maybe, but we've seen the majority of America's youth depicted as shallow, ignorant and trampy as most MTV shows provide, so what makes Asians any different? At least they're not being depicted as the stereotypical nerd, martial artist or piano superstar. As one of the shows producer Mike Le says,
As we wake up and go to school we are faced with a challenge. How on earth do we pass 8 hours where sometimes there isn't any work to do if we finish lesson planning and prepping for tomorrow's classes? You can tell the slow days when everyone comments and posts stuff up on Facebook, others have promised themselves that they will try to learn Korean or start reading rather than live the mundane life of waiting for new Facebook posts or watching/catching up on tv shows. Whatever people have chosen to make this deskwarming season more entertaining, I enjoy reading the links and posts people have found on the internet. You know its interesting if it starts getting recycled through each person's page.
Today's news story was Global Alcohol Consumption: Drinking Habits.
Apparently, from 2005, the World Health Organization reported that with all the alcohol consumed in the world it was enough to give each person 6.1 litres of pure alcohol. Now, I've become weary of studies (even if conducted by the WHO), but nevertheless, Korea seems to be equivalent to the world's leaders of alcohol consumption- Russia. In fact, it seems that Korea sets the drinking level as the highest in Asia.
I can't say I don't agree. There's not a day that I walk home in the evening that I don't encounter at least five different groups of drunk Koreans (guys and girls), and Monday mornings are the most entertaining/revolting walks to school as I try to avoid the puke stains made the night/couple of hours ago. I also can't say that us expatriats don't do anything to decrease these numbers as I have never been exposed to being able to buy alcohol in convenience stores open 24/7, nor have been able to buy alcohol (meaning soju being almost comparable to vodka) for only 2,000won (equivalent to less than $2).
Drinking with my teachers and Principle always ends in a drunken state of chaos as everyone has drunk themselves to oblivion and made a fool of themselves (quite frankly, I can't understand why you'd chose to be the drunken mess in front of your superiors, but hey! This is the life here, and nobody's going to remember because everyone's blitzed!). What I do like about the drinking lifestyle here is that it doesn't exclude women in the mix. For sure, men drink far more than women, but its not uncommen to see drunk women stumbling the streets with not a care in the world. I know that, back home in Toronto, you see drunk girls and you almost snicker to yourself as they make the fool of themselves (unless you are that drunk girl and then you have no care in the world, until you end up puking in an alley/car/yourself/your friends). Maybe I don't see the casting down upon and the general bad looks from the elders/males in Korean society when women chose to drink themselves dry, but either way, below is the picture of the world's alcohol consumption. Chose what you'd like to believe.
Yesterday's news story: K-Town
As well, I'm trying to figure out if this is a joke/spoof or real. Much like Toronto decided to join in on the Jersey Shore success, apparently, the Asian-Americans want in as well. The show's being called K-Town. Although, not everybody is Korean, the show follows these young adults around LA's Korean Town to see all their sloppy and karoaking (noraebanging) madness. Its humorous to me that the show's executive producer is model/actor Tyrese Gibson, although if he wants to incorporate the Blasian (I guess its too offensive to just say Black-Asian?), here's his venue. However, the pilot's been shot but not picked up by any network. But is it degrading to Asians? Maybe, but we've seen the majority of America's youth depicted as shallow, ignorant and trampy as most MTV shows provide, so what makes Asians any different? At least they're not being depicted as the stereotypical nerd, martial artist or piano superstar. As one of the shows producer Mike Le says,
“A lot of stereotypes about Asians are good. We’re smart, we play the violin or piano, we’re hard workers, great at math. Our cast is like that, too, except they’re also sexy, stylish, and have swagger. Those are things people don’t think of when they think of Asians in media. They think Asian guys are asexual, girls are docile, repressed"As a fellow Asian person (although people love to say that being Indian is not Asian, more Southeast Asian, to which I respond, "Its still in Asia right?"), I would love to see the media show Indians as more than just taxi drivers, nerds, convenience store owners, Bollywood stars and traditionalists. It may be a step in the wrong direction, but when nobody wants to change the stereotypes, at least there's somebody trying something new- and that's when change happens and its always interesting to see where the fine line is between stereotype breaking and stereotype reinforcing.
The cast comprised of four girls and four guys, include similar characters to the Jersey Shore. "The Situation"-like character is Peter Le (who also has an x-rated website), there's a club promoter instead of DJ Pauly D and the Snookie-esque character is Scarlet Chan. The others are Young Lee, Jennifer Field, Joe Cha, Violet Kim, Steve Kim, and Jasmine Chang. It appears that their choice of drink is Korean beer Hite, and soju, it'll be interesting to see how many other things they do that are traditionally Korean/Asian.
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Funny that an American would chose to drink Hite
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cover Band Alert!
Sometimes at work I sit in front of Youtube and find new music. When you're only exposed to K Pop and pop/club songs, I sometimes yearn to find something new and original, and catch up on the music scene I left behind at home.
I was sitting in a waffle cafe the other day and I hear this song that reminds me of a hard rock song I know, and as I strained to hear the song and maintaining my conversation with my friends that I hadn't seen since before I went on vacation, I realized I was indeed listening to a French remake of "This is not a Love Song" originally done by PIL (Public Image Ltd), but I knew it as the cover done by Kerbdog. Upon doing some google-ing and some youtube-ing, I've realized I've fallen in love with these guys.
Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux round up this French music collective and very much like Michael Buble, they cover songs in their own unique way. Their name comes from a play on words of French new wave and Brazilian bossa nova, and I fell in love with Bossa Nova when I learned about it a couple of years ago but haven't found anything that I really liked.
In this age of music that lacks creativity and is reduced to covering songs with no originality, Nouvelle Vague is like a breath of fresh air. Their ability to strip songs back to their acoustic arrangements and gather singers from around the world make all their songs unique and their own. They've covered everyone from The Clash to Blondie to The Dead Kennedys and their albums are loaded with famous musicians.
And then, in line with Bob Marley's birthday, I came across Playing for Change. I thought the concept was amazing- you gather musicians from around the world and have them collaborate to popular songs. Their soul, passion, and uniqueness draws you in, and I always find things more mesmerizing to watch/listen when you add incorporate world music to the mix.
From the website www.playingforchange.com (because I couldn't say it better):
I've fallen in love with both these concepts.
I was sitting in a waffle cafe the other day and I hear this song that reminds me of a hard rock song I know, and as I strained to hear the song and maintaining my conversation with my friends that I hadn't seen since before I went on vacation, I realized I was indeed listening to a French remake of "This is not a Love Song" originally done by PIL (Public Image Ltd), but I knew it as the cover done by Kerbdog. Upon doing some google-ing and some youtube-ing, I've realized I've fallen in love with these guys.
Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux round up this French music collective and very much like Michael Buble, they cover songs in their own unique way. Their name comes from a play on words of French new wave and Brazilian bossa nova, and I fell in love with Bossa Nova when I learned about it a couple of years ago but haven't found anything that I really liked.
In this age of music that lacks creativity and is reduced to covering songs with no originality, Nouvelle Vague is like a breath of fresh air. Their ability to strip songs back to their acoustic arrangements and gather singers from around the world make all their songs unique and their own. They've covered everyone from The Clash to Blondie to The Dead Kennedys and their albums are loaded with famous musicians.
And then, in line with Bob Marley's birthday, I came across Playing for Change. I thought the concept was amazing- you gather musicians from around the world and have them collaborate to popular songs. Their soul, passion, and uniqueness draws you in, and I always find things more mesmerizing to watch/listen when you add incorporate world music to the mix.
From the website www.playingforchange.com (because I couldn't say it better):
The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.The wonderful thing about this Not for Profit Organization is that they have opened up music schools in Africa and India, and in 2009 they released a documentary "Peace Through Music" as directors Mark Johnson and Jonathan Walls traveled and recorded clips of musicians from various places around the globe. Yes, this is a major plug, but I only support causes that I believe really stand for something.
I've fallen in love with both these concepts.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Who knew eh?
That being a Canadian, living outside of Toronto that the first time I'd go snowboarding would be when I get to Korea?
Its actually sad that the only time I've been skiing was on a field trip back in Elementary school (some odd 15 years ago) and I've never really had the opportunity to go back- or just never chose to. Well finally, I had the ability to go away to Muju Ski Resort on one of my few free weekends. A little hesitant at first, I thought about skiing because I figured it would be the easier of the two. However, at the last minute I changed my mind and bought the snowboard rental instead.
I was incredibly nervous, and thought to myself "how could it be that hard?"
From Daegu there are no buses that go straight to Muju. Our trek started by taking a KTX to Daejeon, then a bus from there to Muju. If you can find a cab, it'll set you back about 25,000w to drive you to the resort or you can wait for the shuttle bus. Waiting for the bus we came across a frozen pond where a variety of ice activities awaited us. You could skate, sled, tube down the small hills, ice bike, or kneel on this small wooden sled-like device and use ice picks to help you glide along. The kids playing on the ice were incredibly friendly, talking any English they could and raced amongst us.
Alas, the shuttle came around and we hopped on for the two hour bus ride. You can rent virtually everything you need for skiing/snowboarding from the goggles to the boots. However, I rented the equipment from the resort itself so I just got the jacket, pants, board and boots and started the evening run. The slopes are open from 6:30am-2am with a two hour break from 4:30-6:30. There are no waivers to sign and no liability to anyone but yourself if anything were to happen either. For the cheapest room in the area, you get a small room with no bed and do what the Koreans do- sleep on the ondol heated floor. If you're smart, you bring a burner and cook your meat. If you see garbage cans in the middle of the hallway, don't move them! They catch the leaks from the ceilings. Yet, it sure beats traveling for about 3 hours to get there and then suffer another 3 hours to go back, making sure you don't miss the last bus.
Now I am a klutz. I've ruined both my ankles doing the most random things, my knees are not the strongest- I can't ride a bike without falling or running into something, so I was preparing for the worst. I got up the hill and with no surprise, I could barely stand up without moving and falling back down again. Now I know when you boarding anywhere else in the world and fall down, you'd move to the side if you want to take a breather or go slow, but of course, nothing in Korea is ever common sense. There'd be rows of Koreans sitting in the middle of the slopes waiting (for what seemed like forever) to get back up again. But I loved snowboarding at night. It wasn't that cold, and after 10pm means not so many people, and there's something that I love about snow at night- it makes me happy.
I'll give credit to my dad for this, but I started watching what the other new snowboarders were doing and tried to keep at it and learn how to board. After much, much, much time had passed I was finally able to stand on the board without falling on my poor, sore butt and could move very slowly down the slopes while facing the bottom (board parallel to the base). Around 12:30am, I couldn't last anymore. My knees were sore and I could barely sit on my butt.
However, I went back at it again the next day and decided to go on the bigger hills. Of course, longer hills equals faster speed which means harder, bigger, and tougher falls, and falls I did! By the end of the first run, my knees were raw and I was losing upper body strength trying to get myself up all the time. My second run proved much better however, and I could actually make it about a good couple of minutes without falling! Of course I have to go back before the season ends, but this time I need to give myself more time to recover.
Its actually sad that the only time I've been skiing was on a field trip back in Elementary school (some odd 15 years ago) and I've never really had the opportunity to go back- or just never chose to. Well finally, I had the ability to go away to Muju Ski Resort on one of my few free weekends. A little hesitant at first, I thought about skiing because I figured it would be the easier of the two. However, at the last minute I changed my mind and bought the snowboard rental instead.
I was incredibly nervous, and thought to myself "how could it be that hard?"
 |
| Fun-filled ice activities! |
Alas, the shuttle came around and we hopped on for the two hour bus ride. You can rent virtually everything you need for skiing/snowboarding from the goggles to the boots. However, I rented the equipment from the resort itself so I just got the jacket, pants, board and boots and started the evening run. The slopes are open from 6:30am-2am with a two hour break from 4:30-6:30. There are no waivers to sign and no liability to anyone but yourself if anything were to happen either. For the cheapest room in the area, you get a small room with no bed and do what the Koreans do- sleep on the ondol heated floor. If you're smart, you bring a burner and cook your meat. If you see garbage cans in the middle of the hallway, don't move them! They catch the leaks from the ceilings. Yet, it sure beats traveling for about 3 hours to get there and then suffer another 3 hours to go back, making sure you don't miss the last bus.
Now I am a klutz. I've ruined both my ankles doing the most random things, my knees are not the strongest- I can't ride a bike without falling or running into something, so I was preparing for the worst. I got up the hill and with no surprise, I could barely stand up without moving and falling back down again. Now I know when you boarding anywhere else in the world and fall down, you'd move to the side if you want to take a breather or go slow, but of course, nothing in Korea is ever common sense. There'd be rows of Koreans sitting in the middle of the slopes waiting (for what seemed like forever) to get back up again. But I loved snowboarding at night. It wasn't that cold, and after 10pm means not so many people, and there's something that I love about snow at night- it makes me happy.
 |
| Koreans= Super cute animal family! |
I'll give credit to my dad for this, but I started watching what the other new snowboarders were doing and tried to keep at it and learn how to board. After much, much, much time had passed I was finally able to stand on the board without falling on my poor, sore butt and could move very slowly down the slopes while facing the bottom (board parallel to the base). Around 12:30am, I couldn't last anymore. My knees were sore and I could barely sit on my butt.
 |
| ...and then I'm down! |
 |
| Finally up and at 'em |
However, I went back at it again the next day and decided to go on the bigger hills. Of course, longer hills equals faster speed which means harder, bigger, and tougher falls, and falls I did! By the end of the first run, my knees were raw and I was losing upper body strength trying to get myself up all the time. My second run proved much better however, and I could actually make it about a good couple of minutes without falling! Of course I have to go back before the season ends, but this time I need to give myself more time to recover.
 |
| Teacher Shaun helping me guide my toes |
 |
| Doing what I do best! |
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