Asha All Up In Korea's Business

SK isn’t really all that different from any place where people were really poor and are now less so. So yeah, Korea can seem very materialistic. And it is. But for some pretty clear historical reasons, I think. It’s not even like the history of war and postwar poverty is all that hidden. On two occasions, I’ve been downtown and saw a man with no legs pushing himself down the street on his stomach on one of those square boards on wheels that you drag your friends around on in elementary school gym class. The first time, I was really shocked and looked around, seeing if anyone was reacting. No one was. It didn’t look like he was begging in any recognizable way, though he was dragging something along behind hm. Even apart from this rather stark example, one just as to look at some of the ahjummas and ahjussis (older women and men, respectively) you see on the street going about their business. Their coarse, voluminous pants, stooped backs and farmer-esque visors. their big carts that look sharply out of place as they roll past stores selling Louis Vuitton and Guess. It’s a trip seeing ahjummas and young women juxtaposed. The obvious strength and forecefullness of the ahjummas beside the delicate (real or feigned) femininity of their granddaughters. Generation gaps and class gaps exist everywhere of course but I suppose it takes going somewhere new to see it so played out so obviously. In Korea, it almost looks like the working class and the middle class live in completely different countries, which is not something I’ve experienced before. I wonder if young Koreans are very aware of this contrast that they live. After I went to Beijing last year, people would ask me what I thought of it and I would talk about how Beijing feels like a really haphazard mishmash of times and styles. I see now that Korea has some of that same quality, just a little less obviously.

All of this makes me understand better why Korean kids are so terrifyingly overworked. I mean, the average Korean 11 year old seems to work harder and longer than I did doing my master’s. And while I don’t think that’s good, I can see how, with the spectre of war and poverty so close behind you, you might go a little overboard in wanting your children to succeed.

As for the issue of postwar American influence and Korea and its various side effects (including those hideous, obviously fake eye folds you see frequently around town – seriously, if you are going to have an invasive, arguably self-hating surgery, at least get one that looks even vaguely natural), that is a whole ‘nother entry.

On a far lighter note, I find it remarkably difficult to guess age in Korea. Do sometimes I’ll think some random guy is cute and then spend several minutes worrying that he’s super young. One thing is for sure: Korea has the least scary police officers in the world. Half of them look about 12 and there really isn’t anything at all intimidating in their demeanour. There’s a police station not too far from work and one day I was walking to Dunkin Donuts when I saw a group of guys in matching grey coats. “Oh, what is this, a field trip?” I wondered. Turns out, it was the cops. I’d be curious to see if they seem more authoritative in action, but it’s hard to imagine. When I think back to being in Spain and having my Aunty Eve tell me not to ever make eye contact with Spanish police because they were that intense, I don’t know if anything could shake my mild mental image of Korean police. It doesn’t help that they have a cute cartoon animal on the sign outside the station.

And now for this entry’s music rec – the impressive Yoon Mirae, aka Tasha, a half African American half Korean woman rapper. She’s married to the guy from my link in my second entry. Hip hop couple = too adorable to be borne.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0_dCn7gZXg

Love,
AAA