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Here’s a recap of my time in Jeju, as well as a look at the beautiful next stop, Busan.

We enjoyed our time at Cheju Halla University (despite there being more tropical bugs there than the average Seattlelite is use to).

We spent some time learning of the history of Jeju and making some new friends at the local folk village.

We also enjoyed some fun in the sun at Hyeop-Jae beach, one of the most beautiful in Jeju, with a stunning view of Biyangdo Island.

Of course, I couldn’t leave out our stunning hike up Olle #9 (olle is like a hill or mountain, something in-between maybe). The views were uniquely Korea, and not to be missed.

Before long, it was off too Busan for our next lay of the trip, a charming beach town, also the second largest city in Korea, so don’t let “beach town” let you underestimate Busan. If Seoul is New York, Busan is LA.

We are staying in Haeundae, the main beach area in the city, so surely, you’ll see more of these adventures in the days to come.

One thing Korea and America have in common most definitely is their obsession with cutesy things, but as Americans have slowly waned away from the kitschy and cutesy for more edgy pop culture (see Adam West’s Batman vs Christian Bale’s for your prime American example), Koreans have embraced it still. Yes, we still have serious Korean dramas and action films, but the fact that I can’t walk into a 7-11 without seeing Pokemon or Kakao Friends on absolutely every piece of merchandise shows that there is a stark difference from America.

At Namsan Tower alone, I counted at least 10 giant sculptures shaped like well-known foreign and local characters. Some of my favorites include:

Lin Lin (don’t hurt Lin Lin, Lin Lin is fragile)

And more….

And this (I’m assuming unintentionally) satanically-lit Pikachu.

Pandas and Pokemon seem to go hand-in-hand with Seoul actually…as I’ve seen quite a few.

Vending machine storefronts is pretty common to see on most busy blocks. They’re like self-serve arcades, always equip with an ubiquitous Pokemon claw machine.

Then you’ve got more obscure things like this shark in a shopping complex

There’s a store called Artbox that also specializes in its own cute characters, similar to Line friends and Kakao friends…the common theme being cuteness.

So why is the cute factor an even bigger deal here than back at home? I think it comes down to the culture of Korea being much more family-oriented than the West. Cute things in a way resemble children, or pets, and the fondness people have for adorable things stems from a very hardly-ingrained nurturing factor. Cute is attractive, as even with people, more women in Korea aim for a more youthful, cute makeup look than the sexy cat-eye that is so popular with the West. It may also just have to do with that fact that different cultures use different things to sell. In America, the phrase has been “sex sells” and it’s awfully apparent in car ads with hot women, and those extremely strange Carl’s Junior commercials that make people cringe, yet everyone talks about it the next day. In Korea, they’ve emphasized more that cute sells better to a wider audience. Everyone loves Kakao friends, no matter age or gender, as long as they know Kakao. When people see cute things, they’re impulsed to buy it, even if it’s just the packaging….I myself am guilty of this of course.

We could all use a little more cute in our lives, couldn’t we?

Selfie culture is a big part of our modern era, no matter the country, but Korea is a little different than the US in a way…It’s more socially acceptable. The selfie stick is something really mocked back at home (despite its practicality). Here, this is a pretty common scene…

The selfie is used to document where a person’s been, as well as who they’ve been there with. As you can see with this small, 2 photo narrative, you can see that it’s more than just a one-man show, or a chance to show off we have friends.

First of all, they’re all wearing a similar outfit, so they clearly coordinated this ahead of time. The girl in red has the other girls take a photo of just here, then she comes back, and they go through the snaps together to see if they got a “good one”…. We do this in American culture all the time, but the difference is how normalized it is here. Everyone is taking pictures of themselves, together, and each other, and its utterly normal. No judgey stares, no eye rolls, no mind actually. It’s more about documenting the moment rather than ignoring it.

Some photogenic spots like “Common Ground,” a shopping center made up of old shipping containers make for the perfect spot for locals to gather and get that perfect shot for Instagram.

It’s about teamwork, as you can see. Good friends in Korea drop everything to help their friend get that perfect picture… Everything except their meat skewers apparently…

We landed in Jeju Island on 8/26, which is essentially Hawaii in Korea. Just like the State’s favorite domestic island getaway, Jeju is full of sand, sun, and bugs the size of your head. No joke… We’ve encounter cockroaches the the size of thumbs, bees the size of ping pong balls, and a moth that looked like it could literally eat your face… I was too afraid to get close enough to get a good photo, so here’s the photo wikipedia provides when you look up “korean moth” and it directs you to the “Japanese Giant Moth” because of course it has giant in the name

Sleep tight tonight friends….

As for the island though, it’s beautiful. We visited so many amazing locations that show why this island is where locals and foreigners alike come to relax during the summer. It was also nice to enjoy some weather more similar to home. Seoul is extremely humid and hot and you constantly feel as though you just got out of a swimming pool, in a constant state of wet, whereas Jeju has this wonderful ocean breeze that cools the air and makes you feel like you are in paradise.

I’ll post some more photos of our trips to Hyeopjae Beach as soon as I get them uploaded, but for now, let me introduce you to my new friend I met in Jeju… the hareubang

He’s a bit serious, but an icon in Jeju. Hareubang is the Jeju dialect’s word for grandfather, and they’re meant to watch over the island. They look really similar to Easter Island heads, and a lot of island cultures have developed their own versions…Why? Nobody really knows, which adds to their intrigue and mystery.

To talk a little bit about cultural differences as well, I’ve come to realize that some of my favorite Korean meals are quite similar to American treats, but with their own unique style. I tried a Korean corn dog at Hyeopjae beach which was a religious moment in my life…I’ve never had a better corn dog in my life, which isn’t really saying much, but believe me, if corn dogs were like this in the States, they would be a culinary art form.

See how the sun shines its rays on this masterpiece to show it’s the chosen one…

This corn dog was fried, then fried again when I ordered it, the covered with sugar, yes sugar, and sprinkled with a katsu-style sauce. It mixed sweet, savory, and sour in one effortless meal. I’ve never enjoyed such a simple food this much before.

The PC Bang is a ubiquitous part of Korean culture that simply just hasn’t caught on in the States, so naturally, I had to see why. Bang culture is huge in Seoul and outside the city, as it incorporates the idea of a place to hang out with friends outside of the confines of a small apartment. In our home base of Hyehwa, PC Bangs are on every block, usually placed on the second or third floor of a building complex.

The unassuming location, just 2 blocks from the university.

The thing about the PC bang is that it’s much different from a normal internet cafe, mainly because it is not catered to business people, but to teenagers and college kids that use it to game with their friends on their off-time. Calling these places PC cafes doesn’t really do them justice…

Rows and rows of computers the size of small TV screens, each accompanied with a padded chair fit for a king, noise-cancelling headphones with mics, and a keyboard that looks like this…

Extra is the PC Bang’s middle name, as it’s clear they spare no expense. Every game available on a PC under the sun is already installed, and all anyone must do to use the machines as long as they wish is make an account, sign in at the kiosk at the front, and pay just 2 Korean Won for 2 hours on the computer.

Naturally, my trip was not only just to investigate one of these establishments, but to also catch up on some lost time on Overwatch, my, and recently Korea’s favorite game.

Korean gamers are big on Blizzard games in particular, Starcraft being essentially a national sport, and Overwatch quickly gaining traction, possibly due to its competitive gameplay mixed with colorful characters with strong storylines, one in particular being D.Va from Overwatch, a character who is the epitome of Korean gamer culture….she’s a professional Starcraft champion-turned Mech-powered hero that protects her home country from giant, city-leveling robots. She’s also just 19 years old, a child prodigy, just like the gamers who play her. Her story originates in the PC bang itself.

Looking at my neighbors around me, all of the computers with Overwatch loaded up were playing as her…National pride is strong in Korea even amongst gamers…Plus she’s amazingly fun to play, and my personal best.

If you haven’t noticed yet, every screen on these computers and the games are shown in Hangul, so it took some getting used to, but it was quite an immersive experience.

So why are these places so popular in Korea but incredibly rare in the United States, even gamer-hubs like Seattle? I believe it has to do with the idea of social anti-socialization that is deeply ingrained in Korea’s society, especially the youth culture as well a the strive to succeed. In the US, a social experience usually means disconnecting from technology and spending time with others undistracted, such as grabbing lunch, going bowling, or seeing a movie, the idea being that everyone is focused on the same activity together. In Korea, those activities can be done together just as easily when glued to a computer screen. Rather than go to a movie, youth will hit the PC bang with their friends, get a few rounds in with their buddies, order food (which is available in concession at most of these establishments, like a bowling alley has), and even a smoking room so that smokers don’t even have to leave the facility to take a break. It’s meant to be a place to take one’s time and enjoy together.

The second difference has to do with the focus on goals that Korean culture emphasizes that American culture simply doesn’t. American children are raised to choose their own path, take their time, and find their way through life, while Korean children are pushed to make goals and to achieve them much earlier. This turns gaming into more than just a pastime or hobby as it is in the US. It’s a form of goal-setting, so Korean gamers are much more motivated to improve their skills. Thats why E-Sports is so prevalent in Korea that Seoul has its own arena dedicated to gaming events. The hope I have is that the US can take a look at these differences and try to bridge the gap. I think the PC Bang could be extremely popular in a city like Seattle, especially if handled the same way as in Seoul…as a gathering place for local gamers to work on their skills, enjoy each other’s company, and of course, have a good time.

Until next time… 다시 한 판 해보자고!

Going back to the aspect of fashion in Seoul, I’ve noticed a very unique trend which is quite different from what is socially expected in America. Due to the commonality of college students and young people in Korea to stay living with their parents until marriage, the union of young love is treated much more seriously than that in the United States. Here, people in college may date for weeks, months, or years, and even live with each other long before marriage, as a sort of trial-and-error mode of dating before settling down. In Korea, because it’s not customary for young couples to live together, and also considering the size of a city like Seoul causing young couples to often have to commute to see each other, they have found other ways to adapt a relationship based on their cultural and social needs….Matching outfits.

While this may seem ostentatious in the West, seen as a bit saccharine-sweet for American society’s idea of practical romantic relationships, for young Korean’s its not only a way to stay connected with each other as a couple, but also to display their coupledom for the public as a sign that they are unified. It’s a sentiment that we don’t have back at home as often, as matching outfits from an American standard is seen as an attention-grabber. In a way, it is the same here, but the attention is to not just let people know they are dating, but instead that they are committed…and they are. Often, young couples that live in different neighborhoods or go to different schools will organize their outfits together, even on days they won’t see each other… the idea being that even when they are apart, they are a unit. It’s a sentiment that I personally think our hookup-culture and expendable-significant other mentalities in the States could use, as love in America is quite arbitrary, with grey area that Korean culture just doesn’t have to deal with.

This is way easier…. Showing that you are the yin to the other’s yang. Similarly, monochrome seems to be the most popular match-up…

We recently visited Namsan tower, the couple’s capitol of Seoul. It’s a popular date-night excursion, and with one look, one can see why….

Love is in the air in Seoul…

…maybe Korea could teach America a thing or two about relationships being more than just a status…

사랑해…

On this day, we made a site visit to a company called Baemin, which specializes in easy food delivery (similar to Uber-Eats in the states, but given the population density of Seoul, distinctly more popular). But this is not what I wanted to focus on most in my post about the company. What makes Baemin unique, is its branding, as they develop all of their advertising independently, and let me tell you, these guys know how to have a good time…

First, heres a look at their view…

Next, is their sense of humor. Baemin has made a business not only out of food, but out of fun. All of their advertising is one big joke, and in this case, that’s a good thing.

Their welcome desk starts us off with the spelling of the English phrase “Nice to meet you,” but spelling using Hangul characters to say “Naiseu too michoo.”

And here’s a look at some of the workspaces for the company’s employees…

Some prickly coworkers…

I’m assuming some unique self-portraits?

An easy way to get around the office…

A nice quiet place to make a phone call…

A good spot to camp on those long, hard projects…

What this visit has showed me is exactly how fun the Korean culture has become. A country that has a strong history of hierarchies imbedded into not only the social scene, but the language itself is also evolving as a superpower for the fun workplace. Korean’s take themselves seriously where it counts, and allow themselves to have a little fun where that counts too, which should really show something about what it means to be Korean.

We paid a visit to the Gangnam district, essentially the 5th Ave of Seoul. There are expensive shopping spots, expensive food, and of course, expensive outfits on all the people in town. When I embarked on this trip, I made it a mission to document as much of the street fashion I could to see how Korean’s handle fashion differently or similarly to the US. The thing about Seoul, is that everyone here dresses with an air of simplicity that is quite different than us ostentatious Americans. Instead of loud prints and gaudy accessories, Korean women are much more on the side of minimalism, often dressing with no more than 2 colors in an outfit.

As you can see, prints can definitely be applied, but they’re used quite sparingly  with complimentary single-color clothing items in conjunction. Even color, as I mentioned never seems to be out of place. You won’t see any women on the subway wearing pink, purple, green, and yellow in the same outfit. Tackiness is not the Seoulite’s forte. K-pop stars? They’re dressed more like Americans with ostentatious outfits. A true Seoulite dresses to impress, but also doesn’t take their fashion TOO seriously….they’ve got to leave room for a little bit of fun.

Bright colors paired with neutral ones….

Patterned shirts and skirts (stripes unanimously being most popular) paired with more neutral tops and bottoms…

A chance to match a billboard in the subway station while seeing off a friend…

Finally, I’ve noticed there are two main fashion styles in Korea that encompass most of these trends.

Dress-to-impress (business edition)

and Dress-to-impress (street addition)

The goal? To look stylish, but by different means. The former is much more commonly-seen amongst working women, college-grads in their late 20s-30s, and dressing women around the cushier districts like Gangnam. It’s similar to business-casual in the States, but with staples being more neutral colors, modest blouses, and flat or heeled shoes. The latter is high school and college-kid style, focusing more on color-blocking, layering for both modestly and style, tee-shirts paired with a more formal bottom like a skirt, and most importantly….brand-name or off-brand sneakers. The interesting part is that these styles are hard to categorize at times because they can be often interchangeable. A lot of times you’ll see women dressed more like this…

A dressy blouse= Business

A modest skirt that complements the more colorful top= Business or Street

And Keds= Street

What I’ve come to realize is that there is no fine line between business and casual as there is with the fashion in the US. American’s would define business-casual as a nice dress or a skirt with a blouse and formal shoes like heels or flats. Koreans could define it as much more arbitrary, with sneakers pairing with formal clothing to add a more street aspect to the style. In my last week of Seoul, I’ll surely take another look at all the street fashion to see exactly what Seoulites find stylish, and possibly how this relates to the culture and history of Korea.