Korean Fashion

I am amazed at Korean fashion. No, I'm not talking about hanbok (although Serena Williams sure is lookin' fly in one) --


I am talking about how well the general Korean population dresses. I suppose it's no surprise, as Korean society is incredibly superficial (this is of course, another blog in itself). The men typically wear a suit to most white collar jobs and the women are layered head to toe and always have on a hot pair of high heels, even if only to go to school or to buy groceries. As for me being so amazed, well, I suppose it's because I've been living in Hawaii too long and I've forgotten that an aloha shirt, cargo shorts and slippers aren't typical attire in the rest of the world.

I've been doing a little shopping in SK and although it's very tiring to look through so many random stores, the clothes here are worth looking for because they actually FIT me. You see, clothing mass manufacturers like Banana Republic or American Eagle try to make as few sizes as possible, to reduce costs (for example, in most men's dress shirts, there are usually two buttons on the wrist area-- one to use if the length is fine and a tighter one to use to make the shirt hug the wrist and appear shorter). And because so many Americans are bulky or obese, the clothing is made to suit their shape. This may be good for them, but for a 5'10" slender Asian man such as myself, this means my American-medium dress-shirt from the GAP can double as a poncho:



Again, the squareness of the shirt would probably fit a typical American male or SpongeBob Squarepants just fine, but as for me, it is a little baggy.

I just bought this shirt the other day for about $25 in Seoul and it fits like a glove (notice how much the sides taper in):


As much as I enjoy learning about fashion here, I'll still stay away from the skinny jeans for men, so don't worry. That shit is queer, yo.




@@@

A little taste of home -- I made some chicken katsu curry.

It's Tough Love, Kids

A month has passed since I first arrived -- amazing. I guess time flies when you're having fun playing the crane game.


@@@

Teachers are the ones who nurture the adults of the future, I've heard. Teaching is such a great job because you get to work with kids, I heard. I've never heard anyone mention that teaching can be a nice treat for a sadist.

I like to ask random students questions during the class. Most are hesitant, but will softly eek out an answer. Some are brash and proudly answer, no matter how little sense they make. Then there are the timid: they either stare down at their book when I approach them or just sit there. When they just sit there, I'm not sure if they are waiting for me to move on or if they are thinking about the answer. I suppose these timid students are simply incapacitated with fear, like the fear that filled America in the early 20th century, when Prohibition was enacted and Americans realized they couldn't get shit-faced on the weekend. Public speaking is a common fear, (I would guess even moreso for these young students), so I try not to get angry at them. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing them sweat or hearing their moans of agony as I call their name in class though.

It's called "tough love," kids.

I could just show my students a Disney movie and have them just laugh and enjoy class, but I want them to practice as much as possible, because of course, practice does make perfect.

I was thinking of showing them a clip from Rocky III to encourage and inspire them to have the courage to speak in class. Instead, I decided to show them this video of a man that can't count to "20" (fkn hilarious):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv62SN9P008

The lesson I told my students after showing them the video: practice makes perfect, you lil fuckers.

Deadlier than Gambling

I've never understood why people salivate at the thought of visiting Las Vegas. I visited LV for the first when I was 23. I was unimpressed. Aside from the grand sights such as New York, New York or the Bellagio Hotel water show, I consider Las Vegas to be nothing special. The entire city is filled with hustlers and I hate the idea that the entire city is built on the failed dreams of many. The main draw of gambling did not have much appeal to me either.

In many parts of Korea (including my hood), there are crane games dispersed randomly along streets and alleys everywhere. They are filled with not only stuffed animals, but also cigarette lighters, keychains, drinks, and in one I even saw an enclosed pack of wife beaters. Since I've gotten here, I've spent close to about $20 on these crane games. As long as I win occasionally, the items (which are bizarre or unique beyond anything I've seen before, like the pachinko lighter seen to the left), are great prizes and are at a reasonable price. I find myself filled with joy when I hear the clunk of a cigarette lighter hitting the metal tray below and jumping in dismay when the crane-claw suddenly and "magically" loses it's grip on it's way to the drop point. Maybe this is what Vegas gamblers feel.

So it seems I'm starting to build a collection.