Koreans and Their Nonsensical Ways : Part I

Koreans and Their Nonsensical Ways: Part I

This will be part one of I’m sure plenty of lists that will voice the perplexity that is Korea. Or Koreans themselves rather, and their perplexing ways. It’s just a fun list people, so don’t get your panties in a twist over some of the very stereotypical and some downright racist things this list might include. I’m American. And everybody hates Americans for some reason or another. And everyone is perplexed by the behaviors of Americans. So let me have my list.

1 – They eat with two sticks more commonly referred to as chopsticks. I’ve never spent so much time concentrating on getting the food to actually arrive in my mouth, and not in my lap.

2 – Koreans are completely nonsensical about temperature. Whether it’s 90 above and they refuse to put on the air-conditioner, or 90 below and they have all the windows wide open!

3 – Running like a bat outta hell…everywhere. Even if a Korean isn’t in a hurry, they’re running. Running for kimchi, running for a seat on the train, running for a few seconds…stopping…and running again. I always tell people, ‘Koreans are always running somewhere, but going no where.’

4 – The women wear heels ALL DAY EVERYDAY. Now I can strut my stuff in heels, not gonna lie, but I certainly couldn’t where them day in and day out. They also insist on wearing skin colored tights under everything, shorts, skirts, dresses, and pants.

5 – Need a refrigerator or washing machine? All you have to do is run down a passing van or truck with a loud speaker attached to it, and an old Korean man yelling the latest deal on a household appliance. Really? Why would I buy a buy a washing machine from a guy in a van zipping by me, yelling god knows what into his mega-phone. 

6 – When hiking even the smallest of hills in Korea, Koreans will wear a hiking outfit fit for Bear Grylls. In head to toe North Face, hiking boots, and a hiking poll…they mean business.

7 – Koreans don’t sweat. Bottom line. I just don’t get it. I show up to work, my face dripping in sweat and beet red to boot. The teachers look at me in bewilderment, like I just stepped off of Mars or something. “Kasserin! It's warm today huh?" Warm?! I'm damn near melting!

8 – Koreans hate foreigners, especially Americans. (At least in my opinion) Yet everywhere you look there are English signs, restaurants, and models on their advertisements. And more than 3/4 of the population sport t-shirts with grammatically incorrect English on them.

9 – It’s considered “inappropriate” to show your shoulders as a woman, or any part of your chest. But wearing a skirt or shorts so short you might as well not even be wearing them…seems to be tolerated.

10 – There are no public trashcans ANYWHERE. Basically people throw their litter in the middle of the streets.  It’s extremely dirty and polluted here. I suppose a Korean would argue it gives jobs to those who have to clean the streets at 3 am, but I think I’d rather be held socially responsible for throwing away my own rubbish rather than trudging along in a whole days worth on the side-walk. Yuck!