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Did I just go there?

It’s true. I know it’s a sensitive subject. I may not be able to do this delicate matter complete justice but I do want to resume dialogue about this matter. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. However, like always, I pledge to be open-minded and sensitive. But, I will have to at least recognize some differences between American and Korean ideas of healthy body types. Please take this entry as my own opinion sprinkled with a generous serving of sarcasm. Eat up. It’s good for you.

It’s safe to conclude that neither country has a single, uniform opinion about what a healthy body looks like. For some, it’s being dangerous skinny enough to shop for summertime bikinis in the toddler section. For others, it’s all about how happy they are inside and has very little to do about their outward appearance. Healthiness and sexual attraction also don’t always line up equally. But, aren’t women naturally suppose to be more curvy? Wow, second paragraph and already I’m wincing. I’m getting uncomfortable just typing about this.

Matter of fact, let’s just go ahead and set the thermostat to “Chilly” cause it’s about to get cold up in here. I volunteer myself for this next example. I’m 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and always a little short of 180 pounds (80 kilograms). For many, I’m considered to be fat among Koreans. Soak that up.

At my current body type, I’m by no means scrawny. By the same token, no one would consider me obese. However, by and large, in America it’s not crazy to consider my body type to be quite normal (if not skinny). Now, on the lifestyle side of things, I would consider myself on the healthy end of the spectrum. I was a vegetarian for years, I’ve never smoked, I jog regularly, I eat lightly and frequently, I avoid soft drinks and candy, and I drink a crazy amount of water everyday. However, apparently I’m some gargantuan foreigner with an insatiable hunger. Feed me Seymour Korea.

My first encounter with my own personal grossness of a body occurred just a few years ago. When I met my first Korean language tutor, after a few meetings, she and I ate lunch together at the university sandwich shop. While waiting in line and deciding which sandwich to order, she turned to me and remarked “Are you sure you’re hungry? You look like you’re already full.” At which point she poked my stomach. At least I have a nice personality, right? Thanks 누나.

Culture shock, anyone?

For Koreans, first of all, fatness is not a taboo subject like it is America. It gave my tutor no pause to talk about my stomach. We weren’t even very close at the time - Hell, I had practically just met her. Was my stomach really that huge? Was it the age difference? Was it just her?

Nope. I’m just a monster. Apparently my beer gut is the stuff of legends. What is a “M” waist size in America is an astronomical “XL” here in Korea. “M” no longer stands for Medium….more like Monster. Another horror story comes from my encounter at a top-notch Korean resort. While searching for a few chairs to steal for the my group’s table, a small group of high school girls stopped to stare and remark about my body. They laughed, pointed, and talked about my gut. I believe the word “pregnant” was used. Now, at the time, my Korean was not perfect (will it ever be?) but it was good enough to understand the general point of what they were saying (let alone the body language, right?). But, I should be fair in saying that I was the only visible foreigner at the resort on that day. I’m sure that played a role…but then again, maybe my Robin Williams-like forest of chest hair scared them…

Moving on.

But it’s one thing to be skinny and another thing to be healthy. They don’t always mean the same thing. Being skinny does not make one healthy and being healthy does not make one skinny. If someone is genuinely overweight, it’s also fair to say that they might feel a little sensitive about their weight. It’s a valid struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle whilst still maintaining a lifestyle that fits everyone’s tastes. In my case, my answer is to avoid Western food and eat Korean food - it’s delicious, healthy, and good for you. But not everyone digs on soybeans, tofu, fish, and levels of spice that are only rivaled in deepest depths of Hell. I respect that.

But in Korea, there are lots of skinny people running around. Really, there are.  Seriously, look at this chart. According to the data, two out of three people in the United States are considered to be overweight or obese. Good job, everyone.

Finally some data so you can justifiably hate on them scrawny girls in 신촌… Just makes you want to eat a double cheeseburger and glower, doesn’t it? Coming from America, I’d just assume be pushing the scales like the rest of my countrymen. Maybe that’s why I don’t particularly notice other Americans who are overweight. To me, it’s just one aspect of a person and not that big of deal. But looking at the data on the chart, I can see why Koreans might be acutely sensitive to people who are overweight - foreign or otherwise.

This discussion requires a deep understanding of the sociological and cultural pressures that Koreans are subjected to, and I’ll go ahead and not volunteer myself for that. When backed into a corner, I refer to the smartest Kiwi I know. In absence of greatness, I concede that Korea has obvious cultural pressures to be anything but overweight. It can’t just be the natural diet of the people; while Korean food does, in my opinion, tend to be closer on the healthy side, we’re still talking about a land filled with enough Dunkin Donuts, 삼겹살, and 우동 to adequately fill the gullets of the masses to unhealthy proportions. So, something else must be going on. Will we ever know for sure know what makes Koreans so paper thin? Social Pressure? Good genes? 김치?

As I’m sure most of you can guess, I’m confident and happy with my own body type. Sure, I don’t look like Brad Pitt but honestly I’m not worried about it. To me, there’s more to life than being thin (or being among socially acceptable levels of “skinny”). After all, if I had a chance to either lift weights or spend time with my family, I’ll pick the latter any day of the week. But, like all things, it’s all about balance, isn’t? For me, the balance comes from being active, eating right, watching my sugar intake, jogging, and having a healthy and accurate self-image. By no means do I see myself as overweight. I urge those who do place external pressure on people who are a few sizes short of a “zero” to examine why they do so. Whose needs are trying to be met? Does such pressure really do anything other than make the other person uncomfortable?

Rant over.

Thoughts?

I mentioned pop-rock group FT 아일랜드 (FT Island) back in January (check out that post if you want to know a little bit more about them!), when it was announced that guitarist 원빈 (Wonbin) was leaving them and that his spot would be filled by 승현 (Seunghyun). I was curious to see how things would go with the new member, as well as being quite sad, since I’d followed FT Island since they were preparing to debut and 원빈 had always been there. It was definitely going to be a change.

But it’s turned out to be a change that I really, really like. 승현 fits in with the rest of the group really well, and he even looks like he belongs there.

The change also didn’t see FT Island’s music changing in any ways that it wasn’t already - I feel that it has matured, and shifted focus slightly, but I think that was something that was going to happen regardless of what the line-up was.

The group have recently released their third album, Cross & Change. It is by far my favourite of any of their releases, and I think they are going to have something really great going on if they continue in this direction. The sound is a little more mature than their previous albums, while still keeping their trademark style.

The first single from Cross & Change is the upbeat 바래 (Barae).

It is everything that FT Island are - fun, colourful and feel-good.

브라운 아이드 걸스 (Brown Eyed Girls) also released something new recently. They’re a four member girl group, consisting of 제아 (Jea), 나르샤 (Narsha), 미료 (Miryo) and 가인 (Ga-in). They debuted in 2006 with their first album Your Story, and have just released their third album Sound G. With the new release also comes a rather radical change in their image, aimed at making them seem more outgoing - probably to give them a better shot at grabbing attention, since they will be up against plenty of competition from girl groups like 2NE1, 4minute, 소녀시대 (Girls Generation), and 카라 (Kara).

Abracadabra is the first single off Sound G:

What do you think? I think it’s kind of catchy but nothing too special. I do like the MV though.

But I think this song is quite far away from the style that they originally started with. When they debuted, they had a soulful R&B type of sound, with the usual pop and hip hop infleunces to it. Now it’s electronic pop. Changing your style to better fit the current trends is simply what needs to be done if you’re a pop group and trying to survive - but I’ve always been of the opinion that the trick is to never completely let go of your own style, to find ways to make the current trends fit your style in a way that you are still instantly recognisable amongst everyone else. I’m not so sure that they’ve successfully done that, but then again I am not a Brown Eyed Girls fan so maybe I’m wrong!

Tipping and VAT (부가세).

In America, it’s what we do. We tip. It’s a short discussion at the end of a meal, but just like the credits at the end of movie, who really sticks around and pays attention? Leave the tip and be on your way. Who cares? Answer: anyone who’s waited tables before. The tip makes or breaks a server’s day. A generous tip will make your shift 20x more tolerable and a dinky tip will leave you wondering why you even try to be nice let alone flirt with that girl who was clearly not your type.

What was I talking about? Oh yeah the analogy. So, if we follow the movie theater comparison, then Koreans hit the road as soon as the guy gets the girl and doesn’t so much as stick around to see who directed the flick. In short, tipping in Korea is MIA. So what about America? What’s normal?

Forget the old 10%. That’s cheap. 15% is what I’d consider leaving for a grouchy-pants-McGee server. No, in America it’s hard to argue against leaving at least a 20% tip. It’s the right thing to do. Don’t think of it as extra - realize this “extra” cost before you buy the service or product because to leave anything less is just rude in my book. If you can’t afford to leave a decent tip, buy something cheaper. It’s the unspoken rule - tip. But, who and when does one tip? Thankfully, there are even specific situations where a tip is explicitly advised so as to not have any confusion as to how much and when to tip.

But, dear readers, I’m here to tell you shocking news about tipping in Korea.

*gasp* tipping in Korea does indeed exist. In a way. I know everyone says that Korea is a no-tip country but there are, in fact, some instances where tipping is appreciated - dare I say expected? For example, exceptional service merits a generous tip when the employee has gone above and beyond his or her job description.

But what about this whole VAT business? It’s already in the cost of the product. If it’s a Korean product, it’s usually 10% tacked on at the end of the bill. This VAT acts as a safety net and face saver. Fear not about tipping in these situations because the staff is already getting a cut from that tax. So in a way, you did tip them. But, times are a changing. Consider this the next time you’re in a place where tipping would be appreciated. Keeping in mind that sometimes tipping is not only a little weird but rude. It’s a tricky balance - and one that I have yet to strike.

So in conclusion, if you’re going to tip and it’s appropriate to do so, regardless of what country you’re in, don’t be stingy. Tip and tip well. Did you have a good experience? Was the server nice? Did you get your food in a timely manner? If not, did the server try his best? If so, tip generously. Altruism is good thing, you know? I mean, what’s two or three extra dollars to you? To the server, that’s lifeblood. If everyone tipped just a buck or two more, maybe the server wouldn’t have to work doubles and thus, be in a better mood when serving you and thus making you tip him or her more. Karma works both ways you know.

Thoughts?

Constitution Day in South Korea takes place on July 17th each year. It celebrates the exact day that the Korean Constitution was put in effect since 1948. The decision to make this day the chosen day for this holiday came three years after the defeat of Japan in World War II as well as after the elections and when the members of the national assembly were selected.

Soon after all of this took place including the announcement of Constitution Day, on August 18th, the First Republic of Korea was formally launched.

The laws on public holidays in South Korea was agreed upon in October 1948 and that is the same time that July 17th became the designated holiday for Constitution Day in South Korea.

The main attraction during Constitution Day does not include any particular festivities, but citizens usually participate in marathons. They run the long distance race on the streets of South Korea as an indication of their solidarity and respect for this National holiday.

A memorial service is performed on July 17th of each year and it serves to profess the protection of the Korean Constitution in light of democracy.

In 2008, Constitution Day was officially taken away from the public sector as being a non-working day. Citizens still have to go to work. This was administered when the government decided that they needed to reduce the number of non-working holidays that citizens could enjoy. Arbor Day (plant a tree day) and Constitution Day fell in that same category even though they are still considered as public holidays.

Constitution Day marked the signing of the Korean Constitution as well as the end of the imperial rule that the Japanese had to undergo in 1945.

Constitution Day was the day when South Korea and North Korea became divided. It is not a day that many individuals want to remember since they are being separated from their families who live in other parts of Korea.

This particular day is mostly a reminder of the political impact that was created due to South Korean government’s decision to become their own entity.

Korean Flight Attendants

I hate traveling. Driving is lame. Airports make me nervous. Airplanes provide an expensive and ultimately unsatisfying napping experience. But on a Korean company’s airplane, you will find little to complain about (other than the fourteen hour flight). Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the fine men and women that make up the flight attendants of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

Let’s talk about the flight attendants. They are young, let me tell you. Younger than their average Western counterpart. I don’t have numbers to prove it (which is usually a bad sign, but hey) but think about it. American flight attendants are working a job. They represent a fairly broad age demographic - some young, some old. It’s not that big of a deal because it’s like any other industry - new blood coming in while veterans retire thus keeping the cycle going. But apparently these young Korean flight attendants are like high school football stars in Texas - once you get a certain age, your chance is blown. You had one shot while you were young and once you’re done, a new, younger generation replaces you. Kind of harsh sounding, isn’t it?

For that matter, I see a much larger proportion of female flight attendants. Where’s all the guys? Strange, seeing how male flight attendants are in demand. Perhaps it’s like the teaching field - always a demand for quality male teachers but a short supply of young men who want to commit to teaching. I’m seeing a recipe for disaster…and wouldn’t you know it? Korean Air has had a troubled past regarding their hiring practices. Let’s hope that things have changed, yes?

But what about these hot young things? What makes them so worthy of a lowly blogger’s attention? Come on, people. These women aren’t born, raised, and groomed to be flight attendants. But something about those uniforms… Oh keep your minds out of the gutter. I’m not talking about how cute they are (which they are). But the aura of service they radiate is almost intimidating. Their attention to small details, pleasant demeanor, and unyielding veneer of professionalism is admirable. Even the male attendants have this dignified charm about them. They truly are the color of perfection or so says last year’s advertising campaign. Hey that’s a whole lot better than their first slogan.

But make no mistake, they are watching you as close as you are watching them. It’s just that they aren’t checking you out - they’re looking for potential risks and in my case, a potential husband. They are trained professionals and not just eye candy for your extra long trip. I mean, wouldn’t you want someone who was working a 14 hour shift to be on their guard for some goofball on the plane? Keep up the good work.
As someone who lives for good service (come on, who doesn’t it?) I absolutely love the service on Korean flights. They know you’re going to be on the plane for an eternity anyways, so might as well make it comfortable. Touch screen monitors, good food, decent leg room in coach, and unlimited supply of movies in Chinese, Japanese, English, and Korean. The only thing missing for me is a commons area to stand up and have a drink with fellow passengers (too much?). That would be awesome, though.

So, in summation, for someone who hates to fly, I love flying Korean. I’d live on a plane if I could. What are some of your experiences on an international Korean flight? Good service? Bad service?

Thoughts?

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Korean post production.

It’s annoying as all get out. It’s unnecessary. It’s shiny. It’s colorful. It’s embarrassing. It’s a staple. One cannot watch Korean TV without noticed the astronomical amount of post production. You’ve seen it - even if you never noticed it before.

May 12 1956 marked a special day in Korean history. The event? The first Korean television broadcast. Small but soon to become a mind-numbing ritual for families all over the country. This ingenious invention might not have inspired the miracle on the han but it may have at least entertained the masses.

Now, it doesn’t take much to know that much of early imported media came from Japan. Yes, Korea’s history with Japanese media is rather interesting given the general misgivings of the past. That said, it’s easy to look at Korean TV post-production and conclude that it’s a carbon copy of some other country’s technique. But you’d be wrong. You haven’t seen my list, yet. I’ll break it down so you can easily identify the particular “tracks” that are exclusively used in Korea (oh yeah, it’s going to be one of those posts). In order to fully appreciate this post, one must have seen at least one original Korean show be it game show, variety show, or contest. A few starting places would be 무한도전 aka Infinity Challenge, 일박이일 aka 1 Night 2 Days, and 미녀들의 수다 aka Talk With Beauties.

Care to take a look at a sample list of techniques employed by the good people in Korea?

- The Laugh Track - 

This can be as simple as a prerecorded audience laugh or as complicated as being filmed in front of a live ostrich. Either way, the laugh track is a sort of cue system to allow the audience at home to know when it is appropriate to laugh. It also functions to fill the air with the awful stench of bad cheese. It’s tasteless and ruins any pathetic attempt at a real joke. But, that’s just the thing - Korean audiences are lively and their laugh track is diverse. There are several different canned laughs and a few high pitched female “우~~” tracks that get played pretty regularly. Where did this idea even come from? Who in their right mind thought this was a good idea? Actually, the history behind the laugh track is actually pretty intricate. Take a minute and discover the controversy over one of the most annoying aspects to television. Then, go back to the ostrich. Because that is funny.

- The “Oh no he didn’t” Track -

This one can only be explained by typing the following: “Ooooooo” which is not at all the same as “Ohhhh”. It usually comes at a time when someone said something goofy. Or scandalous. This track is also similar to the “Oh, so surprising! He’s such a nice guy” track which usually comes out in interviews with quiet members of boybands. It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it?

- The Closed Caption -

These courtesy captions are cute and feature highlights and other color treatments. They help people like myself read along while listening. Of course, that’s not why they are there, but they are a peculiar thing, aren’t they? Think about it. Someone’s job is to add these little one liners to every single show… how would you like to graduate from a prestigious university and tell your buddies at a party “Hey, you know those insistent little words that pop up during talk shows? Yeah. That’s me“. Sucks to be you, guy.

- The Batman Caption -

Pow! Bam! Kaboom! and other such classic lines graced audiences in the 1950s with Batman starring the legendary major of Quahog, Adam West. It seems the dark knight’s influence has found it’s way to the shores of Korea in the form of onomatopoeia goodness. They highlight a nasty fall, a kiss on the cheek, a slurp of a drink, and the sound of food cooking. They serve no purpose. These are my favorites. 짱!

- The Sparkling Effect -

Ever notice when that good looking guy enters the room, there’s Vaseline on the lens? That would be the 반짝반짝 effect. Magical, isn’t it? It just makes all entrances better, doesn it? These little blurry stars come out in full slow motion (black and white optional) to enhance a brave deed, sweet moment, or special guest. They even make me look 10% cooler than I really am. Cue the theme song ♪♪…Almost paradise…♪♪

- The “Say Whaaat? ” Repeat Effect -

This is the one where the shocking statement or quick comment by the person you least expect gets repeated thrice. It is by far the most unnerving aspect of post production. Like a Michael Bay action sequence that gets the hero jumping from the exploding building from every possible angle, this effect repeats the same audio but using three different camera angles. I actually like it because if someone was talking or laughed, I can always catch the joke the third time around.

Don’t lie. You love it, too. These and more is what makes Korean TV enjoyable. It’s just not exactly the same other places. I know I’ve left out a few other essentials (like the question marks that pop up over someone’s head, the bizarre sound effects, and the hyperactive and over enthusiastic hosts) but you get the picture. I love Korean TV and I’m not even a huge fan of American TV. Some might be shocked to know that I haven’t owned a TV for quite some time - but of course I still catch The Office online, though.

Then again, I suppose it’s not exactly appropriate to compare American TV and Korean TV without coming up with a list of why apples are better than oranges. Like spicy food, it’s up to the particular person’s own personal taste to determine which dish is more palatable. So, I ask you kind souls of KC101, do you enjoy the spice of life (also known as Korean television?) or do you prefer the hamburger and milkshake of mass entertainment media?

Thoughts?

Nine member SM Entertainment girl group 소녀시대 (So Nyeo Shi Dae, or Girls’ Generation) released a new MV recently. You might remember the ‘Gee Virus’ they spread at the beginning of the year, with their super catchy song Gee. Even if you didn’t like the song much, you probably had “gee gee gee gee baby baby baby~” stuck in your head for a while. (Did you live under a rock and never hear the song? Now’s your chance!)

I definitely don’t think that they’ve necessarily done it again with 소원을 말해봐 (Genie), but the song is still cute, catchy, and I really enjoy it (and I love the outfits! Rawr~):

The original album cover caused a bit of a stir, because netizens have hawk-like eyes (and maybe not much of a life). This is the original cover. Apparently that’s a Japanese fighter plane. Oops. It caused such a stir amongst netizens that SM Entertainment actually delayed the release, so that they could make a new cover.

What do you think? Too much fuss over something silly? Or was SM Entertainment careless in the first place, by allowing such a thing to be used? Or did they do it on purpose to get more eyes on them?

Wearing a bit more clothes (sadly), is 빅뱅 (Big Bang), YG Entertainment’s 5 member hiphop/dance/pop boyband. For the uninitiated, Big Bang’s music is a fun concoction of pop, dance, hiphop and electronica, and they’ve enjoyed huge popularity with hits like 거짓말 (Lie), 마지막 인사 (Last Farewell) and 하루 하루 (Haru Haru), and have a successful career in Japan as well as in Korea.

The members of Big Bang also dabble in their own things. G-Dragon is known for his slightly odd fashion taste and word has it that he’ll release a solo album this year, TOP is co-starring in the upcoming action drama IRIS, 대성 (Daesung) released an adorable trot song, 승리 (Seungri) had a taste of solo success with his song Strong Baby, and 태양 (Taeyang) released a very well received mini-album last summer (does anyone remember 나만 바라봐?).

Big Bang are releasing their 2nd Japanese single at the moment, so here’s the MV from their latest Japanese song, ガラガラ GO!! (GARA GARA GO!!):

Is it the best song in the world? No. But like a friend of mine said, “It resembles everything I love about Big Bang: shamelessly upbeat and youthful, blazingly bright colors, and a hint of 90s pop.”

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