Day 11: Answers and observations
By Randall Smith | November 14, 2007 | Korea
Editor's Note: For the next two weeks, Star editor Randy Smith will be traveling with a dozen U.S. journalists in both North Korea and South Korea. The trip, set up through the Gatekeeper Editor's program with the International Reporting Project, provides journalists with a glimpse of countries often in the news but not well covered. Look for regular updates at KansasCity.com. Tuesday For the last ten days, I've been collecting observations, answers to questions and personal thoughts on South Korea. Here are a few of them:
- Koreans love American pop culture. Paris Hilton was mobbed this week in Seoul, and Beyonce's concerts were a hit. The reason, say Korean media specialists, is the wide access to the internet and American television.
- The heating system is different here. Most Korean homes are heated by hot water running through pipes under the floors. It takes a while to heat a room, but you don't want to overdo it. A little goes along way.
- Seoul is home to the third largest American chamber of commerce in the world, only behind Shanghai and Tokyo.
- Korea is the largest exporter of students to the United States. As of this moment, there are 90,000 there, according to a number of statistics that I've seen here.
- There are a lot of social protests in Seoul. And it's not uncommon for the police to outnumber protesters by two to one. The police ride around in giant buses and are quick to jump on any perceived threat with massive force. Two buses regularly sit outside of the Japanese embassy, where Koreans regularly protest in demand of a Japanese apology for using Koreans as prostitutes in World War II.
- Korean celebrities can often be spotted by their cars. Quite often, they drive converted General Motors super vans that most of us see on camping trips in our nation's parks. Not exactly a status symbol in America, but it equates to being a celebrity here.
- Smoking is popular here. One reason may be that cigarettes are about $2.50 a pack.
- The planes take off on time here and usually land ahead of schedule, according to several American businessmen who travel frequently. It has been my experience, too.
- Cabs are clean and new and quite cheap compared to American standards.
- Almost everything else, though, costs more because of the continuing decline of the American dollar. A small cup of Starbucks coffee this morning cost $3.55. And Seoul ranks as one of the costliest cities in the world.
- Koreans love to engage Americans in conversation. Virtually every evening, I've had a robust talk with people who I did not know before I walked into the restaurant. I've not had a similar reception abroad, except in Ireland.
- You find excellent tailoring here, but it comes at a price. A quality suit is roughly $400, and shirts are $50.
- The leading cause of death for men in their 40s and 50s is liver cancer. The main reason: the prevalence of hepatitis.
- One half of the country's population lives in the Seoul metroplex, roughly 20 million.
- The entire country is less than half the size of Kansas, and a large percentage is uninhabitable because of the mountainous terrain.
- After the Korean War, there were only a few buildings standing in downtown Seoul.
- Watch your step. Whenever you walk into a home or hotel room here, there's a step in the entryway that trips up most Americans. The purpose of the step is a simple reminder to take your shoes off in the house, and switch to slippers. It's the custom.
- The house of the American ambassador is a national monument. Designed by Korean architect Zo Zayong, it is modeled after traditional homes in the Joseon Dynasty.
- The home of the Korean president is called the Blue House, a slight modification on our White House.
- There is a gun ban in Korea. Most citizens are not allowed to have a gun in their home. And if you have one for hunting purposes, it must be kept at the local police station. You can check it out when you go hunting.
- The weather is pleasant here. Sixties in the days and 50s at night. Many of us, myself included, thought Korea was very cold at this time of year. It's not.
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