South Korea: Schoolchild Celebrity

For Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Seoul

The night before I had planned to go to Gyeongbokgung palace the next day, since my last attempt hadn’t worked out. As I was preparing for my day out, I met Henry from Australia, who was departing Seoul that afternoon and also wanted to see Gyeongbokgung. I asked him if he wanted to join me, and he did, so off we went. Gyeongbokgung is the most impressive palace that I’ve seen. The grounds are quite extensive, and there are some striking structures and interiors, especially the building that overlooks the pond. There were lots of school children there, ranging from very young to early teens. There were lots of pre-teens who were eager to wave at me and practice their English. “Hi!” “Hello!” “Hi!” Lots of smiles and giggles. A few small groups asked me to take a picture with them. One girl gave me a couple fruit-flavored candies. It was such fun! Henry is Asian and wasn’t getting the love that I was, so he stood by while I was taking pictures. Dark, thick-rimmed glasses seem to be fashionable among young people. I noticed a lot of them worn by the early teens. I’ve been told that some who don’t need glasses go so far as wearing rims without lenses. Henry and I parted ways in the middle of the palace grounds so he could catch his flight. I left Gyeongbokgung and took the subway to the Jogyesa Buddhist temple. There were many people there praying for their children to be accepted into good schools. Yes, that day was for praying for your children to get into good schools, and that alone. Everyone took their shoes off to go inside (common in South Korea). There were three large Buddha statues inside, and along two walls were what looked to be small shrines for the dead. Outside, people burned incense and lit candles. I left the temple and walked a block to the entrance to Insadong, a street known for its antiques and art. I walked down the entire street, perusing several shops and exploring a couple alleys. I don’t have much room for souvenirs, so I wasn’t interested in buying anything, unless I saw something I thought worth shipping home. Insadong opened onto a larger road, and I spotted a McDonald’s. My stomach was growling, but I didn’t want to spoil my appetite, so I just ordered some fries. Then I took a walk along the Cheonggyecheon stream. I passed a woman dancing what I assumed to be a traditional Korean dance; it was very beautiful to watch. Then I came upon a captivating light show that projected three dimensional objects through a cube of mist above the stream while music played. I would love to see things like these in American cities. I left the stream and took the subway to Itaewon, a long street filled with foreign stores and restaurants, like Sketchers, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and KFC. Foreign companies like these aren’t restricted to just this street: you can find Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, and KFCs all over Seoul. That’s right: you can get a donut on any corner in Seoul, but good luck finding anything in Seattle. Go figure. I met Keren (from Australia), Nan (from Pleasanton), and Eric (from France/California) for Korean BBQ that evening. We went to the same place I had gone to with Mia (the hostel owner), Zara (her friend), Arthur (from Texas), and Charles (from Singapore). The food was, again, delicious. Afterward, we went to a Ho Bar (it’s not as sleazy as it sounds, it’s just a regular bar) and had some drinks. They had put up some Halloween decorations, like spider webs and pumpkins. I wonder if it’s a popular place for expats? Keren and I had to get up early the next day, so we didn’t drink too much, and we went home at a respectable hour.