So... Writing this post was really difficult because at this moment I am missing Korea like crazy so suddenly coming up with things that irritate me was hard haha. It's a good sign because I came here being completely done with 2015 and school and the Korean mindset I work hard everyday to understand but now I have had my rest, I've recharged and ready to go back to my other home! I still have few weeks left here in Finland though; I had to change my flight because I have to deal with some urgent things here in my home country related to my health and health comes first so! As for now I am flying back to Korea around 15th of February. But let's go to the main point of this post. Here goes, things that make me unhappy in Korea! ps. These are my honest opinions BUT this text is coated with some sarcasm so no need for anyone to get butt-hurt ~ In the end I wouldn't be living in Korea if I didn't like it there.
1. You're always gonna get treated like a foreigner
While sometimes this can be a good thing, most of the time I just find it really frustrating. I'm the kind of person who wishes they would just blend in as well as possible. Random people (most of the time really, really creepy old men or young people who will in the end of the conversation ask you to join their religion?) will stop and start asking you questions out of nowhere. Once I was going to school when a guy driving a meat delivery truck or something just stopped the whole traffic, rolled down the window and started asking me too personal questions. People stare. And some of them, I swear, can stare at you for good 15 minutes without even being ashamed of it. People will yell you random stuff in English, which is honestly just plain stupid and amusing. Would you start yelling "yo yo whats up" to someone random on the street only because he / she is a foreigner? I don't think so. I've found out replying "Sorry I don't speak English" in Korean is a pretty strong response and leaves them just confused and embarrassed, hahhah. This probably wouldn't bother me so much if I was here as an exchange student or as a tourist but I actually see myself living here in the future for a long time and building my life here so this is something I'm trying to desperately escape from.
2. Oh you speak Korean? I'm gonna speak to you in English anyway.
Most Koreans are not good at English, but there's always that one older gentleman who will refuse serving you in his restaurant in his own language, or that one friend who no matter how persistently you try to speak Korean to, will always reply to you in English. I don't want to talk in English. I want to talk in Korean. I am in Korea, not America. I am studying Korean, not English. I already know my English.
3. Summer (weather)
Yes. I just experienced my first summer in Korea and it definitely deserves its spot on this list. It's like 40 degrees and so humid you're gonna be sweating before you even make it out the door in the morning. Also the weather makes you not want to eat or do absolutely anything. I thought summer in Japan was bad, but it was child's play compared to Korea's summer. I'm definitely more of a fall & spring person. The weather we had here back in like March is the summer weather we have in Finland- There's absolutely nothing wrong with warm weather when you're lying next to a pool sipping margaritas or on a beach in Spain but when you're stuck in a metropolitan city with no water near you and even the air conditioning doesn't help it's just. Not cool. Love how the city looks during summer though! Absolutely gorgeous.
4. Obsession with beauty standards
Something I really find sad about this country is its obsession with beauty, diets, plastic surgery, etc. Looks are super important here. So important It's not even annoying but sad. I feel genuinely bad for all us girls having to deal with this, lol. Getting an eyelid surgery as a high school graduation present is completely normal. My facebook wall as well as the subway walls are full of dieting tips and programs and company ads that will help you achieve the "perfect S line" and your "dream weight" (49kg). You only need to walk 100 meters from Sinsa station in Gangnam and you've already walked past 3 different plastic surgery hospitals. I mean I love doing my makeup, I have clip-in hair extensions that I used to worship, I use fake-eyelashes and own a pair of eye contacts that make my eyes clearly look bigger, so I am definitely in no position to preach about us girls having to be naturally beautiful. No, do what you want, it's your body, your empty canvas, do what you need to make yourself feel pretty and good about yourself. The thing that makes me sad is that it's not about just wanting to enhance something to feel prettier, it's become an obsession, an obligation. Worst thing, the absolutely worst thing is that guys think they have a say on this. 3 years ago a Korean guy told me if I lost a little bit of weight he'd like me. That was the most, absolutely ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my entire life and I can't help but feel just so frustrated when I think about these little kids who grow up in a society like this where they hear boys, TV & commercials telling stuff like this to them for 18 years. Hell, anyone would be ready to go under a knife after a childhood like that.
5. Lack of common sense
This is something I also ran into while living in Japan. No matter how simple, daily thing it is I feel like Koreans love to handle things the most complicated way even though there would be a super simple solution to the problem. Especially when dealing with school stuff, presentations & group projects (Instead of sharing responsibilities all 5 people will research the same info at the same time which just takes so much longer). Also no matter how simple the task Korean people will make sure you will lose your one week's sleep over it trying to think of a way to handle it.
6. Proper ventilation is a strange word for Koreans
Which equals hello mold ! Hello mold everywhere ! In the kitchen sink, in the wall, in my shoes & clothes, in the bathroom sink ! Ask some advice from any Korean and they will tell you they have a solution for this problem. Which never works but you know, it's okay because everyone keeps telling you mold is not dangerous and bad for your health. Oh, you have sudden headaches daily and your immune system is crashing? Definitely not the mold's fault! Let us put new wallpaper on top of the mold and it's gone ! There's windows in the bathrooms but they do not help the situation at all. And how are you supposed to cook with your windows and doors open in the middle of the winter? After living a year in an apartment full of mold I am ready to pay myself sick to get a good apartment from a high-rise apartment because apparently those are the only places with a ventilation system.
7. Racism
"No foreigners allowed in this bar." "Free entrance for ladies ! Unless you're a foreigner then you need to pay up." "God those foreigners are loud and annoying." "I'm not gonna sit down next to you because your skin tone is different from mine." And the list goes on. I've heard so much stories about racism in Korea and even though I haven't experienced it much on my own part (besides from some eye rolling or some guy telling his girlfriend in Korean how annoying foreigners are and how they should go back to their own countries) it still annoys me to no end. But luckily most Koreans are very open minded and excited to meet people around the world. Screw those racists, we don't need that negativity in our lives.
8. Fruits are a luxury ? ?? ????
Who pays 15 dollars for a watermelon or 6 dollars for 3 apples? Nothing else to add here.
9. Throw toilet paper into the toilet and you break the whole plumbing system
Toilet papers are always thrown into trash cans which is, if you ask me, really uncomfortable and not..just..cool. At all. And this is not only in the public bathrooms, also at homes they suggest you to throw all papers into a trashcan. Very sanitary. Very nice. Also a small tip for all the fellow ladies out there; bring your own toilet paper when in public. There's a 99% chance you will need it.
In the end I do love this stupid country. Things that make me happy in Korea here.
xx,
Julia
While sometimes this can be a good thing, most of the time I just find it really frustrating. I'm the kind of person who wishes they would just blend in as well as possible. Random people (most of the time really, really creepy old men or young people who will in the end of the conversation ask you to join their religion?) will stop and start asking you questions out of nowhere. Once I was going to school when a guy driving a meat delivery truck or something just stopped the whole traffic, rolled down the window and started asking me too personal questions. People stare. And some of them, I swear, can stare at you for good 15 minutes without even being ashamed of it. People will yell you random stuff in English, which is honestly just plain stupid and amusing. Would you start yelling "yo yo whats up" to someone random on the street only because he / she is a foreigner? I don't think so. I've found out replying "Sorry I don't speak English" in Korean is a pretty strong response and leaves them just confused and embarrassed, hahhah. This probably wouldn't bother me so much if I was here as an exchange student or as a tourist but I actually see myself living here in the future for a long time and building my life here so this is something I'm trying to desperately escape from.
2. Oh you speak Korean? I'm gonna speak to you in English anyway.
Most Koreans are not good at English, but there's always that one older gentleman who will refuse serving you in his restaurant in his own language, or that one friend who no matter how persistently you try to speak Korean to, will always reply to you in English. I don't want to talk in English. I want to talk in Korean. I am in Korea, not America. I am studying Korean, not English. I already know my English.
3. Summer (weather)
Yes. I just experienced my first summer in Korea and it definitely deserves its spot on this list. It's like 40 degrees and so humid you're gonna be sweating before you even make it out the door in the morning. Also the weather makes you not want to eat or do absolutely anything. I thought summer in Japan was bad, but it was child's play compared to Korea's summer. I'm definitely more of a fall & spring person. The weather we had here back in like March is the summer weather we have in Finland- There's absolutely nothing wrong with warm weather when you're lying next to a pool sipping margaritas or on a beach in Spain but when you're stuck in a metropolitan city with no water near you and even the air conditioning doesn't help it's just. Not cool. Love how the city looks during summer though! Absolutely gorgeous.
4. Obsession with beauty standards
Something I really find sad about this country is its obsession with beauty, diets, plastic surgery, etc. Looks are super important here. So important It's not even annoying but sad. I feel genuinely bad for all us girls having to deal with this, lol. Getting an eyelid surgery as a high school graduation present is completely normal. My facebook wall as well as the subway walls are full of dieting tips and programs and company ads that will help you achieve the "perfect S line" and your "dream weight" (49kg). You only need to walk 100 meters from Sinsa station in Gangnam and you've already walked past 3 different plastic surgery hospitals. I mean I love doing my makeup, I have clip-in hair extensions that I used to worship, I use fake-eyelashes and own a pair of eye contacts that make my eyes clearly look bigger, so I am definitely in no position to preach about us girls having to be naturally beautiful. No, do what you want, it's your body, your empty canvas, do what you need to make yourself feel pretty and good about yourself. The thing that makes me sad is that it's not about just wanting to enhance something to feel prettier, it's become an obsession, an obligation. Worst thing, the absolutely worst thing is that guys think they have a say on this. 3 years ago a Korean guy told me if I lost a little bit of weight he'd like me. That was the most, absolutely ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my entire life and I can't help but feel just so frustrated when I think about these little kids who grow up in a society like this where they hear boys, TV & commercials telling stuff like this to them for 18 years. Hell, anyone would be ready to go under a knife after a childhood like that.
This is something I also ran into while living in Japan. No matter how simple, daily thing it is I feel like Koreans love to handle things the most complicated way even though there would be a super simple solution to the problem. Especially when dealing with school stuff, presentations & group projects (Instead of sharing responsibilities all 5 people will research the same info at the same time which just takes so much longer). Also no matter how simple the task Korean people will make sure you will lose your one week's sleep over it trying to think of a way to handle it.
6. Proper ventilation is a strange word for Koreans
Which equals hello mold ! Hello mold everywhere ! In the kitchen sink, in the wall, in my shoes & clothes, in the bathroom sink ! Ask some advice from any Korean and they will tell you they have a solution for this problem. Which never works but you know, it's okay because everyone keeps telling you mold is not dangerous and bad for your health. Oh, you have sudden headaches daily and your immune system is crashing? Definitely not the mold's fault! Let us put new wallpaper on top of the mold and it's gone ! There's windows in the bathrooms but they do not help the situation at all. And how are you supposed to cook with your windows and doors open in the middle of the winter? After living a year in an apartment full of mold I am ready to pay myself sick to get a good apartment from a high-rise apartment because apparently those are the only places with a ventilation system.
7. Racism
"No foreigners allowed in this bar." "Free entrance for ladies ! Unless you're a foreigner then you need to pay up." "God those foreigners are loud and annoying." "I'm not gonna sit down next to you because your skin tone is different from mine." And the list goes on. I've heard so much stories about racism in Korea and even though I haven't experienced it much on my own part (besides from some eye rolling or some guy telling his girlfriend in Korean how annoying foreigners are and how they should go back to their own countries) it still annoys me to no end. But luckily most Koreans are very open minded and excited to meet people around the world. Screw those racists, we don't need that negativity in our lives.
Who pays 15 dollars for a watermelon or 6 dollars for 3 apples? Nothing else to add here.
9. Throw toilet paper into the toilet and you break the whole plumbing system
Toilet papers are always thrown into trash cans which is, if you ask me, really uncomfortable and not..just..cool. At all. And this is not only in the public bathrooms, also at homes they suggest you to throw all papers into a trashcan. Very sanitary. Very nice. Also a small tip for all the fellow ladies out there; bring your own toilet paper when in public. There's a 99% chance you will need it.
In the end I do love this stupid country. Things that make me happy in Korea here.
xx,
Julia
