Out and About

Korean Style

The first thing I have learnt about going out in Korea is that is rarely done by half measures. This makes life both exciting and tiring. I have had my latest nights here and some of the most memorable. I can hardly believe that I have been here for 3 months. The time has flown past based on the social atmosphere here and my perpetual issue of sleep - I sleep for as long as possible on all occassions. At least in Korea, the nights out more than make up for it.

Food

When eating out, it is generally always Korean food. When the week has been dominated by the same type of thing,dinner might consist of Chinese style rice or typical western home cooking or pizza. For the most part food is not particularly expensive here. Nights of raw tuna do get pricey (especially considering the food is not actually cooked) but eating out is affordable. Added to the general eating out mode is the issue of our apartments being fairly small and the amount of guests and friends is steadily mounting. And so, after a long evening on our feet, a group of teachers will probably find ourselves on the floor of a restaurant around midnight, enjoying Korean style food.

Another reason for going out regularly is the verall price of fresh produce. Fruit and veg is surprisingly expensive here. I struggle to bring myself to pay $1 for an apple.

Typically Korean food is served with side dishes. Saucer size bowls of various tastes - anything from a small salad, fruit, chilli crab, soup and the most famous of all Korean dishes - Kimchi!

Kimchi is ubiquitous. It is fermented cabbage which has been seasoned with all sorts of spices. I am personally not a fan but it is growing on me. The fantastic thing about all these side dishes is that they are refillable at most restaurants. And so, catching up on the fruit and veg actually happens at the restaurants! Korean food is spicey. I was in training before coming here but without even trying, my spice tolerance has increased ten fold. At least.

The cheapest foods are from noodle bars where you can get hearty meals of, you guessed it, noodles (and rice too!) Ironically, in this twisted cuisine world, the more expensive favourite is Korean barbeque. It is ironic simply because this you cook yourself. There is a gas or coal fire situated in the middle of the table. A grill, scissors, tongs and raw meat is provided. All sorts of side dishes adorn the table for wrapping the delicious cubes of meat before eating. Normally the meat is added to a lettuce leaf, a few spices - pepper, garlic, kimchi - and in it goes.

The Truth about Cats and Dogs

Dog, whale, cat and shark are all potential items on a Korean menu. I have yet to see this. It is culturally acceptable to eat any of these although not particularly common. Gaegogi literally means "dog meat." It is made from a specific breed of dog that differs from those breeds that are kept as pets. These dogs are bred on farms and considered the same as pigs or cows - which are also pets to some and yet eaten by others. The big issue with dog meat is there are no governing laws and so no slaughter regulations or preparation standards. There are with the likes of cows, pigs and sheep.

Shark fin soup is a status food and a Chinese delicacy. It is incredibly expensive due to the lack of availability but it is found. Most people eat it simple to say that they can afford it. It has become more popular for this reason.

Cat is also more of a Chinese dish than a Korean dish. Cats are sometimes boiled and made into a tonic as a folk remedy for neuralgia and arthritis in Korea, though the meat by itself is not customarily eaten.

Having said that, I am a fan of the food culture in Korea.

But fear not...

I don't support the idea of eating any of these specific foods, simply based on my lack of interest in eating family members. I will not be ordering a hot dog any time soon.

I have never seen such devoted pet owners as I have here. The most pampered animals (in m limited experience) are in Korea. People are besotted by their dogs and cats. Pets are blinged out in the latest fashions - jewellery, accessories and even hair styles. I even saw a woman putting running shoes on her cocker spaniel once.

The Night life

For the most part, my life is that of the night's. This is bassed on my work schedule and love of sleeping in late. Luckily, apart from the sun, most things here stay active through the night.

Even 7-11 is open later than 11pm. As a result the Family mart or corner shop is a favourite spot for evening drinks or a quick prematch. Tables and chairs are found along most Korean streets, welcoming you to have drinks. Alcohol is sold at all convenience stores. Convenient.

Night clubs are obviously expensive places to buy drinks. Clubs with cover charges give you a free drink. A great concept is that of buying bottles inside the club. The price is inflated but much cheaper than buying single drinks. Doing the conversion is not the best of ideas as night out end up costing a fortune.

street side drinks

The night clubs here are some of the best I've seen. The parties go on all night long. Ordinarily the crowd dwindles half way through the morning but since most people use public transport there is a single train of thought. Leave at midnight or keep going until the buses start again at 6am. Taxis are a fair price but far more expensive than the bus. Either way, getting home from a night out at 8am is no surprise. Amazingly, the quality of event does not dwindle.

The early hours of the morning might find us in a noodle bar, a noraebang (karioke) or eating a healthy mac donalds breakfast

The buffets have also been somewhat extreme here. Overindulgence is far too easy. For a slightly higher than average meal price, you can enjoy unlimited food and booze within the open hours. Trays of ingredients are taken to you table where one gets inventive with grilling all sorts of foods. Of course, a last dash to the bar is necessary when the last round is called. This resulted in filling cups with whatever was left out and having bottle pried from ones hands. tsk tsk.

The night club scene is dominated by hip hop. Regardless, we attended one amazing Paul Van Dyk gig on Walkerhill, the casino. He played for a staggering 4 hours. Playing all the classics as well as being able to mix up hard house with his more uplifting stuff. Fantastic night out! Got home around 8 am, to see the Korean kids going to school!

Koreans are not allowed to enter casinos. Surprising or perhaps suitable, since Koreans seem to bet on everything. At least Korean casinos feed you and provide drinks while taking your money. Why buy dinner when you can get it for free at a casino?

Life, out and about, Korean style can be all or nothing...a phrase to which I subscribe. Korea is clearly suitable!