The Cold Never Bothered Me

One of the advantages of winter is that it's a great time for getting out and enjoying oneself. The first snowfall of the season is usually nice to look at, pleasant to walk around and fun for children to play in. Sledding, skiing, skating, having a snowball fight, making snow angels and building snowmen are among the most popular outdoor activities for kids during the winter. While icy roads and frigid temperatures can get people down, it's nice that there is fun to be had.

Recently, however, Korea's winter wonderland has become spoiled. A cafe in Daejeon had popular snow sculptures of the Disney characters Elsa and Olaf, from the animated film Frozen, out in front of its entrance but the former was decapitated by an anonymous individual in the middle of the night. The vandal approached the sculpture and swiped her head of before walking away.

Vandalism is nothing new. Young people have been defacing public and private properties in cities all over the world for years and in various forms. But this act doesn't appear to have been committed by an angst-ridden teenager but by an adult who should have known better. But, then again, if it's reasonably common to find broken soju bottles and discarded cigarette butts lying around on sidewalks and in parks then is this really all that much different?

Korea's vast online community has been discussing the incident. Some have been saying that this individual could be a violent person, with the possibility that they could also harm animals and people. Others disagree but there's no question that such an antisocial act puts a damper on an enjoyable winter that was helping cheer people up.

Vocabulary:

✓ frigid: very cold

✓ former: when listing two items, it is the first one (the second is the 'latter')

✓ decapitated: having a head removed

✓ anonymous: someone whose name is not known

✓ vandal: a person who commits an act of vandalism

✓ defacing: to spoil an object by writing or drawing on it

✓ angst-ridden: a young person who is usually depressed and bitter

✓ antisocial: an individual who does not wish to participate in society; someone who displays hostile behaviour

The Benefits of a Staycation

With Covid-19 spreading throughout the world, it’s important for people to stay safe. International travel is much more problematic with many countries either closing their borders or placing restrictions on the number of visitors. Even traveling within other parts of Korea may be inadvisable: even if the number of reported cases in one area of the country is stable, it may be on the rise elsewhere. Some have decided to forgo taking a trip and are opting for a staycation.

Taking a staycation in lieu of going somewhere may seem dull but there are positives. First, while traveling can be fun and rewarding, it is also often stressful and tiring. In particular, package tours usually have rigid schedules that involve getting up early and packing in as many activities as possible with little time for relaxation. (This is especially problematic for Koreans who often take very short trips and wish to see and do as much as possible) But staying at home is all about kicking back.

It can also be nice to enjoy some activities at home. These may involve watching movies and TV, playing games, catching up with some reading, sleeping in, getting back into a hobby you haven’t had the time for or spending time with loved ones.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many to think about personal space in order to avoid getting sick. There’s no better place to practice social distancing than in the comfort of your own home!

Vocabulary:

✓ staycation: to spend one’s holidays or vacation at home

✓ inadvisable: something one shouldn’t do because it is unsafe

✓ forgo: to choose not to do something

✓ in lieu of: instead of

✓ rigid: strict, unchanging

✓ kick back: relax

Questions:

1.  What do you think about taking a staycation? Would you be interested in trying it sometime? Why or why not?
2. Can you think of any other benefits of a staycation? What would be the disadvantages of it?
3.  If you were to try a staycation, what would you do during that time?
4. When and if it becomes safe to travel where would you like to go?

Gentrification in Korea

Once upon a time there was an area of Seoul that had funky coffee shops, unique restaurants and a plethora of shops of all kinds – it even had three record stores for the discerning music lover. Go to the popular public square on a weekend and it would be packed with local university students selling neat items such as handmade jewelry and painted running shoes; at night the same area would be packed with youths busking indie pop songs. One could finish off a delicious dinner of Thai food and then stroll over to hang out at one of the local shisha bars.

But Hongdae has changed since its heyday. Most of the funky cafés have been replaced by ubiquitous chains and the restaurants, too, have become more homogeneous (the excellent Thai restaurant is now a Korean barbecue joint because there clearly aren’t enough of those!). Yes, even that trio of record shops have all since closed their doors. The weekend art market is still kicking but many of the stalls are being operated by Hongik University alumni hawking far more professionally made goods at far higher prices.

Gentrification is an increasing problem and not simply in Hongdae. The popular theatre district of Daehangno has seen large-scale, popular productions such as Nanta thrive while smaller companies have been forced to move out of the area due to higher rents. The renowned Insadong strip in central Seoul has seen similar changes with old school art shops being replaced by popular Korean cosmetics stores and, yes, more café chains. Cities around te world have revamped whole nighborhoods with money and infrastructure but at the cost of a neat districts losing their character – and once that happens there’s no going back.

Vocabulary:

✓ gentrification: the process of renovating an area so that it may be more attractive

✓ funky: cool; unique; unusual

✓ plethora: a large number; an abundance

✓ shisha bars: Middle Eastern bars with special pipes for smoking

✓ heyday: a time of peak popularity; when things were better

✓ ubiquitous: very common; sometimes too common

✓ homogeneous: things that are alike; similar

✓ alumni: former students of a high school or university

✓ old school: old fashioned

✓ infrastructure: facilities and services needed for a community

✓ go downhill: something that isn’t as good as it used to be

Questions:

1. Have you ever been to Hongdae, Daehangno and/or Insadong? Have you noticed them change over the years? Do you think any of them have gone downhill? Do you know of any other Korean communities that have undergone gentrification?
2. What do you think can be done to prevent gentrification from ruining other neighborhoods? Is there a way to make a community more attractive while keeping its unique character
3. In this essay I mention record stores. Did you ever used to visit record shops? Are there any types of stores or other neighbourhood elements that are gone that you miss?
4. Can you think of any benefits of gentrification?

A #1 Priority

There are many unique cultural differences between Korea and many western countries, especially when it comes to answering the call of nature. While people from spacious North America are used to larger restrooms with a closed off area for baths and showers, tiny apartments and hotel rooms in this country make very small WC's a necessity and, as a result, there is no room for dividing up the area (which can make for some very wet bathrooms!). Cleaning ladies think nothing of coming into a men's room to mop the floors, even when they're being used!

Another difference is how restaurants, bars and cafes aren't required to have their own washrooms. Most North American municipalities have bylaws in place mandating men's and ladies' restrooms if food and drinks are served on site but this isn't as common here in Korea. Cafes, in particular, generally don't have their own facilities and, thus, patrons are expected to use bathrooms that are shared in the building to which the business is a tenant.

Shared toilets are a mixed bag in this country. Most are normally kept clean but this isn't always the case. Some shared bathrooms do not have soap made available which is especially problematic when experts are saying that hand washing is an effective way to prevent the spread of Covid-19. It would be nice if more of them had hot running water during the frigid winter months.

More seriously, however, there are increasing worries over security. A young woman was murdered in a shared bathroom by a disturbed man in Seoul a few years ago which made many fearful of using these types of restrooms. There have also been reports of hidden cameras being placed in toilet bowls to in order to spy on females. These types of dangers must be addressed.

Vocabulary:

✓ answer the call of nature: when one needs to go to the bathroom

✓ municipality: a local government

✓ bylaw: a law or rule put in place by a company or local government

✓ mandate: an official order; requirement

✓ mixed bag: a wide variety; some good quality, some poor quality

✓ frigid: very cold

Discussion Questions:

1. Can you think of any more cultural differences between Koreans and westerners when it comes to using the bathroom? How do they differ throughout the world?
2. What would you do to improve the conditions of public and shared restrooms in this country?
3. Is it time to require Korean businesses to have their own bathrooms? Do you think things would be improved if every restaurant, bar and cafe were to have their own facilities?

The Dynamite Kids

BTS have made it. While many other K-pop groups have been just a flash in the pan, the Korean septet have not only managed to sustain their success for longer than most but it has even been growing. There's no telling how far they'll go.

The cherry on top of their dominance was when they reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. This is no small feat: they are the first act from East Asia to have a chart topping single in almost sixty years!

Not only was "Dynamite" a massive success it was also a departure for the members of BTS. Having previously performed mainly in their native tongue, this single was done entirely in English. It remains to be seen if this will prove to be a one off or the beginning of a new internationalist phase for them but this is a major accomplishment that is nothing to sneeze at. Koreans and the passionate BTS Army alike ought to be very proud.

Vocabulary:

✓ flash in the pan: an individual or group whose success if very brief

✓ septet: a group of seven musicians and/or singers

✓ sustain: continue

✓ the cherry on top: the best part of a great period

✓ departure: an artist tries something very different from what they're noted for

✓ native tongue: one's native language

✓ one off: a one time occurrence not to be repeated

✓ nothing to sneeze at: something that isn't unimportant or trivial

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you like BTS? How do you think "Dynamite" compares to their earlier work?
2. What do you think about them doing a song entirely in English?
3. Do you think they could enjoy another US number one with a song sung in Korean? Why or why not?
4. Are there any groups you like more than BTS? Why or why not?
5. What do you think of the K-pop phenomenon in general?
6. What kinds of music do you enjoy? How do you normal consume music?

The Future of Kimchi

Kimchi is one of Korea's most renowned products. Delicious, healthy and unique, it has grown in popularity in other countries recently. It has even begun to be used in fusion dishes such as the Korean taco (or Kimchi taco). It is also an important part of Korean culture.

The tradition of making Kimchi at home, however, seems to be in decline. Older generations of women would carefully prepare the ingredients, allowing for it to ferment for just the right amount of time. Many Koreans will tell you that their grandmother's kimchi was the most delicious they've ever had and perhaps that's partly to do with fewer young people following suit.

One factor may be time. Women are part of the workforce and fixing elaborate dishes is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Being a traditional country, the majority of men aren't picking up the slack by helping their spouses out. Then there's the fact that Chinese kimchi is cheaper and it's readily available from grocery stores and on restaurant tables. It's possible that Korea's national dish may not be homemade for much longer.

Vocabulary:

✓ renowned: well-known; famous

✓ ingredients: foods and other substances used for cooking

✓ follow suit: to follow others

✓ elaborate: something that may be difficult and detailed

✓ pick up the slack: to help out if another individual is struggling

Discussion Questions:

1. How often do you have kimchi? Are there any other foods you eat as often?
2. What is the best kimchi you've ever had? Why do (or did) you like it so much?
3. Have you ever made or helped make a batch of kimchi? If not, would like to try someday?
4. Is there some way to help reverse this trend so that homemade kimchi will become more common again?
5. Do you like to cook? What kinds of dishes are you able to make? Are there any meals that you would like to be able to prepare yourself?

Sleep Around the Clock

"So, what are your hobbies?"

"My hobby is sleeping."

This snippet of conversation comes up a lot when getting to know new ESL freetalking students. Aside from the fact that sleeping isn't actually a hobby, this sort of exchange is rather odd if you happen to be someone who doesn't adore getting some shut eye. There are people who consider being asleep to be their favorite fun thing to do. In other words, they prefer being unconscious to being awake.

Many of us lead busy lives. High school and middle school students feel the pressure of trying to get good grades and this typically leads them to burn the candle at both ends studying. Similarly, individuals with careers sometimes work late and regularly go out with colleagues after work. Our personal lives may also be busy and getting a good night sleep often loses out. Good thing there's the weekend to catch up on all that rest we've been missing out on.

But it's possible that we may sometimes overcompensate by sleeping too much on weekends and holidays. While it can be nice to sleep in on a day off, this habit can lead to more erratic sleep patterns. If your body adjusts to sleeping late on the weekend then it may have trouble going back to getting up early during the week.

Vocabulary:

✓ snippet: a brief extract from a conversation or document

✓ burn the candle at both ends: to keep very late hours studying or working

✓ catch up: to spend time doing something that one didn't have time for before

✓ overcompensate: to do an excessive amount in order to make up for a problem

✓ sleep in: to choose to sleep more than normal (to sleep more by accident is to oversleep)

✓ erratic: irregular; inconsistent; unpredictable

Discussion Questions:

1. How much sleep do you normally get? Is there much of a difference between how much you sleep on weekdays and weekends?
2. Do you think you usually get enough sleep? Why or why not?
3. What do you do if you have trouble getting to sleep at night? Have you ever tried any cures for sleeplessness that didn't work for you?
4. Do you ever get a chance to take a nap? How do they make you feel?
5. How might you go about changing your lifestyle in order to get more sleep?

The Thieves 2: Who Stole This Sequel?

Movie franchises have been around for decades. Going back to at least as far back as Star Wars in 1977 if a film is successful enough, a sequel will be green lit and an entire cinematic universe may be in the pipeline. In addition to the Star Wars Universe, some of the most popular franchises include Jurassic Park/Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Toy Story and the hugely lucrative and influential Marvel Cinematic Universe.

But this practice isn’t quite as common here in Korea. Smash hit movies such as The Host (괴물), The Thieves (도둑들) and Veteran (베테랑) have all been rumored to have sequels in the works but none have resulted and at this point it would likely require a reboot in order to make any of them into a series of films. It seems that failing to produce follow-ups to these very successful pictures were missed opportunities for all involved and there’s no reason to think these proposed sequels wouldn’t have cleaned up at the box office.

The downside of releasing sequels, however, is that they may disappoint fans and critics. A rare example of a Korean box office success getting a sequel is Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (신과함께: 죄와 벌) from 2017. Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (신과함께-인과 연) came out a year later but this time to mixed reviews. Further Along with the Gods movies are being planned but the law of diminishing returns could harm them.

Vocabulary:

✓ sequel: a film or story that directly follows previous one with most of the same characters in the same setting (see also: prequel)

✓ green light: something that is permitted to occur

✓ in the pipeline: a project that is in its planning stages

✓ lucrative: something which is highly profitable; a guaranteed money maker

✓ reboot: a series that is restarted, ignoring previous films

✓ clean up: to make a great deal of money, often very quickly

✓ the law of diminishing returns: a state of being increasingly unsuccessful

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think movie sequels aren't very common in Korea?
2. If they were planning to make sequels to The Host, The Thieves and Veteran, which would you be most interested in seeing? Which do you think might be a bit of a disappointment? Why?
3. Can you think of any other Korean movies that could have had a decent sequel, prequel and/or cinematic universe? Why do you think so?
4. Sequels are often not as good as their predecessors. Why do you think that is? Can you think of an example of a sequel that was better than the original movie?

Living in a Smokefree Zone

Korea has come a long way when it comes to smoking. Long gone are the days when university professors smoked in the middle of lectures, when patrons were able to enjoy a cigarette in a movie theater and when it was even possible to light up on an airplane. Further strides have been made more recently to curb the consumption of tobacco but there may be more that can be done.

Following the lead of many western countries over the previous decade, the Korean government began introducing indoor smoking bans in restaurants, bars and even internet cafes, where the overpowering smell of nicotine and smoggy air were a part of the ambiance. Many skeptics figured these laws would be toothless but they've mostly been followed and now it's difficult to remember a time when it was possible to smoke inside. At around the same time, the price of a pack of cigarettes nearly doubled and graphic warning labels were introduced.

Though the numbers have dropped significantly over the last several years (even well before these measures were implemented) smoking is still very common in this country. It is now strictly an outdoor activity and one doesn't have to go far to find discarded cigarette butts on the ground. Perhaps more can be done to get smokers to kick the habit — and to encourage young people not to take it up.

Vocabulary:

✓ come a long way: people or situations that have improved over time

✓ patrons: customers

✓ strides: progress; improvements

✓ curb: reduce

✓ ambiance: atmosphere and character in a place

✓ skeptics: those who are doubtful of others; people who question accepted ideas

✓ toothless: ineffective; a law or organization that has little to no power

✓ graphic: an image that is very disturbing to look at

✓ discard: something which is thrown away

✓ kick the habit: to quit

✓ take up: to begin a habit or hobby

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your memories of smoking back in the day? Do you remember any other places in which people were permitted to smoke?
2. Do you think that Korea's anti-smoking measures have been effective? Why or why not?
3. What would you suggest be done to further reduce the consumption of cigarettes in this country?
4. Most people know that it's unhealthy but they continue to smoke. Why do you think that is?
5. Are there any other social ills (ie excessive alcohol consumption, dangerous driving, obesity, etc.) that require government action or is smoking a unique case?

Travel: Group or Solo?

Traveling is a popular pursuit for many Koreans. Following years of international travel being almost an impossibility for the average citizen, people have been making up for lost time by flocking to destinations all over the world. This craze has been slowed down of late by the Covid-19 pandemic but the numbers are expected to rebound once life begins getting back to normal.

For many, and particularly older people, package tours are an ideal way of seeing the world. Koreans traditionally take very short holidays and a jam packed tour itinerary is the perfect opportunity to see and do as much as possible in such a limited amount of time. Plus it's easy: tours usually include flights, hotels and meals so travelers don't have to worry about making those sorts of arrangements themselves.

But others seem to prefer independent travel. While getting around may be more difficult than on a tour, it can make for a much more rewarding trip. Rather than being spoon fed a selection of museums, temples and shopping centers, one may have a unique travel experience. In addition, independent travel offers freedom of choice for those of us who are happy to go at our own pace.

Vocabulary:

✓ make up for lost time: to enjoy activities that one wasn’t able to previously

✓ flock: when many people go to a destination or event

✓ rebound: return to normal levels

✓ jam packed: full

✓ itinerary: a schedule of activities, typically for a trip

✓ spoon feed: to be treated as a parent feeds a baby

✓ go at one's own pace: to go at a speed that one feels comfortable with

Discussion Questions:

1. Which do you prefer, taking a package tour or traveling independently? Why?
2. What do you think are some of the advantages and disadvantages of going on a package tour? How about for independent travel? Make lists and compare them.
3. Could it depend on where you're traveling? Would you feel comfortable traveling independently in some foreign countries but not in others? Talk about some different parts of the world and if you would prefer a package tour or traveling alone.
4. Is there any way to compromise by combining going on a tour with traveling independently?