.... and here are some things I've learnt from my trip:
1. A typical Korean woman performs at least 7 beauty steps on her face each morning with different products - e.g. facial wash, cleansing oil, cleansing foam, toner, moisturise, serum, primer, sun screen, eye cream, spot concealer, BB cream, BB powder, etc. And that's just the face. And you wonder why there is a Face Shop or Skin Food store every 100 metre on the streets...
2. The young Korean men are really what they look like on TV - skinny, flawless skin and perfect hair. Makeup brands actually use male, instead of female, ambassadors. There are BB cream specially formulated for men too. I contemplated getting some for The Man but as metrosexual as he is, I don't think he is at that level yet.
3. The walls in our office's rest room is lined with toothbrushes. Apparently, like the Pinoys, everyone brushes their teeth after every meal. Because of...
4. Kimchi breath! They really eat kimchi with every meal, every day. Even for breakfast, on their toast! All households make kimchi by the tons at least once a year. At least 10 heads of lettuce is used each time. Each household usually has a separate fridge just to store kimchi.
5. Kimchi aside, the Koreans are really into crispy marinated fried chicken of late ~ Kkanbu Chicken ~ paired with beer. It's fried chicken like I never tasted before. Can put KFC out of business in a second.
6. Lastly, and perhaps most surprisingly, according to people I spoke to, the border issue is really not that big a deal to the Southerners. It is not such a hate-hate relationship like the media painted it to be, but more of a petulant sibling situation. Interesting.
Overall, I had a pretty good time albeit I find the trip is a bit tiring because the level of English literacy is pretty low so trying to understand others, and making others understand you, is difficult - particularly when it is a complicated work issue. Will I go back there for play? Hmm. Not sure. Maybe for Kkanbu chicken....
1. A typical Korean woman performs at least 7 beauty steps on her face each morning with different products - e.g. facial wash, cleansing oil, cleansing foam, toner, moisturise, serum, primer, sun screen, eye cream, spot concealer, BB cream, BB powder, etc. And that's just the face. And you wonder why there is a Face Shop or Skin Food store every 100 metre on the streets...
2. The young Korean men are really what they look like on TV - skinny, flawless skin and perfect hair. Makeup brands actually use male, instead of female, ambassadors. There are BB cream specially formulated for men too. I contemplated getting some for The Man but as metrosexual as he is, I don't think he is at that level yet.
3. The walls in our office's rest room is lined with toothbrushes. Apparently, like the Pinoys, everyone brushes their teeth after every meal. Because of...
4. Kimchi breath! They really eat kimchi with every meal, every day. Even for breakfast, on their toast! All households make kimchi by the tons at least once a year. At least 10 heads of lettuce is used each time. Each household usually has a separate fridge just to store kimchi.
5. Kimchi aside, the Koreans are really into crispy marinated fried chicken of late ~ Kkanbu Chicken ~ paired with beer. It's fried chicken like I never tasted before. Can put KFC out of business in a second.
6. Lastly, and perhaps most surprisingly, according to people I spoke to, the border issue is really not that big a deal to the Southerners. It is not such a hate-hate relationship like the media painted it to be, but more of a petulant sibling situation. Interesting.
Overall, I had a pretty good time albeit I find the trip is a bit tiring because the level of English literacy is pretty low so trying to understand others, and making others understand you, is difficult - particularly when it is a complicated work issue. Will I go back there for play? Hmm. Not sure. Maybe for Kkanbu chicken....
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| What I ate most meals - the quintessential bibimbap! |
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