Notes from a Week in Korea
Some thoughts after being here in Seoul for a week:
– It’s cold.
– I thought I’d seen dogs cute-ified during my year in Taiwan, but Koreans seem to take fashion-inspired dog-mods to a new level. In the photo above, you’ll notice that the pooch’s tail and ears are dyed pink. Which is awesome.
– Some sights and neighborhoods I’ve seen so far include: Namhansanseong (”South Han Mountain Fortress”); Dongdaemun (”Great East Gate”); Gangnam; and Itaewon.
– Though I expected to encounter it, the heavy US military presence here is remarkable. The American base is in downtown Seoul; US troops (of which there are 37,000 in the country) are visible out on the town at night; and the American Forces Network Korea broadcasts on TV and over the radio.
— I’ve been brushing up on my Korean War history; it’s interesting to see the extent to which North Korea figures into the South Korean national consciousness. I recently came across Guy Delisle’s graphic novel “Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea.” It is absolutely mind-boggling — a fascinating look at the bizarre totalitarian state that exists just 30 miles north of Seoul.
– The Korean recycling scheme is mandatory, extensive, and seemingly quite effective; plastics, paper, and non-recyclables are separated in households and then sorted into various outdoor bins. And, notably, food-scrap-recycling containers collect bits of leftovers that are ultimately fed to pigs.