Seoul - here she is !

Well. I have been there, the border.. I must say it is something intriguing about that place. A place where conversation has gone lost, where both sides are clinging on to their final call, their despair of not being able to gain what they want. I wonder, where is the mutual understanding..

Kkotboda Namja, the K version of Hana Yori Dango. Well, what can I say? Awesome actors/actresses, especially mr Lee Min Ho who has turned Goo Jun Pyo style and especially his curly hair into a fashion statement among Korean youngsters.. Aggressive boy meets feisty girl who turns his would over. And among all that bickering, they still have eachother.. It is safe to know that people still have that dream in their hearts, with you in my life I can conquer all.

Seoul, and all of Korea Republic is overflown with couples everywhere, on subways, on on the streets, on the millions of cafés (I am not exxagerating here)... clinging on to eachother, in a Korea where marriage is something important, that has to be accomplished before a certain age..

Why are we, and especially the female race, such suckers for romance ? Read the following and then swear upon your death that it did not make you the least bit tingly inside ?

1. When her hands are cold, he takes off one of his own gloves and puts her hand in it, then takes the other hand and puts it in his pocket.
2. When the heel on her shoe breaks, he offers to give her a piggy back ride, just to offer her his gratitude for making him enjoy life.
3. When she is cold, he either takes off his jacket and gives it to her, or he simply embraces her with his jacket open enough to fit her inside.
4. To apologize to her, he lights candles and stands in the middle for forgiveness.
5. He tells her he wants to spend everyday with her family, because he feels like he is part of it and he likes her parents.

Well there you go. Part of the reason why Kkotboda Namja has become such a success, are these scenes, combined with this couple's constant bickering, which shows they are actually human enough to have different opinions on things.. could this be the reason why Korean guys have the pressure to be both stable in their relationships as well as emotionally open to their loved one ? part of their society and how guys are viewed upon ?
Well, girls are not always the easiest species to deal with on this planet, but frankly, in a web of emotions, there is still the need for stability, no matter man or woman, and it is only in a stable relationship that one is able to grow mature perspectives on life. Otherwhise, chances are big that patterns might turn into something that can never be resolved..

In the middle of this deeper analysis, I would like to take the opportunity of mentioning the places I have visited in Seoul:

Gangnam, COEX mall. Wow ! Gigantic building, several stories of clothing stores, shoe stores, Nintento DS store, etc. Me and my companion of the day; Nils, were flabbergasted. Gangnam itself is a district located south of the river that divides Seoul. It is the area where apartments can be really expensive, so if you are young and living in Gangnam you might be blessed with generous parents, or some other contacts.

Insadong, traditional arts and crafts neighbourhood

Sinchon, where Yonsei and EHWA Womens University are located, meaning entertainment area for young Seoul.

Myeongdong, you can find many tourists here, as well as cheap shopping.

Lotte World, after the Lotte co. Half indoor, half outdoor amusement park, with rides, 3D ghost house, roller coasters half in the dark and an indoor ice rink. Waiting hour is about 60-80 min per ride but some of them were definately worth it.


When it's not windy in Seoul, it is actually quite pleasant. Today, the sun was out, and a feeling of spring hit the office. It was about 12 degrees C, which felt really appealing to all of us, hoping that winter is finally over !

I just had a 2 hour skype session with the people of Sem 4, we had a 7 man conversation, thanks to the newly improved Skype. Wow ! Technology can be amazing at times.. But, at the same time, it really made me miss my life in Japan, last semester was really great. I wonder if I will ever meet some of the people there. There are those who I don't whish to meet for various reasons, but at the same I wonder what the whole purpose was of meeting them in the first place, what did I learn from those experiences ? And was that experience enough to teach me something ? Maybe is my guess..

I tend to feel like a small fish in a big pond at times here in Seoul. I don't think that this feeling will ever be changed. I am extremely happy about being able to be anonyomous on the street, something I lack in my hometown.. But, at the same time, I stand out enough to have people stare me down. And I might not always be strong enough to handle that, you might say I become introverted. It is unfortunately one of my weak points in life, and I am curious to know if this is something I can outgrow,hopefully~~
to be continued.