One: fashion is serious business in Korea. I sink a fair amount of time into my appearance, but it’s clearly a full-time job for young Koreans, men and women alike. It’s borderline obsessive, and sort of weird. We’re talking mirrors in front of the urinals so you can fix your hair while you piss. We’re talking six-inch heels, day and night, rain or shine. It’s cool, because everyone looks like a million bucks, all the time, but it’s probably not healthy.
Two: these cats go gaga for pricey, North American outdoor gear. The streets are seas of North Face puffer coats.
Three: one of my students came to class wearing UGGs with LA Gear-style light-up heels. Frankensteining two or more trends into one article of clothing seems to be the norm.
Four: Koreans can’t seem to get enough of the Cleveland Indians logo. Chief Wahoo is everywhere. It remains, despite heavy baggage (centuries of colonial oppression, cultural genocide, that sort of thing), a classic design, so I guess I can’t fault ‘em for it. Wonder how they’d feel if there was an NPB team called the Nagasaki Kimchees with a similarly offensive caricature for a logo.
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4 comments:
I think you meant the Nagasaki Hochie-Kims.
And your funny notes are working great so far, btw. The light-up heels had some family members entering the computer room out of curiosity, what with the lols.
are they into the canada goose jackets? i saw a bundle when i was across the pond. both puffy AND patriotic!
one of the enduring things about Koreans that you will sooner or later learn is that as a group of people, they're not the most racially sensitive or even tolerant. just a few months ago, a major label recording artist released a hit song called "Indian Boy" and the whole song is about how he's diligent and tries his best to overcome obstacles, just like the Native Americans. the music video featured him perpetuating every possible stereotype associated with Native Americans. in the end i heard no noise at all about this (except from the tiny ex-pat crowd).
also i've seen black face on TV here way too many times.
Frankensteining is my new favourite verbage.
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