Valentines Day and Other Fake Holidays (by Jon)

So it's getting close to that time of year again. February 15th is BREAK UP DAY! It's not really a thing, but it should be. Especially in Korea, a lot of weight is put on these couple-oriented non-holidays. Guys aren't the ones putting the weight on, but they ARE the ones who tend to carry it in this country, much like the designer bags their girlfriends and wives simply MUST have.

If you have a Korean girlfriend, be warned: Judgement day is coming. Like, repeatedly. Here are some of the days that Koreans have decided to make in the wake of Valentine's Day's cultural assertion.

Valentine's Day : She gives YOU chocolates... or not... but even though it's her turn, do something nice, or else!

White Day :14^th of March-guys give candies to that special someone…

Black Day : 14^th of April-You got nothing, you eat black noodles (Jjajangmyeon at Chinese restaurant). Suck it up, princess.

Rose Day : 14^th of May-Give her roses. Maybe, I've never done this one

Confession Day-17^th of September-The day that girls want to hear boys confess their love. If you start to date, your 100^th anniversary will be on Christmas. So romantic... (Psst! That's merely a Date Day too, so don't expect a tree and a turkey that day; you're on a leash)

Ppaeppaero Day-11^th of November-Ppaeppaero is snack name. It’s looks like “1” so blah blah blah... it's mostly for kids, but that's no reason to leave her hanging.

100 DAYS : I cannot stress this one enough. Make it big, make it flashy, get a great gift, have a great meal. If you only spend two weeks planning, you'll barely meet expectations and even though you think you got it right, you're wrong. This one is the true test to the international relationship in Korea. It may sound crazy to you, but it's standard here. Even relationships are metric, it seems.

There are more, but I was fortunate enough to only face the wrath of the ones above. If you really care about her, then you'll pretend to care about these. Good luck, gentlemen.

(Photo is courtesy of the fine folks at quickmeme.com)

Can't take the LACK of heat? Go inside!

It’s cold!

I know that Sundays are the perfect time to stroll down your favorite street and pick a random café, restaurant, or shop and take your time at a slow pace. Or maybe go hiking up the mountain in your backyard, or walk along the stream in your front yard. Or just see how far you can get across the city you call your home away from home.

But it’s cold…
So why not look at your other choices?

Seoul is filled with underground markets. Try out Express Bus Terminal. It’s well heated and goes FOREVER! Shops there vary from clothing, to shoes, lamps to knickknacks, and it is also home to many food and coffee establishments. For the more, high-end, there’s Coex, but it’s not the Mall itself, but the shops inside that give it the real attraction points. The Cinema is great main reason to go, but why not spend your time before that at some of their candy shops, foreign food outlets, designer clothing shops, game rooms (both video and board varieties) plus one of their 500 Starbucks Coffee Shops.
If you’d rather go above ground, try one of the towering markets of Dongdaemun? There are several by the future site of the “history and culture park” (written in quotes due to a current lack of both history and culture). If you are handier to Myeongdong Station, there are similar establishments there. For the pricier Sunday out, try the 63 Building, known for being tall to Koreans and quaint to those from other large cities.
If you consider yourself a hot-blooded individual, by all means enjoy the sunny day with the polar bears and penguins. The same parks, streets and streams, as well as the shops nearby will all be open as usual. Unless the owner decides it’s too cold and sleeps in… which sometimes happens. If you do take this route to Sunday invigoration, please be smart and bundle up. If you don’t have the proper hat and gloves, you can by them on any given street in Korea. They might not keep you warm, but at least they’re trendy, and people will think they are keeping you warm and won’t need to feel bad for you. Now, don’t you feel better?

Enjoy your day!

How to NOT get lost in Namdaemun...

Have you ever gotten lost in Namdaemun Market? We have!
Here is a simple guide to what's where of the whole area. Hopefully this is helpful the next time you there!

We found this helpful map at http://kidsfuninseoul.wordpress.com/tag/kids-shopping-seoul/
They also have some great info for toy shopping there, so check it out.

Where Have All the Markets Gone?

This map is courtesy of the folks at http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_1_6.jsp
It shows you the location of several of Seoul's Markets (some that we've already posted about) and a few other landmarks around the city.
Can you see anything near your home?

The Pen is Mightier at WHOLESALE PRICES!

Where do you buy stationary? Do you need toys for your kids, nieces, and nephews? Do you want to buy party goods?
Welcome to the wholesale stationary market!
You will love it, I fell in love this street. And I took my foreign friends there. They love the place.

It is located in Dongdaemun, in a dirty hole of a neighborhood. Don’t let the appearance turn you away. The deals inside are worth the inconvenience of a lackluster atmosphere and the occasional crammed cluster of shelves.

Get off at Dongdaemun Station (Line 1-4 transfer station and also quite dirty) and head out Exit 4. You will see a sign that says ”독일약국” (Dogilyagkuk, it is a pharmacy, literally translated as “Germany Pharmacy”, with an orange-colored sign). Turn on to the right street and you will see a HUGE stretch of stationary, toys, and party goods.

The prices here are 20-30% cheaper than normal when you use your card, and up to 50% if you use cash.

A few recommendations would be Lego (30% off), Tape cutter/dispensers (my mother-in-law thought this was cool) or toy pens. Also a wide selection of toys and party favors are here. Hit this place up before next Halloween or any costume party.

As far as Korean standards go, they close fairly early. Make sure to go before 6. Also, they are closed on holidays and Sundays.

If you click on these links you can see a few pictures:

http://sakura0523.blog.me/60155890893

http://cafe.naver.com/joincoll/40
 
I recommend you go there when you have plenty of time. There are so many shops, you’ll need time to explore!

Something to add...?

If you have anything you want to add on or mention related to any of our posts, please be our guest.
We're only human, so we often will miss things, or just don't want to crowd our posts with info.
If we've missed your favorite shop, bar, or thing to do in one of the places we mentioned, let other people know about it below each post!

One Year in Korea with Cash Back!

At this time of year, many contracts finish, so these people need to know about their pension returns before they leave the Hermit Kingdom.
I’m sure if you pay into the Korean National Pension, you want to know about getting it returned.
Whether or not you get your pension back is up to your nationality, but if you have an H-2, E-8 or E-9 visa, you can get a pension return no matter where you are from. I called the pension office only two times, so it is better to ask them personally to check what your personal situation is and how much money you have paid into it so far. I found both an English and a Chinese service number. For English, call 02-2179-8719, or 02-2176-8719, and for Chinese call 02-2176-8733.
I recommend asking not only about the policy of your personal situation on getting your pension return, but also whether your school or company pays into it for you or not. One of my husband’s past schools took money from his salary as pension but they didn’t pay into it for 6months. Most schools pay pension by law, but to make certain is safer. Better safe than sorry.
Do you want to know more? Check the Korean Pension site.
http://english.nps.or.kr/jsppage/english/main.jsp
(They have both English and Chinese language service)