You cannot possibly imagine the experience of being in this country, unless of course, you have been. But let me try to take you through it. It is all rather shocking and mind blowing at times. Sometimes it is just plain old strange. Truly though, it has to be accepted for what it is. So, whilst riding through Ulsan Grand Park, I ran into some rather unusual and interesting things.
For example: I am riding along minding my own business ( as well as a light haired, light skinned foreigner can anyways) when I am nearly taken out by a man on a bike. No big deal really, as personal space doesn't exist in this country and so it is something you have to get used to or go mad with the effort of being outraged. However, while in the midst of stamping down the brief rage that stirs with each brusque bump, I happened to look back and notice that the evil doer in question was trailing behind his bike one of those child carrier things. I almost fell off my bike I was laughing so bloody hard, for inside said carrier was a middle aged woman. Having been in this country for almost 5 months, I was most assuredly used to such bizarre (to us) incidences but even this took the cake.
It got me to thinking about something that occurs to me so often here. Korean logic and efficiency. It occurs to me that we are so hung up on image and appearance that looking silly seems to prevent us from doing the most logical of things. Like this, why not put a middle aged woman in a child carrier if she is tired. Makes so much sense it is scary. Also, the picture of the building, in a shroud. Brilliant really, surround new construction with these blanket type sheets...keep the warmth in, keep the shite out! I don't know, so smart. Food out of the back of trucks, with plastic sheeting to keep the warmth, children carried on your back, credit cards delivered to your hand within minutes, food that is delivered in real dishes that you leave by the door to be picked up and poof! they disappear, tailoring done within an hour of any sort, or throw a bunch of clothes in a pile on the street to advertise a sale! It really goes on and on. It is also only in this country that you would be overwhelmed by information overload, so many signs, so many colours, so many ironies. Please note the rather beautiful sculpture that also doubles as a trash receptacle and the coral colour building...one of many here.
2 comments:
some of those korean every-day things seem out of character with the otherwise 'efficient' korean identity; like the pile of clothes for a sale, and the statue garbage receptacle... I remember hearing about architects who started to build around the outer skin of a building rather than create a new one. Maybe people could do this on a smaller scale in their own homes - build architecture (of the soft kind) over their furniture, fridges, and stereo systems...
I dunno, the efficiency is in the fact that they throw em on the ground rather than hang them up only to turn around and have to do it all over again when the masses have got to the racks. As far as the sculpture/garbage receptacle, why walk the garbage around to a more seemly location when the sculpture is perfectly located. HAHA, it is just so simplistic...the use of scissors to cut everything from grilled pork to vegtables or bread. It is true that they strip the buildings to nothing but its skeleton and then build over it. I have seen it more than once since being here. In fact, the other day I looked up at decrepit building only to see a Cat on the top floor sweeping all the debris onto the ground below. I was sitting there thinking, how the hell did they get it up there? and then...jesus that is brilliant!
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