Korea trip

JJ · Post by JJ » Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:57 pm

Hey Scott, I enjoyed the pics of Seoul you put up--I was there a few months ago, I miss the place! I didn't see the Cinnabon, but I did see a Scottish coffee place--complete with two white guys in kilts playing bagpipes. That was surreal.

Anyways, you said there weren't any Dunkin Donuts on the West Coast--yes there is, in the Seattle area!

Kris Lachowski · Post by **Kris Lachowski** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 12:57 am

I liked the Korea comic too. It was entertaining, informative, and short enough to avoid becoming like stereotypical dredded slideshow of one's neighbor's vacation.

Christopher Lundgren · Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:32 pm

Yeah, we have Dunkin Donuts up here in Portland too. I guess it's just y'all down in Socal.

Rip Tanion · Post by **Rip Tanion** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:57 pm

Just took a gander of the Korean picks. Some observations and questions...

How does one say "They'rrrrrrrrre Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!" in Korean?

Do you need a degree from MIT to work that toilet?

Seoul looks like some parts of Queens.

The outside of the convention center looks a little like the outside of Madison Square Garden.

The commies up in P?yongyang should get a look at these pics, and see what they're missing by not embracing a free market economy. I bet you can't get Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, or computerized toilets up there.

How do you say "Chocolate Chip Mint cone" or "a dozen Munchkins" in Korean?

Hup, I'm starting have flashbacks of Hai-Jung Ku, the first Korean girl I ever had the "hots" for, back in junior high.

Bill Beckerson · Post by **Bill Beckerson** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 8:30 am

Since I live in Korea, let me answer this

Rip Tanion wrote: How does one say "They'rrrrrrrrre Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!" in Korean?

"Ah Saaah!"

Do you need a degree from MIT to work that toilet?

Once you get them figured out, your anus is a happy little bugger.

Seoul looks like some parts of Queens.

All of Korea looks like that. Just endless skyscrapers punctuated with rice paddies, highways, and steep hills.

The outside of the convention center looks a little like the outside of Madison Square Garden.

What's cool about the COEX is that you can very easily picture Spiderman swingng around it.

The commies up in P?yongyang should get a look at these pics, and see what they're missing by not embracing a free market economy. I bet you can't get Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, or computerized toilets up there.

That may be true. But can you get your own personal mortar aimed at Seoul outside of North Korea? Well? I didnt think so. Who's laughing at communism now?

How do you say "Chocolate Chip Mint cone" or "a dozen Munchkins" in Korean?

Just the same as back home, only repeated several times as you and the clerk go red in the face from shame for not being able to speak each other's languages.

Hup, I'm starting have flashbacks of Hai-Jung Ku, the first Korean girl I ever had the "hots" for, back in junior high.

The Korean girls are usually the only thing that keeps guys here.

Y'know. I just realized I have an account here.

William G · Post by **William G** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 8:31 am

See!

Rip Tanion · Post by **Rip Tanion** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:28 pm

Bill Beckerson wrote:
the Ripster wrote:Seoul looks like some parts of Queens.
All of Korea looks like that. Just endless skyscrapers punctuated with rice paddies, highways, and steep hills.

Actually, I was specifically refering to the second photo down, on the right (Parking on the sidewalks). There are a few neighborhoods in Queens with large Korean-immigrant populations, where there are more signs in Korean than in English. Plus, the street is very arborial, something you see in Queens a lot more than you do in Manhattan, or even here in the Bronx...at least when it comes to commercal streets.

William G · Post by **William G** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:21 am

Rip Tanion wrote:
Bill Beckerson wrote:
the Ripster wrote:Seoul looks like some parts of Queens.
All of Korea looks like that. Just endless skyscrapers punctuated with rice paddies, highways, and steep hills.
Actually, I was specifically refering to the second photo down, on the right (Parking on the sidewalks). There are a few neighborhoods in Queens with large Korean-immigrant populations, where there are more signs in Korean than in English. Plus, the street is very arborial, something you see in Queens a lot more than you do in Manhattan, or even here in the Bronx...at least when it comes to commercal streets.

Here in Korea, they have far more cars than places to put them. So it's legal, and expected to park on the sidewalks. Some of the newer neighbourhoods in Seoul, like Gangnam (Where Scott was.) are around 15- 20 years old and are designed with this sort of thing in mind. And they have trees planted everywhere here. Arbor Day is a national holiday here. It comes from the country having been bombed flat within living memory.

I really like Seoul. It's a vibrant city filled with great things to see. I've been here for two years and I have yet to see it all. And it's quite safe considering the population. Plus an absolutely kick-ass public transportation system... and PC bangs on every corner...

Heh. Sorry. I'm leaving Korea in just three weeks, so I'm starting to get all bitter-sweet about the place.

William G · Post by **William G** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:23 am

Of course, if I had known Scott McCloud was coming to Korea, I would have hunted him down, dragged him to a PC room, and forced him to play Starcraft, smoke, and drink soju like a real Korean man.