North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 6 - Another batch of irrelevant questions.

To wrap up this series of posts about the irrelevant questions I've been asked by French people since I've been living in Korea, here are a few striking ones, in no particular order. Again, these are often due to ignorance, prejudice, and an obvious confusion between Korea and other Asian countries.

"Aren't there too many stray animals in the streets?"

I was only asked this question once, but it stuck with me because I got the impression that the person who asked it imagined stray dogs, or even monkeys, all over the streets, which you don't see here. True, there are a few stray cats, which are generally not a nuisance. Often, the locals even give them food, or set up a kennel for them. I have always been surprised when I observe the tail of cats in Korea, which looks like it has been cut off. But apparently this characteristic has a genetic origin, if we believe what is written HERE

If the tail of cats is a subject that you're into, this may interest you:

In short, no, there are not many animals in the streets, only a few cats, very few stray dogs, and far fewer rats than in the New York subway, for example.


Here's another example of confusion with other Asian countries:

"There are a lot of people riding bikes/scooters there, right?"

Well, no.

While cycling as a sport may be popular in Korea, it is not so common as a means of transportation. In Busan, there are bike lanes, which are generally used by pedestrians, but the bike still has a very limited place. Having lived in Strasbourg, I can say that there are very few bikes here!

 

This picture was taken in Strasbourg, although the Chinese sign may be misleading. By the way, it seems to me that this question actually comes from a confusion between China and Korea. We often have the image of Chinese cities invaded by bicycles, like here for example: 

https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat13/sub86/item1914.html#:~:text=There%20are%20around%20a%20half,at%20least%2010%20to%201

 

I don't know if this is true there because I don't know China. Anyway, I can tell you it's very different here in Korea:

The same question about scooters often comes from a confusion with countries like Viet Nam :

https://medium.com/@vildeoyen/8-tips-for-driving-a-motorbike-in-vietnam-b78c37fc2e9a

 

In Korea, the vast majority of scooters are driven by delivery people, which I already talked about HERE and HERE. The car remains the main means of transportation here.

Let's look at another example of confusion between Korea and Southeast Asia:

"I'm sure you can eat lots of fruit for cheap!"

Usually, this is followed by a "When I was in Malaysia / the Philippines..."

To the great surprise of my interlocutors, who surely imagine me stuffing myself with exotic fruits all day long, I reply that fruit is quite expensive in South Korea, much more so than in France, and even in the United States. I was told that this was because most was imported. (See this article)

For example, last week, I paid about 10,000 won ($8.5) for 500 grams of strawberries (which were not even tasty) and 13,000 won ($11) for 6 oranges/tangerines from Jeju Island which were delicious. But still...

This year, strawberries, which are usually expensive but excellent, seem to me even more expensive and much less tasty. I don't know what this is due to. It's only the beginning of the season though (yes, the strawberry season in Korea is winter), maybe it will get better.

Anyway, the price of fruit here seems outrageous to me!

Finally, as a bonus, here's a question that shocked me a bit, because I didn't see it coming. One day when I was talking about the possibility of having to undergo minor eye surgery, I was asked:

"Can't you have surgery in France?"

I'm still not sure I understand the meaning of that question. I guessed that this person thought that Korean medicine was a bit less reliable than in France... My Korean ophthalmologist happens to be an expert in his field who won several international awards...I don't see why I would have surgery elsewhere. In all medicine-related fields, Korea is very efficient, with highly qualified doctors, advanced technologies, and a great public health system. So I even found this question a bit offensive, but then again, it's probably just due to ignorance...

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 4 (Lockdown or no Lockdown?)

How could I not write about the main cause for concern around the world over the past two years, i.e. the coronavirus pandemic? Here too, there has been no shortage of irrelevant questions from my French friends ans relatives, starting with this one:

"How was the lockdown in Korea? Wasn't it too hard?"

To put it simply: so far, there has been no lockdown in South Korea. The country was the first after China to be hit by the virus in early 2020, but the authorities have managed to contain the epidemic without having to resort to a large-scale lockdown of the type that has been implemented in France on several occasions. The population was encouraged to stay at home, online work was encouraged, schools and universities were closed (and are closed again as soon as the number of infections increases) and strict social distancing measures were put in place, but at no time was it impossible to leave your home. Korea relied on masks (everyone wears them all the time, both indoors and outdoors, even at the beach), testing, tracing (which raised some concerns about privacy), and "curfews" were sometimes put in place. But these were quite different from what was done in France. People were allowed to go out, but bars, cafés and restaurants closed earlier (sometimes only take-away sales were allowed).

In short, the epidemic had less impact on the lives of Koreans than in most other countries. Even though Korea  is currently facing a fifth wave, the country is often seen as a model abroad for its handling of the pandemic.  In my view, this is due to the swift reaction of the government (based on the experience acquired after the MERS epidemic in 2015), to its transparency (see this article) and to the fact that the measures taken have not been politicized, as the wearing of masks has been in Europe or in North America, so the population has generally followed the government's recommendations.

No lockdown. This is sometimes hard to believe for my family or friends, who keep asking me this same question even after I explained that things are different here.

While the government's response was very quick, the vaccination program was a little slow to get going. But once the vaccination started, Korea proved to be very effective, as always, and the proportion of vaccinated people is now higher than in countries that started vaccinating earlier (France or the USA to name but two). For some foreigners, it was a bit difficult to get vaccinated. Personally, being married to a Korean citizen, everything went pretty smoothly and even had my third shot at the end of December.


 

"It must be the Chinese vaccine you have there, right?"

This is another question that I get a lot. The answer, again, is no. Korea has the same vaccines as France: Astrazeneca, Pfizer, Moderna,and Janssen. The difference is that it is possible to "mix" vaccines, contrary to France, I believe. For example, I got Astrazeneca for my first shot, then  Pfizer for the next two shots.

In short, I have to admit that when I see the situation in Western countries, especially in France, I think I am very lucky to be living in Korea right now. My daily life is much less disrupted, and the risk of catching and especially transmitting the virus seems to be much lower here.

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 3 (Is South Korea a democracy?)

The questions that come up most often after those about Korea's economy  have to do with the country's political situation:

"Is Korea a democracy?"

Sometimes, the questions on this topic actually take the form of statements, revealing once again prejudices and confusions about Korea. During a conversation about a movie, for instance, I explained that I haven't seen it because it is not available on Netflix in Korea. "Of course, I forgot there is censorship there," my interlocutor instantly replied.

I simply pointed out that I live in South Korea, not China.

There is no censorship in South Korea. At least not more than in France. It's not even remotely comparable to China or North Korea, where the authorities decide what can be published or broadcast.  True, if you watch a movie on Korean television, you will notice that nude scenes, sex scenes, or even a simple lit cigarette are usually blurred. And swear words are bleeped, like in the USA for example. It also happens that the flag of the Japanese imperial army (Kyokujitsuki) is blurred, erased, or replaced by the "official" flag of Japan. This symbol, for Koreans, refers to the Japanese colonization of the first half of the twentieth century and the atrocities that came with it. As a comparison, I would say it is, in a way, perceived here like the swastika in Europe.

I was flying from France to Korea a few years ago, and I remember that passengers using the internet on board were suddenly informed that they would not be able to do so while we were flying over China. This obviously surprised me because it is something that would be unimaginable in France and in South Korea.

It is true that, historically, Korean democracy is younger than ours. After the Korean War, South Korea was not only very poor, but also politically unstable. From the early 1960s to the late 1980s, there were several coups, martial law was imposed on multiple occasions, and opposition to the government was often harshly repressed, like during the Gwangju uprising in 1980.

More information is available HERE and in this presentation:

 
Since the late 1980s, Korea has made a democratic transition and is now considered a full democracy.

It was once pointed out to me that all former South Korean presidents still alive were in prison.  The person who said that saw it as a sign that there is still a lot of corruption at the head of the Korean state. But we can also be pleased to see that it is possible in Korea to convict former presidents and to actually send them to prison, which rarely happens in dictatorships, as far as I know. And we could add that in France, though some former presidents have been sentenced after the end of their term, none has ever been incarcerated...

North or South? - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 2 (Is South Korea a developed country?)

 After the inevitable question about the North and the South, another question I've often been asked is about the level of economic development of South Korea.

"Is Korea a developed country?"

The simple fact that I am asked this question shows once again how little the French  know about South Korea. I don't think I would be asked this question if I lived in Japan. Though it is pretty obvious that Japan is a developed country, it is obviously not so clear when it comes to Korea.

To put it simply, I always answer that, yes, Korea is developed, and I often add that its level of development is comparable to that of Japan. That might make an economist cringe, but I think it can help people get the idea.

People who ask me this question often seem to associate Korea with countries in Southeast Asia that are not yet considered "developed" from an economic point of view.

That said, the confusion can be explained by the fact that South Korea used to be one of the poorest countries in the world (in the 1960s). But the country has grown dramatically and is now a world leader in industry and technology, not to mention the entertainment industry.

South Korea is now a member of the G20 and is knocking on the door of the G7. So, yes, Korea is a developed country. In fact, when I go back to France, I sometimes feel like I'm time-traveling to the Middle Ages!

However, it must be admitted that in some aspects, Korea is still lagging a little behind. Sometimes, I walk in Seoul or Busan, with the impression of being in a futuristic metropolis among all these skyscrapers and giant screens, when suddenly I come across an elderly person selling fruit sitting on a sidewalk, or another one pulling a cart full of old boxes, or cultivating a small vegetable garden between two ultra-modern high-rise buildings. In some back alleys, you may also see tangles of electrical wires that would certainly not meet the French safety standards. And it seems to me that many homes are real "thermal sieves" as we say in French to refer to poorly insulated buildings. In short, these few examples illustrate my impression that on some points, Korea is a bit behind. But given the speed at which Korea is advancing, it will not be long before it overtakes France!

More information about the economy of South Korea is available here.

"North or South?" - Questions you should avoid asking to an expat in Korea. Episode 1

 Following a visit in France between two waves of Covid-19 infections, I decided to reactivate this blog and to review some of the more or less surprising questions I was asked by friends, relatives, acquaintances, and even strangers. All these questions made me realize how little people in France, or at least a large number of them, know about South Korea, and about Asia in general. I must admit that fifteen years ago I certainly didn't know much about this part of the world either. But I figure that by sharing my experience, I can maybe correct some misconceptions.

Most of the questions I was asked were not relevant, they often revealed a lot of prejudices, and some are even a bit annoying, especially when people ask them systematically.

It is the case with this first question, which inspired the title of this series of posts. When I tell someone that I live in Korea (or some variation like "my wife is from Korea" or "this summer I'm going to Korea"). The chances are very high that I will be asked the question that kills. In three words:

"North or South?"

It's borderline Pavlovian. I have the impression that my interlocutors ask me the question without even thinking. The answer that comes to me spontaneously is: "What do you think?" Sometimes I manage to remain courteous and simply answer "South, of course." Sometimes I go for irony and answer "North." "Really?" my interlocutor then says, which proves that they did know the answer. Indeed, what are the probabilities that I could live in what is probably the most closed country in the world,  where the regime is autocratic and the economy is in shambles (they even talked about food shortages in 2021). Entering North Korea is very complicated, and I am not even sure that it is possible for a foreigner to actually settle there.

But that won't stop them from asking this question. Maybe it's my fault, I should think about saying "I live in South Korea", but sometimes I forget because it's so obvious to me. But it's a fact that many people can't talk about South Korea without thinking about North Korea. For example, if you read an article about South Korea (about K-Pop, Squid Game, or anything unrelated to the country's foreign policy), you can be sure that the comments section will be full of references to the North, which are often completely off-topic.

In short, if you meet Koreans or expats  living in Korea, avoid asking them the killer question. This will be a very good starting point. But there are quite a few other irrelevant questions to avoid, which I will address in future posts.

Driving in South Korea - Introduction.

 “The world (or at least Korea) is my oyster!” I thought with my new Korean driver's license and my car keys in my hand. I could picture myself driving in the great outdoors with my hair flapping in the wind, listening to “Born To Be Wild”.  The problem is, Busan is a very congested city. So, after driving 1,200 miles, our car is showing an average speed of 16miles/hour. So much for the wind in my hair...

 

To me, driving in South Korea isn't that different from other countries. The rules of the road are close to what I've seen in the USA, with some specificities and difficulties due to the fact that the signs often come with messages in Korean that you don't always have time to decipher.

Driving in Busan, however, does not make things easier. From what I have heard, the local drivers are considered the worst in the country. There is a Korean saying that if you are able to drive in Busan, you can be a cab driver anywhere in the world. And if you are a cab driver in Busan, then you can be a racecar driver.

The drivers here are indeed (very) impatient, the rules are not always respected, the speed is often excessive, drivers will rarely slow down to let you change lanes, and it seems like the honking never stops. Blinkers are not used to indicate that you're going to change lanes, but to celebrate when you've made it, my brother-in-law once explained to me jokingly. Not so different from any big city of the world, one might say. But it is true that driving in Busan remains a rather trying exercise, especially for beginners, and you need to be extra vigilant at all times.

Many drivers stick a "초보운전" ("novice driver") sticker on the back of their car to warn of their lack of experience. However, this may backfire and lead other motorists to honk the horn even more, putting more pressure on the poor beginners who definitely don't need it.

"초보운전" = "novice driver"

  

When it comes to road safety, I am sometimes surprised to see situations in Korea that would be unthinkable in Europe or North America. It is not uncommon, for example, to see very young children sitting in the passenger seat, or sometimes on the lap of the front passenger. When they are in the back seat, they do not always wear seatbelts (buckling up in the rear seats has only been mandatory for a few years). A large number of 2-wheelers (mostly delivery drivers) do not wear helmets and simply ignore the rules of the road (running red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road or on the sidewalks. “Just like in Paris”, you might say. Not untrue,  only it's much worse here). Another scourge, in my opinion,which isn’t surprising in a hyper-connected country, is the number of drivers using their phones while driving, either to make calls and send texts or even to watch videos while driving. I imagine that it is difficult for the police to fight against this, knowing that the vast majority of cars here have tinted windows (I will write more about that later). So it's hard to know who's doing what behind the wheel.

Just one more (very important) thing: in Korea, as in some parts of the USA that I have visited, cars have priority over pedestrians. True, the law says the opposite. On this site, which gives information in English about driving in Korea, we’re told that: "the road belongs to pedestrians, not vehicles. The principle of pedestrian priority is also stipulated in the law. Drivers should drive as though all pedestrians were their family and friends." But in practice, pedestrians always have to yield to cars.  It is also common to see cars parked on crosswalks or sidewalks: pedestrians just have to go around them.

It took me some time to get used to this as a pedestrian (and I still find it quite unpleasant) but also as a driver. When I’m driving, I sometimes have to force myself not to stop for a pedestrian, which could be dangerous since none of the motorists around me expects me to do something so incongruous. That said, drivers also have to be careful of pedestrians, especially the many "smombies" or "smartphone zombies" who cross without looking. There are more and more pedestrian traffic lights embedded in the sidewalks, allowing those walking with their eyes glued to their phones to know when to cross or not, but it is not always enough to stop the smombies.

  

So much for my preliminary remarks on driving in Korea and Busan. The question now is how to deal with traffic lights, intersections, lane changes, and roundabouts, to name but a few of the problems I have encountered. This will be the subject of my next post.