Wolfhound Superbowl Party

If you want to watch the Super Bowl live, Seoul Eats confirmed that Wolfhound will be showing it live. Full menu and bloody mary specials. Kick-off is at 8:25am.

Gay Saunas in South Korea

Here's the question:

I was told about these saunas that are like bathhouses and apparently they are everywhere in Korea. [I was told] HOT guys shower together, and rub each other in the shower. Is this true? How far EXACTLY do they go?

What's the type of legality on this, and as a foreigner with a large carriage, can I participate?

I remember reading about these places before coming to Korea and in my handbook, it referred to them as "bathhouses". Of course, bathhouses in the West are known for their popularity among gay/bi/curious cruisers, so I was a bit confused. In fact, if you type "bathhouses" into Google, the first result is a Wikipedia article on Gay Bathhouses. For the most part, the bathhouses, saunas or Jjimjilbang in Korea are, for the most part NOT cruising sites and certainly wouldn't be friendly to someone who tried to make them that way. I recommend reading Galbijims write-up on these saunas. It'll help you get a good feel for what's actually going on in these widely popular establishments.

I am not the biggest fan of the saunas in Korea. First of all, I don't like being hot for any period of time and throw that in with the high level of interest that foreign men (I can't speak for women) get when they enter these facilities, it makes for more stress than relief. However, I have a lot of friends who really enjoy it. In my experience, an overwhelming majority of the men in the saunas are older. Maybe it was the location I chose, but I didn't see many "hot guys" in there. Even if there were, it wouldn't make a difference. Cleanliness and relaxation are the goals, not sex or rubbernecking.

In fact, these places are viewed in such a non-sexual light that there was a recent television commercial innocently showing toddlers washing each other in what was supposed to be a public shower. I was shocked when I first saw it, but my Korean wife didn't think there was anything odd about it. She thought it was cute. There's also a popular Korean comedy show which takes place in a sauna. They sing, dance and play games.

There are some things that happen in Korea (just like any country) that simply don't make sense to me, but makes perfect sense to Koreans. A couple years ago, a few Korean friends and I were at a park and we saw two teenage boys massaging and rubbing each other. I assumed that they were gay and made a comment about it. My friends rejected my interpretation and claimed that the boys were helping each other relieve stress because high-school life in Korea can be very demanding. It doesn't matter why they were doing it though. The point was that many Koreans, unlike myself -an American, don't automatically assume that something is sexual or related to sexuality.

Take this for instance: I know many Koreans who semi-regularly visit the saunas with their parents and/or children and all of them routinely wash each others backs. When I first heard of people doing this, I was a little grossed out. I mean, imagining myself in such a situation with my father is almost enough to cause nausea, but it is viewed as a perfectly normal and perhaps even a bonding experience among our Korean brethren.

So, by all means go and enjoy the many saunas of the nation, but understand that nearly all of them have zero tolerance for sexual activity. If you start rubbing another man for any reason other than cleaning, I imagine a fist might be coming your way. I do think it would be a funny dare though.

Still, there are some places where you can go if you're looking for a place to cruise or find a little action. The highest concentration of LGBT bars and clubs reside in Jongno, Hongdae and Itaewon, so the gay saunas tend to be in and around those districts. Utopia Asia has a lot of information on gay culture and hotspots in Korea and they have an interesting page on gay saunas as well. Make sure to take a look at what it has to offer, but I want to use a couple comments from the site.

"Went to Mun Hwa last Sat nite around 1:30am...Man, it was full. It's a good place for people who are into older men of 30+...I had a good time. Just lie down and guys will be on you in no time. They don't play safe, so carry lube and condoms...The sauna was filthy and so were the toilets."

...and...

"If you enter Bosuk, you will feel like you are in a regular straight sauna, and it probably is...until you go to the sleeping area. You will get to see some action, although quite discreet. Normally at the 1/F sleeping area or in the hidden corner on 2/F. Just lay down and pretty soon someone will lay next to you, although I don't see how things can go far here as there are many straight people sleeping as well! BTW, no foreigners here, so you can get very spotlighted."

Two totally different takes on the scene. I'm sure after visiting a few places, one would understand the system a little bit more, but what it sounds like is that very few of the places are advertised as "Gay Saunas". As the other posters on that site mentioned, you must be discreet since there is a mix of straight men sleeping and gay/bi men cruising. You might be able to find a place with private rooms, but I think most places are going to offer public sleeping rooms which are frequently checked by staff. Again, South Korea does not have any laws against homosexuality (aside from military service), so the staff is not looking for criminals. They're just trying to keep their sauna from becoming a hotspot for such activity.

I also found it interesting that so many people claimed that Korean men didn't carry or use protection. For a nation that spends a lot of time telling its people that foreigners have AIDS, I would think that having unprotected sex in bathhouses with foreigners would be unheard of. Then again, contraception in Korea is an interesting topic unto itself.

So, ultimately, you are not going to be walking into a shower or sauna full of young, "hot guys". From what most of the comments over at Utopia said, you'll most likely be walking into a dark, quiet sleeping room full of older men that may or may not be willing to give a big foreigner a chance. Now, I'm sure there are some hidden places in Itaewon that will work just fine for you, but I think it's better to paint the sauna scene is Korea as a very non-sexual one that is for cleaning and relaxing, rather than romance and cruising.

Like my last post on gay behavior in Korea, I hope that some readers might be able to add their thoughts. They were quite valuable last time.

Reactions to Big Dogs in South Korea

Here's the paraphrased question:

I would like to move to [Seoul] South Korea in the fall, and I would need to bring my dog with me, as I do not know anyone who can watch her for a year and I am not going to leave her with a stranger. She is a 50 pound mutt (I understand that larger dogs and mutts are not viewed as positively in Korea), though I think she could pass for some sort of imaginary pure breed based on her look. She lives with me in a small apartment now in a city and she is not a barker or high-strung. Is this just a horrible idea (in your opinion)? I have attempted to research this and received mixed feedback from others. Some of the feedback has been quite negative. Would I be setting me and my doggie up for disaster if we moved to Seoul, or are some people just over exaggerating? What could I reasonably expect? Will people be yelling at me multiple times every day when I am out with the dog, or is it not as common an occurrence (a few times a week)?

As you know, the Internet is THE place for people to vent and unleash whatever tirade they choose without having to own up or defend anything. That's why we love it, but you really shouldn't listen to what you read on anonymous forums. Most of the time, they'll be severely biased and, in the case of Korea, they'll almost be exclusively biased. Even in the case of big dogs, you're certain to find a handful of expats using a simple question like "Where can I buy a big dog?" as a chance to rail into Koreans for their preference for toy dogs, dog meat, xenophobia and a laundry list of other typical expat complaints. Rob has a good write-up about why expats in Korea complain so much. Make sure you check that out.

I would never be able to suggest that someone should separate from their dog. No way! That would be a horrible experience with both of you being miserable. Bring your dog. You'll be much happier as both of you would be adjusting together. However, you and your dog must be ready for a few changes.

Korea, and especially Seoul, is a tight, cramped place with high population density and overly crowded streets. If you're in a location with a lot of foot traffic, walking your dog is going to be an interesting experience. To truly understand public perception of dogs, we must first look at what Koreans view as pets. Koreans are not that pet-friendly to start with. Some of them have hamsters, fish or cats, but it is not a majority. Not even close. As for dogs, any non-toy dog is essentially not a pet. Rather, they are animals that live on the farm or in the country side. You will see a few here and there, but the idea is that big dogs are not cute or stuffed animal-like, so why have them? With apartments the size they are and easy access to outdoors areas limited, having a big dog in Seoul is overwhelmingly uncommon. I say that, but it doesn't mean you and your dog will be screamed at or chastised. Let me offer this story.

I have a puppy. He's a brown jindo-lab mutt that looks totally harmless and acts just as any other puppy would. He's curious, chases birds in the park, eats shoes and wants to play with everyone. When I take him out to go to the bathroom and am patiently waiting for him to squeeze out a few drops or drop a nice one, many people walk by -young women, old men, students, you name it and they pass by without so much as a glance. I have even had a few kids at the park run so fast when seeing my PUPPY that you would think a wolf was chasing them. Most of the time, the initial reaction is to fear it. That's right. My little three month old puppy strikes fear in the heart of some Koreans. But why? Well, since Koreans only have toy dogs, they only know how those breeds react to humans. A big dog is viewed just the same as a small unknown breed: with suspicion. Sure, a bigger one might scare them a little more, but it has more to do with unpredictability rather than size. Fear of the unknown, right?

When I walk my dog, most people look at him with interest, but they always keep a safe distance. Rarely will I have people walk up and pet him. This, however, is more of a blessing than you might think. If your dog was being pet by every person, she would start becoming more irritable on the walks, get less exercise and, of course, you would hate walking her because it would take much longer than usual.

I don't think you have decided on where in Seoul to live yet, but staying away from busy areas (Gangnam, Apgujeong, Jungno, Hongdae, Itaewon) might be a wise decision. Furthermore, heading to an area with easy-access to mountains, water or a park would enhance you and your dog's enjoyment while here. I'd be happy to recommend where some good, more natural locations are if you would like. Let me know.

To wrap it up, bring your dog. Both of you would be miserable without the other, so there's no reason to even consider that. Koreans might do a double-take and will even take a few steps out of the way to avoid crossing paths with you two, but there will be no screaming. Keep him on a leash and as long as he's not barking, destroying your apartment or biting the people he does happen to encounter, then you two will have a great time in Korea.

Here's a podcast on the subject.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

How to Make your stay in Korea a little better...

Here's the question:

I think I can narrow down my request to a simple topic, but I feel like I'm in more need of a pep talk than anything else. I have been in Seoul for 3 1/2 weeks now and I am trying to get adjusted. The hagwon that I work for just notified us that they will be closing in three weeks, but we might be merging with a larger hagwon, Avalon. I'm still waiting to hear the final details, but in the meantime, I am debating what I should do.

I have been told that the first couple of months are the toughest. I came from a large social circle at home so coming here and knowing nary a soul has been a challenge. Do you have any recommendations on social meetings/gatherings or websites that can point me in the right direction (to meet people)? I really don't want to give up on Seoul just yet, but I can see myself going home in three weeks if I can't find a reason to stay. As it is, if the school does merge with Avalon, I will be out of work for 3 weeks while they remodel and I won't really begin teaching for another month after that. My pay will be cut in half while the school is closed and I'm not sure if it's worth it.

I know you can't make my decision for me. I'm pretty much reaching out. However, if you know any good meetup websites, I would appreciate the information.

Thank you,
K

Adjusting to a new country is never easy. As you said, the first few months can be the hardest as well. Let's look at the phases of culture shock and see if we can figure out where you might be.

Honeymoon Phase - During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on.

Negotiation Phase - After some time (usually weeks), differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. One may long for food the way it is prepared in one's native country, may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, disgusting, and irritating etc. This phase is often marked by mood swings caused by minor issues or without apparent reason. Depression is not uncommon.

Adjustment Phase - Again, after some time (usually 6 – 12 months), one grows accustomed to the new culture and develops routines. One knows what to expect in most situations and the host country no longer feels all that new. One becomes concerned with basic living again, and things become more "normal".

It looks like you're already in the second phase which of course, is the hard one. You mentioned that your work is proving to be a little unsteady as well and that makes an already difficult situation even harder. So, let me offer a little advice.

While you are here to work and make money, I assume that working was not the real reason you decided to come abroad. You need to rediscover that feeling you had before coming to Korea and the best way to do that is to ignore work. Ignore it. Do a good job while you're there, but don't treat it as if it were your career. It's probably not anyways. Work life in Korea is never smooth and trying to make it that way consumes way too much time and often proves to be fruitless.

You sent me a second email as well.

I just left the restaurant business after 14 years so I do like going out for a drink and I also love music and dancing. I have a deep interest in history, so cultural outings always intrigue me and I am always open to new experiences. I love to travel, so seeing more of Seoul and the surrounding areas is a priority.

Let's take this one interest at a time. You were in the restaurant business for over a decade, so I think you need to go with that. There are numerous food blogs that cover some really neat restaurants in the area. Make it a point to try and check a few places out every week.

* Seoul Eats is arguably the best food blog in the K-blogosphere and is regularly updated with new pics, restaurants and reviews.

* Fat Man Seoul
* Zen Kimchi
* Seoul Style
* The Korean Vegan

Those are in no way all of the food sites though. If you click on any of the above links, they will have several resources linked on their sites as well. You also mentioned you like going for drinks. Well, I don't really have to go into detail on that front since Koreans are heavy drinkers and the prevalence of hofs and bars attests to that, but where to go is another question.

You mentioned that you lived in Seocho, so you're just south of the River. Most of the high-traffic establishments are to the north, but you have options nearby.

Gangnam/Apgujeong

Besides all the great restaurants in the area, there are some great bars as well. Personally, I like four or five bars in the area. In the Gangnam area, I prefer a small dive called "What Sub". It's a Korean bar, mostly frequented by Koreans, but the drinks are cheap (2 dollar shots) and the atmosphere is relaxed. There are also two bars called Woodstock in the area. The main Woodstock or "Woodstock 1" is smaller, more popular and heavily frequented by English teachers. They offer good music (It's a request system, so it can get bad), but the prices have gone up a lot (2000cc for 13,000 won). Woodstock 2 is a quieter, basement bar that sells mostly beer (sometimes they have Jager) and plays exclusively classic rock. There's also Castle Praha. I like this place because it's huge and you can get non-Korean beer. Here's a map.



In Apgujeong, I would recommend Monkey Beach. Cheap drinks, nice people and it even has a nightly fire show. I assume you know the other party areas of Seoul like Itaewon and Hongdae, so aside from a link, I shouldn't have to go into detail.

You mentioned you like dancing and music. Dancing can be found at just about any place in the city, but good live music is sometimes a stretch. I have written about this before and have tried to come up with a pretty comprehensive list of where you can find some good music. It depends on taste though. Drop by Expat-Advisory as well. They've got a lot of good stuff up there for you.

You mention history as well. Well, Seoul has a bunch of really great museums, not to mention a ton of historical sites throughout the city. I always suggest that people new to Korea go and pick up Michael Breen's book "The Koreans". Not only is it a fun read, but it also delves into a little history which is something you would like. You can find it at Kyobo Bookstore and just about all of the other ones.

Your next interest is where I will really be able to give some advice. You like to travel. That's perfect and is the best way to meet people. I should offer the official Korea Sparkling site for some ideas, but the real place to meet some good people who are in need to something more than the late-night benders is at Adventure Korea. They take great trips year around and give people the chance to make close friends. I always point people in their direction because everyone always finds something there. If you're into travel, then this is something you should jump on. Also, Ask Now is organizing a huge group of people for this years Mud Festival. That's something you should consider as well.

In the end, most people get frustrated in a new country because they haven't made any solid friends and they miss that connection. It's totally normal. There are endless social groups and organizations out there and all it takes is a little effort.

Fellow K-Blogger, Roboseyo, also offers some advice on "How to love the heck out of Korea." He's a little sugary, but sometimes that's what we need.

For my personal advice, don't give up yet. You came here for an experience and I know you would be letting yourself down if you gave up this early. There is so much amazing history, culture and natural beauty to see on the peninsula and so little time to see it all. You need to get out, break down any barriers you have set around yourself and be free. This is your year to rediscover what you love about life. Don't let the stress of work get in your way. You're not here to work and sleep, so don't let that happen. Contact Adventure Korea, go to a museum, dance to the music and just let it go. Very few people have the opportunity that you have right now. You get to leave the routine of life behind and just break free in a new country and a new world. And when the time does come for you to leave Korea, you will be a much richer person because of what you did. Don't give up. Your adventure has only just begun.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Gay in South Korea: A Little Assistance

Here's the question:

Im a 23 year old who just finishing up my degree in National American University and will be moving to a place called Mok-Dong in Seoul. Do you know it? I hope its a nice area with plenty to do and kind people here also.Youve helped me so much with other issues such as weight limits for teachers and visa issues with your blog I was wondering if you could help me with one more. Im kind of looking for a little romance in the 1 year that I plan to stay. Ex-pat, I'd really like to ask you about the gay scene there. Tolerance is not an issue for me (growing up in SD- ugh!) but I know its a very conservative country. Do they have like sodomy laws like in China or Japan? And how like, forward, are Korean guys? cos some parties I went to the Asian guys just hung out in the bathroom. So thats it I wanna have a good time, but I wanna be safe. Whattya say, Ex-Pat?

Thanks a bunch

Jim K

I think I'd like to start this one out with a little excerpt from a Michael Breen article on relationships within the expat community.

"One young North American lady once told me that she and her single Western friends in Seoul felt they were ``living in a gay bar." Neither Korean nor non-Korean men, they complained, seemed interested in them."

Of course, Korea is laughably nowhere close to a gay mecca, but I thought I should frame how many relationships go in the expat community. I wouldn't claim that expats only date Koreans (gay or straight) because it's not true, but it seems like a clear majority of the relationships I see involving (male) expats are with Korean women. The gay expat community, however, is much harder to gauge. It is rare to see gay or lesbian expats openly displaying their relationship on the streets and it is even more rare to see such a thing in an interracial relationship or among gay Korean men or women. As a rule, I must refer you to The Korean's post on homosexuality in Korea. It's great. Not only does he cover some serious issues and make excellent points, but the comment board also offers a wealth of information. It's a little lengthy, but definitely worth the read.

I think being from a state like South Dakota gives you a leg-up in terms of accepting or dealing with intolerance. Maybe I'm wrong about SD, but I can only assume that you're used to a little intolerance. (I'm from Tennessee which constantly proves out conservative and intolerant they can be.) If you were from a more gay-friendly city or state, adjusting might be more of an issue, but I think you should be fine. The gay scene, while not necessarily hosting weekly pride parades, does seem to be thriving given the popular mindset that homosexuality doesn't exist in Korea or can be cured by few visits to the doctor. There are a few popular spots in Seoul with gay clubs, bars and saunas. Itaewon, Hongdae and Jungno is where most of those places can be found. On top of that, you'll be living in Mokdong which is relatively close to all three of those places. My wife and I went to a place on Itaewon's famed "Homo Hill" called "Why Not?" a few months ago and had a lot of fun. While I'm not sure how all places are or how gay Asians party, I can tell you that most of the Koreans there were not hiding in the bathroom. The dance floor was very much alive and no one was being shy.

There's an organization for gay men that's based out of Seoul called "Chingusai" or "Among Friends". They have been operating for over a decade and offer a lot of services and assistance to the community. They've got a message board where people are talking about current issues, events and even arranging meetings. This site (and this one) also offer some assistance for newcomers and it wouldn't hurt to check out this facebook group or even Craigslist.

It looks like you're more interested in the legality and safety of potential relationships rather than where to find it, so let me talk about that. In Korea, same-sex sexual activity is totally legal and there is no mention of sodomy laws anywhere that I can find. Even if there were such laws, I would assume they would be nothing more than blue laws and therefore, nothing to worry about. However, the ROK military takes a different stance as they discharge soldiers for being gay and can even charge the men involved with sexual harassment for such an act. You might also find that a few gay-content websites will be censored, blocked or filtered by the government, but those typically tend to be only Korean-run sites rather than gay-content sites in general. Legally speaking, you'll have no problem and as long as you aren't too obvious or risky, you'll have no problems socially either.

In another email, you mentioned the prevelance of Hepatitis and other STDs which is, of course, a concern for anyone. I couldn't find anything about anything about Hep in particular, but I found this study on AIDS and HIV which seems to be the most current and comprehensive of its kind. There's also a thread about STD's at Daves's that, aside from the usual snarky comments, offers a glimpse into the STD world in Korea. If you're looking for a very detailed, academic and historical look at Korea's sexual past and present, then take a look Choi Hyung-Ki's exhaustive research on the topic. It talks about everything from sexual behavior to STD's and abortion.

I think that you'll find that Korea is more accommodating that you would think. As long as you're up for an adventure, then you should find a pretty solid group out there. There are plenty of gay Koreans and expats for you to find a meaningful relationship and have a lot of fun. The bars and clubs seem to be gaining popularity and always seem to be busy. You'll be just fine.

Update October 23rd, 2009: Korea Times has a write-up on how Social Ostracism Stifles Sexual Minorities. It's an alright article.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment

Halloween Costumes and Lederhosen in South Korea

Here's the question:

Hey,

do you know where I can buy lederhosen in seoul? Or maybe a good seamstress?

thanks in advance,

britt

Awesome. This easily is the best question I have ever gotten. Ever. I'm not too sure what to make of this question. I mean, it's May still, so unless you're really prepping for Halloween, I just can't think of why anyone would need NEW lederhosen while in Korea. Still, I'll try to help...

Of course, I'm not too sure where you could buy lederhosen in Seoul. The only place would be Itaewon and they don't have any Bavarian stores in the area. So, assuming you're not looking for top quality hosen, I think Halloween stores might be your best bet. I personally do not know of any Halloween stores. Most expats here try to be really creative and make their own, but I did find this forum (and this one too) which discusses some options.

From Daves...

There's a store called Halloween near Sadang Station. From exit 14, walk straight out quite a bit more than 50 meters till you get to the part of the sidewalk with the wall along your left side. Continue to the three-way intersection (with the hospital on one corner). Turn left and immediately jink right down the first alley/sidestreet. Halloween (with orange sign) is about 20m down the sidestreet on your right, in the basement.

They also have a website here.

I don't know, but I have a feeling that most of the costume shops are going to be for kids, so if you really want nice lederhosen, your best bet is to go to any seamstress NORTH of the river (Gangnam will be too expensive), bring them a picture, some fabric and maybe even instructions in Korean and see what happens.

Other than that, I would consider buying it from an online vendor and shipping it to Korea. It'll probably save you money and a headache. When I taught kids, they always provided costumes through an online vendor.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

American GI's in Korea: Why Are Some Teachers So Hateful?

Here's the question:

I'm an American who currently lives in Taean. This is only my second month in Korea, so me and a few Canadian friends visited Itaewon last weekend for a night of drinking and I was so embarrassed by the American military. They were all so disrespectful and are making it worse for the rest of us. What's the deal with those dudes?

I'd like to start this one out with a grammar correction. "A few Canadian friends and I visited Itaewon..."

This is big question and one of the more specific opinion questions that I have gotten. Fair enough.

English teachers on the peninsula have an interesting and evolving relationship with American GIs. A lot of people come to Korea holding some sort of opinion of military personal. Depending on their nationality, those opinions might be positive or negative. Typically, American opinion runs the gamut. Some have nothing but respect for them and others have nothing but contempt for them. Unfortunately, the last few decades have been very politicizing for the men in uniform. They have been demonized by the actions of their leaders, so they sometime bear the brunt of the anti-war/military onslaught. For non-Americans, the soldiers serve as an icon of American meddling which of course doesn't bode well.

I believe that teachers in Korea go through several phases on this issue. For many, the first reaction is negative like yours was. There are bases all over the peninsula, but the boys at Yongsan garrison in particular seem to generate the most anger among teachers and are the target for anti-American Koreans. This might be because of its proximity to Itaewon, a major Seoul nightspot, where the most interaction between teachers and soldiers takes place. In Itaewon there are teacher bars and GI bars. Of course, many of them overlap and it is not all that uncommon to see teachers and GIs socializing. However, it is not all that uncommon to see scuffles between the two groups either.

In most cases, the average teacher is going to encounter GIs drinking, dancing, playing pool and chasing girls. Sounds just like an evening with English teachers. Sure, the GIs might be drinking faster than the average teacher (mostly because of their early curfew), acting a little more immature and maybe even pursuing women more aggressively (and more successfully?), but many teachers forget that a lot of these GIs are young(er) men. Some of them are barely twenty years old. The tendency is forgot this fact (and that we were all that age at one point) and blame them for acting in such a way. I did the same thing when I first arrived. I saw them acting like drunk idiots and yelling and fighting and blamed them because of my former opinion of them. Of course, later that very same night, I was probably doing the same thing minus the fighting. That's the first impression that many new teachers get and the first phase that they go through.

The second phase will start after a few months of being in Korea. Slowly, teachers will start to hear more stories from other seasoned teachers and Koreans about how much trouble GIs cause in Korea. You'll hear more about fighting, a few stories about crime or rape and, of course, the tragic Armored Tank Incident. The stories only confirm your previously held opinions and the knee-jerk reaction is to try to separate yourselves from them. Some teachers avoid GI areas while others willfully badmouth them to other teachers and Korean students thus perpetuating a nasty stereotype.

It boils down to this: many English teachers believe that American soldiers are unintelligent, come from low-income families and had to join the military because they were losers back in America. They believe that GIs give expats and all teachers a bad name, but trust me, there's plenty of blame to go around.

If you have clicked on any of the links by now, you would have noticed that I am linking one site: ROK Drop. ROK Drop is a military blog run mainly by GI Korea. I discovered this blog two years ago and not a day has gone by since that I have not dropped by and taken a look. Even though I might not agree with his politics, he is a very smart, fair and dedicated blogger that always treats all issues with respect (except for global warming). If you are new to Korea, I would suggest you add his site to your list of daily reads. He has taken many of these issues head on and I would recommend that all expats tune in.

Finally, the final phase sets in and teachers start to realize that the GIs are just part of the experience and slowly they'll start to drop the superiority act and just let it go.

So, my advice: If you don't want to try and get to know the GIs, that's fine. Avoid them. Go to their off-limits areas and enjoy yourself, but don't do what so many people do and badmouth them. Both teachers and American GIs should be helping improve public opinion of the other because no matter how much you want to deny it, their reputation gets tied in with ours and vice versa.

Remember, you chose to come to Korea and even though they chose to join the military, they didn't necessarily choose to come to Korea. Let's be respectful. Like us, they're just trying their best.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment

Watching American and Canadian Sports in Korea

Here's the question:

I'm an American and a big sports fan. I've been in Seoul for almost two months and haven't been able to see any MLB or NBA games. I'm okay with keeping track of those through ESPN, but I really can't miss football seasons! Go Bills!!! Where can I go? Itaewon?

Kacie

Really? The Bills? Being a Bengals fan, my gut reaction is to make fun of you, but then again, I'm a Bengals fan.

Watching American sports is always a challenge in Korea. If you're a soccer fan and happen to British, then you're in luck. If you're like every other Korean and love Park Ji-Sung and therefore Manchester United, then you're really in luck. Korea Beat sums it up pretty well with their weekly Most Read Naver Articles. However, like so many American and Canadian expats, soccer just doesn't cut it. Sadly, there are not a lot of options for you.

I remember my first year. I was totally gung-ho for watching American football and baseball, but I soon realized that watching them was quite a challenge and sometimes not worth the effort. As I'm sure you know by now, you can catch a few games on some of the sports channels that are featured on basic cable, but unless you're watching Hines Ward or UFC, it won't be live. I can't tell you which channel they might be on as it is differs between regions, but I can at least give you a quick breakdown of a few. Remember, unless a team is or sport has some connection to Korea, these channels will rarely play American sports and in most cases there is no pattern to what they'll show.

• MBC ESPN
• X Sports
• SBS Sports
• Sportsline
• Super Action
  

Aside from that small and disappointing lineup, you can always try to find some bars that play games. From my experience though, most expat-frequented bars will play big games or they'll go to their backup of old hockey games. If you're in Itaewon, then all you'd need to do is ask the owners if they show any games or if they have satellite. Oftentimes, if the bar features American sports they'll be advertising it along with some drink or food special. I know that RMT really tries to show American/Canadian sports as seen in it's online viewing schedule. You could also check out Gekko's, Hooters and Big Rock. Hooters tries to play big games and Big Rock, like RMT, focuses on hockey.

So, your choices for public viewing are limited. However, you always have the internet. That's the best way to insure that you don't miss any big games. I don't need to list online viewing sites since a simple Google search will suffice, but I will add that if you are an American college sports fan, most of those sites won't work. You will need to go to your team or school's sports website and purchase a membership of sort. You might have to wake up at 3am for the game, but to a true sports fan, that's no problem.

I'd say just keep your eyes open and ears to the ground while you're out and you'll most likely discover a few solid places around town to catch the game.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Transgender Community, Clubs and Bars in South Korea

Here's the (different) question:

Is there a large transgender population in South Korea? Are there good transgender bars?

JT

JT, huh? Hmmm, I wish it was JTT as in Jonathan Taylor Thomas because then it would make perfect sense, but then again it might actually be the boy wonder. After all, Vanilla Ice wrote into the Korea Times today, so who knows who's interested in Korea these days.

I should say that I can't tell if you are curious for personal or academic reasons, so I will try to give you as much as I can about a relatively quiet community.

Alright, rather than delving into the nuances of the LGBT culture, I will instead refer you to an excellent write up on homosexuality in Korea by Ask a Korean. As usual, he nails it down pretty well. There's also a book titled, "Gay and Lesbian Asia: Culture, Identity, Community". Pages 65-80 deal with Korea. I think it should cover the basics so I don't have to. Yes, there is a transgender culture here. However, like the gay and lesbian culture, you will find that it's either ignored, denied, pushed to the side or dismissed by the average Korean. Nonetheless, the overall LGBT has been active in recent years and some reports claim that there have been up to 70,000 Koreans who have undergone the transformation since the 1970s and while that number might paint a picture of commonality, it is still very much hidden from public.

There has been one icon of the transgender movement in Korea and her name is "Harisu" who got her name because it sounds like "Hot Issue". You can read about her bio here, a music video here and her influence here.
Now to your second question. I don't know what constitutes a "good" trans bar, but I can at least try to point you to where a few are. First of all, take a look at this page (oddly enough the url says something about friends and badminton). If you scroll down the page you'll find addresses and bar names throughout the country. I also took the liberty to do a google search for you about the well-known Transbar in Itaewon. You can click the links on the search page if you want. I am at work, so no chance there.

I wish I could offer you a bit more information (or perhaps OpenMicah, the worlds strongest expat, could offer you some first-hand insight), but I just don't have a lot on this one. To wrap it up, there is a quiet transgender community here and there are some transgender bars, so I think your curiosity, be it personal or academic, will be satisfied.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.