Rawr Korea

The endless maze of the subway...

Well here is my post about Itaewon.

My Disclaimer:

Rawr Korea is about being Raw and honest about what it is like here. Please do not be offended about the opinions I express in this post.

I arrived in Itaewon after making my way through the subway system (I have made 2 Youtube video's of my way home to show you the reality of it all).

I arrived and walked the one main street for foreign shoppers with a reported 2000 shops on about a 1 - 2km stretch of road. Everyone here tends to speak good English especially the tailors who will seek you out on the street in front of their stores promising you a good deal on a new tailored suit. This is definitely the place to go for suits (well as far as I know at this point) but for other shopping I found it a little lacking for example in the shoe department. Puma doe's not seem to be on the shelves in Itaewon and although they have monster sizes the styles are not so "fly".

This is where I come to what I found most disturbing about Itaewon.

If you love Korea, the culture, the food, the atmosphere, the adventure then Itaewon is not the place for you. The Korean's are wonderful and helpful wherever you go in Korea but what really sets Itaewon apart from other cities and what made me disgusted beyond what I ever thought I would be was the foreigners. Don't get me wrong I don't want to paint everyone with the same brush but what I saw in terms of the behaviour of foreigners there absolutely disgusted me and made me feel embarrassed that I could be thought of as one of them. I know that this is strongly opinionated but hear me out on this next point. I witnessed an American arguing with what appeared to be a Jamaican over letting a woman go home in a taxi. There was loud profanity and a scene in the street which caught every ones attention. I walk around a corner and there is an African foreigner pulling around a small Korean woman. 2 Korean Security guards were there with another Korean male whom I asked what was going on. He said everything was OK and I advised him I will be back down the street after visiting "What the Book". I venture back down the street and the situation is still going on on the other side of the road. At this point I notice that the Korean girl has blood spots on her top and so I decided enough was enough and crossed the street. I go nose to nose with this guy who was not too much bigger than me and he advises me that everyone is friends here. I am not sure how the Koreans usually deal with this kind of thing (it seems they were letting things take their course and hoping that eventually she would be able to get in a cab and go home). I have had some experience of dealing with these situations in other colourful parts of my past so I took my sunglasses off and put them in my bag which certainly got the attention of the African. About this point the Koreans escorted the girl to a taxi and she was on her way home to which the Africans reply was to call the Korean security guys bastards and I was left unmolested but the most annoyed I have been in a very long time.

I enjoy the Korean demeanour and it disappoints me that as foreigners it is those of us who act in such a disgusting manor that ruin the honour and respect of the rest of us who are looking to fit in as best we can respecting the culture we are now living in.

But on to more positive and interesting things. What the Book as I may have mentioned somewhere (probably in the side bar up there) is a foreign book store where you can but new and used books in English! You can order online and pick up in person or have the book posted to your apartment.

Breaking News! What the Book is Moving from this week to a new site on the main road.

Above this tailors store (he will give you a Sunday suit deal :)

Here are the store hours:

Could have typed them I know but its just another excuse to post yet another picture :)

So I may just be back to check out What the Book in a month or so. I can think of a book I would like right now but I think I need to clear the backlog I already have!

I think a little midweek adventure to Donong is in order tomorrow to see a couple of sights before work. Will keep you posted.

Here is the Flickr slide show:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50841302@N05/sets/72157624301397943/show

My Subway Transfer Adventure!: