All about Korea

This is something I read from a travel blog (http://realtravel.com/daejeon-journals-j600434.html) that is a perfect analysis of the way things are here in Korea. It's an excellent read, and everything contained within is exactly what so many foreigners notice and experience when they come here. These words aren't mine, but they very accurately describe everything I've felt about Korea.



The day has finally come. I finished my contract in Korea, met my family and said goodbye. It was a lot harder to say goodbye to Korea than I ever thought it would be. I complained a lot, but it holds a special place in my heart. To sum up my take on Korea and its people I will use an example of a typical day of driving in Korea.

I did not think of this idea all on my own. I was inspired by an author named Michael Breen. His theory goes that any observer can summarize the main features of a country's culture, politics and people, by driving on the roads for 30 minutes. So, for example if I were to drive to the Korean version of Wal-mart called Emart, this is what I would see.

The first thing that is noticeable about driving on Korean roads is that a large majority of the cars are new and Korean-made. Hardly anyone, except for me, drives pieces of junk older than 5 years old. Plus they are all shiny and well taken care of. This shows how Koreans present themselves: if you look like you are good than you must be. (Everything is taken at face value.) Koreans are pretty superficial. People can be hired or fired based purely on looks. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary to hear that you aren't attractive enough to be hired or that you should have plastic surgery before we can hire you. Also, this phenomenon shows how everyone wants to be like the rest of the population. (Keeping up with the Jones's.) If your neighbor has a shiny new car then you can't be outdone, so you will do anything possible to get the same or better shiny new car. Plus it has to be Korean made to support all of your country men. Rarely do people drive import cars because the taxes are exorbitant on them.

After reaching the first major intersection, your life will have passed before your eyes twice. But after driving for another couple of days this death-flashing phenomenon will pass and it will all just be run of the mill driving. Basically the rule of the road is chaos. There are no rules and that is what works best. Simply think about your safety and keep driving full speed ahead. This is how the country is motivated. Progress is the only focus of everything. The goal is to accomplish everything possible and not think about the consequences behind or to the sides of you. I have heard that in the driver's license test if you look in your mirrors or in your blind spots you fail the test.

I had to take a test with all the Koreans to receive my Korean driver's license. They gave me a book (in Konglish -> mostly English but with funny spellings based off of Korean) about 100 pages long with all the rules similar to home. It was hilarious to read because every rule written I had witnessed being broken at least once. So I studied my little book and tried to memorize the legal height one can pack things onto the back of a scooter and other such ridiculous rules.

However, at the testing facility all the Koreans were studying the test. You could purchase the test early and answer all the questions using a book and then memorize the test. This is exactly the way the middle schoolers study for their tests. For the exams students would come to our academy where we had the tests printed out and then memorize the answers we told them. Luckily this was all done with the Korean teachers because I found it outrageous. I don't understand how an entire country can be taught everything by simple memorization. Nothing involves thinking, just finding ways to pass a test. Again the same idea is present: mind the task ahead, blinders to the side, and finish fastest.

After driving on the road for about 10 minutes you will see a traffic accident. Because Korea is the 10th most densely populated country in the world, there are a lot of people, cars and scooters to run into. People get along best with all the strangers by simply ignoring them. No one else is there so it is possible to do whatever you want. If traffic has 5 lanes and you are in the far left lane, it is not uncommon to watch someone from the extreme right lane cross the other 4 and cut you off. However, the most annoying thing about an accident is that people simply leave their car wherever it stops. If two cars have a head on collision in the middle of the intersection, they leave the cars where they crashed and all the debris laying around. They have to take pictures and argue about whose fault it is. It basically means a mess for traffic.

Because of construction, accidents and simply heavy traffic many people drive scooters. These allow people to zig and zag through the traffic easier. Even though it is more difficult for cars to cut to the front it is possible. If there is a white line (cross walk) for where the traffic should stop for a red light, most people stop there. However, 2 or 3 people at least will pull up in front of the line of
cars (after there's already a line) and wait past the line. This is so typical of Korean mentality. Why wait? If there is a way to cut to the front, do it. This is typically done by asking your network of people to help out.

Professional drivers, taxis, are the most lawless. Even though they are low on the totem pole of success, they rule on the streets. They are similar to the politicians. According to Confucianism, the legal tradition developed for the benefit of assisting the ruler in the endeavor of leading by moral example. Koreans see law as something given from above, not created by the people. Koreans' mindset hasn't changed with democracy to figure out that the laws are created after debate by people who are elected. Laws don't govern life as much as relations between people do. Laws are simply a last resort. That is why networking is vital and people rely on family, alumni and hometown friends. Even politicians cut to the front of the line to pass laws for friends to receive something in return. This sounds strikingly similar to some circumstances involving the war in Iraq and Cheney. However in Korea it is simply understood that it will happen and something that has to be covered up.

Now arriving at Emart it would be necessary to park in the parking structure. The funniest thing is the people that flag you into the structure. There is usually one person in the road, one on a circular platform under an umbrella and one inside the structure flagging you in. Now this is not a simple wave, it is an elaborate dance that I think involves training in an after school academy. If I had all the time in the world and the patience to drive forever, I would pull in and out of these parking garages just to watch these people flag me in again. I tried to record it, but it didn't do it justice. Just take my word for it.

So on our trip we would have seen the patriotic, chaotic, persistent, determined, superficial, lawlessness and pure entertainment about the Koreans. Even though these things all sound bad it is all just misunderstood. They are different from me and every way that I grew up, but still fun to observe on the streets. The way they are demonstrates what they have gone through in their history and where they are trying to go.

Some people when driving get road rage; I would just have fits of laughter. It is inconceivable what they can do in the streets and still have so many people living.
It is also inconceivable to me to think about how much they have done in the past 50 years. I will always follow what is happening in Korea, because the next 50 years could bring even more changes to these people. I just hope it is for the best for them. I am sure though they will plow ahead as fast as possible passing the tests any way possible and wearing their blinders.