This is the "fashion disasters" part of our show...

Koreans for the most part have a pretty good sense of style. There's a a definite influence from the 80s which the rest of the world re-enjoyed about a year ago but that's fine I have no complaints. I myself am a fan of leg warmers, leggings, bright pink and oversized earings even to this day. During the summer and early fall I fully appreciated the abundance of cute poleros, (for my male readers it's a short cardigan/sweater creation that covers the shoulders and is a perfect accent to a block colored tank top). They also have really cute shoes here, none of which I can fit into of course, and the majority of the women wear heels everyday, which despite the discomfort is a fashion dream in comparison to the sneaker and skirt wearing employed masses of American city-life. In addition to these things they have a great selection of fashionably current jeans and unique and stylish purses and bags. However, this entry is NOT about the fashion do's that Koreans commit, it is about the fashion don'ts.
1. The Perm- to most of us the perm is nothing but a bad memory. A period in our lives where we were either too overcome by social pressure or too much under the influence of our less fashion concerned mothers to know any better. This is probably the time in your life that is conspiculously undocumented and presently referred to as the 'ugly years'. When flipping through old photo albums this would be the reason why the pictures skip from the cute and innocent ribboned side pony-tail years straight to the grunge years of awkward adolescence and completely bypassing what in retrospect is the "biggest hair foul-up I have ever made". Well these are evidently not the sentiments in Korea. If you ever wondered what must have happened to all of the scary snake devices and perm chemicals after the 80s I have your answer. They came to Korea. Koreans, men and women alike, are so eager to rid themselves of their characteristically board-straight hair that they are willing to commit the greatest of hair sins and opt for the perm. You can imagine my disappointment when one of my cutest students, Harry a four year old heart stealer, came in one day sporting what appeared to be a smoking jacket and a brand new perm. I considered it to be the most upsetting form of child abuse.

2. Pirate Boots-We all know that Pirates of the Carribbean was a good movie but I think Koreans took it one step too far and have started dressing like the characters on an everyday basis. I suppose the loose fitting "scrunch" boots could also be a throw back to the eighties but they need to go back to wherever it is they came from. They are unflattering no matter how they're worn and they all come in really hideous shades of tan and brown. The most flagrantly dreadful example would be a beigish slouch variety, with a fold-over top, a kitten heel and some sort of dangly tassle. Two words...not cute.

3. Uggs-This third example is a combination of the previous two. The ugg boot, an Australian import far inferior to sexy boys, surfing, cute accents, and delicious cuts of beef and the bain of 2004 and 2005. Not only is it out of style like the perm but it is hideous like the pirate boot. I think most men would agree with me that Ugg's have overstayed their welcome. I think that America and other fashion-savy Western countries have finally gotten the hint. I mean it only takes one overweight coed to sport a pair of uggs with a denim mini-skirt to ruin the already ugg-ly trend for everyone. Apparently Brittney Spears and Koreans haven't gotten the memo.

4. Oversized Visors-Anyone who knows me probably has an inkling of just how much I hate visors, especially when they are worn sideways, backwards or godforbid upside down but college guys with floppy haircuts. I didn't think it was possible for me to hate anything more. But alas Koreans have come up with a fancy new visor invention to irritate me even more. Their version of the visor is a cross-breed of a visor/headband, sunglasses, and a hockey goalie's facemask. Obviously since I'm calling it a visor it fits around the head and allows permed hair to sprout from the top. On the front where one would normally find a 4-6 inch bill to block out the sun, these fancy numbers have about a 9-11 inch hinged protrusion. That's right I said hinged. The reason being so that one can pull the entire thing down in front of one's face to block the sun or wind, or perhaps if the need to do some welding arises I suppose it would serve that purpose quite nicely as well. During the summer months it seemed like I couldn't get away from them but they seem to be less prevalent now that the sun isn't so bright but they are still around. Hikers and older woman out walking in the mornings like to wear them the most. I hate them.

Bonus-late hours of operation
Korea...the country that never sleeps, except on the subway, the bus, the train, and in taxis. I know that Korean nationals work the same hours that I do if not longer ones beginning earlier and ending later but somehow that makes no difference on how late they are willing to stay out the night before. It is not totally uncommon to see the BBQ chicken place down the street hoppin' with people at midnight in the middle of the week. Bars and clubs essentially never close on the weekend and during the week one can expect to be politely booted at about 5a.m. The convenience store and the produce stand on the corner stay open until 1a.m. while PC bongs, Norrebongs and DVD bongs never close as far as I am aware, (by the way bong means room). These late hours of awakedness apply to adults and children alike and it is totally commonplace to hear children playing in the streets after I've gone to bed or to see little girls waiting patiently for their mother's to get changed at the gym after the late spinning class which ends around 10:10p.m. Anyway suffice it to say I rarely find myself wanting in the wee hours, be it food or entertainment.

Drawback-short sinks
When I was studying in Sweden I went to a presentation on Swedish architecture at a nearby art school. I learned that it was the Swedes who are responsible for creating modern standards in kitchen design. This includes but is not limited to appropriate and convenient placement of the sink in reference to the stove/refrigerator as well as the standard height of all counter tops and sinks. The reason for making standards in such things was in order to cater the equipment and facilities to those people who would be using them most, namely women. The standard height of counter space and kitchen sinks was made at the most comfortable height for the average woman to stand and work long hours in the kitchen while standing in the most natural position possible without having to bend over or reach up to her work.
Apparently this is another memo that somehow got lost in translation from Swedish to Hangul because I am convinced that my counters and especially my sink are too low. It kills my lower back to do the dishes because I am in the most uncomfortable bended over position. I think that the standard height is something like 34 1/2" and if I had a measuring tape I would whip it out right now but I don't so I'm just going to speculate. I don't know if my apartment is older and that's why they might be shorter or if the average Swedish woman and the average Korean woman are too different to have one standard. All I know is that I hate doing the dishes and consequently I don't.