Nip Tuck: Korea

Within my first week on K-Town I noticed tons of advertisements for plastic surgery. At first, I was kinda like "bleh", but as time passed, I noticed more and more how it is a big part of the life style for some people here.

In Korea (South of course), many young ladies (guys too) like to have plastic surgery. Because there are so many places due to the market being so big, it is easy to have it done at a reasonable price. What kind of work is done? Most girls value the "beautiful" double eyelid. This eyelid that most Westerners have is common and doesn't cross as mind as "valued". Nose jobs are common too!

There is a movie I want y'all to check on Netflix called 200 Pound Beauty. In this South Korean film, a young lady who is slightly overweight sings/covers for a less talented singer. She falls for one of the guys she works for, but feels inadequate due to her size. So, she gets surgery and loses it all. Without spoiling the story, she learns a valuable lesson about inner beauty vs. Inner ugliness.

200 Pound Beauty did a good job showing outer beauty is only skin deep (although there were times I felt it actually may have highlighted surgery). Sadly, young girls are encouraged by their friends and family to change their face to please others. It is not surprising to see high schoolers come back from Christmas break with some work done (all paid for by their dear parents). Obviously, I am not generalizing young Korean girls because I know many hear that are beautiful without it.  I pray for these girls (and guys) to find something higher to want to please than this world.

Sadly, Americans can be just as bad in this regard. Media pushes being skinny...and now girls are wanting to be "fit". The struggle is real, my friends. Let's lift each other up and not live by the world's standards.

God bless.

Tales of Korea: The Fight of the Ajussis

I tried to decide what I wanted to talk about today...How to make a Korean drama using 5 simple steps,  struggling with the Korean language, or the legend of the fight stopper. Well, the legend got the  vote tonight.

One day, I was chillin' at the neighborhood Starbucks with my homie Kim when I noticed something going on behind her. Using my spider senses, I saw two ajussis (middle age dudes) arguing in front of a clothing store (found out later there was a gambling parlor there). They pushed and shoved each other until they went straight HOOD! Both men took off their shirts and assumed their fisticuffs stances.

Kim and I are watching fully entertained. I will try and paint a picture for you here. One dude was a little beefy while the other looked like Herbert from Family Guy. Beefy guy threw a mega-swing at Herbert. He didnt have to dodge it because the guy whiffed anways. After missing, he plummeted to the ground face first. Herbert got on top of him and started bopping him. Then the fight stop...for 5 minutes...

Beefy dude came out of nowhere with a flying front kick, but missed again. After they tussled for a minute, Beefy trapped Herbert against something and started taking shots on him. People watched on as this squirrely guy was getting pummeled. At the moment, my adrenaline rushed, my jaw became more square, an eagle flew above my head (KAAWWWWW for Murica) and I was ready to go in.

I told Kim I was going to stop this madness. She reached out and said, "Oh dear! Oh me, oh my! I declare! Please be careful!" I told her I was fine because I had two things behind me...God and America. (This last part might have been somewhat fabricated)

I walked over to the dueling men while Three Six Mafia was playing in the background. Everybody was still watching. I strutted in, picked up the big ajussi and placed him to the side. Well...as soon as I did, Herbert came out of nowhere with a cement rock at Beefy's head. Using my spider sense, I dodged it! Beefy kept chasing Herbert around until the cops came. All the other Korean men told me to not even worry about it. Luckily, they stopped fighting once they realized I was the one that stopped them...orthe fact that the cops showing up was good enough.

So, there is one of my legendary stories from Korea. There are more that will be told in due time...

Life in K-Town

What's up y'all. My name is Michael and I am a new international teacher in South Korea. I have been in this awesome country for a little over four months now and it has been great...until today.

So, being from Georgia, it would get cold at times. But...my definition of cold is different from others. When it snows in the South, we peace out. Snow is not to be underestimated there! You saw what it did to Atlanta last year!

Ninja + Pootie Tang = Me 

Today, it hit around 27 degrees Farenheit. What was the killer was the wind. I felt it through my gloves! What is this evil?! My coworkers told me this was only the beginning. When I woke up this morning, the ground was covered in white, fluffy snow! Although I DESPISE the cold, I have to say it was beautiful.

Korea has brought some cold weather and I know it will get WAY worse, but I will survive...maybe. 

I plan on updating this blog as much as possible and linking it to my Youtube page with vlogs. Feel free to comment below or ask questions about Korea (or Japan). I have tons of thoughts and experiences to share! I next post will kinda wrap up my first four months here in one go! 

-Mike