Pictures of Korea

Okay, I finally found a way to download the photos on my cell phone onto our computer. So here are a few of the photos I've taken so far along with some colorful commentary.

Okay, this is a floorplan of our apartment. I labeled it using Photoshop so now you can see how it's all laid out. And yes, there are windows inside the apartment that look into other rooms rather than directly outside. Case in point - the guest bedroom which looks into our lovely, but messy, laundry room and it's sad to say, but our laundry room is the room with the best view. It overlooks the hills behind our apartment complex.

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This is a sign we found in a store called "Artbox". It's definitely an interesting tactic against shoplifting. I especially love how it asks, "Have you gotten therapy?"

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In America and most western countries, it's common for couples to sometimes wear clothes that are similar in color or style especially if they're dressing up for a big event. In Korea, however the trend goes a few steps farther. Shannon and I have seen many couples who not only wear the same type of clothing but actually go as far as to wear the exact same t-shirt and sometimes even the same shoes. Matching t-shirts for Korean couples are called "couple tees". Can you imagine it? Wearing the same outfit as your partner? Well, it gets worse. Take a look at the following picture.

That's right. Now you can wear matching underwear! A must-have for the modern couple who do everything together.

The worst part about this picture is that this isn't a picture of just one store with a unique perspective on dating. Shannon and I have seen at least 10-20 stores offering the same thing and all of them have only pink flowery underwear for him and her. There's no gender-neutral version. If you want to wear the same underwear as your partner, then it's just pink pansies and girly stripes. Talk about emasculation...

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There's not much to say about this next picture except that I'm dying to buy this lamp and put it in our guest bedroom just to mess with our guests. Personally, I think it's hilarious!

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Okay, now for some bad English. I was hoping that maybe the English here would be better than most countries because of how many English teachers there are and the government's policies on English education, but... it's not.

Take a look at what I found written in English on the following products.

First, a Cinderella playset:

Here's a transcript:

'(Cinderella) is one of the most famous chapters in (Grimms Fairy Tales) which wrote by the Brothers Grimm. Cinderella is the protaganist of the tale who suffered humiliation from her stepmother and two elder sisters. But she bear it quietly and finally acquire the happiness. Look! The bell of midnight is ringing. Cinderella ran from the fortress in a flurry. You must search for the lost crystal shoe quickly and the prince may need assistance to find his lover.'

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Here's another one, from the box bottom of a solar-powered bobble head of Pumpkin Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas (which incidentally I am going to buy at some point).

Once again, here's the transcript:

• in order not course the danger of asphyxial, Please do no to put the spare parts into the mouth.
• in order not course the danger of swallowing, forbidden to give the toy playing by the Children who are not enough 3 years old.
• in order not course the danger of asphyxial, please do not cover the plastic bag on the head or face
• in order to avoid accident, please safekeeping the toy that make sure the children who are not enough 3 years old not reach the toy.
• Please do not shake or haul the toy
• Please do not use the sun energy battery tough and don't throw it away

Someone must be putting too much faith in online language translators, don't you think?