Forever 21

The streets of Myeongdong are arguably one big fashion store. Clothes, shoes and accessories are on sale at cheap-cheap prices without having to step foot in a shop. But - and I've griped about this before - where are the size labels? Where are the dressing rooms? How do you know what you're buying is going to look as good on you as it does on the hanger?

Bring on Forever 21. An clothing chain with stores across North America, it opened its doors in Seoul last October. Recommended by many international friends I was yet to experience its delights, but last night, in need of a dress for You Can Dance Studio's Gala Event this weekend (that's my advert), I dragged fashion-frenzied girlfriend Ju Young to check it out with me.

We were not disappointed.

That's three floors of ladies clothes, systematically arranged across the store, presented in an easy-to-browse fashion, ranging in sizes from XS to L. And get this. A floor dedicated to trying on, with a lounge area kitted out with large sofas outside the fitting rooms. Ju Young and I spent a good 2-3 hours in this shop, taking advantage of said fitting rooms and clothes. And at affordable prices, too. Not like the $5 t-shirts of the street sellers, but one hopes for a better quality of garment in exchange.

Doesn't sound any different to shopping trips of my past. But this is Korea. Shopping like this isn't quite as rife, and we need to revel in its goodness!

Finding solace from the sunshine

After meandering the men's floors of Migliore and Doota (multi-storeyed fashion shopping malls) and the Korean take on high fashion, yet also largely finding exactly the same goods at every stall, we walked down the steps from the extensive Dongdaemun market to Cheonggyecheon: a man-made stream that, from City Hall, runs a full 5.7km due west of Seoul before reaching the Han River and eventually emptying itself in the sea on the west coast of Korea.

Under Pres Lee Myung-bak when he was mayor of Seoul, the stream was turned from a covered roadway to an attractive watery retreat from the cityscape. Dipping a toe in the fall of the fountains was a welcome relief from a hard day's shopping and an ever-increasingly forceful sun. The rains have stopped, but summer is by no means over.

Men's fashion


Cheonggye stream

Clothes shopping

There are many ways to shop for clothes in Seoul. You can wander your local streets and browse the outdoor street sellers selling their often sub-standard off-the-back-of-a-lorry (or your grandma) floral garb. You can hit the big market in Dongdaemun and battle the crowds and pushy sellers until way into the night, selling all the latest fashions at affordable prices. If you're not looking for the hard sell you might prefer to browse the high street shops of Myeongdong, or if you really have cash to splash you can hit one of the big department stores (Lotte is always a winner) and check out the big brands under sparkly lights.

Whatever way you choose, there is one thing that really leaves my head scratching. What is with the concept of "free size"?? One size fits all? Doubtful.

Admittedly the average Korean has a smaller frame than what we're used to at home. However, you only need to step on the subway to observe that this is not a nation-wide genetic inheritance. There are many people way above this so-called average size, and just as many scarily below it. I guess I'm lucky that I pretty much take this average size, however having proportionally longer limbs than the average Korean I can't guarantee that what I'm buying is actually going to fit. It's frustrating.

Since so much clothes shopping here is of the market variety, to try-before-you-buy isn't always an option. So how are you supposed to know if this "free size" is going to fit or not? Even in actual shops if there are designated changing rooms, what are you supposed to do when the entire shop only sells one size and it's just a smidge wrong for you? Where do all the non free-sizers shop?

In an environment where it seems everyone loves to clothes shop, I just can't seem to fathom this one out.

Bear-building

On Sunday we headed to the Build-A-Bear factory at the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul. Inspired by the multitude of outfits available we went with the purpose of creating some cute new companions since, after all, it is Where Best Friends Are Made.

We chose our unstuffed animals, handed them over to the bear stuffing girl, and watched as our furry friends shaped into being. They were given little fabric hearts which undertook the ritual of blowing (for luck), rubbing on head (for intelligence), rubbing on face (for beauty) and jumping (to get the heart pumping). Lauren's first bear unfortunately had seriously wonky eyes, so her replacement bear was given special eye rubbing for good sight. Cute.

The bears were sewn up, brushed and "showered", given birth certificates and ribbons for the ears. Our bears are yet to be dressed, but hanbok and taekwondo outfits seem very apt for their current location.

Seoul Land

In celebration of the approaching end-of-school year, my seven year old kindy classes were taken - with their new favourite Mary Teacher - to Seoul Land.

This is another of Korea's amusement parks, though being accompanied by the under-100metered, the more thrilling rides were only to be enjoyed by mock awe and gasps. Instead we all struggled up the fake snow slopes hauling little red sleds behind us, anticipating the crowds of half sized people eagerly pushing their way for an opportunity to slide the twenty seconds to the bottom. Of course when I say we, I mean the children. I merely followed behind and waited for a chummy child to invite me on the back of their sled.

This excitement was followed by - in between toilet breaks - a "magic show". As witnessed at Lotte World, this was largely conducted by Western looking (and by that I mean an amalgamation of blonde haired and blue eyed) performers dancing in a changing series of coloured lights and stage effects. The magic itself was pretty lame, for even my inspired eyes could sense that secret compartment holding that multi-coloured scarf. Nonetheless, a bonus of not being of the intended age group audience, as a teacher I was given a free magic trick to wow the students and whoever else is willing to humour me. (Note the present tense there; free webcam demonstrations are available to those on my contacts list ;) )

Amusement parks such as this one do seem to be prime spots for attracting not only hoards of school children, but also courting young couples. You can tell these, if you are unsure of their relationship status, by their matching outfits. These venues tend to encourage matching ears as a fashion accessory, however many other items can be viewed in double across the capital. Such items might include matching phone charms (your mobile is naked without one), hats, jackets, bags, or - wait for it - underwear. With Valentine's Day approaching I considered indulging this culture, albeit as a joke, however for some reason couldn't bring myself to part with my hard earned cash over anything sufficiently unsexy that I'd allow either one of us to attire. E-card it will have to be, then :P

(Right: a couple sporting matching cat ears; one of many underwear shops getting ready for "Valentain Day")


Returning from this digression, I rode a couple of children's rides with half-real enthusiasm while one of my new (7-year-old) admirers asked permission to take a video with my camera from the top of the spinning aeroplane ride. Facebook holds the evidence.

It was a long day of jumping up and down, being pulled in multiple directions as several small people bided for my attention, and holding a fixed smile on my face. I was lucky to get the front seat of the bus home thereby relieving me from entertaining duties, however my attention was stolen, somewhat in alarm, by the number of spray-painted car outlines adorning the highway. These are apparently corners of cars marked out to indicate the location of recent crashes. Literally seeing outlines of car after car pointing in all directions, my mind was not eased as the bus driver weaved in and out of traffic at high speed coming inches within other cars and the lives of a whole bus load of children...

The Bunny Seller

All the parents came in to hear the bad news in person today. Many of the kindergarten parents were especially angry for the following reasons:

1. They've put money into the school only for it to close down three months before graduation (yes, kindergarten students "graduate" - with a ceremony and mortar boards and everything);
   
   
2. To find a new school now would mean that the children would go in at the wrong level because they've not completed the year;
   
   
3. They worry that if the teachers are in the knowledge that the school is going to close then they won't do their jobs as effectively (true story - evaluation cards have been scrapped this month along with those extra meetings where we discuss all the kids individually, we've been going to lessons late and ignoring the bells...); and worst of all,
   
   
4. If the school does stay open in December, they don't want to pay! Not pay?! That would totally defeat the object of keeping the school open!
   

Anyway, there have been some negotiations going on today with another school in the area which have put a ray of hope into everyone's teaching lives. They've agreed to take on both the teachers and the kindergarten students on the current curriculum until January when the school year ends, then the students will continue on that school's curriculum in the new year. If it goes through it sounds like a good idea, for then there will be less disruption for both the teachers and the children, but we shall have to see if either a) the deal goes through, or b) they offer us a good contract.

School aside, I went to Nowon this evening (a district just a short distance from where I'm currently living) primarily to get some contact lenses as I've managed to split the only two pairs that I brought with me. Going to Nowon especially for this reason was a bit unnecessary since there are glasses shops all over Seoul (in fact there were three in sight of the one that I went to), but I went with a couple of Korean teachers at school who acted as interpreters which was very helpful, not knowing the words for "prescription" or "soft/hard lenses" or "glasses" myself.

But anyway, it looks like a really cool place with a big Lotte department store with a big cinema in, and lots of bars/clubs/shops around with sparkly lights and neon signs around.

Ate dinner in Lotte; had some kind of steamed pork dish (보쌈) which was delicious, along with all the compulsory sides (Lauren wouldn't think so not liking fat on her meat, see left)


But the real highlight of my trip out was seeing this: a bleach blonde Korean dude selling scrawny straggly looking rabbit-kittens. I picked one up that was running away, but accidentally dropped it. I won't tell the kids that...and I think Lauren will be appalled (not at me, the guy selling, obviously... ^^)

The art of paper folding

Stationery shops are rife. They are each filled with more pink and sky-blue (a term that is unavoidable among kindergarten children) than Mothercare and more broken-English slogans than you can so much as put two fingers to your throat. (Right: Happiness seems far but sometimes it is at your doorstep)

Admittedly much of the stock is Made in China - as the majority of goods around the world is - but there are still a fair amount of these cutesy office supplies that are genuine Korean merchandise. A particular favourite brand of stationery to be found across the country/city/your local street is Morning Glory: all your pencil case fillers to be found with excessive numbers of cartoon characters and delightful scripts littered upon them.

But wander into Paperchase back at home and you are bound to find much the same products, albeit slightly more tasteful and for a seemingly older audience. What you don't find are rows upon rows of origami paper, in a multitude of different sizes, a plethora of different colours, shades and textures, and an abundance of different paper folding instructions depending on the pack you decide to buy. It is thus that I am now able to relive my misspent childhood years, spending hours cramping my fingers as they dwindle into a realm where everything is made from paper...

Migliore: a shopper's paradise

Brrrr it's cold! And we certainly felt it as we walked the streets of Dongdaemun, or Eastgate market in the evening of -5°C -- by far the coldest it has been so far.

The streets are lined with a multitude of neon signs inviting us into their well-lit, heated department stores, with market stalls stocked with high street fashion clothes, accessories and shoes all at equally as inviting - negotiable - prices. Though advised towards other, cheaper, options, we chose to step into Migliore: 11 stories of pure fashion without having to dip a toe outside. That's three stories of women's clothes, one measly floor for men, two floors of accessories, a floor devoted to shoes, a floor advertising itself as "wedding stuff", two basement floors which I've not even got around to peering down into, and all the way to the top to the final floor to replenish your stomach after a hard nights shopping.

And night is right, for the shops don't close until 4.30am, allowing for a peaceful, hassle free shop out of the freezing night air -- though if you're after a peaceful, hassle free subway ride home, perhaps it's better to brace the crowds and shop by day.