Farewell, Korea

Dear Korea,

We met two years + three months ago, and my what an adventure we've had! You've changed a lot, and I have, too. 

As I prepare to depart from your land of morning calm, I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude. 

Thank you for drawing an eclectic mix of individuals. Many of them have become my friends and have been swell companions as we explored your buzzing terrain together.

Thank you for your randomness and quirkiness. They've kept me intrigued and given me ample inspiration for writing.

Thank you for pushing me every day to challenge myself. During those moments when I began to drift into a comfort zone of sorts, you threw me a curve ball and kept me on my toes.

Finally, thank you for reminding me on a daily basis where to find my strength and put my hope. Through little serendipities and all-out miracles, God's presence in my life felt more real and alive here than ever before.

In closing, you've given me amazing experiences and memories. I'll always be grateful for my time with you. Let's keep in touch, shall we?

Until we meet again,

jse

Journey

Don't stop believin', hold on to that feelin'.  -Journey

One of my favorite places in all of Seoul is Journey -a Kondae bar, owned and operated by Jason Yim. My friends here know that Journey is where I like to go to listen to good tunes and enjoy good conversation.

There are several reasons why Journey is special, but first and foremost is Jason himself. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of 20th century music, and his memory for customer names and details is extraordinary. His music collection is comprised of more than 6,000 albums, and he knows exactly where to locate any song that customers request.

On this, my last night in Korea, I'm reflecting on the things I'll miss most. Jason and Journey rank high on the list.

 

 

Food Promotions

HG and I were in for quite a treat today with not one but two photo-worthy promotions. Both were related to food -ironic given our deep shared interest in that subject.

First up, in Myeongdong:  a lethargic Colonel Sanders distributing flyers for KFC while apparently conserving energy:

Next, in Insadong:  the sushi-heads -vastly more energetic and eager for a photo opp:

Gosh, I'm gonna miss the daily randomness...

Cute or Creepy?

By now faithful readers must have realized there's no shortage of cute in Korea. For the record, however, not everything dwells in the cutesy realm.

That said, I'm still deciding on whether these banners are aiming for cuteness or if they're just flat-out creepy. They appear to be promoting a DJ-hosted New Year's Eve party for the 18 and over crowd, featuring cartoonized men in drag. 

Cute or creepy?

Back to Brown

Lucy worked her magic on my hair yet again, and now I'm back to brown -which I love. I definitely feel more like myself with warm brown low-lights vs. lots of blonde highlights.

Here we are, striking the ubiquitous kimchi pose:

And then, really hamming things up with the famous heart pose, popular with Korean couples:

PS:  I still love Lucy! She really does an awesome job, particularly with westerners' hair. For more info, visit her website at:  http://lucyhair.com/, and tell her Jennifer from Konkuk sent you.