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To flush or not to flush the toilet paper
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hippie



Joined: 30 Jun 2004
Location: Bucheon (pending)

PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:23 am    Post subject: To flush or not to flush the toilet paper Reply with quote

How is the plumbing in Korea? Is it okay to flush the toilet paper? I know that in some countries (Mexico included), you have to put the paper in the can next to the can that you are sitting on. I hope this question isn't too crude; I just don't want to create any unnecessary overflowages.
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prosodic



Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Location: ����

PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow!! Sounds like you'll fit in just fine. Koreans typically put the tp in the can next to the can that you sit on. Personally, I often flush it and have never had a problem with overflow. Still, if you want to fit in and do as the Koreans, then do as the Mexicans. Laughing
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desultude



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf

PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I try not to put it in old toilets at restaurants (if there is a bucket for the paper, use it). At home, in the new building where I live, I flush it and haven't had a problem. My neighbor, on the other had, has plugged hers up a couple of times.

I think it is like a lot of things in Korea- somewhere between first and second world. You just have to pay attention the the clues. Then again, it is past first world when it comes to technology. I especially love the toilets with a variety of options for cleaning and purfuming, and a lot of other options that are in Korean so I don't really understand them. I am still trying to find the bidet button.
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hellofaniceguy



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: On your computer screen!

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A toilet is a toilet is a toilet....
designed to accept do-do and TP!
TP disloves, do-do....takes time.
So yes, you can flush it down the can!
Years ago...koreans put the TP in a basket because the plumbing was substandard, causing jams, but most of the buildings nowdays are modern...... but it's still monkey see monkey do. Old habits die hard it seems. Using common sense is even harder for koreans.
Putting TP in the trash can....bad and unhealthy not to mention nasty!
It attracts flies and what not!
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little mixed girl



Joined: 11 Jun 2003
Location: shin hyesung's bed~

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this isn't gonna sound pretty...but whatever.

u can get away with flushing the TP, but u can't go about pulling off a thick stack like u might do in the states (or wherever you're from).
u pull off maybe 1.5ft and fold it into a square, use as much as possible and fold it as small as possible, then flush it.

if u have some...well if you're gonna need a lotta TP, instead of filling up the toilet, just flush it often...

yup...
but, check out the toilet first. if there's someone using it before u, listen to how strong the flush sounds. if it sounds weak, then just toss the TP in the trash can (but still...try & roll it up or something, cuz no one wants to look at someone else's poo...), if it sounds strong then follow the above method and have fun! Cool

if u have some big poos...uhmm...may god help the toilet and you.
so many girls have clogged up the toilets here at the dorm...and from what i've seen a toilet in the states could easily take that on so...yeah. Confused
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Son Deureo!



Joined: 30 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Flush in stages.
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OiGirl



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At home, you can flush the paper (unless you live in a real dump,) but here's my advice: don't tell Koreans you flush the paper!! Keep a can by the toilet with some "decoy" tissue and expect Koreans to use it. Don't tell the Koreas you flush the paper! They will blame it on everything. (Including the tendency of the balcony where the washing machine is to flood with every single wash because they have never heard of a lint trap!) "Oh...well, you flush paper down the toilet, of course your balcony is flooding."
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Gollum



Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live in a brand new building in Bundang. I flush it, therefore I have no garbage can in my bathroom.

As I lay on my futon in the living room, wooing my half-naked date, I was informed she needed to use my bathroom. I turned to the TV and raised the volume (hate hearing some chickie do her business before sex - or any other time, actually).

When I heard the door open, I spied her sneaking into the kitchen and stuffing her toilet paper in the garbage can underneath the sink!!!

BLECH!!!

Ruined the moment, and made me wonder how many other times she had done that.
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hellofaniceguy



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: On your computer screen!

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know....ruined the mood I think!
I would think "gee...what did I get myself into by having her over...she's uneducated to say the least and why didn't I spot that before hand!" Maybe I wasn't thinking with my head.....on my shoulders that is! On the other hand...I'd enlighten her on world ways and pointing out that this is afterall, 2004...not 1884.
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Gollum



Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hellofaniceguy wrote:

she's uneducated to say the least and why didn't I spot that before hand!"


She has a Masters! Shocked
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hojucandy



Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Location: In a better place

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

of course yu can flush toilet paper.... use a bit of common sense here... when yu defaecate yu put two things in the toilet - faeces, and toilet paper.

now which thing do yu think puts more strain on the plumbing?

that's right - the faeces of course.

the almost universal belief that yu must put used toilet paper in a bin and not down the toilet stems not from inadequate plumbing but from old style toilet paper which did not dissolve so readily. modern toilet paper dissolved easily in water and has been sold in korea for many years now, but people are slow to change their habits.



643
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intergalactic



Joined: 19 May 2003
Location: Brisbane

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a plastic basket that I take to the bathhouse. I keep it on the floor near the shower.
I have had 2 Korean guests put their used TP in there.
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hojucandy



Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Location: In a better place

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

intergalactic wrote:
I have a plastic basket that I take to the bathhouse. I keep it on the floor near the shower.
I have had 2 Korean guests put their used TP in there.


similar thing happened to me. i made some kimchi in a big plastic bucket. afterwards, with nowhere else to store the bucket, i put it in the bathroom. it had a lid. one day i opened it to find it was half full of dirty toilet paper. a succession of korean guests had been using it without my knowledge.

i threw it away!

--------------------

incidentally i just asked one of my adult students about korean habits with toilet paper. he said that his family have always flushed the paper. he seemed to think most people do.


646
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Nowhere Man



Joined: 08 Feb 2004

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:35 am    Post subject: ... Reply with quote

By the way, this an Asian thing, not just a Korean thing.

Notice the lonely plunger in the supermarket.
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hojucandy



Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Location: In a better place

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:09 am    Post subject: Re: ... Reply with quote

Nowhere Man wrote:
By the way, this an Asian thing, not just a Korean thing.

Notice the lonely plunger in the supermarket.


this is barely true. they flush it in india, pakistan, bangladesh, malaysia, thailand, indonesia, philippines, japan, taiwan, hong-kong....

i am told that bins are found in china but are no means universal..

648
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