Korean Job Discussion Forums

[captain kirk]

Does Costco give you the creeps? Now before you wonder what I'm talking about and whether I'm altogether in tune reflect upon the place. It's underground. The walls are grey, undecorated cement. The steel girders are visible though sprayed with grey foam. Rust red racks rise on which are stacked pallets of cases of stuff and the pallet is wrapped in plastic wrap to keep it stable. It's utilitarian. It's about cost. Cost. Co. It's about things. But within this happy people bop about pushing their big carts and filling them with cases.

The food court sells very large servings of food cheap. The pizza slice is HUGE. That and a bottomless soda is three bucks. Or clam chowder, a big container of that. Or a hot dog and pop. I eat a piece of that pizza and I'm ready to, I dunno, digest somewhere seriously like a lizard or an anaconda. And not, theoretically, eat again for six months. And I feel that the things is, the word is, what it's all about is CONSUMPTION. Cases of it. Carts of it. Into the SUV and off to the house with the hoard, the stock up, the supplies.

Sure, it's basically great. Like the cheese. Heck yeah. Those big pieces of extra sharp cheddar.

It's just it's such a weird place. I mean you live in Korea far from home which for most of us is North America somewheres but even if it's not maybe there are Costcos in Australia, New Zealand. Probably. And it's like 'going home'. I saw a hammock and the frame was made of laminated cypress wood. The frame/support was as long as a car. I kid you not. It would NOT fit in Korean accomodation. And there are no back yards here. Something akin to this is the basketball hoop stand they sell. It has a heavy duty base and pole made of steel. You can jump and hang on the rim, it's that big and sturdy. For a North American suburban driveway in Anysuburb, USA. But in Korea?

And Korean people, who I think want to beat Americans at their own game, meet and trump the Americans with their American dream (the world standard of made-it-ness/having-cool-things-ness/standard of living) are pushing their carts and filling them from this strange, high vaulted cellar of goodies like, yes, like YUPPIES. Dreaded YUPPIES. How could they be that?! They're Kims, Lees, and Chos. Nothing in their five thousand years of history seems akin to this happy goods-'totalling between Newman's Own Grape juice (made with Concord grapes, the label says proudly....Concord grapes?!!! Aren't Korean grapes ok?!!) and Paul Newman's face smiling about a foot square, life size....between that and dehydrated/dried blueberries or cranberries from California.

I get lonely for Korea in Costco, and it's just outside the door. I don't get lonely for North America in Costco. It appears Costco IS North America (which isn't true but it's like, an emissary and, besides embassies, all we've got). So North America, you're NOT Costco, I hope!

There's a notion of the good life and it's served up like a series of available items. For example, the crystal chandelier for an elegant dining experience. It's of Schvarz crystal or whatever it is and sure, it's elegant. But it's, like all the stuff in there, exactly what you want when you don't know what you want you just want it because you see it and then you want it, you know?

Like life is for getting...things...piling them into the car and getting home and lighting up a barbecue and using the Costco electric bug zapper. And eating cheap guacamole but it's good!!!! Yet it was cheap! Hola!!

Actually, it's more comical than creepy. Good time, just a little weird. Maybe it's the communal culture vibe in Korea where it meets the individual 'you want it you got it' marketing for those who have everything thing. It's not me, and it's not them (Koreans). But we're there, me and the Koreans. And we're jivin' diggin' it in some halfway to capitalist heaven gotta get some way.

Costco. Yikes. Dill Pickles, cheap cheese, ok. Get in, get out. Or be weirded out (IMO) For references. Some poem by Allen Ginsberg called 'Supermarket in California'. The tv comedy 'The Beverly Hillbillies' (maybe that's a reference). The Brady Bunch(?).

[Gideon]

Your complaining about costco.. You wont find a place that comes close to large chain stores that sell a lot western foods/items.. ect.. as you will with Costco.

Did you just come off the boat ? Costco is one of the best places to shop for western foods and various items.. Who cares what it looks like from inside.. all that matters is what they sell to the consumer!!!

Good Luck!!

[alinkorea]

put on the oxygen mask Captain...take a deep breath... and relax

[patchy1]

YEAH!!! It creeps me out. I hate that place. My thoughts exactly. Good post, captain kirk.

[captain kirk]

Hear ya man. But ya gotta admit you could find your gravestone in that place, on sale, and you'd heave it into the back of the SUV beside the driveway basketball hoop and the giant hammock. Why? Because it was cheaper than you'll ever find it anywhere else! Except Ikea. But we're talking Costco.

Korea's a breath of fresh air compared to that place. And no I didn't just 'get off the boat'. Shikes, man. Where's your imagination and sense of humour about stuff? I'm talking about the Costco phenomenon in a whimsical way pretending to be 'complaining' while pointing at the question 'just what the heck is the American dream and why does it look so STUPID and POINTLESS and FOOLISH crammed into a surreal little bunker like Costco?'. Especially so from the vantage point of Korea, far from anything North American, and thus Costco seems to be IT alone.

Pardon my French on the whole if it may offend anyone's market sensibilities, lifeways, flag, nation, culture, whatnot. I must consume now and raid the fridge.

[alinkorea]

Some people will complain about anything. It's a supermarket! It's one of the very few places over here where we can buy Western stuff at reasonable prices. Certaintly it's not the most aesthetically pleasing environment in the world, but it's not worth ranting and raving about

[captain kirk]

No, it isn't. Fun while it lasted, though. I invite sharper minds to discuss the Costco phenomenon as it relates to the American Dream, the future of Korea (what it gains, what it loses), consumer/captalism and humanity, the simple versus the complicated life, and Kirkland extra sharp cheddar cheese 900g for 9,800 won or something like that (good and cheap). Kirk out(have to go raid the fridge).

[djsmnc]

I can agree with this a bit.

I don't think it's the interior of Costco that seems unusual to me.

The thing that struck me is odd is that there would even be a Costco, and that they put them in the locations where they presently stand in Seoul.

In a city of mass transit; subways, buses, taxis, it seems highly impractical to have a store that specializes in bulk quantities. Large boxes of Quaker Oatmeal, three packs of cereal, juice bottles measured in gallons....they fit well in the back of Dodge Minivans and Jeep Cherokees in suburban USA, but it looks funny being stuffed into a Matiz or Tico.

[indytrucks]

Screw that. They've got mini quiche.

[steroidmaximus]

[ella]

I don't think captain kirk was complaining, just making a social commentary.

If you're in Busan, is the nearest Costco in Daegu? How do you get those huge containers on and off a train??

[ucfvgirl]

Personally for me, the best thing about COSTCO is the fresh Cinnamon Buns. There is nothing that can beat the smell of fresh Cinnamon buns baking....smells like home! (Oh, and of course the big can of Kirkland coffee to go with the buns)

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think the OP is a great post. My only question is WHICH Costco is he talking about and how do I get there?

I live out in the sticks, hours and hours from Seoul. The foreign food section in the grocery store here is a space on one shelf about 1 foot wide. We can get Tobasco sauce, small jars of black olives (for W2000) and tomato sauce for W3000. Oh yes, we can also get some candy in a can. That's it.

Costco sounds like heaven to me.

[blaseblasphemener]

when are they going to start selling chicken wing/buffalo wing sauce ie: Louisiana Hot sauce, at Costco? sorry, not relavent, but the captain got me to thinking.

and I predict within 3 years, costco WILL be selling caskets or gravemarkers, or both. There's a huge ageing population to exploit. Also, look for the denture kiosk, and the best, shiniest, artificial-hips.

[SPINOZA]

I've never even been to Costco. Where the heck is it?