Korean Job Discussion Forums

[whitestboyalive]

So, I've noticed this old lady who pretty much lives at Itaewon station. She's got a table, a chair, and can be found usually near the Hamilton hotel. On her table are all kinds of cut-out newspaper articles from all over the place with highlights, plus notebook scribbles. Her desk looks like she's doing some serious research into something!

I remember when she was new to Itaewon. She didn't have her booth back then, but she'd wave around an exacto knife in an almost paranoid manner, especially when people walked by. I have noticed she no longer carries the knife (someone must have reported it) and she looks a little less 'crazy in the eyes.' These days she's a bit more mellow, and simply sits on her chair, seemingly waiting. Waiting for something.

All of the newspaper articles sitting there look political, she's got the American flag everywhere too. But I wonder what she's trying to say with all the stuff?

Anyone know what the deal is with her?

[ChrisLamp]

I noticed that most of the beggars there wear American flags.

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

Maybe she's waiting for Godot.

[MyNameIsNobody]

[cdninkorea]

On her stool is a piece of construction paper with "Drug foreigners go home or we will kill you in the streets in the daytime" written in black marker.

[MollyBloom]

[MyNameIsNobody]

[brucefox]

Oh if you only knew the tragic story of this lady.

She used to be married, or she thought she was, to a GI back in the 70's. The turbulant time for Korea under military dictatorship and constant threats from North Korea.. Of course, this is back when the mighty and "EVIL" USSR was still goin "strong." The tension on the peninsula was great and there were more GIs back then than now..
One of the hapless rookies in Korea, called James Stoner, yes that's really his name, was cruising down the less than clean and pleasant street down the hill that now is the heart of Itaewon. There he decided not to join his buddies in drinking, but rather check out the bookstore upstairs. The googly eyed private first class eagerly flipped the pages of latest New York Times best sellers..
It was then at the fiction section he noticed an innocent looking Korean girl who seemed eager but lost. The lass seemed to be wanting to pick up som English literature, yet was unable to find anything at her own level. James struck up a conversation because at the time he thought she looked appealing. And the whole scene looked quite cute.
The very first words he spoke to her were these: "Lookin' for a good time?"
He quickly realized how awful this sounded and revised himself: "Lookin' for some mighty fine reading?"
The Korean girl blankly stared at him for what was to James a few awkward seconds.. Then she gave him the most appealing smile he'd ever witnessed.
The two could not converse well with each other but they somehow managed to exchange contact information. She was living in North Western Seoul at the time, which was a quite poor and down trodden area. James could not afford to be out of th base past curfew but he always managed to escort her home everytime they saw each other.
For the first couple of months it was all puppylove for both of them, not even holding hands. It was genuine interest in each other. It was fascinating for both of them.
Then on the third day of the third month since they started dating, they decided to take the next step. Despite the language barrier they always were able to communicate with each other. Perhaps they did not fully comprehend what the other was saying, but they nevertheless managed to work things out. This in itself was a gratifying experience to them since they were able to really connect not only by exchange of words, but by exchange of deeper even primitive feelings.
Things started to take a sour turn when the girl got pregnant. By this time Corporal James was selected to be shipped off to Lebanon. He told the Korean girl that he vehemently tried to resist the deployment but he could not do anything about it in the end. This was, the girl believed, a lie.
Soon James left and the Korean girl found out that he never actually registered her as a lawfully married wife. None of the benefits were available that should have been available to her in times of need. Her friends and family.. what little number she had.. had abandoned her because she had started dating a GI. The sheer level of stress ruined her womb and the fetus ultimately died during miscarriage.
After almost losing her life, she went through deep depression. She could not stand the world anymore, nor its lies. Everything looked like it was against her. Nothing, Noone was for her or with her. The devastation drove her into madness.
She would be placed in a mental institute for almost two decades, but a few years ago the government cut the funding and the institute had to let go of its patients. Since being released, she started carrying a knife, swearing vengeance on the betrayer of her and her dead offspring.
She still sits down on the street where she used to cruise with her beloved. Sometimes thinking about the sweet exchange of caring looks in their younger days. She collects all the news articles about whereabouts of her former love's unit. Also, any American news or letters she thinks will lead to her once-beloved traitor.

There she is wasting away in denial...
Unwanted, Unloved, Unknown...

[jfromtheway]

I really enjoyed that, 100%, honestly.

But I can't tell if you were in a below average Creative Writing program in college, if you've been excessively reading some prude anti-American Asian ripoff Penthouse Forum lately, if you're mocking Samuel Beckett for writing a massive amount of crap literature, or if you were just feeling the rush of that idea. Maybe it's something else I can't think of, but regardless, I thought it was great.

[McGenghis]

We need more of that on this forum. Well done brucefox.

[Caffeinated]

Maybe she's just an activist.

[Koreadays]

what about that 80 year old harlot who is turning tricks in Itaewon usually to be seen outside geckos.. hahahaha what's her story? guess she was left over from the Korean war working the hill back in the day!
still going strong! the real question is. Who is paying for her services! DAYYAAAMMMMM!!!!

[wainy316]

Is she part of a husband and wife team, as I have seen a man in the same chair.
As alluded to, on the back of the chair written in black marker it says
"Drug foreigner, return to your country or we will kill you in the daytime publicly".

[jjurabong]

Honestly, I thought it was a man, who sometimes dressed in women's things....

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

And to think that I once felt bad for her. Not anymore. I hope she freezes during the winter. Why the hell is she just allowed to set up shop there. She is a nuisance and should be kicked out of there.