Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CeleryMan]

Fortunately the strong Won has enabled me to do my high-end shopping in Hong Kong, swimming/snorkeling in Thailand, surfing in Indonesia, adventuring in China, and R&R in the US. Crazy as it sounds, I spend maybe 5% of my total income in Korea. Other than purchasing odds and ends like toe nail clippers, pirated DVDs, cotton socks and other low-value trinkets I've come to the realization there is nothing of real intrinsic value in Korea?

We've hosted an Olympics, World Cup, and proudly house Time Magazine's Most Influential Person of The Year but it kills me that I can't find a decent USDA or Argentinian Porterhouse steak anywhere in Korea??

Are the Locals aware of the huge inequities in basic quality of life standards? The reality is that 100,000 KRW gets you more quality, selection, and value everywhere but in Korea.

[PeterDragon]

Well, most everything foodstuff falls under one of two categories:

Korean

OR

Food from other countries that's pretty low-end/Wal-Mart caliber.

Food is very important to Korean culture, and they have little aesthetic interest in the food of other cultures. Which is a shame, cuz nice as Korean food can be, a cutlure that only focuses on its own food is missing out and severely limiting its palate.

It's a matter of being in a culture that's selectively materialistic. It seems like the only things Korean consumers are willing to spend real money on is hard liquor and consumer electronics. Even their high fashion trends more to look like something from Marshall Fields, not Versace, the Gap, not Banana Republic.

Not being much of a shopper, I have no problem with this, except maybe the food part.

[cornholio1]

Hey man, if you're looking for a good porterhouse steak you should go to the black angus steakhouse in 강남. It is so tender and succulent I had to order two of them. Expensive but worth the price.

[CeleryMan]

Ask any Gyopo or Angeleno living in Korea and they'll tell you that Korean fod tastes better in Los Angeles, CA than Korea. Something is inherently wrong with that reality. The tragedy is that Korean consumers deserve better but are so eager to believe life is really good in Korea.

[contrarian]

For the Porterhouse befriend, bribe, blackmail some US military type at Camp Red Cloud (uijeongbu) and and have him take you to the Friday night Porthouse special at the Commanding General's Open mess. 18 oz at least, with a buffet for everything else cost about 25 bucks US.

I loved it but my buddy (an Army doctor) was transferred to Italy. Darn!

[CeleryMan]

"Christ!" Befriending America's finest for a Porterhouse is going too far; I've indeed become a desperate, desperate man.[/quote]