This week reminds me of one the most palpably exciting days I had in Korea. Two days from today and it’s Lunar New Year. Being one of the biggest occasions in Korea, and on where most establishments fold up for three days, I know I had to rush to the deparment store to buy presents for friends and to stuff up my fridge. Shopping didn’t take long. I’m not fussy when it comes to food; I’ve gotten over the aversion towards kimchi and I’ve learned to love Korean foods. It was buying gifts for my bosses that rubbed the best off of my Sketchers. Why not cigars, I thought to myself? I just need to look around to get a clue what middle-aged Korean men could want. Out of 10 Korean men I’ve met, only one has sputum-free lungs. Or probably not so because of the sidestream somke he’s already inhaled. Yeah, I thought I’d just get them a box or a special bundle of cigar and that would make them puffing happily this season. As for my Korean girl friends, I just bought for them fashion accessories from underground kiosks. It was dismally more difficult to find items for men in Korea. In one department store I went to, there were like 8 floors dedicated to women’s fashion while only 2 for men AND children. There is less variety of clothes to choose from, less accessories than what you can find for women. I just decided to grab cutely patterned neck ties and thin fashion scarves for my male friends. As for my seniors (“sonbe”, as younger people address older acquaintances in Korea), I just have to settle for bottles of Korean traditional wine and cigars. My erstwhile plump wallet has just gotten...well, gaunt. If only dieting is just as fast. Anyway, I enjoyed buying all these stuff for everyone. Giving indeed feels better than receiving.
새해 복 많이 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year!
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