Bowing and Kim-Chi in Korea and other Seoul, South Korea Local Custom Tips

It's more polite to bow than to shake hands in Korea it seems. Well, given the recent SARS scare, it's more germ-friendly to nod than to pass your snot to an unsuspecting chap, right? Courtesy aside, there's no need to worry about this, there was never a single SARS case in Korea as this is a GARLIC-LOVING country. I don't think it's possible for these people to get SARS or for Dracula to go near them as they get loads of anti-oxidents everyday by eating kim-chi.
Now if you have not tasted this delightful pickle before, try it in Korea. Go for the cabbage as a starter. The rich, alchoholic and spicy taste of garlic and chilli will overwhelm your senses.
How do they pack in the punch? Well, traditionally, this pickle is fermented in earthern pots and buried in winter grounds.
Of course, there are now more advanced methods of making this pickle otherwise you'll have Korean treasure maps all over the place. Other than plain ol' cabbage, you can find kim-chied cockles, fish roe, cucumber and other exotic creatures you won't dream of eating. Try it, it just doesn't taste the same elsewhere.

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For the whole half month I was in Seoul, I was a Japanese . Can you blame me for mistaking my own nationality when I was constantly bowed at and spoken to in Japanese? (My hubby, on the other hand, was constantly mistaken for a local but more of that later.)
After the 1000th time, I got sick of saying, " Watashiwa Shingapooru-jin desu..." ( I'm a Singaporean, you daft prick ). I decided to play the part and shout to my hapless spouse in Japanese, " Hayaku!!" (Hurry up you slow poke! ) while he whined , "Matte" ( Wait for me you ***! ).
Big mistake, while speaking in Japanese earned 90deg bows, the stall holders immediately pricked their ears and chose to raise their prices for me since they have a rumoured dislike for the Japanese tourist. Who could blame them? Afterall, their country was annexed for a good many years. It's like a mini-revenge of all sorts as their former masters now return as guillible tourists..

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