Answers to burning questions we have about Korea

Questions 1
Why are so many bathrooms designed without privacy in mind?

Opening the door to the gents will give the entire hallway, including the inside the 5th grade classroom a full view of whoever is pissing into the urinal. The door opens on the same side as the urinal and without any kind of mini labyrinth entrance. More often than not, I've found this disregard for privacy to be the norm when it comes to bathroom designs here.

Question 2
Why do teachers and students share bathrooms?

On a related note, I was kind of baffled when I entered the bathroom, saw the 6th grade homeroom teacher peeing right next to one of the students and chatting. Totally different cultural concept that I can't feel comfortable with. I recall teachers and students having separate bathrooms back home; this makes sense to me as it helps when teachers are afforded a few privileges and segregated from students. It establishes a level of respect. Aside from schools, at a cultural level Korea seems to be a lot more open when it comes to nudity among members of the same sex.

Related to Aristocat's post, why do ladies clean men's bathrooms with men still busy inside? They do it in Korea, China and here in Taiwan too.

Not great in my books.

Questions 1
Why are so many bathrooms designed without privacy in mind?

Yeah, a lot of the times I'll got to the men's and GF/Stepkid will go too. I often look over my shoulder left or right and can see them come out before me through the men's............ it's not even a door, there's no door, haha. Entrance?  And yeah, I don't think that women are gonna peek at my gochu, it's just weird that THEY ARE VISIBLE while I have my dick in my hands. Like.............. Can we not be in a situation like this? Please?

Question 2
Why do teachers and students share bathrooms?

My old Chogyo didn't have seperate ones but the new Middle school does. There's me and another male teacher on this floor. I've run into him in the bathroom twice this year. Pure bliss. 

There's me and another male teacher on this floor. I've run into him in the bathroom twice this year. Pure bliss. 

Normally I would assume that this wasn't meant to be taken literally, but considering the source... 

Yeah, a lot of the times I'll got to the men's and GF/Stepkid will go too. I often look over my shoulder left or right and can see them come out before me through the men's............ it's not even a door, there's no door, haha. Entrance?  And yeah, I don't think that women are gonna peek at my gochu, it's just weird that THEY ARE VISIBLE while I have my dick in my hands. Like.............. Can we not be in a situation like this? Please?

The fact that guys in the gym changing room are still happily blowdrying their gooch and assfro in front of the other guys tells me that the level of privacy we're happy with is still a long way off.

_{oh i've been summoned.}

REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR. THIS IS _not MY BLOW DRYER. THERE ARE MANY LIKE IT BUT THIS ONE IS _not MINE.

Normally I would assume that this wasn't meant to be taken literally, but considering the source... 

Shit. hahahaha

Questions 1
Why are so many bathrooms designed without privacy in mind?

Opening the door to the gents will give the entire hallway, including the inside the 5th grade classroom a full view of whoever is pissing into the urinal. The door opens on the same side as the urinal and without any kind of mini labyrinth entrance. More often than not, I've found this disregard for privacy to be the norm when it comes to bathroom designs here.

Yep, there's on of these in the corridor where my office is. Right next to a classroom and across from another one - anyone walking down the corridor has a full view of at least three urinals inside.

My favorite example, though, is an upper floor at the Daejeon Museum of Art. Futuristic building, everything very modern and well-maintained. Yet there's an outdoor elevator that takes you from street level to the second-floor entrance and ticketing area. The elevator door faces a window into the men's bathroom. Even more bizarrely, the window isn't just a little square or porthole, but more like a full-length mirror.

Related to Aristocat's post, why do ladies clean men's bathrooms with men still busy inside? They do it in Korea, China and here in Taiwan too.

I've sort of gotten used to this in the bathrooms, but I can't get over young girls cleaning men's spa areas in Japan. Girls who look barely 18, navigating a riot of middle-aged penises. Is it a problem? I don't know, probably not. Is it a hard cultural adjustment to make? Definitely.

Related to Aristocat's post, why do ladies clean men's bathrooms with men still busy inside? They do it in Korea, China and here in Taiwan too.

Not great in my books.

I first saw this in Germany, so it isn’t an eastern Asian thing.

I first saw this in Germany, so it isn’t an eastern Asian thing.

How about the rest of Europe? A friend told me that Germany has a pretty relaxed attitude with things like that, he said families go to public baths and all sit naked together, so perhaps it's kind of acceptable there.

Definitely the same in NDL. Ditto with Austria, Schweiz, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Parts of France too.
The rest is probably more relaxed than North America as well, but I can't verify from personal experience.

Just want to note that North America is pretty messed up when it comes to sexuality.
It's perfectly fine to show the gory details of somebody literally being tortured to death on daytime television, but God forbid there's a bum shot or a frame or two of nipple in there somewhere. 

Just want to note that North America is pretty messed up when it comes to sexuality.
It's perfectly fine to show the gory details of somebody literally being tortured to death on daytime television, but God forbid there's a bum shot or a frame or two of nipple in there somewhere. 

Well the pilgrams were puritanical, throw witches into lakes, scarlet letter, type of people.

Why does Korea make you buy NEW plastic bags just to throw out the trash?
Seems quite ridiculous, both in terms of money and the environment.

The money that you spend buying those specific bags goes towards subsidizing the garbage disposal process.
If you use a recycled bag (ie a regular vinyl shopping bag) you're not paying for the disposal of your garbage.

It's also the reason why you should not use garbage bags bought in a different municipality to dispose of your garbage -- you're subsidizing the wrong city!
An old lady just about beat me to death with a cardboard box because I was a bit  slow to understand this... 

Why does Korea make you buy NEW plastic bags just to throw out the trash?
Seems quite ridiculous, both in terms of money and the environment.

I think it's a system that should be adopted back home where I believe trash gets picked up once every two weeks now.  Here, you pay a small amount for the bags and you can put them out everyday.  Much better in my opinion. 

And one supermarket near me offers bag from three different cities but other ones nearby don't so, I'm stuck with bags from the neighbouring cities.  Not a problem, as I just go on the buy/sell forum and sell them at a discount. 

The money that you spend buying those specific bags goes towards subsidizing the garbage disposal process.
If you use a recycled bag (ie a regular vinyl shopping bag) you're not paying for the disposal of your garbage.

It's also the reason why you should not use garbage bags bought in a different municipality to dispose of your garbage -- you're subsidizing the wrong city!
An old lady just about beat me to death with a cardboard box because I was a bit  slow to understand this... 

^This

It goes without saying that your food waste goes into a different bin and if you want to be really awesome, flatten your cardboard boxes into a single neat pile and save the old people who collect it for recycling from having to do so.

It's also the reason why you should not use garbage bags bought in a different municipality to dispose of your garbage -- you're subsidizing the wrong city!

As a rule, yes, but if you have a couple from a diff city just use them. It's hard to imagine that these things don't balance out over a year. Anyang gets a few Gunpo ones, Gunpo gets a few Uiwang ones.

But yeah, don't buy 10 of the wrong city when you're purchasing a bunch, haha. But one wrong bag, doesn't matter. Unless you wanna go SUPERMETA and throw away an Uiwang bag as garbage inside a proper Anyang bag ahahaha. BAG-CEPTION.

As a rule, yes, but if you have a couple from a diff city just use them. It's hard to imagine that these things don't balance out over a year. Anyang gets a few Gunpo ones, Gunpo gets a few Uiwang ones.

Look, do what you like, but don't come to me for sympathy after getting pummeled by old ladies for using the wrong municipal garbage bag!

Unless you wanna go SUPERMETA and throw away an Uiwang bag as garbage inside a proper Anyang bag. ahahaha. BAG-CEPTION.

What, are you *trying* to get us in trouble?
Mixing "비닐 봉투" with "일반 쓰레기"?????

As a rule, yes, but if you have a couple from a diff city just use them. It's hard to imagine that these things don't balance out over a year. Anyang gets a few Gunpo ones, Gunpo gets a few Uiwang ones.

But yeah, don't buy 10 of the wrong city when you're purchasing a bunch, haha. But one wrong bag, doesn't matter. Unless you wanna go SUPERMETA and throw away an Uiwang bag as garbage inside a proper Anyang bag ahahaha. BAG-CEPTION.

I can deal with the odd Anyang bag, they made an effort with the design and colour, but an Uiwang bag in Gunpo?  That's freak out time.

Why do people back their cars into spots at E-Mart and places when they are shopping for groceries?

A) It's easier to drive into a tight space

B) It's easier to back out into an open space

C) You have to back up once anyway

D) When you drive in you have to back out and then spend time loading all your groceries into your trunk thus blocking cars for some time and generally causing havoc