Hot, Schmot. Take a trip to the South.

Neoguri just passed us in Busan, and today is the first day that actually looks and kind of feels like summer. It's been muggy and blech all of June, and maybe now it'll start to actually get hot instead of staying cloudy and humid. Give me that sunshine!

I made the mistake of spending last summer in Canada and lost all of the heat and humidity resistance I gained in Japan.

Maybe it's just this year, though... It doesn't seem as hot and sticky as I remember it being the last time I was here.

I hope the people posting about how it's not too bad realise that this isn't as hot as it gets here...

Precisely. Wait till much later when it gets so hot that you sweat even as you shower. . .

Or how it's so hot you have to get naked to poop.


Someone told me they're expecting it to not get as warm this year. I don't know where they got that climate data from so can't confirm. Last year, I left the country for 4 weeks in August. I heard it was touching 40 for a few weeks in my hood. Sounds grim. My friends camped out in my apt for the AC.

South Carolina here. Im used to intense heat and 100% humidity in the summer with temps above 100.  And I sweat like madddd. After walking around for 5 minutes, Im already sweating and my clothes are sticking to me, but its the same for everyone else, so its not a big deal. I also grew up in a house with no AC, but we kept windows and doors open. I actually dont  like AC. The mold, dirt and such in AC's get to me something fierce so I much prefer open doors and windows over AC. But I also grew up in a beach town where the air is fresh and light--so although the heat was staggering, it was alright because the air and breeze (when there was some), made it endurable. Where I am in Korea, the air is pretty rancid. When I open my windows I get flooded with the stench of sewage, fish, cigs, etc... That coupled with the humidity makes opening the windows not an option. Turning on the AC for me, is just as crummy an option because AC's always set my allergies ablaze. If the air wasnt so thick and heavy, I wouldnt mind the heat so much, but those things make it pretty unbearable.

The fact that I have a 45 minute commute to school doesnt help either. When Im on the bus, sometimes I just have to get off 5-7 minutes into my commute, stand outside for a bit to cool off, and wait for another bus to come because no one opens the windows on the bus, the bus is packed and I am literally drenched and dripping in sweat. ugh.

New Orleans here. 

Very few places on earth get humid like the NO.  I mean, you walk at a slow pace for one block and you are drenched in sweat.  That being said, everyone there is aware of the heat index and recognizes that we humans will be quite sluggish in that heat without AC.  I can't think of anywhere in the city or its surrounding area that even thinks of cutting back on AC.  Also the standards of dress are different.  It's acceptable and encouraged to wear sandals, dresses, skirts (of a longer length than here), and sleeveless tops. 

So yes, it's much hotter there, but the way they handle it is just more comfortable.

Oh, and everybody there sweats as much as me.  There's a sense of camaraderie that comes with sweating your ass off for three months straight.

Another Louisianian checking in. This summer has been pretty mild so far. There is no such thing in Louisiana. I ran my air for the first time on Wednesday. Last night I slept with the windows open again. I actually got a little chilly. There at no breaks from the heat and humidity in Louisiana. It sets in around May and doesn't break till end of September. The heat here will break around late August. Having said that I don't handle the hot classrooms any better because I'm from Louisiana.

Hot Schmot. Take a trip to Tunisia.
We get it. People from the South can tolerate the heat more, just like the Canadians can tolerate the cold more. Is this surprising to anyone?

I have never visited the American South, so I have no idea what it's like.  However, I wonder how long many of you guys have been in Korea only because this summer is by far the fairest and nicest summer I've had here in a decade.  I wouldn't take this as normal by any means. 

Usually by this time it's grey skies, heavy rain, 35c+, intense humidity and general terribleness.  Last year at this time I was at a baseball game where the temperature was 36c with late 80s humidity, at 9pm.  By contrast, this summer has been delightful.  Sunny, with only occasional rain, and minimum humidity.  Someone above said at the height of a Korean summer you end up sweating even during a shower.  That is very true.  As a card carrying member of "Screw Korean Summers" I usually blast my AC non-stop in my place for every waking moment.  Right now I have a fan on minimum and I'm fine.  In mid-July!  Let the angels rejoice! 

As I said, I have no idea what the US South is like, and it very well could be worse.  But don't compare it to now.  I'm from Canada and winters here are generally laughable, but two years ago (2012-13) was pretty bad while this past one was mostly mild.  It changes.  I completely agree that the difference is that back home for winter we have things like heat, insulation, common sense and the urge to not open windows on the coldest days, which makes things work out better. 

My point is, don't let this mild summer fool you.  Korean summers are evil.  The Devil's greatest feat was convincing you that he doesn't exist.  Korean summer exists, and it is waiting for you to let your guard down.  The only way to beat it is to frolic in this wonderland of perpetual niceness and thank our Spring god for her generous bounty.