RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

You know what's the worst? Gentrification.

I've been here for six years, and if you went to Hongdae, Itaewon, or any of the other places popular with people in their 20s (aside from Gangnam, gross) the ratio of independent restaurants and stores to brand name franchises was pretty favourable.

If you go to Hongdae or Itaewon, or even Hoegi, Jongno 3-ga, or basically any formerly fun area in Seoul, it's literally just like walking around an outdoor shopping mall or department store. Everything has been made shiny and bling bling, and is owned by some sort of large company or chaebol or brand.

It's miserable. Everything that was neat about Hongdae has been pushed out to Sangsu and Hapjeong, while Hongdae proper is a miserable hell.

Itaewon also used to be fantastic for being affordable, interesting, and unique. Now it's just a sterilized tourist trap for locals and visitors alike. Gross.

When this guy moves in....................... God dammit.

He has like, 7 (at least) different restaurant chains and when one comes in, you can be sure that there are 6 more coming in the next 18 months. They totally take over the neighbourhood around a subway stop and are always full. They ruin a lot of mom and pop restaurants, you know the people who've been cooking this dish for decades? Now, you get a bunch of 20 year old dipshits cooking from Baek's corporate playbook. 

Fck Mr. Baek.

Can't stand this man. Especially can't stand the sight of his face, which makes the sight of his restaurants doubly infuriating because his face is plastered all over them. I can picture him now, on TV leaning over a bowl of soup and slurping every last ounce, all the while plotted how to overtake the mom-and-pop restaurant he happens to be patronizing that episode, and it sends chills down my spine. His businesses dominate half of Shincheon (near my home) now, which was never much of a scene but at least had some character.

Can't stand this man. Especially can't stand the sight of his face, which makes the sight of his restaurants doubly infuriating because his face is plastered all over them. I can picture him now, on TV leaning over a bowl of soup and slurping every last ounce, all the while plotted how to overtake the mom-and-pop restaurant he happens to be patronizing that episode, and it sends chills down my spine. His businesses dominate half of Shincheon (near my home) now, which was never much of a scene but at least had some character.

Good to see I'm not alone.  Let's boycott him, together.

Hug a Mom and Pop restaurant today! 

You know what's the worst? Gentrification.

I've been here for six years, and if you went to Hongdae, Itaewon, or any of the other places popular with people in their 20s (aside from Gangnam, gross) the ratio of independent restaurants and stores to brand name franchises was pretty favourable.

If you go to Hongdae or Itaewon, or even Hoegi, Jongno 3-ga, or basically any formerly fun area in Seoul, it's literally just like walking around an outdoor shopping mall or department store. Everything has been made shiny and bling bling, and is owned by some sort of large company or chaebol or brand.

It's miserable. Everything that was neat about Hongdae has been pushed out to Sangsu and Hapjeong, while Hongdae proper is a miserable hell.

Itaewon also used to be fantastic for being affordable, interesting, and unique. Now it's just a sterilized tourist trap for locals and visitors alike. Gross.

Indeed. I had a discussion about this with some local artists just the other night. It happens though.

The rising rent in Hapjeong is already squeezing people out and we're on schedule to run out of Sangsu in the coming years. Starbucks and The Face Shop just keep on herding people closer and closer to the Han River. Running out of dry land here... Some independent music venues have now jumped across the banks to Mullae.

Good news on Itaewon at least is that there's spread there too. All the foreign stuff has migrated northwest and the Korean hipster stuff southeast.

A lot of people are heralding Kondae as the next big thing, with its funky container mall, but it strikes me that the forces of gentrification themselves are the very ones fuelling its rise, not artists and indies.

At least under the current mayor, gentrification has slowed down somewhat. Much less razing of entire suburbs going on.

tried to open a new bank account the other day. i've concluded it's easier to get married in korea than it is to open a new bank account. anyone tried it recently? christ, the documents you need to simply be their customer and give them your money...

The worst is 할매순대. Like a cancer.

+1.

I know this sounds idiotic, but I would rather have a good meal at an independent resto than a better one at a chain. I'm willing to shave off a few taste points for authenticity.

I moved to Toronto from Sudbury (160 000 people, mining town) and I was already very well versed in cuisine and other cultures food (having not grown up in Sudbury, hahaha). My friends came down to visit me in Toronto (4 hr bus ride) and the first thing they ask when they get off? "Where's a McD?"

I wanted to flip out so bad. You came to visit me, I've lived here for over a year at this point. Let me take you to some good restaurants! Name a food, I'll find the best place for it, we're not fcking eating at McDs........ 

You know what's the worst? Gentrification.

I've been here for six years, and if you went to Hongdae, Itaewon, or any of the other places popular with people in their 20s (aside from Gangnam, gross) the ratio of independent restaurants and stores to brand name franchises was pretty favourable.

If you go to Hongdae or Itaewon, or even Hoegi, Jongno 3-ga, or basically any formerly fun area in Seoul, it's literally just like walking around an outdoor shopping mall or department store. Everything has been made shiny and bling bling, and is owned by some sort of large company or chaebol or brand.

It's miserable. Everything that was neat about Hongdae has been pushed out to Sangsu and Hapjeong, while Hongdae proper is a miserable hell.

Itaewon also used to be fantastic for being affordable, interesting, and unique. Now it's just a sterilized tourist trap for locals and visitors alike. Gross.

When this guy moves in....................... God dammit.

He has like, 7 (at least) different restaurant chains and when one comes in, you can be sure that there are 6 more coming in the next 18 months. They totally take over the neighbourhood around a subway stop and are always full. They ruin a lot of mom and pop restaurants, you know the people who've been cooking this dish for decades? Now, you get a bunch of 20 year old dipshits cooking from Baek's corporate playbook. 

Fck Mr. Baek.

Can't stand this man. Especially can't stand the sight of his face, which makes the sight of his restaurants doubly infuriating because his face is plastered all over them. I can picture him now, on TV leaning over a bowl of soup and slurping every last ounce, all the while plotted how to overtake the mom-and-pop restaurant he happens to be patronizing that episode, and it sends chills down my spine. His businesses dominate half of Shincheon (near my home) now, which was never much of a scene but at least had some character.

Well, some of his TV programs are pretty informative if you're making Korean food. I really enjoyed some of his butchery vids. He's also not that obnoxious in his programs. It's just that he has really blown up over the last 3-4 years and that he's become overplayed and overrated that it becomes aggravating to see his mug on everything from restaurants to CU 도시락s.

And I agree his chain restaurants like 새마을식당 are wretched a choice of last resort whose saving grace is solely that it's 3AM and people have decided they want bbq and nowhere else is open and it's RIGHT there. Well, at least he isn't as bad as the awful 강호동 chain meat restaurants. The one in 명동 was absolutely insipid. Inedible tourist trap crap. I was with a group of people, and someone else chose the place, and normally I'd suck it up and not badmouth their choice (especially since she was an earnest girl), but this was so absolutely awful I just set my chopsticks down and refused to eat any more and not with any subtlety either. I'd rather eat Korean fusion food than that shit.

To the folks out there, I recommend always doing a Daum/Naver search of whatever subway stop you're at and what food you're looking for like 종로3가역 맛집/종로3가역 삼겹살 맛집. Oh and go beyond 삼겹살. Like, 목살 is such a better cut as is 갈매기살. Sometimes the bloggers go with corporate choices, but most of the time they pick mom and pop joints and are pretty good about their picks when it comes to Korean food. At the very least you can get an idea of meat quality (fresh or frozen), 반찬 quality and variety, prices, etc. Be warned in places like Shinchon, Hongdae, and Geondae because the most popular places are cheap joints that offer lots of food at a cheap price, satisfying young college students. And most restaurants in the popular areas are crap anyways.

loveizark's blog is nicely organized if you're looking for a place. Her choices for Korean food are generally good, less so for non-Korean food. Though lately I'm skeptical of a few choices and am wondering if she's starting to get recognized and being pressured by store owners to give good reviews.
http://blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailList.nhn?blogId=loveizark&parentCategoryNo=11&skinType=&skinId=&from=menu&userSelectMenu=true

I have 12 days of camp - 4 hours each day.  48 hours of camp.  Is this even normal?

I got 15 days at 4-5 hours per day.

Chefu Baek. Is that the guy who goes around random restaurants and shoves a camera at a bowl of ramyeon that looks like every other bowl of ramyeon. Followed by up-close slurping action that makes the studio audience "oooohhh" about what is only a bowl of ramyeon.

You know what's the worst? Gentrification.

I've been here for six years, and if you went to Hongdae, Itaewon, or any of the other places popular with people in their 20s (aside from Gangnam, gross) the ratio of independent restaurants and stores to brand name franchises was pretty favourable.

If you go to Hongdae or Itaewon, or even Hoegi, Jongno 3-ga, or basically any formerly fun area in Seoul, it's literally just like walking around an outdoor shopping mall or department store. Everything has been made shiny and bling bling, and is owned by some sort of large company or chaebol or brand.

It's miserable. Everything that was neat about Hongdae has been pushed out to Sangsu and Hapjeong, while Hongdae proper is a miserable hell.

Itaewon also used to be fantastic for being affordable, interesting, and unique. Now it's just a sterilized tourist trap for locals and visitors alike. Gross.

Indeed. I had a discussion about this with some local artists just the other night. It happens though.

The rising rent in Hapjeong is already squeezing people out and we're on schedule to run out of Sangsu in the coming years. Starbucks and The Face Shop just keep on herding people closer and closer to the Han River. Running out of dry land here... Some independent music venues have now jumped across the banks to Mullae.

Good news on Itaewon at least is that there's spread there too. All the foreign stuff has migrated northwest and the Korean hipster stuff southeast.

A lot of people are heralding Kondae as the next big thing, with its funky container mall, but it strikes me that the forces of gentrification themselves are the very ones fuelling its rise, not artists and indies.

At least under the current mayor, gentrification has slowed down somewhat. Much less razing of entire suburbs going on.

Speaking of, any good areas to look at in terms of housing?  I'm taking classes as Sogang soon and have been checking out the Dangsan station area for several of the reasons mentioned above...

They're repairing some stairs outside so they spent all day yesterday grinding down concrete and I came in this morning to find that they're still at it. Can't they wait until the weekend? 

I had to do a poo at work today because I ate the school lunch.

Why can't they get toilet paper right? Do they think they are saving 100won by buying the Nanuri jumbo roll?

I practically had to use half of this roll to get a clean wipe.

Now I think I have worked out why some of my students go walking around smelling like shit all day.

This. The John Wayne toilet paper. It's horrible

Chefu Baek. Is that the guy who goes around random restaurants and shoves a camera at a bowl of ramyeon that looks like every other bowl of ramyeon. Followed by up-close slurping action that makes the studio audience "oooohhh" about what is only a bowl of ramyeon.

The same.  The audience-gaspathon program when somebody is doing something utterly banal foodwise, to the amazement of the brainless dollops in the studio.  Korean food tv really is horrendous rubbish.  He is also the patron at Yesan High School in Chungnam where my Korean friend works.  All the teachers were warned that there was nothing illegal allowed to go on at the school because it would affect this brand.  Rug wearing pirck!

I think he was on another cooking tv show where he was teaching the guests/hosts how to cook pancakes. Now, it's pancakes; not a 3 course meal using fine ingredients but they were all in awe at his pancake making ability.

I think the only Korean cooking show I like is "Celebrity Masterchef" because they have foreigners who cook food other than Korean food, which is what the normal Masterchef Korea is.

I wish I could just heavily sedate myself on meds for the rest of the year.

Oh god yes.

This is weird.  I've been here a while, but I have never felt like this.  The occasional annoyance, but nothing major.

Now I feel exactly like this, and I have noticed a few other people saying the same thing.

I feel like it's the beginning of the end and nobody cares anymore, so everything's going downhill (like working conditions).  It's very strange.

I'm halfway through my third contract, which I know is not as long as some of the veterans on this site, but I've started feeling like this a few months ago. Waking up in the morning has become the worst part of the day. It always was, but now more than ever.

Just counting down the days... months...

I relate so much to all of this. It's my second year and it is much harder for me this year than it was last year (and last year was a challenge). Getting up in the morning is so hard. I practise positive thinking, go out of my way to do things I like/keep up with my hobbies, plan things for weekends etc, write words of affirmation all over the place, but I'm still drowning in this depressive episode right now. (Didn't help that I was super sick last week and I reacted poorly to the meds, getting a skin rash. Plus I think I have a tummy bug at the moment. *whinge whinge*)

I feel less alone. I'm counting the months too

I feel you and I wish you weren't going through this. I especially wish you weren't ill, that does make things so much harder.

Today is one of those days where I just cannot. I am so exhausted. Had two caffeine tablets and have overdosed on vitamin b and coffee and ... nothing. Just sitting here, staring at facebook (pokemon go page - hoping for a miracle) and waygook and refreshing every now and again. I just can't do anything. It's a bad day. This too shall pass, but if my CT gives me any grief about sitting here doing nothing, I am going to ask her why she is still marking her 10 grammar tests from last week. Why can't I nap at my desk like everyone else?

Not a rant, but a depressing moment in class a while back. Students are doing a role-play involving a restaurant. I encourage them to change things up a bit wherever possible and praise any efforts at prop use or acting. Multiple groups in one class decided to change the script to end with them abusing and assaulting the (non-Korean) waiter character. They thought this was hilarious.

My attempts to turn this into a teachable moment were dissuaded by the co-teacher, presumably due to time.

I know I've done nothing but share my misfortunes in this thread lately, but here's another:

Yesterday I was rear ended while at a dead stop at a red light. The driver got out and immediately started photographing his own car. No word of apology to me, no asking if I was ok, not a word to the car in front of mine which he shunted me into either.

I called it before it even happened, something about his face and the fact that he looked about 21 but was driving an expensive SUV - this guy is going to lie and try to blame this on me.

Sure enough the insurance guy shows up and speaks English. The piece of shit tells him that I stopped suddenly, hit the car in front of me and then he went into the back of me, due to my sudden stop. Both myself and the car in front had actually been at a dead stop for over a minute, he went into the back of me because he was speeding and on his phone.

The insurance guy told me his version of events and asked if there was anything I wanted him to translate to the to other guy. I looked the piece of shit dead in the eye and told the translator to please tell him that if he doesn't tell the truth about what happened I will kill him - KILL HIM. Please make sure you tell him very clearly - I. WILL. KILL. HIM.

Complete with strangulation and fist motions. The other guy went and hid out in his car while the insurance dude told me I should calm down.

Anyway, the stupid **** had a black box in his car which clearly showed that it was entirely his fault. 'My customer was mistaken with his story'. 'No your customer is a piece of shit.'

After driving away he still hadn't uttered a word of apology.

This concludes today's woe is me yarn.

I looked the piece of shit dead in the eye and told the translator to please tell him that if he doesn't tell the truth about what happened I will kill him - KILL HIM. Please make sure you tell him very clearly - I. WILL. KILL. HIM.

Complete with strangulation and fist motions.

  I am laughing so much at this, so much. I am sorry that it happened to you, but shit that is funny!!!

Chefu Baek. Is that the guy who goes around random restaurants and shoves a camera at a bowl of ramyeon that looks like every other bowl of ramyeon. Followed by up-close slurping action that makes the studio audience "oooohhh" about what is only a bowl of ramyeon.

The same.  The audience-gaspathon program when somebody is doing something utterly banal foodwise, to the amazement of the brainless dollops in the studio.  Korean food tv really is horrendous rubbish.  He is also the patron at Yesan High School in Chungnam where my Korean friend works.  All the teachers were warned that there was nothing illegal allowed to go on at the school because it would affect this brand.  Rug wearing pirck!

I think he was on another cooking tv show where he was teaching the guests/hosts how to cook pancakes. Now, it's pancakes; not a 3 course meal using fine ingredients but they were all in awe at his pancake making ability.

I think the only Korean cooking show I like is "Celebrity Masterchef" because they have foreigners who cook food other than Korean food, which is what the normal Masterchef Korea is.

I've said it before and I'll say it again here. Korean food is a lot of preparing, not a lot of cooking per se. Dalkgalbi is great, but anyone can be taught to prepare a complete dalkgalbi dish in 10 minutes. Hell, I don't even have to show you, I could do it verbally and any schmoe could do it. Duck confit? Yeah, you'll **** that up.

List any Korean food and you'll find that a lot of the time, it's prepared, not cuisined.

I know I've done nothing but share my misfortunes in this thread lately, but here's another:

Yesterday I was rear ended while at a dead stop at a red light. The driver got out and immediately started photographing his own car. No word of apology to me, no asking if I was ok, not a word to the car in front of mine which he shunted me into either.

I called it before it even happened, something about his face and the fact that he looked about 21 but was driving an expensive SUV - this guy is going to lie and try to blame this on me.

Sure enough the insurance guy shows up and speaks English. The piece of shit tells him that I stopped suddenly, hit the car in front of me and then he went into the back of me, due to my sudden stop. Both myself and the car in front had actually been at a dead stop for over a minute, he went into the back of me because he was speeding and on his phone.

The insurance guy told me his version of events and asked if there was anything I wanted him to translate to the to other guy. I looked the piece of shit dead in the eye and told the translator to please tell him that if he doesn't tell the truth about what happened I will kill him - KILL HIM. Please make sure you tell him very clearly - I. WILL. KILL. HIM.

Complete with strangulation and fist motions. The other guy went and hid out in his car while the insurance dude told me I should calm down.

Anyway, the stupid **** had a black box in his car which clearly showed that it was entirely his fault. 'My customer was mistaken with his story'. 'No your customer is a piece of shit.'

After driving away he still hadn't uttered a word of apology.

This concludes today's woe is me yarn.

This should be in the happiness thread.  I felt great satisfaction reading it.

I know I've done nothing but share my misfortunes in this thread lately, but here's another:

Yesterday I was rear ended while at a dead stop at a red light. The driver got out and immediately started photographing his own car. No word of apology to me, no asking if I was ok, not a word to the car in front of mine which he shunted me into either.

I called it before it even happened, something about his face and the fact that he looked about 21 but was driving an expensive SUV - this guy is going to lie and try to blame this on me.

Sure enough the insurance guy shows up and speaks English. The piece of shit tells him that I stopped suddenly, hit the car in front of me and then he went into the back of me, due to my sudden stop. Both myself and the car in front had actually been at a dead stop for over a minute, he went into the back of me because he was speeding and on his phone.

The insurance guy told me his version of events and asked if there was anything I wanted him to translate to the to other guy. I looked the piece of shit dead in the eye and told the translator to please tell him that if he doesn't tell the truth about what happened I will kill him - KILL HIM. Please make sure you tell him very clearly - I. WILL. KILL. HIM.

Complete with strangulation and fist motions. The other guy went and hid out in his car while the insurance dude told me I should calm down.

Anyway, the stupid **** had a black box in his car which clearly showed that it was entirely his fault. 'My customer was mistaken with his story'. 'No your customer is a piece of shit.'

After driving away he still hadn't uttered a word of apology.

This concludes today's woe is me yarn.

Can't remember, but are you the same person who saw a Korean open your car and turn the lights on to drain the battery?

I know I've done nothing but share my misfortunes in this thread lately, but here's another:

Yesterday I was rear ended while at a dead stop at a red light. The driver got out and immediately started photographing his own car. No word of apology to me, no asking if I was ok, not a word to the car in front of mine which he shunted me into either.

I called it before it even happened, something about his face and the fact that he looked about 21 but was driving an expensive SUV - this guy is going to lie and try to blame this on me.

Sure enough the insurance guy shows up and speaks English. The piece of shit tells him that I stopped suddenly, hit the car in front of me and then he went into the back of me, due to my sudden stop. Both myself and the car in front had actually been at a dead stop for over a minute, he went into the back of me because he was speeding and on his phone.

The insurance guy told me his version of events and asked if there was anything I wanted him to translate to the to other guy. I looked the piece of shit dead in the eye and told the translator to please tell him that if he doesn't tell the truth about what happened I will kill him - KILL HIM. Please make sure you tell him very clearly - I. WILL. KILL. HIM.

Complete with strangulation and fist motions. The other guy went and hid out in his car while the insurance dude told me I should calm down.

Anyway, the stupid **** had a black box in his car which clearly showed that it was entirely his fault. 'My customer was mistaken with his story'. 'No your customer is a piece of shit.'

After driving away he still hadn't uttered a word of apology.

This concludes today's woe is me yarn.

This should be in the happiness thread.  I felt great satisfaction reading it.

+1