In Korea

First time here in 25 years. Despite undoubted strides in living standards, economic/tech achievements and soft power, the place still manages to be backward in odd ways. English signage being an unmissable example. It’s obviously a point of pride not to pass anything by a native proof-reader, ever. The official Q Code (pointless and clunky) online Covid system is a nightmare to navigate simply because it eschews basic interface English phrases like ‘enter’ or ‘continue’ in favour of non-obvious words like ‘inquiry’.

Random glances around hotel room…

Otherwise, kimchi paradise.

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10 Responses to In Korea

  1. Old Mind Doctor says:

    ….But the English subtitles for ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ (netflix) are bang on. So they can do it.

  2. Ushekim says:

    By backward you meant the natives can’t speak proper English. Right? So if they do it’s okay?

  3. Stanley Leiber says:

    Left-hand drive cars, baseball and words like “inquiry” are legacies of the American imperium. To the victor go the spoils. With your “mixed race” ancestry, Mr Hemlock, it should be a doddle!

  4. Wolflikeme says:

    Dunkin Donuts translates perfectly.

  5. Casira says:

    @Old Mind Doctor: Netflix has a deep English native talent pool in LA for that

  6. Chinese Netizen says:

    The Koreans are lucky they have the Kimchi. It’s their one saving grace.

  7. Kennedy Townsville says:

    @Casira

    Not easy to include talent and LA in the same sentence, but you managed it.

  8. Joe Blow says:

    Fuck. Does Nury know about this?

  9. Low Profile says:

    @Chinese Netizen – and the seafood pancakes.

  10. Low Profile says:

    And how could I forget the chicken ginseng soup? Avoid the popular restaurant patronised by mainland Chinese tourists, and sample it instead at the beautiful traditional restaurant across the road from the Times Square mall in Seoul.

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