The Casey Lartigue Show!

Getting around Seoul is easy. On the other hand, actually finding your final destination can be very difficult. The main reason is that Koreans don't actually use street addresses. I am constantly amazed when I find a new place. I always leave early, giving myself a 30 minute cushion to walk around lost, meeting Koreans who are happy to get lost along with me. Still, I have had a few Koreans tell me that a particular place is "easy" to find. At one meeting with a group of folks, when I called to say I was lost the organizer said the place was easy to find. She called me about 20 minutes later, guessing that I was still trying to find the place. I was actually a few subway stops away from home. She was a bit surprised, letting me know they were waiting for me. I told her that it would be easy for them to find me. A colleague of mine mentioned that a supermarket nearby was easy to find. He later gave me directions that sounded something like, "Sure, just go down the st...

Misconception about Karaoke in Korea? I've heard Karaoke described as being the national pastime in some Asian countries. Based on what I've seen in Korea I would say that isn't quite accurate. Singing is just part of the fun to be had during a night of revelry. I have met a lot of Koreans in the last month but I have yet to meet anyone who went out to sing with singing being the main activity. Some Koreans actually need some drinks in them before they are ready to sing. I've asked a few about it. They say they will sing if there is still time, but they really wanted to eat, drink and talk. Singing comes after eating and drinking. Sometimes, it gets skipped. * * * Getting around Wh -questions Many Americans complain about Koreans asking them the same questions. When Koreans start in with their Wh -questions I take a shortcut: I like to sing, dance and drink. It obviously confuses them when I offer information so I try to be patient. I usually wait patiently but yesterda...

I'm not saying that I believe Yoon Chang-jung, the spokesperson for the Korean government who resigned after being accused of sexual harassment during the trip to the USA. As I wrote a few years ago, after I had returned to Korea: Originally posted: August 3, 2009 It isn't just groping on the subways I've been in Korea for a full month. In that time I would guess that I have had my butt grabbed three or four times (by men), a (drunk) female friend put her hand in my back pocket, had my head fondled at least three times, and had a (drunk stranger-turned-friend) beg that I allow him to kiss me on the top of my bald head when we were out singing. And I'm not even referring to the nurse who gave me a shot the other day... I think the head-kisser said he was 27 or 28. His English wasn't that great and I couldn't comprehend when he was trying to explain in Korean that he wanted to kiss me on my head. I'm sure that such language isn't in an...