how to be a korean (food edition) here
how to be a korean (gift edition) here

1. white shoes are in. this is particularly true in regards to korean men. in downtown daegu, the majority of the males wear white shoes that are spotless. the amount of cleaning that goes into owning such shoes is enough for you to screw the trend, actually, but these boys don’t care.

personally, i dig this fashion craze because i think white shoes make you look young and modern. whether you’re wearing loafers or tennis shoes, even after labor day, the brightness at your feet make you look so fresh. so fresh and so clean clean.

lucy potato sack2. potato sacks are now wearable. remember that episode of “i love lucy” where the ricardos and the mertzes visit paris and lucy, upon attending a fashion show, must (must!) own a gown made by a parisian designer, causing ricky to give her a handmade gown constructed out of potato sacks and she parades around town thinking it’s real haute couture? you remember?

apparently, all girls in korea have seen that episode (i exaggerate only a little) and are copying that style of dress. playing with volume is very much in play when it comes to women’s clothing, and most noticeable are these giant, billowing tops young ladies wear over skinny pants or tights. oversized on top, undersized underneath. just like potato sacks.

3. boys and skinny pants. the majority of young men prefer skinny pants to all else. baggy jeans, tailored trousers, loose khakis are out. nothing strikes a korean girl’s fancy like a tall thin boy in black skinny jeans. we can thank korean pop idols and audrey hepburn for this fad.

i’m not a fat person—in fact, i’m quite thin—but i would not be able to fit into some of the jeans these korean boys fit into. i mean, jesus christ, they are really tight. korea is not a land for fat people, i tell ya.

bada bowl cut4. the bowl cut for women, asymmetrical bangs for fellas. the bowl (or mushroom) cut has been in style among korean women (and some men) for a few years now. i don’t really have much of an opinion on this trend, though i’m sure many westerners can’t understand why it’s happening. in truth, i think the cut looks great on some students. for the older ladies (like for once popular singer bada, left), it is not good.

i’m more interested in the asymmetrical bangs for the fellas. one of the students in class 1-2 who i really like came in one monday morning with a brand new haircut.tvxq yoochun instead of a straight bang line most boys—um, people—have, his came down at a severe diagonal to the right. and you know what? it looked great on him.

my face can’t pull off such a dynamic cut, but for those faces that can, more power to them. the asymmetrical thing is so cool, so european. makes me want to grow out my hair and do something drastic with it (like what micky yoochun did, right (except i would never do that to my hair)).

5. high hi-tops. thank big bang for popularizing the 8big bang0’s-inspired hi-tops. in making this list, i’ve realized to what degree style in korea is influenced by pop stars. these stars, called ‘idols’ by the koreans, govern what is fashionable. maybe it’s because korea is a smaller country or because koreans are more obsessed with youth culture, but i never saw this strong a connection between the famous and the masses in the states. or maybe we just have so many different ‘looks’ going on at the same time, you can’t really pinpoint what one item is ‘hot.’ i dunno…

i, for one, do not like these hi-tops. but you know, i’m a loafer man.

6. funky glasses. nerdy, geeky, thick spectacles frames are all the rage, and they come in all colors (even white) and sizes. i haven’t seen wire frames on anyone young since my arrival three years ago; me thinks the plastic is here to stay for the long haul. however, if the style changes, i can predict the next stage in eyewear in korea: the scuba style (already seeing them in high-end department stores).

7. handbags are a must. for men, for women, for all. unlike the US, which is mostly a driving kind of place, korea is mostly a walking country. i went to a bar in houston and brought my man-bag (or murse) with me. the bouncer asked me, “did you drive?” and i answered, “yes.” “can you put your bag in your car, then?”

i was offended by the suggestion and handed my bag over to him so that he could make sure i wasn’t smuggling in guns or drugs. only after the inspection was i allowed to enter. okay, so i didn’t need my bag with me, but at the same time, why was it such a big deal for me to carry my bag into a bar? i hate putting my wallet in the back pocket of my pants. a) it creates bulk and b) it stretches the fabric.

most places in korea are made for walking, so a handbag is a necessity for most. currently, my handbag of choice is this giant, white adidas sports bag. my friend elaine remarks, “your purse makes my purse look like a sissy.” what can i say? i have a lot of baggage.

8. your cell phone is a status symbol. koreans aren’t kidding around with their cellphones. they hold onto them for dear life, they take advantage of all the functions (mp3, satellite tv, internet, digital camera, video games, texting, calling) and they upgrade their ‘handphones’ (and subsequently, their digits) frequently. the ice cream, the lollipop, the haptic, the haptic 2, the prada, the black label series, the chocolate…these things mean something to koreans (they are the names of phones). the hottest stars have endorsement deals with cyon, LG, SK telecom, KTF, anycall; a large percentage of ads on tv are for cellular phones; there are zip codes devoted to the districts of cell phone stores.

your cell phone is part of your identity, and it is a status symbol. therefore, there is a whole market out there for the decoration of cell phones: stickers, cases, holders, accessories, etc. the beloved owns the haptic 2, which was purchased at the low price of $800. and guess what? it does buy you dinner and it does cuddle after sex.

9. do not be afraid of color / patterns. diana and i were having a joint theatre project-related class one day last week when one of the male students in class 2-6 walked in. he was totally hot pink. hot pink and white striped shirt. red glasses. hot pink pants (that were, i think, capris). his socks were also probably hot pink. did anyone question his taste level? no, because you just have to assume nobody in korea has american taste. what flies in korea would never fly in the states (maybe in new york city, but that’s because nyc is its own country). i will even go out on the limb and say that korean fashion is edgier and more fashion-forward. it may not always be tasteful, but it’s almost always fun.

10. the shorter the miniskirt…. nina garcia says, “shiny, tight and short is the quickest way to look cheap,” but nina garcia doesn’t live in korea. back when i was teaching middle school, i asked a class of boys what their favorite season was. “summer,” they said. “why?” “because the girls wear short skirts in the summer.” i nodded.

indeed, korean girls wear the tiniest, most provocative skirts (and shorts) you’ve ever seen. nobody accuses these women of being whores. however (and this is a big however), if the girl wears jeans and a tank top, then she may hear a “slut” or two. the length of the bottom don’t matter; the more revealing the top, the sluttier you look. i think it is the opposite in the states. we usually think girls are slutty if their skirts or shorts are too skimpy, but tube tops are classy!

i think i read somewhere that traditionally, korean men have found womens’ bare shoulders incredibly erotic (i’m having tense issues with that sentence). thus, that idea has continued all these years. korean women wear t-shirts at the gym (i’ve yet to see plain and simple sports bras on korean ladies) and delicate, short-sleeved confections in the hot days of summer. rarely do i see off-the-shoulder or strappy tops. on the off chance that there is a korean girl walking down the street in a tank top, no doubt there will be dozens of pairs of eyes staring at her accusingly from behind, following her whoredom.

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