Korea Needs to Be Well Promoted Around World
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By Stuart McKain
When James Foster stepped off the plane at Incheon Airport, it was with a mix of trepidation and wonder at a nation he knew only from history books and two successfully-staged major sporting events.
It was shortly before Christmas and he'd been persuaded to visit by a family member, encouraged by the presence of ski resorts where he could take his snowboard and zip down a new set of runs.
Having never set foot in the Far East before ― with his only experience of Asia a trip to the Middle East ― he was not prepared for the acute sense of culture shock that would follow in the next few days.
James, a 32-year-old British construction company owner, got his first taste of things to come while passing through the immigration and customs. Tired from the journey, he thought he had lost the paperwork he had filled in on the plane on the way over to be handed over to customs and immigration officials in order to gain entry to the country.
After being given a new set, he started to fill out his information again, only to find the original copies tucked inside his passport, garnering an odd look from the customs official impatiently waiting. But to his surprise, what James described as what must have seemed like his own strange behavior didn't even warrant close scrutiny.
It was a day later, when going outside to grab breakfast, that a "brutal" contradiction, quite literally, almost knocked him off his feet.
"I was walking up the alleyway from the house", he said. "It's a narrow path and has a bend. I had my head down a little and the next thing I knew a guy on a scooter was coming hurtling towards me. It made me think, 'How come you can zip along a path on a motorbike and almost take out a pedestrian, but you can walk through the airport almost unnoticed?'"
But his experience of arriving during the holiday season has made it a particularly peculiar one, since he has never spent the period outside of his home country. But his time here has unveiled characteristics from which he believes he could learn. He has been struck by the friendliness of some Koreans and the strong sense of community among expatriates.
"On the subway, I couldn't help feeling like a leper, but then the Koreans I've met have been among the most hospitable of any people I've encountered in the world", said James. "Again, when I was at the ski slope, I seemed to be the only white person there and at one stage I had a group of kids running after me, pointing in my direction. They were laughing, though, and it was just a bit of fun really. My knowledge of Korea is limited to what I know of the Korean conflict and the continuing state of war between the North and the South. I wasn't even sure there were ski slopes here until my family member told me I could board while I was here. Korea's not very well promoted around the world. Coming here, I can see all signs of westernized development, but with a very definite Oriental twist. Some things just don't translate".
When James Foster stepped off the plane at Incheon Airport, it was with a mix of trepidation and wonder at a nation he knew only from history books and two successfully-staged major sporting events.
It was shortly before Christmas and he'd been persuaded to visit by a family member, encouraged by the presence of ski resorts where he could take his snowboard and zip down a new set of runs.
Having never set foot in the Far East before ― with his only experience of Asia a trip to the Middle East ― he was not prepared for the acute sense of culture shock that would follow in the next few days.
James, a 32-year-old British construction company owner, got his first taste of things to come while passing through the immigration and customs. Tired from the journey, he thought he had lost the paperwork he had filled in on the plane on the way over to be handed over to customs and immigration officials in order to gain entry to the country.
After being given a new set, he started to fill out his information again, only to find the original copies tucked inside his passport, garnering an odd look from the customs official impatiently waiting. But to his surprise, what James described as what must have seemed like his own strange behavior didn't even warrant close scrutiny.
It was a day later, when going outside to grab breakfast, that a "brutal" contradiction, quite literally, almost knocked him off his feet.
"I was walking up the alleyway from the house", he said. "It's a narrow path and has a bend. I had my head down a little and the next thing I knew a guy on a scooter was coming hurtling towards me. It made me think, 'How come you can zip along a path on a motorbike and almost take out a pedestrian, but you can walk through the airport almost unnoticed?'"
But his experience of arriving during the holiday season has made it a particularly peculiar one, since he has never spent the period outside of his home country. But his time here has unveiled characteristics from which he believes he could learn. He has been struck by the friendliness of some Koreans and the strong sense of community among expatriates.
"On the subway, I couldn't help feeling like a leper, but then the Koreans I've met have been among the most hospitable of any people I've encountered in the world", said James. "Again, when I was at the ski slope, I seemed to be the only white person there and at one stage I had a group of kids running after me, pointing in my direction. They were laughing, though, and it was just a bit of fun really. My knowledge of Korea is limited to what I know of the Korean conflict and the continuing state of war between the North and the South. I wasn't even sure there were ski slopes here until my family member told me I could board while I was here. Korea's not very well promoted around the world. Coming here, I can see all signs of westernized development, but with a very definite Oriental twist. Some things just don't translate".
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