Brilliant Korea: Emoticons

While regular text messages are pretty much the standard in America, just about everyone who lives in Korea uses a program called Kakao Talk instead of standard text messaging.  Kakao is an app that allows you to text/call others for free.  I've come to love Kakao for many reasons, especially since it allows me to text friends and family back home for no cost whatsoever.

However, I think besides the easy and free communication, the other reason I absolutely love Kakao is because of the plentiful EMOTICONS!

Yeah, iPhones have emojis, but emojis have NOTHING on Kakao's emoticons.  

Seriously, there are emoticons for any emotion you want to express.  Plus, companies often make emoticons that can be downloaded for short amounts of time (usually 45 days).  Of course, you can buy emoticons too, but it's totally not necessary because there are always tons you can get for free.

I have to admit, I didn't use emoticons at all for probably my first five months in Korea. However, my friend Jen basically started demanding that I download them, and now I'm so used to them that when I write something I automatically think of the perfect emoticon I can use to send along with my message.  Not to mention, when I use other messaging systems like facebook chat, I now often feel like I'm missing the Kakao emoticons (ok, maybe the whole emoticon obsession is becoming a bit unhealthy?) Needless to say, when I'm talking to the right people, sometimes conversations on Kakao can go a little something like this:

 

All in all, Kakao is absolutely my lifeline to my friends here in Korea. I don't even want to say how many texts I spend during the course of one day (I think this is just what happens when you can't communicate with your co-workers and you have a ton of time to just sit around at your desk). However, it's the little things that keep life interesting, and the little extra entertainment of new emoticons always helps break up the monotony of a day.  I can't help but wonder: how will I ever go back to boring imessaging?

Brilliant Korea: Cat Cafes

Before I came to Korea I spent a large amount of time reading blogs written by people in the EPIK program.  One wonderful thing I read about numerous times was the prevalence of cat and dog cafes.  These are cafes where you can go drink coffee and spend time with cats or dogs.  As an animal-lover, I knew that I definitely wanted to visit one of these wonderful cafes once I was in Korea.

Yesterday I went to Daegu with one of my Jeomchon friends, and as we were walking down one of the main streets, I noticed a sign for a cat cafe.  Although I'm sure we were on a totally different mission at the time, we decided that our other plans had to be put on hold because seeing some cats was WAY more important.

We paid 7,000 won (a little less then $7) to enter the cafe, and a drink was also included in that price.  Not bad if I do say so myself.

The cafe is full of cats who wander around or take naps anywhere they please (including on the tables).  The cats were very calm, and it was obvious that they're used to having people around constantly.  I enjoyed seeing the different breeds of cats--they were all beautiful.

This cat was my favorite! It loved to be held and was purring in our arms.  

Finding the cat cafe was a wonderful surprise for our Saturday afternoon.  One thing I hate about being in Korea is the lack of animal interaction that I get, and it was nice to have a way to somewhat fill that void.  I hope it won't be too long before I get some more animal time in my life! 

Brilliant Korea: Park Cameras and Photo Ops

Way back in January I was in Seoul visiting my friend Jackie.  We didn't really have any plans, so we decided to go to Lotte World, which contains a huge shopping complex and an amusement park. We didn't really go into the amusement park area, but we did walk around the adjacent park.  As we were walking around, we came upon some contraptions and Jackie told me they were for taking pictures.  I knew Koreans were fans of photo opportunities, but I had never seen anything like this before.  Basically, there's a camera and you can not only take your picture, but then have it sent to yourself by entering in your e-mail.  Now, I was expecting to have to pay for this, but it was FREE!

Although the quality of the photos isn't the best, I still think it's a great idea nonetheless. I'm a photo-lover, so I appreciate anything that makes capturing memories a little easier.

Our first picture

Take 2! The quality's not that great, but hey, it's free!

After you snap the picture you just enter your e-mail and it gets sent to you!

Lotte World...look familiar?

Brilliant Korea: Waiter Buttons

So I reailzed that I've been really slacking on keeping track of all the brilliant things Korea has to offer.  So my friends, here is one of my favorite things about eating in Korea.  I hereby present to you: waiter buttons.



I'm not sure these buttons actually have a proper name, but I have heard them called "jeogiyo" buttons as well.  "Jeogiyo" is the word that you usually yell out if you need to get the attention of the waiter/waitress, but usually with the help of these little buttons, you don't have to say anything.

If you need anything while you're eating at a restaurant, all you have to do is press this button and it alerts your waiter/waitress.  If you don't press it, they don't come over.  Yes, that's right, you don't have to have to deal with the whole awkward "Are you ready to order? How is your food?  Can I get you anything" visits from your waiter while you eat.  Ready to order?  Press the button.  Need more beer?  Press the button.

Awesome, right?  The first time I saw this way back at orientation I couldn't believe we don't have this in America.  I mean, come on, people! So simple, but so brilliant.

Brilliant Korea: Refrigerated Cup Holders

I was pretty hungry when I got to Seoul this past weekend, so we decided to stop for some chicken and beer (which is a surprisingly popular combination in Korea).  Anyway, the place we were at had one of the best inventions ever.  Above you can see a picture of my beer in what is a cup holder built into the table.  Now, don't be fooled--it's not just an ordinary cup holder.  This particular cup holder can be turned on with a switch, at which point it becomes really cold and acts as a refrigerator for your beer.  And just like that, your beer stays cold until the very end.

If that isn't brilliant, I don't know what is.  Well done, Korea.

Brilliant Korea: No Keys, No Problem!

At the entrance to my apartment

Keypad on my apartment door

When I was a sophomore in college, I lived in a dorm that used passcodes instead of keys for our rooms.  It was GREAT! Every other year I had key locks to my rooms, which meant that at least once during every year I locked myself out.  It always seemed to happen at the most inconvenient times--when I was in a rush to get to class, when I had plans to meet someone, or there was also that time I had just gotten out of the shower...and then realized the door was locked.  

Well, when I arrived in Korea, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the doors to our rooms during orientation also used pass codes instead of locks.  

I was even happier when I arrived at my apartment and saw that not only the entrance to the building used a code, but my apartment door also uses a code. No keys! Woohoo!  

Sure, code locks have disadvantages (in college it was terrible when a person's roommate would give their combo to someone else....), but I'm enjoying knowing that I can't lock myself out.

Yay, Korea! 

UPDATE:  I left for three days and nearly forgot my combo to my apartment..........but still not going to change my opinion of the key pads just yet.

Brilliant Korea Presents: Banana Milk

As I keep this blog, I want to keep track of all of the wonderful little things about living in Korea.  They're the simple things that make me think, "Hey, why don't we have this in the US?"

This, my friends, is banana milk.



I first bad banana milk on the day I met my co-teacher.  On our ride from Gumi to Jeomchon, we stopped at a rest area and while I insisted I didn't need anything, my co-teacher wasn't going to let me get away with getting nothing. She grabbed some banana milk and a bag of Snickers for me, and we were on our way.

Now, I am not a milk lover by any means.  As in, I avoid drinking milk at any cost.  However, I love bananas, and this is delicious.

I have no idea if there is actually real milk in banana milk. I also don't know how loaded with other sorts of crap it is (one of the good/bad things about being in Korea is that I can't read the nutrition facts on labels).  However, I really don't care because banana milk is a total win.

Nice work, Korea.