Life in Beverly Hills

Here is something I wrote shortly after moving to Seoul.

Before I came to Korea, I was told that the area I live in, Gangnam-Gu, is consided the Beverly Hills of Seoul.

Neat, but what that means to me is that everything costs a bit more and I walk past lots of luxury car dealerships on my way to work, including BMW, Infiniti and Maserati. There is also the occasional Ferarri or Lotus. Most of them park the very expensive cars on the very wide sidewalks, which are shared equally by pedestrians, bikes, scooters and cars. The same can be said of smaller streets actually, which makes walking around the neighborhood a challenge all by itself – although I actually find it fascinating to watch the dance of cars, scooters and pedestrians all moving together through the same space, with no real rules except to avoid hitting each other. I’ve gotten quite good at the art of walking while avoiding cars and darting scooters, but looking like I’m not even trying. Its kind of a fun skill to master actually (watch, I’ll probably get hit tomorrow just for saying that.)

But I digress.....living in the wealthy part of the city is somewhat less charming than it sounds, because traditional culture is not as prevalant, and I think I would prefer living somewhere less Westernized when it all comes down to it. And bottom line, my apartment is still mostly a dump, with bars on the window, yellowing wallpaper and smelly water. What I live in is pretty much the standard for middle class Koreans, so I don’t complain. Plus, I am told that its actually a very expensive place to live simply because of the area. Kind of like San Francisco! And besides, I am not paying the rent, so who gives a shit?

But a small 10 minute walk from my place you get things like this:



Is it a casino? A hotel? A theater? No, its a gas station. Really. Prestige Station, complete with Car Spa. So you can fill up on really expensive gas and feel like a star while you do it.





Here’s another funny thing:

One of the hottest fashion accessories in Seoul right now is a small dog. Shi-tzus, Chiuauas, Pomeranians, Yorkies, you name it. Alaskan Huskies are also popular, and something called a Jindoggae, which is the national dog of Korea. The dogs, of course, usually have their own little outfits and snazzy collars. There are whole stores that cater to this thing. Even better — some people dye their dogs’ tails and ears in bright colors to match their outfits. It's a riot. Some of them actually seem to feel embarrassed by it, but others really look right at home in a sweater. I think this particular dog really digs being fashionable.

What is most interesting about this is the drastic switch in status the dog has enjoyed in the past decades. Previously, dog was eaten by men and was believed to increase stamina. Now, the eating of dog is outlawed, although it does still happen, and no, I have not tried it yet. There are always dogs for sale in the markets, and its pretty much a toss up whether they will end up as pets or food. I know there are plenty of restaurants that serve dog soup, but you have to be “in the know” to find them.

More recently though, the dog has moved into the status of adored pet. There are actually several Dog Café’s, which literally, serve dogs. No, not Fettucini al Fido; they actually have items on the menu that you can order for your dog. In addition, the café has a dozen or so “resident dogs” that hang around and socialize with the customers. I’ve also heard Cat Cafe’s exist as well. I have yet to eat at one of these, but trust me, its high on my list of things to do. And I can’t help but think that if you could get it past the health department, places like this would be wildly popular in the US.

(I have been here for 5 months and have still not gone to the Dog Cafe, although I learned last night that its in my neighborhood. Maybe this week. And no dog soup yet either!)