But don't panic, I haven't tempted fate with my previous post
about how safe I feel in Korea... this was Seoul Subway style!
As the doors opened at a station about 1/2 way through my journey and people started to leave the carriage, I felt a tugging on my shoulder, I suddenly realised that my (must have) 'Man bag' was now at full strap length away from me, entwined amongst the throng in their rush to depart the train, I tugged once, resistance I felt like a salmon fisherman with the days first catch, I NEEDED to reel in this catch!
The drama was over in a few seconds as my prize came hurtling back to me as the crowd erupted from the bottle neck and sprayed out onto the platform.
The drama was over in a few seconds as my prize came hurtling back to me as the crowd erupted from the bottle neck and sprayed out onto the platform.
- Okay, so this is way over the top and not really an event worth writing a post about... however it provides me with an opportunity to write about subway travel in Korea and the way people behave without having to start with a complaint (see - method in the madness)
I remember my first experience during a visit to Seoul in 2002, there were fewer foreigners then and particularly children were unused to seeing foreigners, no one looked you in the eye (I remember this was a big thing in Korean guide books - "Don't try to make eye contact!") and people generally stayed out of your way... except in 2 scenarios -
'In RUSH HOUR' or 'Are AJUMMA' (What is an Ajumma? [1] Urban dictionary,[2] Wikipedia).
Rush hour in Seoul is something I avoid if I can - I am lucky enough to live and work at the far end of the Bundang line, where things are much quieter. But I have been in the Rush hour commute enough times to have experienced it in all its Pushing and toe stamping glory.
When you are still in shock at the amount of people who just squeezed into the already full carriage some one will surge forward with arms outstretched and actually push everyone further into the carriage... and more people get on! A friend told me that they were "push-men" and that was their job, but I have never worked out if that is an actual paid job or just a role that experienced commuters who temporarily take up the position and get from A to B quicker as their payment.
The second scenario was 'Are AJUMMA' - if you clicked the links above you know already know tat this is Korea's 3rd gender. If you didn't, then you are probably just as confused, and I am disappointed in you and you should stop being so lazy and go and click on them now...
So Ajumma are very scary, I have seen two elderly Ajumma enter the carriage from opposite ends simultaneously spot an empty seat (they have evolved to have extra senses too) glance once at each other before breaking into a sprint towards the empty seat pushing everyone out of their way in a fight almost to the death for that empty seat, in this instance the loser laughed at her failure and procede to the next carriage.
Ruthless, determined, aggressive, fearless the Ajumma will spend their time between prowling the subway for empty seats, looking for High school girls to chastise for daring to hold hands or exhibit any form of public affection, or the length of a their skirt, for someone to comment about the extra weight they are carrying, even though they themselves maybe less than perfect. They will also demand your age, nationality (if you look foreign) occupation, and other personal pieces of information with out an introduction, if you don't answer they will state their own assumptions.
I have been pushed, elbowed, body slammed with backpacks, poked in the back... I could go on!
I constantly have to make excuses to myself, that in Korea this is not considered rude... but I don't think there is any truth in it... it is rude... but this is Korea and after a while in your own albeit more subtle and hopefully more polite way you do as they do and keep your head down and get through the commute!
The second scenario was 'Are AJUMMA' - if you clicked the links above you know already know tat this is Korea's 3rd gender. If you didn't, then you are probably just as confused, and I am disappointed in you and you should stop being so lazy and go and click on them now...
So Ajumma are very scary, I have seen two elderly Ajumma enter the carriage from opposite ends simultaneously spot an empty seat (they have evolved to have extra senses too) glance once at each other before breaking into a sprint towards the empty seat pushing everyone out of their way in a fight almost to the death for that empty seat, in this instance the loser laughed at her failure and procede to the next carriage.
Ruthless, determined, aggressive, fearless the Ajumma will spend their time between prowling the subway for empty seats, looking for High school girls to chastise for daring to hold hands or exhibit any form of public affection, or the length of a their skirt, for someone to comment about the extra weight they are carrying, even though they themselves maybe less than perfect. They will also demand your age, nationality (if you look foreign) occupation, and other personal pieces of information with out an introduction, if you don't answer they will state their own assumptions.
I have been pushed, elbowed, body slammed with backpacks, poked in the back... I could go on!
I constantly have to make excuses to myself, that in Korea this is not considered rude... but I don't think there is any truth in it... it is rude... but this is Korea and after a while in your own albeit more subtle and hopefully more polite way you do as they do and keep your head down and get through the commute!
