An Angry Man in the Land of the Morning Calm

Been awhile since I last updated, I’m busy and lazy, but I have a few posts ready to go.

I’ve been spending a lot of time lifting weights at the gym.  It’s a thoroughly awkward experience.  Combined with my general lack of knowledge on proper form and what all the equipment actually is or does, with being the only white guy in the shower (korean guys are not shy about staring, or asking questions 0_o), its yet another unique experience I never thought I’d have.

Yesterday, I was running on the “walking machine” (koreans don’t run on treadmills, just walk), when one of the trainers at the gym (really nice guy, decent english) comes up to me, and says, with a friendly smile, as if he was commenting on the weather, “Fuck the police”.  I just kind of stared at him; I’ve been in Korea for 5 months now, so this wasn’t nearly as surprising at it would have been 5 months ago.  Truth be told, I’m used to 12 year old girls quoting offensive phrases to me with big grins.

Not surprised, I was still at a loss on how you properly respond to a phrase like that.  I guess the look on my face told him I wasn’t understand, so he said it again.  I narrow my eyes in concentration, and ask what I think was a fair question.  “What?”  He points at the radio, blaring terrible rap (after this song, “Close to you” by olivia newton john came on, the music mix at gyms is completely random and spread across three languages), and says it again.  I’m still not getting it, pointing at the speaker just confused me more.  Then he says its the name of the song.  I hadn’t heard that particular piece before, but it was gangsta rap, so it all snapped together for me there.

I asked him if he knew what that meant, and of course, he didn’t.  I merely asked him that should he ever find himself in America, not to use that particular phrase.