Korea - a Country once I hate

Why would like to talk about Korea? Just because that I H.A.T.E this country.... No, no... not really, it's all because that I had recently visited it. Although just a short, short trip, but full of meaning in myself.

I always have a mixed feeling towards Korea. First heard about this country was back to 1988 Seoul Olympic Game. Still remember the Korean Tiger as the mascot and the chorus of the Official Song "Hand-in-Hand". We used to sing the song quite a number of times during our primary school. But I really hate this country at first. Why? Just because almost all the football (soccer) competitions, especially World Cup and Olympic, Malaysia would be drawed together with Korea. Have a guess. Yes !!! Malaysia got beaten no matter at home or away. But I just cannot believe that the Korea hockey team is superior to ours. And they just started to play this game before the Seoul Olympic Game. We have a longer history in this game than them, same to our soccer team. I just wonder why? I have to accept that they pick up things much faster than us !!!!

My very first Korean movie entiled "My Sassy Girl" starred by Jeon Ji-Hyun totally changed my perception towards Korea. Hi..hi... I started to fall in love with "Jeon". Kidding...... Once I started to watch more Korean movies, I learn more about their cultures. A successful cultural export by Korea!! Anyways, thanks to my housemate who is an out and out Korean movies fan. But he was too busy then, so he just can enjoy buying those movies rather than watching them. So I have to offer myself ;) Always heard ppls said that Korea is good in technology. Samsung Mobile, Samsung Memory Cards, Kia Motor, Hyundai, and etc. seems so synonym to our lives nowadays.

All of a sudden, I got the opportunity to visit Korea last week. I have quite impressed with the working culture there once I visited the company and also my friend's university. Korea is able to achieve the success in terms of technology due to their HARD works, discipline and dedication. Ppls here, especially those in the research area, should not take things for granted. Go through the pain process and struggle for that !!!!

Much better talk about other things that I had there. Food, so what I have during my two days trip there. The very first taste of Korean food there was the famous snack called Tteokbokgi (Dokbokgi), a kind of Rice cake with sweet and spicy sauce during my way to Daejeon. Japenese like raw fishes in Korean style, called Hoe was my first official lunch. One person costs around USD 35. Wow !!! The dinner time, we had gone to a traditional Korean restaurant for the dish known as "Shabu Shabu". Oppsss, sorry I think that this is a Japanese name cause I have forgotten the Korean name, but anyway it looks like steamboat that we have in Malaysia. The next day's morning, I went to a small restaurant by myself having a big bowl Beef Rib Soup with lots of rice. Name ???!!!! Huh... no idea at all. Just point my finger on the menu. The 2nd lunch was in the food court in Tesco/Samsung Shopping Mall. Having a very traditional meal called Jjigae. Guess what the last meal in Korea. Hi...hi... Italian food !!! Ooopppss.... don't forget to mention that all the meals there come with Kimchi. During my short stay there, manage to drop by the "Guan Yin" temple in the mountain site also. Not seeing any temples in the city, mainly are churchs. That area is called "Natural Muzium" - direct translation from Mandarin.

Das ist alles!!