#8. Cafe Seoul, Pyeongyang Style!

Sorry this post has taken so long to go up! But... I've been having a serious case of writer's block in light of today's topic. About two weeks ago, every headline on each major broadcast station was about North Korea threatening to declare war on the South and American islands... But now, the news have died down and once a while there are blips on the radar regarding this topic, but nothing to worry about now! The value of the Korean won is improving, so those who are travelling to South Korea soon, quick go change your currency!

Anyway, it makes me sick writing about North Korea because of the horrible amount of unbelievable things that go on within the hermit kingdom. In that place, people are starving that reports of cannibalism happen, malnutrition, torture and public executions are considered normal and well apparently, Kim Jong Un(stable) is regarded like a god. Despite it being called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), democracy does not exist in that place. It's cold, dark and sad.

North Koreans must abide by one of 28 approved haircuts. Unmarried women must have short hair, but married woman have many more options. The hair of young men should be less than 2 inches long, older men can go as long as 2¾ , according to a Taiwanese website WantChinaTimes. Don't know how accurate that information is, but I wouldn't be surprised. I remember once watching on E! Entertainment that one of the biggest spenders on Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy products is actually North Korea. It was mostly on alcohol. Also, the presidential family had a penchant for Rolls Royce.

If in any way you are offended by the jokes made in this episode, it is totally understandable. More people should be more aware of the repulsive situation in North Korea, and even though very little can be done about it, things can still be done. A quick search on Google will bring up organizations that you can join to help people who want to escape the horrible regime. Also, it makes me very thankful to be born in a country where it is quite safe, that I know that I wouldn't have someone hiding in the stair well with a syringe and demanding me to give him all my money. (Hell, I had that experience in Melbourne and it was NOT COOL.)

Anyhow, I didn't quite like this episode... it wasn't really very funny and the topic was just... ugh. But what I really did like was... The Boy's Talk segment that comes right after Girls' Talk. HAHAHA, it cracked me up. And I do have to commend one of the guys, Eugene for his French accent. I thought his French accent was funnier than the entire podcast so... Good job Eugene! Till the next episode of Cafe Seoul, I'm signing out!


Also don't forget to tune in to Cafe Seoul here every bi-weekly Thursday for your latest instalment of Cafe Seoul coming out 2 May at 6pm (KST)!

Behind the Scenes!

Here's Christine, Michael and Eugene of the Cafe Seoul crew working on their new episode to be released on the podcast website, next Thursday at 6pm (KST!) Remember to tune in and also Like us on our Facebook page!

#7. Night on the Town

PUTCHYUR HANDS UP, PUTCHYUR HANDS UP!

PU-PU-PU-PU-PU PUTCHYUR HANDS UP AND GETCHUR DRINKS UP!

Holla up all ma party people in da house y'all! This episode of Cafe Seoul takes us on a night out in Seoul; after all it is the Land of the Morning Calm and night not calm at all. But before you head out for a crazy night, girls - please be aware of the new (and stupid) "overexposure law" that came about 22 March 2013. People deemed "overexposed" in public will be slapped with a KRW 50,000 fine. Honestly, how stupid is that? I question the train of thought behind approving this law. My first thought was to reduce the amount of sexual harrassment cases in clubs and watering holes in Seoul but seriously, if you want to do that, you should be educating the general public instead of dictating how long a girl's skirt should be. A gentleman will be a gentleman no matter the length of a woman's skirt. Yeah, he's a guy, he has needs, I'm sure his head would make a straight dive for the gutter but at least he keeps it contained and that is fair enough.

Also, in recent times, social stigma dictates that for a girl to be considered pretty or attractive, she NEEDS to be skinny. Revealing long legs are also recommended. I'm all for it that if you've got the body, FLAUNT IT but people need to remember that not everyone looks like a Girls Generation member. How many girl groups are covered up these days? Erm... I can't think of any.


Girl band S.E.S in 1998

Girls Generation, almost 10 years later in 2009
or a more recent one would be Sistar.


If this is how you are going to be deemed attractive, what's the point of imposing a short skirt fine when most, if not all girls want to be attractive?

Okay that aside, this episode of Kimchi Kim being confronted by his friends for ditching his friends for his girl. What happens to the Spicy Trinity now? Tune in to find out! This episode, talks about Itaewon again, after all it is a place of clubs and bars and where all the foreigners always hang out. Yes, I did have some horrible experiences but I don't think that would deter me from going back to want to go back and check out the other stuff. Another place to check out for a night out would be Hongdae; clubs also dot the area which many youngsters flock to. Personally, I've had the first experience at a club called V-Hall in Hongdae and it was... okay I guess. However, the music could have been a lot better, after a while it got monotonous and it became a dull thumping drone in the background. Also, what caught my eye was the girls on the poles at the podium. Only in Korea do you see a girl, grinding a pole AND texting AT THE SAME TIME. I was quite amused at that. Apart from that, we took shots in the SUPER SQUEEZY VIP room and... everything else was pretty much the same to other clubs I've been to in Malaysia and Singapore. My best night out with drinks so far is undoubtedly, in Hong Kong. Super view, set atop 118 floors, looking over Victoria Harbour. I'm sure Seoul has super spots that I haven't discovered yet... Which I hope I will in July!

This episode, there is a little segment right at the end where the Cafe Seoul crew chat a little about their best nights in Seoul. I think this is a good addition to the podcast! Before that it was a little inclusion of recording bloopers, but this raw and unedited segment is good! I feel that it lets listeners get to know the crew in a less formal way as compared to when they are on the 1x1 interview. Yay! If you're a listener in Seoul, or anywhere else around the world, describe to us your best night out, we would definitely like to hear from you and get to know our listeners better! You can leave a comment below to share with us your good memories! Or if you have feedback you can email us at cafeseoulpodcast@gmail.com! Thank you for the support thus far!


Also don't forget to tune in to Cafe Seoul here every bi-weekly Thursday for your latest instalment of Cafe Seoul coming out 18 April at 6pm (KST)!