Daily Dose of Kindness in South Korea

My mind was muddled with the lack of sleep that I could not grasp the easy user interface of the ticket vending machine for the all–stop train. After two failed attempts, a stranger using the machine next to mine, without my asking him to, helped me purchase a ticket.

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We found ourselves at the garden of a church while looking for our airbnb accommodation. In short, we were lost. We asked for directions from the first guy we saw. He wasn't familiar with the address, but he searched for it on his mobile, which took a good 10 minutes of his time.

In a subway in Seoul, my friend and I stood in front of a sign for several minutes trying to decide whether to go left or right. A kindly old stooped gentleman, sensing we were disoriented, stopped and spoke in Korean. Not a word in English, but we, somehow, understood him, and I told him which station we were going to. He gave us directions through hand gestures. And to make sure we understood, he repeated his action–instructions twice more.

— o —

At Gwangjang Market, we sat beside a man in a black bubble jacket. We asked him what was the best food and, because he could only speak English in bits and pieces, he answered by ordering bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) for us. Halfway through my bindaetteok, I looked over their plates and eyed green chili peppers stuffed with meat and vegetables (gochu jeon). My friend could not resist and asked if the green chili peppers were any good. We were to find out as man–in–black–bubble–jacket enthusiastically placed some of his gochu jeon on our plate. He also offered us makgeolli (a traditional rice liquor), but we declined.

At Gyeongju Express Terminal, I was glad to find a locker to leave our heavy bags in before we went to see Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto...but the locker had no English instructions, just Korean words and a tiny drawing. I asked the nearest person I saw—an elderly gentleman—how to use it. Though he couldn't speak English, he patiently taught us how to use the coin operated locker through actions.

We had dinner with SangCheol and SangCheol's friend, Ji In, who we just met that night. (Yong couldn't join us for dinner.) After dinner, because SangCheol was too drunk, he apologized that he could not drive us back to the hostel (nor drive himself home). Riding the subway was not a problem at all for us. While I fumbled with my wallet to buy subway tickets, Ji In had already beat us to it, buying two subway tickets for me and my friend.

ByeongUk had arrived the night before and it was he who came to pick us up at the hostel on our second and last day in Busan. SangCheol this time was riding shotgun. (Yong had apologized the day before that he could not meet us again the next day.) They took us to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple which was more than an hour's drive away.

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The day before, SangCheol had asked me what I wanted to eat for dinner. I said japchae (stir–fried glass noodles). It boggled his mind because japchae was just a side dish. He tried to think of a restaurant that had japchae but drew a blank. He asked his friends, but they, too, drew a blank. It gave him a headache. It was hilarious and embarrassing at the same time. But, the next day, after visiting Haedong Yonggunga Temple, he triumphantly gave directions to ByeongUk to a restaurant where he was sure had japchae. And there we ate a feast...which ByeongUk sneakily paid for.

I really did not expect SangCheol, Yong, and ByeongUk to shove their weekend out the window to chauffeur and show me around. Much less pay for everything.

To SangCheol, Yong, ByeongUk, Ji In, and all the random strangers who have helped me, I am grateful. My debt to you is too big and the words thank you too small.