The Americanization of Korea

Korea is, well, about as far from America as I can get on the globe. You'd think it would be pretty different, and yes, reading the rest of my blog, you'll find that many things are, in fact, different. But one thing that really weirds me out is that there is a lot that's the same...and it's normally not the good stuff.

Within walking distance right now there is: a McDonalds, a Popeye's Chicken, a Pizzahut, an Outback Steakhouse, a TGI Fridays, a Walmart, a YMCA, a Subway, and many many other little things. It's odd really.

The only one of the above restaurants that I've tried is the Subway. It's pretty much the same as back home, but there are differences. The pickles there are sweet pickles (as are all pickles in Korea, it seems), and they have way fewer toppings. I liked veggie subs back home; here, not so much.

But it's far from only food that's been Americanized here. Many signs are in English as well as Korean (but as I've said before, sometimes the two languages don't say the same thing). One of the weirder things is that some signs are in only English. Considering how few people speak English here, I don't see how this is a good business move.

Even when written in Korean, the language still barrows many English words. "Sports" is "Su-port." "Computer" is "Kom-pu-ta." "Video" is "Be-de-o." And so on. If it's a word that's been invented in the last couple decades (and even if it's not: "cup" is "cup") then chances are they've borrowed it from English. Socio-linguists will tell you, language means dominance. Creepy.

And then there's movies. And clothing. And cultural sayings. The list goes on.

Don't get me wrong: Korea isn't America--not by a long shot. But it is weird that there's so much America in Korea. And, as I've said, it's never the good stuff.

R