Articles by mgedwards

Dinner and a subway ride

I went out solo tonight for a rare night alone.  I met up with a fellow UW MBA alumnus tonight near Gangnam Station for dinner at Platinum Micro Brewery, a local brew pub.  It’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other.  I chose the place based on an online recommendation.  I wanted to find a place that brews its own beer, and Platinum turned out to be a winner.  I’m not too fond of Korea’s three major macro brews, OB, Hite, and Cass, but Platinum’s beer is outstanding.  The brew pub offers an all-you-can-eat buffet and all-you-can-drink beer from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each weeknight (yes, the beer tap shuts off at 8:30 p.m.  No sneaking extra pints).  The Western-style cuisine was delicious, and the beer was great.  I tried a cream stout and a sweet Belgian-style weiss bier.  Platinum does as good a job crafting beers as any brew pub microbrew I’ve tasted.  The place seems to be very popular with the college-age crowd.  Two others were supposed to join us tonight, but they had other commitments.  Still, my friend and I had a good time catching up.  The area near Gangnam Station was filled with activity, despite the fact that I visited it on a Tuesday night.  People there dressed up in suits and beautiful dresses, indicating that it is a slightly upscale part of town, albeit not as trendy as Myeongdong.

I went from work to Gangnam Station by subway.  I noticed a couple of oddities in the Seoul subway.  For one, peddlers love to hock their wares on subway trains.  Tonight a gentleman stopped next to me in the middle of the train car and began crying out about how good his product was to the passengers.  I think it was an exercise accessory, but I’m not sure.  In the past on the subway I’ve seen vendors sell key chain flashlights.  Based on the vendor’s claim, his product is the best on the market and could be purchased for a limited time on the subway for only 5,000 won (about $5).  I also noticed that many subway passengers play video games on their cell phones.  Korea is on the cutting edge of cellular technology, although I have yet to see it for myself (I have an old, cheap cell phone).  The screens are small, but on the subway simple strategy games seem to be a great way to break the monotony of the ride.  As usual, I did not see a single foreigner riding the subway.  It seems that foreigners living in Seoul may be too dependent on other means of transportation.

An intriguing day

The mood in downtown Seoul today was a bit more animated than usual as Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met with Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at the Blue House, Korea’s presidential residence.  The two leaders met to address issues that have recently hurt Korean and Japanese relations.  These include the Dokdos, a pair of islands claimed by both Korea and Japan, and Koizumi’s visits to the Yakusuni Shrine in Japan, viewed by many Koreans as a symbol of Japan’s imperialistic past.  The meeting today created quite a buzz downtown.  Many more policemen than usual patrolled the streets in riot gear, and far more military buses were parked along Sejong-no, the main north-south arterial in downtown Seoul.  I did not see many protesters in the streets today.  It seems that the City of Seoul overestimated the number of protesters who might take to the street to protest Koizumi’s visit.  Traffic was also heavier than usual as a result of the activity on the streets today.

I met an interesting visitor at work today.  Bruce Williams is an American nationally syndicated talk show host and columnist.  A veteran of the Korean War, he was in town to look for a college he protected during the war.  He couldn’t remember much about the school.  My Korean colleagues and I did some sleuthing and found the school he sought.  It took us awhile, and he left before we could tell him about the school.  However, I will contact him tomorrow and let him know.  I’ve seen a few Korean celebrities stop by at work, but this is the first American personality I’ve met here.  I can’t say that I know him well, but he sounds vaguely familiar.  He said that he was on one of the AM stations I used to listen to in Seattle.  He might just say a few kind words about me on his show because I helped him out.  No matter what, it’s a nice change from the kinds of American cases I’ve seen lately.  He’s also the most famous American I’ve met here since I met Henry Kissinger a couple months ago.  That’s pretty elite company.

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish every father a Happy Father’s Day.  To me, Father’s Day always used to mean buying something for my dad.  Now, with my son, it’s a day I can pat myself on the back for a job well done.  I told my son he didn’t need to buy me anything (he didn’t; of course, he’s only two years old).  Personally, the best present he could give his parents would be a full night’s sleep.  One of these days, I’m sure he will!  I called home today to wish dad a Happy Father’s Day.  Yesterday, my family went out with some friends to the Westin Chosun Hotel (next to Seoul City Hall) for brunch.  The brunch was delicious, and my son was well behaved throughout the meal.  The Westin Chosun, built in 1914, is the oldest Korean hotel still in operation.  The five-star hotel wraps itself halfway around a gorgeous pagoda.  It is a favorite locale for wedding banquets, particularly among Seoul’s well-to-do.  We also did some shopping at Myongdong, a trendy shopping district just east of the Westin Chosun.  My wife bought me a beautiful scarlet Nina Ricci necktie at Lotte Department Store for Father’s Day.  I also replaced the battery on my best watch.  It hasn’t worked since I arrived in Seoul, but now I can wear it for the big Fourth of July event in just a few weeks.

Yesterday evening, I picked up an intern who arrived in Seoul to work with me over the summer.  He arrived with his wife.  A student at Brigham Young University and a member of the Mormon Church, he previously did his Mission in Korea and speaks some Korean (better than me, I’m sure).  I picked them up and brought them over to a colleague’s house for a barbeque.  This time I did not assume grilling duties.  Instead, I introduced the new arrivals to some of our colleagues and mingled for awhile.  Afterwards, I drove them to their new abode and helped them settle in.  This morning, I went to the store and bought them a few food items to tide them over this weekend.  When I brought the items over to their house, I was surprised to find that they had left for church.  They’ve been in Korea for less than a day.  Wow, that’s dedication.