I first went to Korea over 10 years prior at the welcome of the Korean government. It was one approach to see the nation: state visitor, manage, translator, limo with driver, gatherings with senior authorities and formal meals in favor eateries. In spite of the fact that I about-faced a couple of years after the fact for a gathering, it was the principal trip that stayed engraved in my psyche. I had been to Japan recently before I went to Korea and a portion of the likenesses between the two nations struck me as intriguing.
At that point, a year or so back, my companion Vikram Doraswami turned into India's Ambassador to Korea and demanded I visit Seoul once more. Vikram gave my name to the tireless Choi Jung Hwa who runs Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), which holds a yearly summit at which around 30 individuals from around the globe are welcome to assemble in Seoul, see the sights, eat the nourishment and talk about Korea's place on the planet.
The agents are dependably a blended cluster keeping in mind a few nations send fascinating individuals, the representation from others is, well, not unpleasantly abnormal state or intriguing. Vikram trusted that it was the ideal opportunity for India to up its amusement and recommended to CICI that they welcome me. (Despite the fact that on what grounds he trusted that I was fit the bill to speak to India remains a secret.)
However, I am happy he did as such. This was the principal trip where I got a genuine feeling of Korea and comprehended a tad bit of what this exceptionally complex society resemble. That is additionally because of Choi Jung Hwa who composed a magnificent, if to some degree depleting, program for agents and to my old buddy Tony Spaeth, who I know from his time in India for The Wall Street Journal and Time and who now alters a daily paper in Seoul. Tony is a witty and sharp spectator of Korean culture. Furthermore, obviously to Vikram and his better half Sangeeta who were sufficiently thoughtful to invest hours demonstrating me sides of Seoul that an easygoing guest may not generally observe.
By some occurrence, I went to Seoul a couple of months after I had been to Japan and was, at the end of the day, struck by the similitudes. For instance, Koreans resemble the Japanese in their worry with appearance. No Japanese individual you see in the city of Tokyo will ever be severely dressed. The Koreans are that way however they take it to extremes that I didn't see in Japan.
A client tries out a lipstick at a makeup shop in Seoul. Korea's excellence convention is currently so world-renowned that corrective shops in Seoul are thronged with clients. (Getty Images)
In the first place, there's the fixation on skincare. Such Japanese corrective mammoths as Shiseido have taken Japan's make-up and excellence strategies around the globe. In any case, they don't have anything on Korean brands. Korea's excellence convention is presently so world-celebrated that corrective shops in Seoul are thronged with outside clients. There's even a name: K-Beauty – similarly as K-Pop alludes to Korean popular music.
Over 10 years prior, a Korean organization imagined Cushion Foundation, in which the minimal comprises of a pad of wipe doused with establishment. That item has now been duplicated everywhere throughout the world, since Korean lady have – or seem to have – perfect skin.
Be that as it may, it's not only the ladies. There's an entire subculture in Korea of supposed "Prepping Men" who are make-up fixated metrosexuals (i.e. straight men who like girlie things). They trim their eyebrows, wear eyeshadow and shape their noses. There are make-up lines coordinated at men and it is not viewed as bizarre for folks to wax their legs on the off chance that they need to wear shorts in summer.
While "Prepping Men" have a tendency to be generally youthful, their magnificence regimen is dealt with as basic for all occupation seekers. At the point when men go to business interviews, they for the most part wear make-up. As per my entertainer in Korea, Choi Jung Hwa, "base cosmetics is basic for a decent initial introduction at prospective employee meetings".
In the event that you have an imperfection or a spot all over, you may not land the position. So men wear establishment, eyeliner and a lip ointment with a matte surface so that their lips don't appear to be dry.
Yes. It's all valid. I kid you not.
A 'chocolate abs', or the Korean men's term for stomach muscles as level as a chocolate bar (AFP)
It's not only the face. The body is as critical. There are couple of paunchy folks in Korea. They all work out to get 'chocolate abs', their term for abs that are as level as a chocolate bar. The ladies eating routine and work out to keep their weight underneath 45 kg and dream of being Korean size 44 – which is US estimate 2, or a UK measure XS. Ladies who are a size S trust that they are excessively fat.
You can think about what comes next: Korea is number one on the planet for individuals who experience plastic surgery. In the in vogue Gangnam locale, made well known by the melody, corrective surgery centers are all over the place. There is no tact required: they set up gigantic neon signs.
At that point, there's the nourishment. For the Japanese, nourishment resemble a religion and the scan for nirvana is endless. The Koreans are somewhat less over the top than the Japanese however the nourishment is marvelous. Tony took me to Poom, one of Seoul's best present day Korean spots. Furthermore, however the sustenance may not be for everybody (Baby Octopus, served crude with cuts of crisp pear is a normal dish) there are irrefutable parallels with cutting edge Japanese.
The Japanese have Wagyu meat from different areas which is prized everywhere throughout the world. The Koreans have Hanwoo hamburger which they guarantee has comparative marbling to Japanese Wagyu.
I presume Hanwoo is really a greater arrangement in Korea than Wagyu is in Japan in light of the fact that the most mainstream sort of Korean eatery is the grill put. Furthermore, top of the line eateries will constantly offer Hanwoo.
Indeed, even the lodging sustenance is incredible. I remained at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul which has the Paris Grill, a cousin of the world-celebrated New York Grill at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. The Paris Grill is not as marvelous as its Tokyo cousin but rather the sustenance was exceptional with steaks from everywhere throughout the world and a sommelier who sorted out an impeccable blending.
Korea is amidst a gigantic nourishment blast. Television slots are loaded with "cookbang" appears (a made-up word that joins cook with "bangsong", the Korean word for broadcasting). There are additionally "meokbeng" appears (don't ask!) which are famous on internet broadcasting media. Some "meokbeng' demonstrates include delightful and thin (this is Korea, all things considered) female grapples who are called BJs (short for Broadcast Jockeys, on the off chance that you pondered). The BJs devour revolting amounts of sustenance on camera yet at the same time remain thin. (No, I don't know how they do it. In the event that I did, I would take after their procedures!)
A case of K-Beauty at work (AFP)
There are numerous different parallels with Japan. There's the gadgets business (which has very surpassed Japan's own), an image of national pride. I was in Seoul when the primary Galaxy 7 detonated (or possibly, when the news first hit the papers) and there was the feeling that a national disaster had struck… Samsung is to Korea what Sony used to be to Japan in the 1980s and the Koreans are phenomenally pleased with its prosperity.
The Koreans have their own Sakura celebration however I'm somewhat astounded by this. The first occasion when I was there, the cherry blooms were sprouting and no one appeared to make a lot of it. Presently, however the Korean Sakura season offers a moderate contrasting option to the Japanese rendition.
There is likewise a similar blend of convention and advancement that you find in Japan. Despite the fact that the nation has yet to hurl an Issey Miyake or a Yohji Yamamoto, I envision it is just a short time before this happens in light of the fact that Korea is a form fixated society. A standout amongst the most striking structures I found in Seoul this time was the Dongdaemun Design Plaza composed by Zaha Hadid, which resembles a spaceship from the outside and is loaded with form and configuration slows down inside.
In any case, there is one thing that the Japanese don't do well and which the Korean exceed expectations at: treat. Korea has more pastry/pudding eateries than some other city on the planet. Practically no matter what, they are brilliant.
On my last night in Seoul, Vikram took me to a shocking spot with frozen yogurt, cakes, pies, macaroons and a delectable pudding. I made an entire pig of myself and the following day, as I took off to Incheon Airport, my last memory of Korea was much, much sweeter than I had ever thought it would be.
From HT Brunch, November 20, 2016
Tail us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Interface with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
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At that point, a year or so back, my companion Vikram Doraswami turned into India's Ambassador to Korea and demanded I visit Seoul once more. Vikram gave my name to the tireless Choi Jung Hwa who runs Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), which holds a yearly summit at which around 30 individuals from around the globe are welcome to assemble in Seoul, see the sights, eat the nourishment and talk about Korea's place on the planet.
The agents are dependably a blended cluster keeping in mind a few nations send fascinating individuals, the representation from others is, well, not unpleasantly abnormal state or intriguing. Vikram trusted that it was the ideal opportunity for India to up its amusement and recommended to CICI that they welcome me. (Despite the fact that on what grounds he trusted that I was fit the bill to speak to India remains a secret.)
However, I am happy he did as such. This was the principal trip where I got a genuine feeling of Korea and comprehended a tad bit of what this exceptionally complex society resemble. That is additionally because of Choi Jung Hwa who composed a magnificent, if to some degree depleting, program for agents and to my old buddy Tony Spaeth, who I know from his time in India for The Wall Street Journal and Time and who now alters a daily paper in Seoul. Tony is a witty and sharp spectator of Korean culture. Furthermore, obviously to Vikram and his better half Sangeeta who were sufficiently thoughtful to invest hours demonstrating me sides of Seoul that an easygoing guest may not generally observe.
By some occurrence, I went to Seoul a couple of months after I had been to Japan and was, at the end of the day, struck by the similitudes. For instance, Koreans resemble the Japanese in their worry with appearance. No Japanese individual you see in the city of Tokyo will ever be severely dressed. The Koreans are that way however they take it to extremes that I didn't see in Japan.
A client tries out a lipstick at a makeup shop in Seoul. Korea's excellence convention is currently so world-renowned that corrective shops in Seoul are thronged with clients. (Getty Images)
In the first place, there's the fixation on skincare. Such Japanese corrective mammoths as Shiseido have taken Japan's make-up and excellence strategies around the globe. In any case, they don't have anything on Korean brands. Korea's excellence convention is presently so world-celebrated that corrective shops in Seoul are thronged with outside clients. There's even a name: K-Beauty – similarly as K-Pop alludes to Korean popular music.
Over 10 years prior, a Korean organization imagined Cushion Foundation, in which the minimal comprises of a pad of wipe doused with establishment. That item has now been duplicated everywhere throughout the world, since Korean lady have – or seem to have – perfect skin.
Be that as it may, it's not only the ladies. There's an entire subculture in Korea of supposed "Prepping Men" who are make-up fixated metrosexuals (i.e. straight men who like girlie things). They trim their eyebrows, wear eyeshadow and shape their noses. There are make-up lines coordinated at men and it is not viewed as bizarre for folks to wax their legs on the off chance that they need to wear shorts in summer.
While "Prepping Men" have a tendency to be generally youthful, their magnificence regimen is dealt with as basic for all occupation seekers. At the point when men go to business interviews, they for the most part wear make-up. As per my entertainer in Korea, Choi Jung Hwa, "base cosmetics is basic for a decent initial introduction at prospective employee meetings".
In the event that you have an imperfection or a spot all over, you may not land the position. So men wear establishment, eyeliner and a lip ointment with a matte surface so that their lips don't appear to be dry.
Yes. It's all valid. I kid you not.
A 'chocolate abs', or the Korean men's term for stomach muscles as level as a chocolate bar (AFP)
It's not only the face. The body is as critical. There are couple of paunchy folks in Korea. They all work out to get 'chocolate abs', their term for abs that are as level as a chocolate bar. The ladies eating routine and work out to keep their weight underneath 45 kg and dream of being Korean size 44 – which is US estimate 2, or a UK measure XS. Ladies who are a size S trust that they are excessively fat.
You can think about what comes next: Korea is number one on the planet for individuals who experience plastic surgery. In the in vogue Gangnam locale, made well known by the melody, corrective surgery centers are all over the place. There is no tact required: they set up gigantic neon signs.
At that point, there's the nourishment. For the Japanese, nourishment resemble a religion and the scan for nirvana is endless. The Koreans are somewhat less over the top than the Japanese however the nourishment is marvelous. Tony took me to Poom, one of Seoul's best present day Korean spots. Furthermore, however the sustenance may not be for everybody (Baby Octopus, served crude with cuts of crisp pear is a normal dish) there are irrefutable parallels with cutting edge Japanese.
The Japanese have Wagyu meat from different areas which is prized everywhere throughout the world. The Koreans have Hanwoo hamburger which they guarantee has comparative marbling to Japanese Wagyu.
I presume Hanwoo is really a greater arrangement in Korea than Wagyu is in Japan in light of the fact that the most mainstream sort of Korean eatery is the grill put. Furthermore, top of the line eateries will constantly offer Hanwoo.
Indeed, even the lodging sustenance is incredible. I remained at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul which has the Paris Grill, a cousin of the world-celebrated New York Grill at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. The Paris Grill is not as marvelous as its Tokyo cousin but rather the sustenance was exceptional with steaks from everywhere throughout the world and a sommelier who sorted out an impeccable blending.
Korea is amidst a gigantic nourishment blast. Television slots are loaded with "cookbang" appears (a made-up word that joins cook with "bangsong", the Korean word for broadcasting). There are additionally "meokbeng" appears (don't ask!) which are famous on internet broadcasting media. Some "meokbeng' demonstrates include delightful and thin (this is Korea, all things considered) female grapples who are called BJs (short for Broadcast Jockeys, on the off chance that you pondered). The BJs devour revolting amounts of sustenance on camera yet at the same time remain thin. (No, I don't know how they do it. In the event that I did, I would take after their procedures!)
A case of K-Beauty at work (AFP)
There are numerous different parallels with Japan. There's the gadgets business (which has very surpassed Japan's own), an image of national pride. I was in Seoul when the primary Galaxy 7 detonated (or possibly, when the news first hit the papers) and there was the feeling that a national disaster had struck… Samsung is to Korea what Sony used to be to Japan in the 1980s and the Koreans are phenomenally pleased with its prosperity.
The Koreans have their own Sakura celebration however I'm somewhat astounded by this. The first occasion when I was there, the cherry blooms were sprouting and no one appeared to make a lot of it. Presently, however the Korean Sakura season offers a moderate contrasting option to the Japanese rendition.
There is likewise a similar blend of convention and advancement that you find in Japan. Despite the fact that the nation has yet to hurl an Issey Miyake or a Yohji Yamamoto, I envision it is just a short time before this happens in light of the fact that Korea is a form fixated society. A standout amongst the most striking structures I found in Seoul this time was the Dongdaemun Design Plaza composed by Zaha Hadid, which resembles a spaceship from the outside and is loaded with form and configuration slows down inside.
In any case, there is one thing that the Japanese don't do well and which the Korean exceed expectations at: treat. Korea has more pastry/pudding eateries than some other city on the planet. Practically no matter what, they are brilliant.
On my last night in Seoul, Vikram took me to a shocking spot with frozen yogurt, cakes, pies, macaroons and a delectable pudding. I made an entire pig of myself and the following day, as I took off to Incheon Airport, my last memory of Korea was much, much sweeter than I had ever thought it would be.
From HT Brunch, November 20, 2016
Tail us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Interface with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
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