Solo-Battle: I NEED A CHRISTMAS DATE!!!

Christmas time in the States is something that is synonymous with: Baby Jesus, the commercial shopping frenzy, Santa Claus, and family get togethers. When you've lived your life being "in" the American Christmas season, it's hard to think that Christmas isn't like this everywhere else (I mean, it's not?! Hooooooowww?!)


Simon and Martina of the blog/vlog Eat Your Kimchi, recently brought up this subject of Christmas in South Korea in a recent vlog. In South Korea, Christmas is more subdued and even though there is a small family and religious aspect, the Christmas season (especially Christmas Eve) is mostly focused on romantic couples (even more important than dreaded Valentine's Day!). I mean, according to Simon and Martina, everyone is running around trying to find a date and not be single. So when I read about this recent event, I just had to laugh!



A group on Facebook started up a massive blind date flash mob event or "Solo-Battle" for all the single people on Christmas Eve. A reported 36,000 users signed up to attend the event held in Yeouido, Seoul, but only 3,500 showed up for the hope of a possible date. Unfortunately, the crowd was almost entirely made up of lonely, single men in their 20's and 30's. ^_^' The women were greatly outnumbered! Women were asked to wear something red and guys to wear something white. There was even a special kind of code you had to know in order to participate, "Are you here to go for a walk? Would you like to go for a walk with me?" Poor guys! The event quickly dispersed when the guys came to realize it was an embarrassing sausage fest... Don't give up guys, just keep trying. Fighting!

A.W.W. [ SOJU ]

pronounced: show-joo

Defined by Wikipedia:

1. A distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process. 2. Though it is traditionally made from rice, most modern producers of soju use supplements or even replace rice with other starches, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, sweet potatoes, or tapioca.



Examples:

Aiish! I drank too much soju last night.

Let's go eat some samgypsaul and soju tonight!

Alcohol equivalent to vodka or sake (more closely to sake because it is made out of rice). Soju literally translates to "burned liquor." Even though there is a population of Koreans here in MN, I haven't been able to to find actual soju...there is a Korean grocery store I have yet to go to, they might have something there.

White Day

Happy White Day my darlings! If you don't know, White Day is usually celebrated in Japan and South Korea. It works closely in conjunction with Valentine's Day! In Japan or Korea it is usually the girl's job to give chocolates to the one she likes on February 14. In this case, it's best to give homemade chocolates because it is thought to be more representative of sincere feelings. One month later on White Day (March 14), it is the the guy's job to give back to those who gave him gifts. I think in general, no matter who gives you a Valentine, you're supposed to give back. I really like this tradition, I wish this would happen in the United States! But I didn't even get a Valentine so I can't even give a White Day gift (forever alone T^T)!

Lot's of idols like to thank their fans by posting selcas or singing songs just for them. Can you imagine how many gifts a Korean idol gets on Valentine's Day?! Probably truck loads!

G-Dragon BigBang

Minzy 2NE1