Christmas in Bucheon and K-Pop

Well guys, it's Christmas time! Sorry for the delay in the posting, but the season got busy, and promises to be get even busier with the start of intensives (winter classes during the day) next week. I'll do my best to keep pictures and stories coming.

On Christmas, I had to teach, but I stayed up late the night before because I got myself all excited for opening presents and couldn't go to sleep. That being said, it meant I was up late enough to see the snow begin to fall around midnight in Bucheon, so we had a white Christmas!!!

On Christmas we went out with everyone from work for a Chinese and did a Secret Santa. Then we went to Noraebang, the Korean version of Karaoke, and sang. The original plan had been to sing Christmas songs, but that degenerated into group songs and musicals, where we serenaded one another with all sorts of nonsense before hurrying off home.

We got to sleep in on Boxing day, so this was all okay. Thank you everyone for my presents!!!

This week we also went into Seoul to Myeongdong, the shopping district. We went to several K-pop shops to buy cds and posters of favorite bands (K-Pop is massive here, all the kids know it, and its hard not to get into some of it, since it's not like it's bad music. It's also a good way to start learning Korean words, because many people have already translated the songs). Then we met up with some of the others for food in the D-Cube shopping center, which is a really cool place. There are waterfalls that start at the top of the building, then run through the middle of each floor as rivers with glass bottoms before dropping to the next floor. Fish live in the water, so you can watch them from above or from below through the ceiling on the lower floors.

Then we headed home in time for the end of year concert where the current stars perform their best hits in celebration of the New Year! So, happy New Year everyone!

-Sam

Myeong-dong snow, outside Forever21!

Brooke and I at Myeong-dong.

Amy and Brooke at Myeong-dong.

Amy and Brooke with a mascot walking in Myeong-dong.

Myeong-dong.

Brooke and Rebekah at the Chinese on Christmas Day.

Everyone during Secret Santa at the Chinese.

Amy at the Chinese.

Amy and I at the Chinese on Christmas Day.