Local is Lekker

It's Friday

The alarm on my Samsung phone goes off at 07:30 so I can get ready for work. I snooze. Finally wake up, switch on my LG aircon (elnino knows how much I need it given this weather!), open the LG sliding doors leading to my laundry area which houses my Daewoo washing machine and other stuff. I need some music. Switch on my LG Xnote and turn it up. <aaaah>

My  phone vs the TAB

Lotte Young Plaza downtown. Department store bliss

I sing along while I wash my face with The Face Shop (LG owned) free samples. I'm late. Jasmine's waiting for me at the corner on her Kia Soul. 'Sorry I'm late!' I say, 'That's okay' she replies and as I look up the silly bus driver feels the need to squeeze his Daewoo bus right in front of us. Now we're right behind this dude who feels the need to drive slowly while showing off his spanking new Renault-Samsung S7 as he drives out of the dealership around the corner from my workplace. 

LG owned cosmetics store in my hood (Jasmine, my model)

Parking. There. Right between the Hyundai Equus and the new Kia Sorento. The cars make us look tiny! Mr Choe shows us his new Bean Pole (Samsung) golfer and his nice Samsung Galaxy Tab. Show off! 

Hyundai's Genesis Luxury Cars. Surprise, huh?!

Samsung's Premium Clothing range

Bean Pole for men (Who woulda thought Samsung could pull this off?!)

Ze French and ze Koreans unite

To make ze Samsung Renault baby

I sit at my desk and quietly moan about the 30 story Samsung, Hyundai and LG apartment blocks that are completely blocking the view of a potentially pleasant daydream. Also, why did LG telecom mess up my cellphone bill?? aaargh. A cheer up from eating my Lotte chocolate should fix it.

Collage of typical Korean apartment blocks

Student's gift to me. Lotte Crunky Chocolate slab

At least I can look forward to the Samsung Lions vs Lotte Giants game tonight. Fell in love with this baseball thing after we (Samsung Lions) beat the Kia Tigers last week. 

Samsung Lion-uh!

"I wanna thank my mom, Kia.."

LG oh-so-serious

Lotte Giants

Nope, I wasn't paid to give these companies a shout out on my blog- this is reality. I'm living like a Korean now, which means I have to swear by Local being Lekker (non SA friends, that's Afrikaans for nice, delicious or fun). 

It still fascinates me how loyal the Koreans are to their local companies' products. Companies you may or may not know are South Korean:

Samsung

LG

Hyundai

Kia

Daewoo
Lotte

Of the pack, the ones with their fingers in every pie are mainly the first two, with the third and fourth also featuring here there and everywhere.

Oligopoly (noun)

A state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers 

This is juuuust how Korea rolls. The bosses of LG and Samsung must just luuurv the power they have over here.

In fact, you'd swear LG and Samsung were campaigning for presidency, and succeeding by winning the hearts and top votes in the following provinces: 

Cellphones

Electronics

Retail

Baseball

Real estate

Entertainment

Finance
Cosmetics
Shipping 

and just more things I can't type without my jaw dropping in amazement. These bad boys are on a roll!

It amazes me how different the South African consumers are though. We would never trust the blokes making our microwaves to make our cars; the guys making our fridges to manage a winning baseball team or suit us up enough to impress the ladies. The Koreans are something else though, just make them a cellphone and they'll trust you to build their dream house! Stru! 

So there you have it: everything you need, from clothes to cars, brought to you by the 'vice presidents' of Korea: Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia and Lotte. I'm sure their campaign slogan would be "Import? For WHO?!" Can you say, self-sufficient South Korea?!

The Usual Suspects

Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me to introduce to you, the Usual Suspects of Daegu, South Korea. These are the people I've been blessed to have as friends since my arrival in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Exhibit A: Phumzile Zondi

A lovely lass, 27 years young, who left her family, 'soul mate', and a good job as a planner for Pep at the Cape Town head office, to follow her dream of spending a year teaching English in Korea. Phumi hails from Durban, but completed her degree at UCT. She makes the cut for Keke's Top 3 Most Bubbly People ever. She also takes the cup for the loudest person I know. She's one kind lady, but also as strong as the Zulu in her. I sat next to her on the flight to Singapore, and our friendship was destined for greatness after she had to watch me cry like a baby when my passport was lost (see previous posts for details). Drumroll Please.

Exhibit B: Raquel Lyle

My banana-type, klein dorpie sister from Polokwane. Raquel and I were in the same class for orientation. From day 1, we skipped the weird intros and getting-to-know-one-anothers and jumped right into siamese twin-ness. We, unknowingly, fooled the masses into thinking we had known one another for years with our natural get-along-ness. A tiny, little lady, with a voice to match currently doing her Honours in Psychology after completing her Sports Science degree at Stellenbosch University. Her laugh is bigger than her entire being, and the boys all love her. She's unavailable though, since she is always preoccupied with yours truly (that would be me). The impulsive Hong Kong Sevens trip was this young lady's idea (peer pressure is real!). So far, our biggest challenge has been to try and explain that 'Coloured' is an actual race, and not a derogatory term for 'Black'. It's more difficult than we thought it'd be. Put your hands together for Ma Se Kind. 

Exhibit C: Laurentia Cronje

The last item on our Rainbow Nation menu. Lauri is a proud Afrikaans, Finance major from Cape Town. Laurentia's claim to fame is her mastered art of being blonde, without the hair colour to show it. Every meeting of ours is highlighted by something intensely funny that Lauri's said- always with a serious face. I forgot to mention her strange obsession with Tabasco sauce and salt! She has the most contagious laugh, the most relaxed voice and the heart so big, you'll feel the love just from her big smile. Give it up for Miss. Cronje! 

Exhibit D: Daniel Manchoon Park

Gentleman. That's the first word that pops into my head when I think of this bloke. I met Daniel through Exhibit C, at one of our first church sermons here in Daegu. Dan the Man is a UCLA Economics graduate (yes, THEEEE UCLA). Because Daniel is Korean-American (Korean folks, but born and raised in the U.S) he is the perfect person to have when you're starring in your own version of Lost In Translation. I have to say that he takes on the role of mediator with such ease, and always with a smile. It's friends like these that serve as reminders that good, handsome AND God-fearing men actually exist. I also discovered that a picture of Daniel is as rare as platinum. This fishing I had to do to get this one... Boys and Girls, say hello to Daniel Park.

Exhibit E: Brittany Rae Dohar 

Or more popularly known as RaeKwon Dohar. This lady, is the brain behind this blog post, and with her permission, I borrowed the idea to profile my mates. All she asked for was my friendship in exchange. Okay. I'm kidding, of course. Now Rae Rae hails from Ohio, U.S of A and is proud of her Lebanese blood. Without hesitation, you would be correct to conclude that her passion is drama- Rae Rae is a walking theatre, and that's why I love her. If she were a boy, her name would be Frank, coz she tells it like it is- my second reason for lovin her. Most importantly, I love Rae, because I want her hair, and I think if I stick around for long enough, she might include me as a hair beneficiary on her will. Rae Rae is also a born globe trotter and has spent some (a lot of) time in Germany, Ireland and Paris in her youth. More recently, she has decided that her soul would be most content in South Africa. She spends most of her time lost in Afrikaans conversations amongst oblivious Stellenboschers. But she still fits right in. I present to you: Florida State University, Drama major: Brittany Rae Dohar.

Exhibit F: Beth Wilson (Korean name: Bes Wirson)

Exhibit E's accomplice, Beth Wilson also made a subtle entrance into this little heart of mine. Beth is American-Korean (Korean mom, American dad) and is also here to teach her peeps the language of her other peeps. Bes graduated from California State University, and majored in English so I'm hoping I've made no errors while typing about her. She also never fails to make be feel like a beauty queen, with her kind words. Never a dull moment when the Bes and the RaeKwon are around. They really make me think vegetarians are the coolest people on earth. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Beth the Best. (Check the tee!)

Exhibit G: Taryn Hayden-Thomas

A Sports Science and Psychology, Stellenbosch graduate, Taryn will not only out-run you, but she will also out-party you. A lovely English lady from the Western Cape, her Afrikaans is the cutest thing you've heard :) Bubbly, fun-lovin, and just a bubbly bundle of joy. Also, the only person I know that actually snorts when she laughs. A round of applause please.

Exhibit H: Shannon Simpson

Another Korean-made siamese- Shannon is Exhibit G's other half. Shan hails from Canada, and has the kewl accent to prove it. Her accent is the only one (close to an American accent) that I can actually imitate. She also definitely gets an award for being one of the bubbliest people I know, and who doesn't love a lass that can take on any dare?!? Name it, and Shannon will do it without thinking twice. Before Shannon told me, I had NO idea that Drake was from Canada- so thanks for schoolin me, Shan! I forgot to mention that she loves anything and everything pink. Say cheese!

Exhibit I: Chitsidzo Karangwa

If you know much about me, you'd know that apart from clothes, I have an extreme weakness for a British accent. Love love love! It is for this reason that I likey me Chitsi. As if being Zimbabwean with a London accent doesn't make you interesting enough, Chitsi followed her intrigue by completing a degree in Arabic Culture Studies. She's been living in the U.K since her pre-teen years, and plans on going back to start a course on cinematography. Chitsi and I both suffer from acute Korean eye candy disorder. We can't help it :)

And there you are, Ladies and Gentlemen- a summary of the people I laugh, love and live with. Better known as The Usual Suspects :) Now act like you know, okay?

PEACE!