6.12.2003

The voyeur's notes


So it rains wherever I go. It started raining about an hour before I arrived in Seoul and it hasn't let off since then. I thought I'd be able to escape the thunderstorms in Hong Kong by staying here but it appears that my psychic weather control powers have diminished to the point where I let these rainclouds gather around me. I feel sorry for the sunglasses I packed in anticipation of better weather.

Perhaps this emasculation of my powers has something to do with my general grumpy demeanour - I have been sulking at intervals because so many people I have met have initially taken me for the secretary of my colleagues. They take a step back when they get my namecard and realise I'm not. Then they realise I speak both Korean and English and start worrying about the consequences of whatever they said before - too late, I've already heard everything! Generally speaking though, today was the day when I remembered the fact that being young, female and Korean is not a great thing when you want to do business in Korea. I should have realised this when I stepped on the plane - there was only one other woman sitting in the nearly full business class.

They are doing a fashion shoot in the room next door, according to the young Korean lawyers in the computer room, who are currently closing their obviously-not-so-secret deal in the business centre of the hotel without so much as a glance in my direction. Some good-looking local celeb is sitting prettily with a bunch of glamourous models. I should take a look later when I pop into the ladies' loos. The Korean lawyers speak to each other in a garbled mix of American English and Korean - I find it amusing to listen to them worrying about their documents in such a manner. It's kind of cute the way they have brought their files into the computer room as if they are about to study for exams. Don't they worry about whether I'm listening in? OK, maybe it isn't so bad that no one seems to be able to tell what nationality I am - I get to hear all this entertaining junk.

But I must go. I have a prior engagement with some interesting looking bath salts, a large bath tub and a newspaper to tend to. Ah...





7:50 AM |