Collegiate Seoul: from Sarah's perspective

It's 10:30AM on Monday, September 29. Yesterday afternoon was spent exploring Sinchon, a very collegiate part of Seoul with four major universities. This is one part of Seoul that Sarah will most likely end up visiting, probably with Korean-speaking coworkers. My main blog has the rest of the photos, and here are some photos, re-uploaded here, as seen from Sarah's perspective.

Two most popular ways to unwind, after cramming for exams, are the PC room (on top) and the karaoke bar (on bottom).

The PC room is an affordable way to get on the Internet and get in touch with those back home, though Sarah will probably take care of that from her hotel room. It's also possible to play online RPGs, a national obsession here.

Meanwhile, the karaoke bar is a social place, where a group of friends can try to see who sings best; the machine will score one's singing based on how accurate the singer's rhythm is (tone deaf is perfectly acceptable - which will be a huge relief to Sarah, who simply doesn't have a natural female range). While K-Pop won't be Sarah's territory, there will be plenty of English-language music to make up for it; I expect her to sing various numbers by her idol Sarah McLachlan and lesbian icon Melissa Etheridge, though she might attempt a Mariah Carey number as a tribute to her wife Kirsten.

There are small boutiques like this, scattered around quiet residential streets away from the bars and restaurants. These boutiques probably won't carry items in Sarah's size; she is US size 12 extra-tall, a rather unusual size here. But she'll love window-shopping anyway. This boutique is displaying a black Ally McBeal-esque miniskirt suit, which will be another reminder of Kirsten, who loves that look.

Sarah will really feel at home looking at this sign. It marks the entrance to Lesbos, the first lesbian bar in South Korea. This neighborhood has several well-known lesbian bars. English is not well-spoken at these bars, so most likely Sarah will have to visit them with a few coworkers.

I could note a few key differences between US gay bars and their counterparts here. In the US, men's bars frown on women, and women's bars usually welcome men. Here, it's the other way; men are strictly forbidden at Lesbos and other lesbian bars, while men's bars often welcome women. Sarah may have trouble entering Lesbos, as the concept of a transgender lesbian is absolutely unknown in South Korea, and she will probably be dismissed as another boycrazy ladyboy.

Another women-only bar, appropriately named Lady First. I couldn't figure out if this is a lesbian bar or not, however.

A book fair was taking place, just for the weekend. Here are two notable American bookworms featured. On the left is Margaret Cho, whose sight will be a relief to Sarah, as Cho is not only a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, like Sarah herself, but also a well-known member and ally of the LGBT community (though mentioning that is a taboo in South Korea). On the right is Laura Bush; it's a good thing Sarah doesn't know Korean, because the caption underneath is written in very glowing terms - something a South Korean bureaucrat is obliged to do for a US Republican, in a show of Confucian respect and deference.

A streetside vendor selling tunics and legwear, Sarah's favorite items (and also very popular among Seoul fashionistas). I don't think Sarah likes stirrups, whether they are the tights with toe and ankle cutouts as seen on the right, currently the must-have item here in Seoul, or the pants that were so popular in the early 1980s. But Sarah surely loves leggings, as seen on the left.

Again, given Sarah's six-foot frame, proper fit will be difficult. Ankle-length leggings will probably become capris when Sarah puts them on, because her legs are so long. And the tunics will be probably too short, and leave her derriere and crotch uncovered. I don't think Sarah's idea of a good day is walking around like that and getting unwanted attention from men (or even worse, making her pre-op status known to the world).

This is an upscale boutique near Ewha Women's University, a conservative Christian institution that used to expel its students for getting married - until very recently. Plaid is the key here; Sarah will love the patterns.

Note the white chess queen on the lower left. Just as Kwan Yin is a well-known transwoman figure here in East Asia, the chess queen fills that role in Europe. The original Indian chess had a male advisor next to the king, who had the same moves and powers as the king. The versions of chess played here in Korea, as well as in China, continue to have male advisors - though each side gets two advisors in both games, and the advisor's moves are different from the king's in Chinese chess. However, in Europe, the advisor changed genders, became a queen, and expanded her powers tremendously. Sarah will surely appreciate that.

Some more Sarah-related stuff from Seoul

My sightseeing in Seoul today took me to the city's highest observatory, as well as to the Itaewon tourist district which is frequented by foreigners - and LGBTs. I was able to find some things that definitely are of interest to Sarah, and to a lesser extent, her wife and my alter ego, Kirsten.

Normally, Seoul is shrouded in heavy smog, but after a day of heavy rain, today was crystal clear, helped along by a breeze. I am at N-Seoul Tower, a tall television transmission tower located in the dead middle of the city, on top of a hill named Namsan. I am well over a thousand feet above the city.

I took many shots of Seoul, and this is the most relevant for Sarah. Under the triangular hill to the far left, it is possible to spot Gimpo Airport, which was Seoul's gateway to the world until the opening of Incheon Airport in 2001. Although Gimpo is now a sleepy domestic airport, all my arrivals and departures there have been on Sarah's airline, United, as they all took place before Incheon opened.

Originally, I expected Sarah to make her first trip to Seoul in 2003, arriving at Incheon on a 777. Now, I would rather bring her here for the first time in 2000, when United still operated out of Gimpo. I could almost picture a Battleship Gray 747, with its distinctive "Worldwide Service" slogan, flying across the Seoul sky and touching down at Gimpo, with Sarah on board.

A look northeast. The red building is the Shilla, a hotel that opened in 1979 and played host to many foreign dignitaries. It also has a great duty-free shop.

My novel draft is housing Sarah at the Shilla during her first Seoul visit, and I wish to keep things that way. From the Shilla, it's easy to spot this tower, as well as other picturesque mountains surrounding the city, while the downtown looks pretty sorry, and the palaces can't even be seen. Sarah will clearly note that.

A look south. The large grassy area in the middle is Yongsan Family Park, dominated by the big gray building, National Museum of Korea. In 1976, the park was the headquarters of the US Eighth Army, which defends US interests and allied nations around Asia. Kirsten was born on that base on July 31st of that year, to an American GI and his Korean wife. Less than a month later, she and her family returned home to Anniston, Alabama. Kirsten would return to Seoul only once afterwards - in 1988, during the Summer Olympics.

After the tower visit, I proceeded to Itaewon, which is next to that base, catering to American servicemen - and now that the US Army is gone, to foreign shoppers and tourists of all nationalities.

Itaewon is frequented by foreigners due to its shops selling clothing and souvenirs - and for its wild nightlife. The heavy Westerner presence also makes Itaewon more LGBT-friendly than other parts of Seoul. Case in point: this transgender nightclub, one of at least four along a 200-meter stretch of a side alley.

Also note an Indian halal restaurant above. This alley is very close to Seoul's main mosque - and the center of its Muslim population. And that makes it all the more surprising to see all these transgender nightclubs here.

Here's another transgender nightclub, named Gucci, sharing the same building with a Christian church.

These transgender nightclubs are the hangouts for transwomen who are really boy-crazy "ladyboys" - considering themselves to be more of hyper-feminine gay men than women. Trans lesbians are unheard of in Seoul; neither Sarah nor I will have much fun in these places (if Sarah is even allowed to hang out in nightclubs at all). Neither Sarah nor I will find much improvement in the lesbian bars, located in other parts of the city, either; the lesbians there will consider us to be just two more ladyboys.

Here in South Korea, transgender people have been given many new rights in 2006. They can legally change their name and gender, and also get a new National ID number to go along with that (as the seventh digit of the number gives away one's gender), subject to stringent conditions. To qualify, one must be post-operative, have never been married, have no children, and in case of male-to-females, have completed the required military service (or been given valid exemption); this fits the Confucian mentality of South Korea, and does not allow for American-style "real life tests." In return, a transperson with a legal gender change is treated as s/he had been born in the new gender in the first place, and can legally marry the opposite sex of his/her legal gender, and adopt children, with no restrictions beyond what's normally applicable to everyone else.

Despite this, life does remain bleak for most transgenders here. Staying employed as a pre-op, in order to afford the hormones and the surgery, is very difficult, due to rampant discrimination (and the inability to obtain proper identification). Most transwomen will find these nightclubs to be the only possible places to work at. While nonbinding recommendations have been made by the nation's human rights commission to protect LGBTs from discrimination, they are opposed by the industrial lobby groups. Of course, the new Lee Myung-bak government is not only opposed to LGBT rights, but is so homophobic that it is funding California's proposed gay marriage ban through its US political front, the Unification Church. Only one political party, the far-left Democratic Labor Party (with only 5 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly), cares about LGBTs.

While I am relieved to be in Seoul, 6,000 miles away from the madness of the California gay marriage ban fight (and the presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain), visiting Itaewon's transgender nightclubs was a reminder that in some ways, life is still better in the US - a country where Sarah can serve customers as the face of one of the nation's leading airlines, and where even I am able to obtain most necessary proper IDs pre-op.

A few more noteworthy sights

I just spent a few hours in Jamsil district, in the southeast of Seoul, noteworthy as the neighborhood that hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics - and my longtime home. Jamsil is home to a huge complex called Lotte World, which includes, among many things, a folk museum and a posh department store. I took tons of photos there - and although it's highly doubtful that Sarah will ever visit Jamsil during her Seoul layovers, if she ever comes out this way, she will find the following to be of interest.

A Goryeo-era (918-1392 CE) Buddhist shrine reconstruction. In the middle is Amidabha Buddha. On the left is Kwan Yin, the transgender Goddess of Mercy. Dunno about the right.

The practitioners of Korean shamanism are called mudang, and are always female. Women became mudang through being possessed by spirits, as opposed to voluntarily, and have occupied lower ranks of the society. Some mudang were transgender women, though that's something that the Confucio-Christian historians of modern-day South Korea would rather deny. Here, a wax model mudang makes her sacrifices to the various spirits.

The department store has several floors of cutting-edge women's fashion, from Korean and foreign designers alike. I spotted these two mannequins, one wearing a boxy cardigan and a mini, the other wearing a cowlneck sweater and a sheer pair of leggings. Both are looks that both Sarah and I love to wear. Lots of leggings-clad women today (including the daring "I forgot my pants" Mary-Kate Olsen look) - I could've sworn it was the 1980s (except that Seoul was much less affluent back then).

Some Kwan Yin statues

Sarah will learn of Kwan Yin, and her transgender origins, during one of her numerous Asian assignments - most likely Seoul. A Korean co-worker is supposed to explain the significance of Kwan Yin to Sarah.

I went to the National Museum of Korea yesterday, to observe various Kwan Yin depictions and take photos. I shared them at an art blog I contribute at: see below.

Christy's Art Blog

Most were Korean examples from throughout Korea's history, depicting a feminine Kwan Yin in various poses, though there was one Indian male example as well.

There were plenty of beautiful, fashionable Western women sightseeing at the museum. Sarah would've blended right in. In fact, I was constantly thinking of how Sarah would've felt in front of each Kwan Yin statue!

Before I fly to Seoul...

I should be airborne and well on my way to Seoul in less than 24 hours. Again, too bad I won't be flying with Sarah this time!

I need to make a final post before I go, however, by linking to the following article:

Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center

In particular, the article talks about the transgender history of East Asia's most beloved deity, Kwan Yin, commonly referred to as "Goddess of Mercy" by Westerners. My interest in Kwan Yin has gone up significantly in the past few weeks, and I'll be visiting many Buddhist sites throughout South Korea over the next several weeks to track her down. As this is a meditation trip, I really need to do my best to capture Kwan Yin's spirit of compassion, and think of what I can do for humankind.

Another section of this article talks about three distinct transgender traditions in Korea - ones that the Confucian and Christian revisionist historians have pretty much erased from the books. See below.

"In Korea, there are three distinct transgenderal traditions. Under the Silla dynasty, which unified the peninsula in the 7th century, the Hwarang warrior elite included many boys who dressed as women, wearing long gowns and make-up when they were not practicing archery or preparing for battle. In addition to the Flower Boys of Silla, there were the boy actors who played women’s roles in the Namsadang theatrical troupes that toured the villages of Korea until the end of the 19th century, often taken as lovers by the older males who played the men’s roles in those same companies. Finally, there was the tradition of the mudang, always a woman, but not always female. The paksu mudang was a male shaman who performed sacred rituals as a woman (and may have lived as a woman as well), and who was not only respected but also revered. However, the mudang culture has slowly died out, under the impact of Communism in the North (where the paksu mudang were particularly popular before World War II) and capitalism and conservative Christianity in the South. Ironically enough, the mudang tradition is in fact rooted in the Altaic origins of Korean culture having its origins in the Siberian homeland from which the Korean people migrated, and it long predates the introduction of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism to the peninsula under Chinese influence after the unification of Korea under the Silla."

Here also are Wikipedia articles on relevant subjects (though they pretty much reflect the Confucio-Christian views):

Hwarang
Namsadang
Korean shamanism

Two developments

First, if you are transgender, please participate in the following survey, conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality, with the help of Pennsylvania State University. I have sent in my response already - doing my part to ensure a better legal future for the trans community.

Survey

Second, I found a Kwan Yin statue for sale at Eastern Serenity, a vendor of Buddhist goods. What makes this particular statue (follow the link for a photo) of interest is that it is a transitional style, showing elements of the old identity as the Indian male deity Avalokitesvara, as well as those of his new identity, the Chinese female deity of Kwan Yin. The caption explains the whole reason behind the gender change as well; the Chinese Buddhists needed a way to make their traditionally male-centered religion more appealing to women, and it was done by taking Avalokitesvara, known for his limitless compassion and sacrifice for the mortal humans, and giving him the attributes (and the gender) of traditional Chinese Goddesses of agricultural fertility and human procreation. It worked wonders in China - and spread to Korea and Japan as well; in Korea in particular, Buddhism became primarily a women's religion, due to the male chauvinism of the Confucian fundamentalist government.

I have only a few days remaining until my departure for Seoul. Once I arrive in South Korea, and visit numerous Buddhist sites and temples throughout the country, I will certainly be on the lookout for a suitable Kwan Yin statue that can adorn my room. And on the flip side, I need to see Sarah, on one of her Asian assignments, shop for Kwan Yin statues - even though she identifies as a Christian. (Alternately, a coworker could buy her one as a gift.) Actually, due to many similarities between Kwan Yin and the Virgin Mary, a Christian with a Kwan Yin statue is not all that far-fetched at all; historically, in many parts of Asia, Virgin Mary statues and portraits resembled Kwan Yin, partly to avoid anti-Christian persecution.

Current events

I'm almost tempted to change Sarah's name, given that the one Sarah who's talked about the most now (and possibly for months, if not years), is Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. In my other blog, I discussed her reactionary politics, her support of anti-American ideas, and her extremist religious views.

I won't change the name though - one reactionary bitch shall never be the reason for changing Sarah's name - but it's tempting.

Also, today is a major campaign day for both the supporters and the opponents of Proposition 8, California's constitutional gay marriage ban (and a major passionate cause for Sarah and Kirsten). In fact, I just received a call from the Yes campaign, despite all my work for the No campaign. I truly believe that the white liberals that make up the bulk of the No campaign need to go on the offensive and start targeting the conservative immigrants that will probably decide the vote; otherwise, Proposition 8 will pass (and Sarah Palin will be the next Vice President, undeserving as she is).