The Notorious Noraebongs

Ryan and I ventured into Itaewon a few weeks back to check out an International festival. The festival focused mainly around food and so it didn't hold much interest for us aside from the gigantic pig snout that seemed to be popular and the biggest stack of sliced mystery meet I have ever seen. There was a stage set up with mostly Korean girls in miniskirts and gogo boots who were unsuccessfully trying to sing American pop songs. It was really more frightening than anything else.

Kevin and Monica took us off the main road to an area commonly referred to as "Hooker Hill." While most of the hookers were inside the buildings, they occasionally popped their heads outside the door to persuade lonely gentlemen to join them for a "party." The hookers are at first difficult to distinguish from the regular girls because the common style in Korea among girls are the "barely there" shorts and skirts anyway.

Kevin recommended we find a noraebong. A noraebong is a karaoke room in Korea. So, let me tell you, we weren't exactly enthusiastic to go. My only memories of Karaoke are picnics at my Dad's work and Tiffany's 21st birthday . . . and neither of them made me a contender for American Idol. However, after much persuasion, Kevin convinced us to take a try at karaoke. After all, there were all 4 of us and no one else would ever hear or know (well, except now that I'm writing it in the blog). To my surprise, the noraebongs are much better designed than the karaoke bars in the U.S. Each group at the noraebong gets their own private room. The music is also playing too loud for anyone to actually hear how bad you are at singing. It was almost enjoyable to scream into a microphone at the top of my lungs. What a way to relieve stress!

While I won't go to a karaoke bar in the U.S., I did enjoy myself, possibly too much. Next time Kevin makes this suggestions, I won't resist quite as much. The highlight of the night would probably have to be Kevin and my rendition of Eminem's "Real Slim Shady." You might not think so by looking at me, but I am a true ghetto rapper at heart.