The "worldwide economic downturn" is the scapegoat for just about any societal change in Korea these days, and perhaps in the rest of the world as well. Here, it's reportedly leading to increased condom sales and lower marriage and birth rates. Instant noodle manufacturers are enjoying a heyday, but restaurants are supposedly crying in their soup (although restaurants throughout the capital city look just as packed on weekend nights as they did one year ago).
One thing I wouldn't dispute is that sales of cheap alcohol are on the rise. The only hard evidence I have of this fact is the overwhelming stench of soju breath on public transportation these days, coupled with a group of people I'm calling the "Bus Crazies." Sure, public buses in any city are prime venues for a ragtag cross section of society, but I think the oddity is definitely on the upswing. I suspect the global financial crunch has pushed those teetering on the boundary between everyday weirdo and all-out loon well over the edge, and one-dollar Korean rice booze (soju, makgeoli--pick your poison) is all the nudging it takes. I'm used to having no clue what's going on around me here in Korea, but when I notice all the locals are just as perplexed, I figure something is amiss. I encountered the expressive gentleman below during a recent bus ride home from work. It was quite entertaining to watch his monologue progress into a two or three character conversation -- with each role played by Mr. Makgeoli.
