It's Globalization Damnit!!

Many have been amazed with the fact that there is not just one, but two Costco's (that I know of) in Seoul. Let me try to make things a little more clear about Seoul since I have probably done a poor job of that thus far. This is an enormous and highly advanced city. Twelve million people live here and technologically, this is one of the most advanced countries in the world. There are some of the most modern and sophisticated technologies that still have me confused. It is still, however, a developing country. Everywhere I go, there are massive construction projects, and it is more common to see an "old-style" outdoor market than a Wal-Mart. I don't really know the history of Korea and will not pretend to know why things are the way they are, but I have to believe that the Korean War and Economic Crisis in the late nineties have a lot, if not everything, to do with why Korea is the way it is. From what I hear, ten years ago the only western food that was readily available was a piece of ground beef with a scoop of macaroni. This was referred to as a steak dinner. Now, there are plenty of Outback's, Chili's, Bennigan's, KFC's, Popeye's, and every other fast food or franchised restaurant you'll find at any local American strip mall. They are eager to westernize. That's why we also find Wal-Mart and Costco here. Never underestimate the power of the western franchise. Also, never underestimate the power of consumers demanding western franchises. A friend of mine made a good point in a conversation this weekend: places like Starbuck's don't just open up for the sake of opening, the consumer brings them here and keeps them here. Furthermore, they are franchises that are Korean owned and hold a large role in the local economy. Apparently, a recently opened Starbuck's on the campus of one of the universities here was highly protested and met with tons of opposition before its opening. Since its opening, it has been the highest grossing Starbuck's in Seoul, and there are a lot here. So for those of you opposed to the ugly side of globalization, you're not just battling the evil corporations and imperialist minded leaders of your country, but also everyone else in the world that has been seduced into western culture. If an economy is strong enough to support one of these businesses, you will probably find one somewhere. Also, I'm not a big coffee drinker, but apparently, Starbuck's is just better than most coffee you find at an independently owned coffee shop. The same can be applied to Costco and Wal-Mart. So don't be surprised if you find a Costco the next time you visit Turkmenistan. Quite a husky-puzzle, huh.

P.S. I really don't feel like correcting this entry beyond performing the spell check, so I apologize if it's just a bunch of incoherent blabbering.