The Importance of Being Cute

cute |kyoōt|adjective1 attractive in a pretty or endearing way : a cute kitten.
This is one cute place.

Mind you, it's pronounced "cute-ah"

Of course the kids are cute- that's a given. I do award extra points to those children who wear small CEO style vests and jackets to school, those who carry pencil boxes that double as stuffed animals, and those who wear pigtails. They say cute things, and do cute things: But come on, they're kids; it's expected.

But you see, women carry tiny dogs in purses or in their jackets. If a dog has to suffer walking on a leash, it is comforted by a colorful sweater or small scarf. There are pet photography studios, and, yes, pet make up is available for the shoot. Big pink blushed cheeks on a white poodle; just imagine it! Across the street at the human photo studio, it would not be strange to see a grown woman posing holding a teddy bear. These same grown women wear ribbons and bows in their hair; big, bright bows, I tell you. They wear oversized shirts with pictures of animals on the front and colorful stockings underneath. The mini-est of mini skirts are completely acceptable, but showing so much as a collarbone (God forbid, cleavage!) is considered taboo! Boys and men are encouraged to dress up a bit, and the idea of America's "metro-sexual" is pretty much every guy in this city. Men's hair is often styled carefully, a full range of colors are comfortably draped around their necks: pink is not worn ironically. You know those polo shirts with the polo dude on the left? I've seen something similar is popular here- but instead of the little stitching of a man on a horse, it's a teddy bear in a flowered shirt, and it's three times the size. Cafes are decorated like sugar dreams and tree houses, ginger bread rooms and cartoons.

Cute is in the details. It's the red ribbon carefully tied around your pizza box, like a Christmas present, when you order take-out. It's the kittens stitched into the slippers sitting by the entrance to your private Wii-playing room. Cute is the handmade lap blanket available at restaurants for ladies in skirts to sit comfortably cross-legged on their cushion on the floor. Cute has draped itself over the walls surrounding the police station; a pastel colored cartoon mural depicting children offering officers lollipops, officers escorting smiling faces in the back of their little cars (presumably a misdemeanor), officers holding hands with old people. It sits on the dashboard of almost every car you care to walk by, as little plastic figures with moving parts; a tiny plastic potted plant with leaves dancing in the sun as it's owner runs an errand.

Almost every ceramic mug has a bunny or a bear on it. Most blankets and pillows feature flowers or plaid or.... well, nothing any 'good old boy' would be caught dead sleeping with. Scooters are plaid!

Women (or gay men) seem to be in charge of the interior decor of every place... Even the bank had soft colors and fresh flowers everywhere. Estrogen is flowing in the streets.

Standing in line at the Alien Registration Office, I asked Kevin to hand me some money, and this got a laugh out of our Korean Boss. How backwards, she said, for the man to hold the money! In Korea, that is the woman's job. Not bad, Korea. Not bad.

In America people are blowing money on tanning booths, sprays, and lotions while in Korea people are bleaching their skin: I suppose the grass is always greener. Plastic surgery centers are easy to find and cheaper than almost anywhere, I'm told. If you're not cute enough, you've got options.

I was given a big plate of five different fresh cut fruits compliments of the house at one restaurant where I didn't even order food: Cute.

DVD Bang: Private movie viewing room with big cumfy chaise, box of tissues for the sad movies, little pillows and a blanket, small ceramic village with ambient light above the furniture, a gigantic screen.... and in the bathroom at this place, a heated toilet seat, a hairdryer and mouthwash available. Cute.

Went to my first Korean Art Gallery. The featured artist has created huge ink paintings based on photographs of small children looking into a fish-eye lens. In some images the artist pulls the camera back so that you see a background or other figure in perfect perspective, but the main image still has that giant bubbly head.... In my favorite piece the bobblehead child is napping on the tummy of some giant monster. It's pretty great.... and you know what else it is? CUTE.

I walked into one of the music stores finally. I've eyed the displays many times, always wishing to go inside and play a guitar, fiddle, or whatever else they'd let me touch. Kevin found one he liked the other day with a cool lady running it who knew a little english. He took me there today and we played a few guitars. The lady clapped for me after a little picking, then took the travel-sized guitar I was playing with and strapped it on herself and played a little ditty that sounded a bit like old style country music. A little later, she opened a case and had me come see this hand made red guitar laying in the deeper red velvet lined interior of a very nice case. I pulled it out and gave it a strum- and it was amazing! It had a great density, a sweet sound... hand made in Korea. Kevin and I were both thrilled with it, and I decided it had to be mine. The price was more than fair, and after all, I just got paid!

What could I do? I had no choice.

It was one cute guitar!

And now, it's mine : )