tales from Korea

In western countries when you go outside, leave your house and walk somewhere – you have a purpose, right? Even if the purpose is walking itself – it’s a pre-planned, cognitive decision to go outside and walk a preconceived path. You may even break that path, you may stop to chat with someone or smell the flowers, but you complete your activity and return home. I’ve noticed something quite different here in Korea, they have a special type of person, one that I’ve named the ‘Strolling Adjoshi’. The Adjoshi is a term used to describe an older man – The word ‘older’ being completely subjective, but is generally used to describe men who are thirty years or older. In contrary to what people do in the west, the strolling Adjoshi seems to roam with no intended purpose whatsoever; he is strolling around the streets simply because he can.

The strolling Adjoshi is a keen observer – he likes to watch closely what goes on around him – an interesting conversation to eavesdrop on, some teenagers hanging around the 7-Eleven to disapprove of, or checking out the imported cars lining the streets. It’s quite easy to identify a strolling Adjoshi – The prime characteristic is the wide-angle foot plant. Due to his slow walking pace and the constant rotation of his upper body, in which to observe, he assumes a wide footed balance in order to achieve this. This pace also makes the need to swing ones arms obsolete, as the slow speed means the need for the fast walking counterbalance is nullified. Due to the arms not being essentially ‘needed’, he usually keeps his hands firmly behind his back – one hand gripping the other arms wrist.

I’ve seen many strolling Adjoshi’s – I want to know more about them. What are their reasons for strolling? Maybe there are no reasons? The strolling Adjoshi is a cultural phenomenon – If only to Korea, one must wonder.