Inside look at dating in Ktown.
Dating means one couple ventures into town in order to get to know each other in a more private manner. Of course we all know of the double date, which usually involves one veteran couple and two fledglings on the verge of “coupledom”. However, here in K-Town one becomes privy about the “group date” during the early 20′s. Let me explain.
Four or five single guys out with their boyfriend/girlfriend friends will invite three or four girls to join the table. There are always more guys than girls, leaving one or two single gents out of luck at the end of the evening. The four/five single guys vie with each other to click with one of the three/four single girls. The ritual begins at a drinking place at a table full of soju, beer, and fruit anjou for the ladies. In the beginning, the mood is too relaxed, almost tense, with a lot of introductions and “What do you do’s?” Then, a few hours and shots later, the scene becomes louder as the chatter becomes consistent and the traffic to the bathroom becomes more frequent. The girls travel in packs to the restroom giving the guys an opportunity to stake each claim on a specific girl. The uninterested guys begin to converse with the only couple(s) at the table and smoke like chimneystacks.
Once the girls return, there is a shuffling of seats until there is a boy/girl/boy/girl seating arrangement with each guy beside his designated girl. Of course, this can only occur if the chosen girl is receptive to the specific guy. The signs are easily detected: a lot of giggles and smiles. Sometimes, one girl will return from the bathroom as the designated “wingman.” Beware of the female wingman!!! She’s not happy. If she’s pouty, silent, and reaches for a cigarette immediately.stay away. The only people she will be talking to the entire evening are the couples. Soon, the legal drinking hours fade as time for last call arrives. Now, it’s time to pay for the bill. This is when the guys reach deep into their pockets and wallets and pull out their hard earned cash or the occasional “mom’s/dad’s hard earned money” to cover the check. The girls used to dodge away to the bathrooms, or talk on their cell-phones to avoid paying for the check, but these days they will idly sit, watch, and not even make an offer at contributing to the outrageous bill. This is a sure sign that the guy will work extra hard for a chance to run around the bases. These kinds of girls have a name and reputation all to themselves in K-Town.and we all know what it is.
Next stop: karaoke. More alcohol and senseless singing/screaming is interrupted with frequent traffic in/out of the karaoke room. It’s not a good sign when girls leave together at this point. If a guy and girl leave together for a “smoke” outside, the leftover guys in the room eye each other knowingly and “work harder” with their chosen girls. “Working harder” can mean a number of things, such as pouring the chosen girl another drink, choosing and singing a well rehearsed song, lighting the girl’s cigarette, sitting closer and carelessly swinging an arm around the sofa seat to speak directly into the girl’s face, or talking with the girl and placing a hand on the girl’s knee. The last option is a dangerous path for the guy to take. It’s “do or die” for the guy. A welcoming sign would be the girl allowing the guy to keep his hand on her knee, resting her hand on or near his hand at a later moment during the conversation, and inching closer to her chosen guy to talk with him cheek to cheek in the ear-aching karaoke room. Meanwhile, the only couple(s), the 1-2 single guys, and possibly the female “wingman” will keep shuffling through the pages of the karaoke book looking for something to sing. They will exchange idle conversation, pour their own drinks, will pretend to remain aloof about the entire interaction among the single guys/girls, but will mentally record every event of the evening. The guys are happy when the girls are happy and the girls are happy when they want to stick around and keep the night rolling. By this time, the bill at the karaoke room has been dealt with in a similar manner as before. However, some of the single guys are now on empty and are borrowing money from their couple friends or leftover guys to cover what will inevitably be a stop for food.
K-Town drunks are usually in the mood for pho, BCD, Hodori, or a 24-hour place housed in a mini-mall. Dinner will end quickly for the guy who is victorious and who will continue his date with his chosen girl in private. Don’t cheer yet!!! Usually, the seemingly victorious guy will lose fire in a couple of weeks. The guys who scored second dates, without the company of either datees’ friends, have a better chance in getting to know more about his chosen girl in a sober light. The leftover guys knew they would be out of luck from the beginning. The female wingman could have decided to give the leftovers a second try.or not. And, the couple(s) had an entertaining evening. The ultimate winners of K-Town dating are alcohol, karaoke, and food establishments.
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