For the air condition thing I feel its very common in Asian countries in general to basically not use the air conditioner because of how expensive it is. Plus its also a health issue, many asian people believe blowing cold air on their bodies when they are sweating is not good for the body. It causes wind cold and this can lead to colds and such (based on Eastern medicine) so lots of oriental medical doctors do not recommend exercising in cold environments
Actually electricity is damn cheap in Korea compared to a lot of countries. When I lived in Korea I had two air conditioners at home, one in the living room and one in my bedroom and my electricity bills were rarely more than $100 per month. So I don't understand all the comments about air conditioning being expensive in Korea. Also, South Korea has nuclear generated power, which is really cheap and plentiful. So I don't think Korea suffers from a lack of electricity as some people have commented.
I totally agree. I have no idea why people waste money on memberships. I can get up in the morning and work out in my pajamas with my hair a mess, and no one can say anything. The only thing I would go for is to take classes.
GwendolynRaine personally i just have a hard time motivating myself to work out at home. I can however motivate myelf to go to the gym, and once im there i might as well work out right?
I grew up overseas and every time I watch your videos I get "homesick" for international life. I MISS this stuff, these quirks of culture that no one over here in the States understands. You're totally speaking my language. MAN, I miss that.
Korea severely lacks electrical energy. So i believe the gov't put some kind of a limit on using AC. I think this issue has been going on for couple years now. So a lot of places in korea are not able to turn on the AC unless the temperature goes above 28 degrees Celsius or something. Hope this helped!
I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH! You're so real and awesome! and I really love how you show Korea to people who live outside of it. Please continue making awesome videos! ;)
+kathleenmms I went to the gym in winter and stayed home and worked out in warmer weather. (I got an "awesome deal" at a local university and paid for 3 months...I feel like it was around 100,000 but much cheaper than other gyms.) All my equipment I bought at Home Plus and sold to others when I left.
Martina and Simon I recommend sticking to one thing until you're done with it. For example, if you're doing leg presses do one set, rest for a little, do the second set, rest (repeat). After you're done with 3 sets (or 5) of leg presses go to another machine until you are COMPLETELY done with the machine you were working out on. Don't go from one machine to the other w/o completing it. P.S. you guys are awesome
Hi I have several questions. 1] How expensive is it living in Korea day to day and for rent etc 2] How are the police/crime on the streets 3] What's it like shopping for clothes (larger chested and butted(?) woman here)
I think it's just the editing that makes it look that way. We interrupt each other a lot when we talk. We like to finish each others...sandwiches. And when you boil down 25 minutes of talking to something under 10 minutes, it can look that way. Oops :D
Haha exactly opposite !! I'm a korean student studying in San Diego. And every korean always mutter why americans put too much ac everyday lol !! Probably , there is a certain endurance ability toward coldness.
WOW, in Mexico everyone does the same things! If you go to a gym after 5PM you'll never find the equipment in their place, and sometimes you have to steal it from someone else to do your set. And something Ive notice here is that a few guys go together and monopolies the machines they'll use, so if you need to use one machine they are using you'll have to wait until everyone is over because even if you stand in front of the one using it, he will use it until his friend replace him!
Bueno, pero podrías preguntarles si te dejan usar el aparato, funciona para mí y para mí hermano. preguntamos cuantas series les faltan y sí son muchas, les decimos que intercalamos, y sí no, hacemos estiramientos en lo que lo desocupan.
I've made a terrible decision. I'm wearing a facial mask that requires me to relax my facial muscles or else it'll crack, and I decided that the best decision was to watch videos that make me laugh. Ugh, your funniness is bad for my skincare.
You guys should make podcasts!!! I ummmm....actually was just listening to this tldr since I'm supposed to be sleeping but it entertained the same as watching,in my opinion.
I know this is an old video and I saw it when it first came out, but I'd like to share my perspective as someone who has been in South Korea since August of last year. As you've noticed a lot of folks here are more into walking on the treadmill. While it's convenient for me in that people aren't populating the one squat rack in the gym, it also means there's only one squat rack in the gym! So if there is someone using the squat rack, they're usually doing rack pulls and I have to wait (usually with super light weight and high reps too). I'm not sure why rack pulls are so popular. It's like folks want to mimic the movement you do with the electronic hand dryer. People here rarely do squats, presses, power cleans, and deadlifts. As someone who primarily does barbell exercises, this makes me feel a little bit left out. Also, that no-AC deal is ridiculous. I recently moved to another gym that's closer to the school I study at (couldn't use the school gym because it's full :(). I already miss my old gym which was on the basement floor and had AC. This one is on the 6th floor with the sun shining brightly into the room. Bob Saget. Squatting almost 2 times your body weight for sets across is a killer. I need to back off aggressively on the weight until I get conditioned to this nonsense.
i actually work at a gym as a front desk person (lmao i sell u kind of reasonably priced memberships) and there's people from all ages at this particular gym bc we're a little more family orientated. for the most part people wipe down the machines, put away weights, and are pretty cool. we have a 92 year old women who literally runs on the treadmill. she was born 1925 and can lift weights like nobody's business.
I'm a grad school student and I use a university gym here in Korea, and this video is so true. Especially not re-racking weights or wiping down machines. I've gotten dirty looks before for putting other people's weights back on the rack when they've long moved onto other machines. I used to get so frustrated about it, but like so many things about Korean culture, I just accepted that's the way it is. The only thing I really get upset about is when people leave weights lying on the ground.
For those of you who don't know, 25 degrees CELCIUS is the same as 77degrees FAHRENHEIT. I know this because that is the temperature I try to keep my apartment at here in Ulsan. I'm from Nebraska, and for some reason 77 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for any building to be at, so anything below that for an extended amount of time is cold, but outside we don't find the weather to be cold until it hits 32, and sometimes colder than that (if the wind isn't blowing).
This made me appreciate Singapore's gym so much! They are really really cheap. Like at SGD$2 per trip to the gym. (and they are leigt, air conditioned gyms) Gyn etiquette is wonderful, it's compulsory to bring towels and wipe down machines. Also, people do the roatation thing for all the machines. And the best part is, for machines like treadbills or bikes, the maximum time you can be on them is 20minutes at a go. There are also a lot of outdoor gyms available at all the neighbourhoods!
Ah yes!! 100% agreed! So expensive! And if you're a girl doing weights...prepare to get stared at by ajushis. Yes, stared at. Blech. Or people will stare if you run on the treadmills, hah. I talked to my Korean friend about the muscle thing and she said that it's not considered attractive here for girls to have muscle definition. This is also why people will get calf-reduction surgery, so they have thinner calves when they wear heels.
I've been to gyms in Korea. The one I went to was a new one and the people were pretty much like what I saw in the US. I feel that the push for gyms has something to do with what they see with men on tv. I saw a lot of guys in their 20s weightlifting. Girls were typically on the treadmills or in the dance classes or in yoga. I even done yoga here in Korea and well, that was certainly an experience too, haha. I guess it just depends on where you go
🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸 👻👻 🕸🕸 Hey guys! Can you make a video about funeral and why their graves are like a mini mountain? 🕸🕸 🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸
I agree that it seems sometimes their videos aren't totally accurate. For me they're still fun to watch because I can see how they as Canadians perceive Korea. It could be unfortunate though if others are seeing their perceptions as reality. You bring up a good point
Breanna Boggs bc I been a member of three different gyms in Korea in the last 5 years, from Daejeon, Seoul, and now Changwon. These two people just over exaggerate and stereotype a group of people to be funny and make it seem like this is the norm at Korean gyms. There might be one or two people that might use the machines for too long and don't re-rake the weights, but 99% of the time, people at the gyms I've been to know and practice proper gym etiquette.
Okay, you have been to three gyms. Maybe they weren't the gyms that they went to. Sure, they could have exaggerated a little, but what youtuber (or any person telling a story) doesn't? They were explaining a couple of differences between North America and Korea. All I'm saying is that you didn't have to be that rude...
in case anyone wants to visit korea in the summer and winter: due to electric deficiency, the government came up with a policy that limits indoors temperature to 26 degrees celcius in the summer and 18 in the winter. so if you are looking for a place that is REALLY cool or hot... go to either indoor snow sledding zones or bath houses.
It is really expensive to turn on the AC in Korea. If you just turn on the AC for few hours a month, you will easily get billed for extra US$300 to 500. I can recall when I lived in Korea, my mom would rarely allow me to turn on the AC although we bought the newest one! Buying an AC is not expensive but keep turning it on is damn expensive because government is giving discount rates to commercial electricity use for corporate factories and transfer this lost rates to general public usages by charging higher rates to general public. People were mad about this issue and was aired on last summer news.
People ask them to compare these things, people who maybe want to move to SK or just want to know what is like. If you are planning on moving to a different place, especially a different country, you would want to know about how the two places are different or the same so you can make a better decision. These videos are just their opinions but they really help me as I am planning on moving there next year.
After you're finished using the bench press or other exercise where you back or but touches the seat/rest, more than likely you're going to leave some sweat there. Proper gym etiquette would be to wipe the area where you rested (the wipe down) so that the next person using the equipment doesn't have to work out on a surface with your sweat. Just a hygiene, cleanliness type thing.
Hmmm.....agree with most, except last bit about cycling your exercise at the gym. That is actually counter to the gym etiquette. You get on a machine, you do your set, might be 5X5 or 4X8, doesn't matter, do your sets and you move to your next machine. You do not, however, do one set at one machine, go to a different machine, then think you can come back and do the first machine, unless the gym is empty. Once you get off the machine and move onto the next machine, the first machine is free game for any other gym goers. They are free to get down and do their sets. Been like this at Golds, Bally's, Planet, and any other gyms I've ever been to. This is different if you are getting up to shake out your set, you get up and you relax for your next set and someone just jumps in without so much as "Hey, do you mind if I jump in?" that's just rude, which I actually have seen in Korea. But, if you get up from one machine use a different machine, in any gym, US, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, or any places I've been to, you are considered to have moved on.
I don't think that he was saying that the machine should stay open for him when he took a break - what he meant was when he did come back he was fine with waiting, but then the person using the machine was monopolizing it even when he WASN'T using it. Like checking his phone and just hanging out, while someone is waiting to use it
A friend and I have started going to the gym. We're noobs, and we were going to figure out a certain machine together. We did stuff on other machines until the woman had moved onto another machine. We went to go try it, and the woman flew off the machine that she had moved to (a good time ago) and told us she needed to finish on that one. She glared at us and went back on that machine we wanted to try. Rude...
there was actually a study which said that if u walk a certain distance, u will burn the exact same amount of calories as u would have running that distance
Martina: "I physically sweat in the malls in Korea" Me: "Oh nooo!" :0 going to the mall is what people in my country do to get away from the heat haha!
I live in Singapore, everything is air conditioned, bus/trains/shopping centre/gyms etc. Singapore is really hot!! The minimum temperature will be 28 degrees and it will be at night!!
Korea used to be like Singapore where all the places were cooled to an icebox until last year when the energy crisis happened. That's why people in Korea aren't using ac as much right now - they are supposed to conserve energy until the end fix the problem. There's a temporary law banning public places from lowering the ac temperature below 26 degrees...
I know this is an old video, but here in the US all the gyms near me are around $100 a month. They might do "specials" and do a free first month or $10 for your first month, but they're generally all around the $100 mark.
I believe its because of the power supply issue in korea, thats why perhaps they are limiting the temp of aircon for indoor places because it uses too much power if its set too low..reduce the strain on the power stations.
yah gyms and public places can be contentious you can see noticeable differences between korean public buildings compared to the buildings on camp humphreys
My cousin in korea is super athletic and when I visited this summer I swear she was the only toned and buff girl I saw over a course of 3 weeks. Whereas in the US, my friends and I work hard to stay toned and it's considered attractive and being toned is something you want to achieve
It definitely depends on where you go to the gym. Most gyms have signs, spray bottles, and cloths to clean the equipment, but people only occasionally clean the equipment. This goes for a private country club gym, high school gym, local YMCA's, and even large modern gyms like LA Fitness. My best advice is to ALWAYS CLEAN THE EQUIPMENT BEFORE AND AFTER NO MATTER WHAT.
my gym uses a basic A/C unit and has fans everywhere. It's 90,000Won for a 3 month membership, but for one month, it's 50,000. It's more worth it to just get the three month membership. It's small, but surprisingly most of the frequent members are old ladies. Equipment isn't amazing or expansive, but there is a yoga and dance class, a small sauna, really clean showers and locker rooms, tons of treadmills. But yeah people don't really "work out" in Korea, especially women.
One theory about the slow walking is the fact you said practically no women have muscle definition. It's like going 100 lifts with 5 pound weights is going to tone your body, while doing 20 with 30 pounds weights is going to build muscle definition. I personally have been walking for an hour and a half at 3 mph for about a month and a half, and my body is feels much more fit as opposed to when I used to hardcore run for 45 minutes.
haha it's one of the funniest tl;dr xD moment at 1:20 when Simon... show his badass side : D I CRIED XD and then my dad tells me not to laugh alone to my monitor computer....
About the air condition in Korea, simon and martina are on point! I went to every mall in Korea and wondered why the hell they never turned on their AC?! Who wants to shop and sweat?! -__- and one time while waiting for the subway train, I actually saw a korean man walk up to one of these "display" AC's, pressed a button, and IT TURNED ON. God bless him. Haha
In Seoul, the gyms can be pricey. I live in a small city in Korea, where the year-long membership is only 500k won. It was a small gym run by one guy, but it was clean and modern and welcoming. There are fitness center EVERYWHERE in Korea, so definitely shop around.
I want a TH-cam channel that is the opposite of EatYourKimchi- as in I want a channel of a married Asian couple (In fact they can be any culture) who came to America to teach (Because a lot of people travel to teach) and each ep is talking about the differences in culture that they see- I'd be really interested :)
Check out the Mok Dong gym right where the subway station exits. There is a Korean Bodybuilder who runs it and his English name is Diesel. He's jacked, and he's awesome.
I live near a university, and you can definitely tell guys who went to the military service from those who didn't. Working out seems almost competitive and expected in military service, and that mindset carries on once they leave. Most guys under the 30-age demographic are pretty fit, and while there are ajusshi-packed gyms with poor A/C (like in NA), there are also more posh ones aiming for real workaholics.
Isn't the reason why the AC is not used due to the electricity shortage? I remember seeing a lot of laws enacted in South Korea about keeping convenience store's doors closed in the summer to prevent energy from being wasted.
It's been a while since I've been to korea (like 5 years) but I remember the AC was used a ton. Cold air upsets my stomach so I've got a lot of... memories. My guess is that they don't turn on the AC because of recent national movements to be eco-friendly and reduce carbon footprints. Walking is considered to be healthier than running because running can damage your knees. As for lack of gym etiquette... yeah that's just consistent across Korean culture, imho.
AMAZING! On the morning that I specifically set aside to find a gym here in Daegu, this is top of my facebook feed! Perfect! Oh, and 27c would be great, I tried those outdoor gyms this week in 36c! I nearly burst into flames. It's hot down here!!
I think the air thing is because the government has a mandate on what temp you can set your A/C at to avoid brown outs. (not sure if this is true anymore, but I read it in one of the documents I got in my 'welcome to being an army wife in Korea' packet...)
The temp thing is because of a relatively new government regulation on keeping the thermostat at a certain temperature (to keep energy use down and prevent rolling black outs). Believe me, LOTS of people want it cold but the stores/gyms can't because they might get fined for keeping the air conditioner blasting. At least, they're not like civic (government) buildings which are now not allowed to even turn on the air conditioner. Yipes.
Sometimes at my college guys will do the "sit on the machine while not using it" thing and I've found they usually don't realize they are doing it! You might be able to ask if you could go while he/she is resting!
This year there were some problems with the electricity in the hole country. Therefore they set a limit in all buildings for the AC. This could be the reason why its so hot in all the buildings, buses and subways.
sorry martina and simon. i just rewatched that episode of " the human condition" and for government buildings, the national standard temp for air conditioners are 28 degrees celsius( 82 degrees fahrenheit) and for businesses, 26 degrees (approx. 76 degrees fahrenheit). so your gym was just 2 degrees above what it was supposed to be.
Omg Simon! Seriously, do you notice how incredibly often you interrupt Martina in mid sentence? Sometimes is really funny and cute, and im pretty sure she doesnt care at all, but, please let her finish what she wants to say. Sometimes im left intrigued as to what was she planned to say. Love you guys! Xo :)
To be fair, no general Gym class I've heard of (at least in the US) will teach you (or even have you anywhere near machines) gym etiquette unless you're taking a weight/power lifting class, which is the advanced Gym class at my school and requires regular PE as a pre-req. I wish we learned how to properly use gym equipment~
I think they are used to those kinds of foods and most of the food they eat is less fatty or salty (I don't think they eat as much chips, burgers, pizza, etc.). Also, I'm pretty sure most don't eat in excess. They do physical exercise like gym class in school but not with weights and stuff and I think they are just generally more physically active. They go out on walks, hikes, parks, stuff like that. Just because they don't go to gyms doesn't mean they don't exercise. :)
I was kinda disappointed to see you didn't include the "Hyung, do you even lift?" line in the video title. Made me laugh so hard! Thanks for sharing your experiences, as always :)
Getting in shape in NA is lifting heavy/cross$hit.... Getting in shape in Asia is eating less...
Seems more common
I like how u address every topic with the utmost respect to all the cultures
For the air condition thing I feel its very common in Asian countries in general to basically not use the air conditioner because of how expensive it is. Plus its also a health issue, many asian people believe blowing cold air on their bodies when they are sweating is not good for the body. It causes wind cold and this can lead to colds and such (based on Eastern medicine) so lots of oriental medical doctors do not recommend exercising in cold environments
as i'm watching this i'm lying on my bed eating pizza and now i feel bad
at my desk eating pizza
Lying on my bed and eating cookies...
Actually electricity is damn cheap in Korea compared to a lot of countries. When I lived in Korea I had two air conditioners at home, one in the living room and one in my bedroom and my electricity bills were rarely more than $100 per month. So I don't understand all the comments about air conditioning being expensive in Korea. Also, South Korea has nuclear generated power, which is really cheap and plentiful. So I don't think Korea suffers from a lack of electricity as some people have commented.
I had mine on all day and sometimes forgot to turn it off, but my bill went up only $5 a month. True
Woah, I prefer working out at home anyway. You can look like a sweaty hot mess without anyone staring at you. Workout videos for the win~
I literally turn into a purple beet when I run in public lol
and u dont have to pay for membership~ :)
I totally agree. I have no idea why people waste money on memberships. I can get up in the morning and work out in my pajamas with my hair a mess, and no one can say anything. The only thing I would go for is to take classes.
GwendolynRaine personally i just have a hard time motivating myself to work out at home. I can however motivate myelf to go to the gym, and once im there i might as well work out right?
GwendolynRaine some people go to a gym to lift weight, not stay at home and do 20 sit ups and push ups every morning...
I lost it when you started talking about how people walk so long on treadmills. lmao
I grew up overseas and every time I watch your videos I get "homesick" for international life. I MISS this stuff, these quirks of culture that no one over here in the States understands. You're totally speaking my language. MAN, I miss that.
Korea severely lacks electrical energy. So i believe the gov't put some kind of a limit on using AC. I think this issue has been going on for couple years now. So a lot of places in korea are not able to turn on the AC unless the temperature goes above 28 degrees Celsius or something. Hope this helped!
Must be different nowadays cuz there was air conditioning everywhere in Seoul when I went last year
I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH! You're so real and awesome! and I really love how you show Korea to people who live outside of it. Please continue making awesome videos! ;)
So I should just buy my own exercise equipment in Korea cause I'd save money and I'd stay cool? lol
kathleenmms i have the same question - anyone know how much a bench/squat set-up would cost over there?
***** thats a really god idea. thsnks mang :)
+kathleenmms I went to the gym in winter and stayed home and worked out in warmer weather. (I got an "awesome deal" at a local university and paid for 3 months...I feel like it was around 100,000 but much cheaper than other gyms.) All my equipment I bought at Home Plus and sold to others when I left.
why are your TL:DR's always so good! Love it!
It really outclasses the KMM and FAPFAP
Cheer for Singapore! Feeling proud XD
Joanne Li : isn't Singapore tropical?
tooltalk precisely why we have airconditioning every few metres
Martina and Simon I recommend sticking to one thing until you're done with it. For example, if you're doing leg presses do one set, rest for a little, do the second set, rest (repeat). After you're done with 3 sets (or 5) of leg presses go to another machine until you are COMPLETELY done with the machine you were working out on. Don't go from one machine to the other w/o completing it.
P.S. you guys are awesome
Hi
I have several questions.
1] How expensive is it living in Korea day to day and for rent etc
2] How are the police/crime on the streets
3] What's it like shopping for clothes (larger chested and butted(?) woman here)
Hi! They've discussed (brushed on) those topics (according to their experiences of course) in older TL;DRs :D just go browse them :)
I think it's just the editing that makes it look that way. We interrupt each other a lot when we talk. We like to finish each others...sandwiches.
And when you boil down 25 minutes of talking to something under 10 minutes, it can look that way. Oops :D
900 a year LOL thats kinda intense. I have gone to gym to at Canada and its only 400+ canadian dollar a year. 900$ its a ripe off LOL
80% humidity ? welcome to outdoor exercise in Malaysia yay! you sweat your ass off without the sweat being evaporated ^ ^
Hahaha....true....
so damn true haha :)
Haha exactly opposite !! I'm a korean student studying in San Diego. And every korean always mutter why americans put too much ac everyday lol !! Probably , there is a certain endurance ability toward coldness.
WOW, in Mexico everyone does the same things!
If you go to a gym after 5PM you'll never find the equipment in their place, and sometimes you have to steal it from someone else to do your set.
And something Ive notice here is that a few guys go together and monopolies the machines they'll use, so if you need to use one machine they are using you'll have to wait until everyone is over because even if you stand in front of the one using it, he will use it until his friend replace him!
Bueno, pero podrías preguntarles si te dejan usar el aparato, funciona para mí y para mí hermano. preguntamos cuantas series les faltan y sí son muchas, les decimos que intercalamos, y sí no, hacemos estiramientos en lo que lo desocupan.
I've made a terrible decision. I'm wearing a facial mask that requires me to relax my facial muscles or else it'll crack, and I decided that the best decision was to watch videos that make me laugh. Ugh, your funniness is bad for my skincare.
You guys should make podcasts!!! I ummmm....actually was just listening to this tldr since I'm supposed to be sleeping but it entertained the same as watching,in my opinion.
I just realized that Simon slapped Martina's butt 7:56
I know this is an old video and I saw it when it first came out, but I'd like to share my perspective as someone who has been in South Korea since August of last year.
As you've noticed a lot of folks here are more into walking on the treadmill. While it's convenient for me in that people aren't populating the one squat rack in the gym, it also means there's only one squat rack in the gym! So if there is someone using the squat rack, they're usually doing rack pulls and I have to wait (usually with super light weight and high reps too). I'm not sure why rack pulls are so popular. It's like folks want to mimic the movement you do with the electronic hand dryer.
People here rarely do squats, presses, power cleans, and deadlifts. As someone who primarily does barbell exercises, this makes me feel a little bit left out. Also, that no-AC deal is ridiculous. I recently moved to another gym that's closer to the school I study at (couldn't use the school gym because it's full :(). I already miss my old gym which was on the basement floor and had AC. This one is on the 6th floor with the sun shining brightly into the room. Bob Saget. Squatting almost 2 times your body weight for sets across is a killer. I need to back off aggressively on the weight until I get conditioned to this nonsense.
The weight section is almost always clear? 😮😏🙏🙏🙏 lol you can't get that in American! I'm liking Korea more and more everyday!
i actually work at a gym as a front desk person (lmao i sell u kind of reasonably priced memberships) and there's people from all ages at this particular gym bc we're a little more family orientated. for the most part people wipe down the machines, put away weights, and are pretty cool. we have a 92 year old women who literally runs on the treadmill. she was born 1925 and can lift weights like nobody's business.
I think the heat is just used to help you sweat more during workout
You'd just lose water weight...
If it's too hot and I'm working out, I feel like I'm going to pass out.
I'm a grad school student and I use a university gym here in Korea, and this video is so true. Especially not re-racking weights or wiping down machines. I've gotten dirty looks before for putting other people's weights back on the rack when they've long moved onto other machines. I used to get so frustrated about it, but like so many things about Korean culture, I just accepted that's the way it is. The only thing I really get upset about is when people leave weights lying on the ground.
Well, that sucks. I'll just do pushups at home.
For those of you who don't know, 25 degrees CELCIUS is the same as 77degrees FAHRENHEIT. I know this because that is the temperature I try to keep my apartment at here in Ulsan. I'm from Nebraska, and for some reason 77 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for any building to be at, so anything below that for an extended amount of time is cold, but outside we don't find the weather to be cold until it hits 32, and sometimes colder than that (if the wind isn't blowing).
in finland... about 75€/month.. talk about expensive!
This made me appreciate Singapore's gym so much! They are really really cheap. Like at SGD$2 per trip to the gym. (and they are leigt, air conditioned gyms) Gyn etiquette is wonderful, it's compulsory to bring towels and wipe down machines. Also, people do the roatation thing for all the machines. And the best part is, for machines like treadbills or bikes, the maximum time you can be on them is 20minutes at a go. There are also a lot of outdoor gyms available at all the neighbourhoods!
Ah yes!! 100% agreed! So expensive!
And if you're a girl doing weights...prepare to get stared at by ajushis. Yes, stared at. Blech.
Or people will stare if you run on the treadmills, hah.
I talked to my Korean friend about the muscle thing and she said that it's not considered attractive here for girls to have muscle definition. This is also why people will get calf-reduction surgery, so they have thinner calves when they wear heels.
That sound pointlessly dangerous.
Congrats on the one million!!!!
I clicked on this because I saw a sexy guy on the thumbnail but it's cool I need to work out to
Nope nope I changed my mind that's totally jay park
OMG this is amazing, I was just going to email y'all about fitness and gyms in Korea!! YAAAY! :D Thanks so much for addressing this topic!
Dont lie. You never benched
I've been to gyms in Korea. The one I went to was a new one and the people were pretty much like what I saw in the US. I feel that the push for gyms has something to do with what they see with men on tv. I saw a lot of guys in their 20s weightlifting. Girls were typically on the treadmills or in the dance classes or in yoga. I even done yoga here in Korea and well, that was certainly an experience too, haha. I guess it just depends on where you go
Is it sad the while i'm watching this i'm laying down and eating pizza. I need to work out.
That's correct. There are signs in many public places that say you must keep the temp within a certain range. For example, you can't go below 25C.
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🕸🕸 Hey guys! Can you make a video about funeral and why their graves are like a mini mountain? 🕸🕸
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YaaaaaSSSSS POST I
I agree that it seems sometimes their videos aren't totally accurate. For me they're still fun to watch because I can see how they as Canadians perceive Korea. It could be unfortunate though if others are seeing their perceptions as reality. You bring up a good point
Stop BSing... you two never been in a gym.
How would you know? It was a question that was asked. You don't have to be a member at a gym to know about them. Why are you being so rude?
Breanna Boggs bc I been a member of three different gyms in Korea in the last 5 years, from Daejeon, Seoul, and now Changwon. These two people just over exaggerate and stereotype a group of people to be funny and make it seem like this is the norm at Korean gyms. There might be one or two people that might use the machines for too long and don't re-rake the weights, but 99% of the time, people at the gyms I've been to know and practice proper gym etiquette.
Okay, you have been to three gyms. Maybe they weren't the gyms that they went to. Sure, they could have exaggerated a little, but what youtuber (or any person telling a story) doesn't? They were explaining a couple of differences between North America and Korea. All I'm saying is that you didn't have to be that rude...
Belac Krap
so you can to recommend a good gym to Symon and Martina
We would LOVE TO. Singapore was amazing. UH MAY ZEENG
"let's walk for a very long time"
...sounds like my kinda exercise
in Australia its also around $1000 but that usually includes everything a pool , 24/7 gym and unlimited recreation facilities
in case anyone wants to visit korea in the summer and winter: due to electric deficiency, the government came up with a policy that limits indoors temperature to 26 degrees celcius in the summer and 18 in the winter. so if you are looking for a place that is REALLY cool or hot... go to either indoor snow sledding zones or bath houses.
It is really expensive to turn on the AC in Korea. If you just turn on the AC for few hours a month, you will easily get billed for extra US$300 to 500. I can recall when I lived in Korea, my mom would rarely allow me to turn on the AC although we bought the newest one! Buying an AC is not expensive but keep turning it on is damn expensive because government is giving discount rates to commercial electricity use for corporate factories and transfer this lost rates to general public usages by charging higher rates to general public. People were mad about this issue and was aired on last summer news.
People ask them to compare these things, people who maybe want to move to SK or just want to know what is like. If you are planning on moving to a different place, especially a different country, you would want to know about how the two places are different or the same so you can make a better decision. These videos are just their opinions but they really help me as I am planning on moving there next year.
After you're finished using the bench press or other exercise where you back or but touches the seat/rest, more than likely you're going to leave some sweat there. Proper gym etiquette would be to wipe the area where you rested (the wipe down) so that the next person using the equipment doesn't have to work out on a surface with your sweat. Just a hygiene, cleanliness type thing.
Hmmm.....agree with most, except last bit about cycling your exercise at the gym. That is actually counter to the gym etiquette. You get on a machine, you do your set, might be 5X5 or 4X8, doesn't matter, do your sets and you move to your next machine. You do not, however, do one set at one machine, go to a different machine, then think you can come back and do the first machine, unless the gym is empty. Once you get off the machine and move onto the next machine, the first machine is free game for any other gym goers. They are free to get down and do their sets. Been like this at Golds, Bally's, Planet, and any other gyms I've ever been to. This is different if you are getting up to shake out your set, you get up and you relax for your next set and someone just jumps in without so much as "Hey, do you mind if I jump in?" that's just rude, which I actually have seen in Korea. But, if you get up from one machine use a different machine, in any gym, US, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, or any places I've been to, you are considered to have moved on.
I don't think that he was saying that the machine should stay open for him when he took a break - what he meant was when he did come back he was fine with waiting, but then the person using the machine was monopolizing it even when he WASN'T using it. Like checking his phone and just hanging out, while someone is waiting to use it
A friend and I have started going to the gym. We're noobs, and we were going to figure out a certain machine together. We did stuff on other machines until the woman had moved onto another machine. We went to go try it, and the woman flew off the machine that she had moved to (a good time ago) and told us she needed to finish on that one. She glared at us and went back on that machine we wanted to try. Rude...
there was actually a study which said that if u walk a certain distance, u will burn the exact same amount of calories as u would have running that distance
Martina: "I physically sweat in the malls in Korea"
Me: "Oh nooo!" :0
going to the mall is what people in my country do to get away from the heat haha!
I live in Singapore, everything is air conditioned, bus/trains/shopping centre/gyms etc. Singapore is really hot!! The minimum temperature will be 28 degrees and it will be at night!!
Martina's makeup looks exceptional today!!!
Korea used to be like Singapore where all the places were cooled to an icebox until last year when the energy crisis happened. That's why people in Korea aren't using ac as much right now - they are supposed to conserve energy until the end fix the problem. There's a temporary law banning public places from lowering the ac temperature below 26 degrees...
I know this is an old video, but here in the US all the gyms near me are around $100 a month. They might do "specials" and do a free first month or $10 for your first month, but they're generally all around the $100 mark.
I believe its because of the power supply issue in korea, thats why perhaps they are limiting the temp of aircon for indoor places because it uses too much power if its set too low..reduce the strain on the power stations.
It has nothing to do with the video, but ... I LOVE YOUR NAILS MARTINA! ♥
yah gyms and public places can be contentious you can see noticeable differences between korean public buildings compared to the buildings on camp humphreys
My cousin in korea is super athletic and when I visited this summer I swear she was the only toned and buff girl I saw over a course of 3 weeks. Whereas in the US, my friends and I work hard to stay toned and it's considered attractive and being toned is something you want to achieve
It definitely depends on where you go to the gym. Most gyms have signs, spray bottles, and cloths to clean the equipment, but people only occasionally clean the equipment. This goes for a private country club gym, high school gym, local YMCA's, and even large modern gyms like LA Fitness. My best advice is to ALWAYS CLEAN THE EQUIPMENT BEFORE AND AFTER NO MATTER WHAT.
my gym uses a basic A/C unit and has fans everywhere. It's 90,000Won for a 3 month membership, but for one month, it's 50,000. It's more worth it to just get the three month membership. It's small, but surprisingly most of the frequent members are old ladies. Equipment isn't amazing or expansive, but there is a yoga and dance class, a small sauna, really clean showers and locker rooms, tons of treadmills. But yeah people don't really "work out" in Korea, especially women.
One theory about the slow walking is the fact you said practically no women have muscle definition. It's like going 100 lifts with 5 pound weights is going to tone your body, while doing 20 with 30 pounds weights is going to build muscle definition.
I personally have been walking for an hour and a half at 3 mph for about a month and a half, and my body is feels much more fit as opposed to when I used to hardcore run for 45 minutes.
haha it's one of the funniest tl;dr xD
moment at 1:20 when Simon... show his badass side : D I CRIED XD
and then my dad tells me not to laugh alone to my monitor computer....
I've been waiting for this! :D
About the air condition in Korea, simon and martina are on point! I went to every mall in Korea and wondered why the hell they never turned on their AC?! Who wants to shop and sweat?! -__- and one time while waiting for the subway train, I actually saw a korean man walk up to one of these "display" AC's, pressed a button, and IT TURNED ON. God bless him. Haha
In Seoul, the gyms can be pricey. I live in a small city in Korea, where the year-long membership is only 500k won. It was a small gym run by one guy, but it was clean and modern and welcoming. There are fitness center EVERYWHERE in Korea, so definitely shop around.
I want a TH-cam channel that is the opposite of EatYourKimchi- as in I want a channel of a married Asian couple (In fact they can be any culture) who came to America to teach (Because a lot of people travel to teach) and each ep is talking about the differences in culture that they see- I'd be really interested :)
Check out the Mok Dong gym right where the subway station exits. There is a Korean Bodybuilder who runs it and his English name is Diesel. He's jacked, and he's awesome.
I spent an hour and a half on the elliptical yesterday just because I wanted to finish a Supernatural episode that I've already seen. Motivation.
I live near a university, and you can definitely tell guys who went to the military service from those who didn't.
Working out seems almost competitive and expected in military service, and that mindset carries on once they leave. Most guys under the 30-age demographic are pretty fit, and while there are ajusshi-packed gyms with poor A/C (like in NA), there are also more posh ones aiming for real workaholics.
Eatyourkimchi is the best TH-cam Tv!
Isn't the reason why the AC is not used due to the electricity shortage? I remember seeing a lot of laws enacted in South Korea about keeping convenience store's doors closed in the summer to prevent energy from being wasted.
It's been a while since I've been to korea (like 5 years) but I remember the AC was used a ton. Cold air upsets my stomach so I've got a lot of... memories. My guess is that they don't turn on the AC because of recent national movements to be eco-friendly and reduce carbon footprints.
Walking is considered to be healthier than running because running can damage your knees.
As for lack of gym etiquette... yeah that's just consistent across Korean culture, imho.
AMAZING! On the morning that I specifically set aside to find a gym here in Daegu, this is top of my facebook feed! Perfect! Oh, and 27c would be great, I tried those outdoor gyms this week in 36c! I nearly burst into flames. It's hot down here!!
YES. THIS. PLEASE SIMON AND MARTINA!!
I think the air thing is because the government has a mandate on what temp you can set your A/C at to avoid brown outs. (not sure if this is true anymore, but I read it in one of the documents I got in my 'welcome to being an army wife in Korea' packet...)
The temp thing is because of a relatively new government regulation on keeping the thermostat at a certain temperature (to keep energy use down and prevent rolling black outs). Believe me, LOTS of people want it cold but the stores/gyms can't because they might get fined for keeping the air conditioner blasting. At least, they're not like civic (government) buildings which are now not allowed to even turn on the air conditioner. Yipes.
Sometimes at my college guys will do the "sit on the machine while not using it" thing and I've found they usually don't realize they are doing it! You might be able to ask if you could go while he/she is resting!
Thats AWESOMEEEEE~ We Await Your Return!!
when martina was flexing at the end she reminded me of the we can do it poster girl
the descriptions thoe..."What's everyone like up in the gym? Hyung, do you even lift?" HYUNG DO YOU EVEN LIFT LOLOLOL
I love how in Korea they sometimes use their own Korean titles for American movies. For example, The Day After Tomorrow becomes "투모로우" = Tomorrow.
when i saw the title of this video i had hoped you would reference fergie's song. i was not disappointed. you guys are the best owo
This year there were some problems with the electricity in the hole country. Therefore they set a limit in all buildings for the AC. This could be the reason why its so hot in all the buildings, buses and subways.
lived in korea for 10 yrs without a/c, i def don't miss that. gotta love living in usa
sorry martina and simon. i just rewatched that episode of " the human condition" and for government buildings, the national standard temp for air conditioners are 28 degrees celsius( 82 degrees fahrenheit) and for businesses, 26 degrees (approx. 76 degrees fahrenheit). so your gym was just 2 degrees above what it was supposed to be.
Omg Simon! Seriously, do you notice how incredibly often you interrupt Martina in mid sentence? Sometimes is really funny and cute, and im pretty sure she doesnt care at all, but, please let her finish what she wants to say. Sometimes im left intrigued as to what was she planned to say. Love you guys! Xo :)
To be fair, no general Gym class I've heard of (at least in the US) will teach you (or even have you anywhere near machines) gym etiquette unless you're taking a weight/power lifting class, which is the advanced Gym class at my school and requires regular PE as a pre-req. I wish we learned how to properly use gym equipment~
You guys are so awsome (eat your kimchi love) I support you guys please keep mak3ing vids ♡♥♡♥
I can totally relate to this! People at my gym just walk really slowly on the treadmills for like an hour or so. It's so annoying...
This was a good TL;DR. Thank you
I would love those temperatures in-doors in Korea. I live in Miami and I hate the freezing cold air in malls and restaurants here.
yes singapore is great for having all these aircons even some secondary schools are airconditioned in all the classrooms
I think they are used to those kinds of foods and most of the food they eat is less fatty or salty (I don't think they eat as much chips, burgers, pizza, etc.). Also, I'm pretty sure most don't eat in excess. They do physical exercise like gym class in school but not with weights and stuff and I think they are just generally more physically active. They go out on walks, hikes, parks, stuff like that. Just because they don't go to gyms doesn't mean they don't exercise. :)
I was kinda disappointed to see you didn't include the "Hyung, do you even lift?" line in the video title. Made me laugh so hard! Thanks for sharing your experiences, as always :)
My gym didn't have any air conditioner... it was always warm in there but there are fans blowing from the ceiling in certain areas.
HAHAHA @ 0:32 I was totally staring at Simon's chest hair hahahaha he caught me xD
They are now selling them on their site in 4 different color combos! I got electric blue and green!