Seoul's time flows differently: Provincial realities clash with city life

Conversations with women from provincial areas living in Seoul often reveal a fascinating blend of resilience and vulnerability, challenging preconceived notions. The author finds herself drawn to these individuals, perhaps seeing echoes of her own past struggles with provincial life and the yearning for connection in a new city. This particular encounter began with a shared understanding of regional identity, specifically the common question posed to those from Andong: "Are you from a Yangban (aristocratic) family?"

The conversation quickly delved into the subtle yet pervasive gender discrimination experienced by women born in the 1990s. The author, born in the Year of the Tiger, found common ground with the interviewee, born in the Year of the Horse, both having faced stereotypes about their strong personalities. This shared experience of being labeled as "fierce" or "difficult" due to their birth year and gender resonated deeply, offering a rare moment of mutual understanding in a city where such generational perspectives can feel alienating.

The author contrasts these experiences with her own memories and those of her husband, who hails from the affluent Gangnam district. Her first novel, based on her older sister's sacrifices in the 1980s, leaving school early to work in a factory, was met with bewilderment from peers who dismissed it as "ancient history." Similarly, discussions about her husband's high school experience, including mandatory evening study sessions and corporal punishment, were met with disbelief by those from more privileged backgrounds.

These stark contrasts highlight a significant disconnect in lived realities across South Korea. A recent anecdote about housing prices vividly illustrates this. While the author mentioned her parents' apartment in Daegu valued at just over 100 million won, her younger acquaintance, accustomed to Seoul's astronomical prices, vehemently denied the possibility, assuming she was recalling "decades-old prices." The reality check, confirmed by actual transaction data, left the acquaintance visibly stunned.

The author draws a parallel to a television show where a comedian from a rural area recalled using a rotary phone, only to be dismissed by a Seoul-born celebrity who had never encountered such technology. This anecdote underscores the author's central theme: people can live in the same era yet inhabit entirely different worlds. The author concludes by reflecting on the disorienting feeling of navigating these disparate realities, where even basic assumptions about the cost of living, like housing, differ so drastically, making one feel like a "person from the past" without needing a time machine.