Obsessed with "Best"

(This sign reads "SongPaGu citizens are best at observing the rules of traffic. Notice "Best Bank" sign in the background.)















Anyone who has spent anything with Koreans will understand what I mean when I speak of the competitiveness of Koreans. There is a real obsession with being the best. Even in churches, there is a goal of "being the best church ever". (Heard at BukBu church in Pohang while visiting there as a quick example) An American missionary I worked with in Ethiopia has one vivid memory of Koreans she always liked to share. A Korean couple were in their Amharic language class in the capital, Addis Ababa. The Korean woman would always ask her, "What do you think you will get on the test? I believe I will get 95% at least." and stuff like that.
The #1 choice for church names in Korea is "Jae-il GyuHwa" or in English "#1 church". Doesn't that seem odd to have a church named "best church"!? Now, some of these are translated as "The 1st Presbyterian Church" of such-and-such-an-area" but when you have several dozen churches named "#1 (best) church" in the same area you can see how their competitiveness has spread into religious fields as well.

The products sold here often have the label of "Jae-il" (best) and "Chay-Go" (#1). One quick example is this ajuma (older woman above) who sells "#1 rice-cake" at a subway station in Seoul.
Why do I bring this topic up? Have a lost my marbles?! (perhaps!) I thought I had seen it all when it comes to competition but the new sign I saw the other day really takes the cake!

This sign proudly proclaims that the toilet was voted "2000.8 Seoul's best toilet"!!!!

I was SO honored to enter the domain of 2000.8 Seoul Best Toilet! To tell you the truth, I secretly enjoyed a few extra moments on the royal throne of the Express Bus Terminal Best Toilet knowing that it received such raving reviews. What a privilege! A few questions entered my mind though as I sat on the Porcelain of Perfection:

• How do they go about determining such an award? I mean there are a LOT of toilets in Seoul.
• Did they visit ALL toilets in Seoul?
• Speaking of "they"...how many people are official toilet award inspectors? What are they paid? Is it a year round job?
• Who accepted this glorious award on behalf of The Express Bus Terminal and how did I miss it in the headlines?
• Why can only men enter this wonderful toilet? Shouldn't women get to enjoy this grand place as well?
• Why did the other 9 toilets at the Express Bus Terminal not receive such a plaque? Is there secret envy and bickering among staff over who gets to clean this prized toilet?
• When you receive such an award, (which most be the "pinnacle" of achievement for the custodians there) what kind of goals can you shoot for afterwards?!
• Have they been in a slump since 2000.8 and unable to achieve such lofty goals again?

Well, I for one say "Rise up Express Bus Terminal and claim your victory once again!!! Be the Best of the Best toilet cleaners!!! Daehanminkook (Korea) would expect nothing less of you!" I recommend making 2005.8 a target date to make a momentous (and I dare say unprecedented) 5 year anniversary comeback. JUST IMAGINE THE HEADLINES AND NATIONAL PRIDE!!! No doubt the mayor and foreign dignitaries would be present and the world would be in awe of the BEST that Korea has to offer!!! (Korea-Fighting!)

(By the way, this post is masked with sarcasm not to offend any Korean friends seeing how 95% of Koreans do not seem to be able to recognize sarcasm. I guess one could say that North Americans are BEST at that....ha!ha!)