IN SEOUL
SHE MUST have been one of the world’s most testy tour guide.
She was demurely decked out in traditional Korean dress, but her speech was, shall we say, a little less than conservative.
"Could everyone hurry up please?"
"Look, I can’t start until everybody comes here. There are STILL people behind."
"Yes, I WILL explain what this place is, but I can’t start until you’re all here."
I suppose I couldn't blame the official tour guide at the Changdeokgung, an ancient palace in Seoul, for feeling a little frustrated.
After all, when some 30 journalists from across Asean are invited to visit the palace and are told to stay in a group (rules of the place), and they don't, it gets a little irritating.
Imagine nearly 30 people wandering in various directions, filming everything from the stones on the ground to the tour guide herself. Nonstop.
But her testiness took a little bit out of the beauty and serenity of the open grounds and ancient buildings. It was hard to soak in the immense history of the place, when the tour guide appeared to be a little less than welcoming.
To some in the media group, it was likened to what they saw as commonly-held stereotpes of Korea: Strict adherence to the rules, structure, efficiency and little space for flexibility. Sound familiar?
Makes you wonder, don't you think, if others in the region see Singapore that way.
Well, it works doesn't it. The efficiency, productivity, persistence and strict adherence to structure have brought the country from postwar poverty into wealth. Bet you couldn't even tell which country I was referring to. (Both)
But, I'm sure, in some circles, such behaviour doesn't win too many friends, even if they are highly respected and hailed as a model for modernisation.
When I told a Korean official that Korea’s efficiency impressed me, he replied, “Now that’s a compliment, coming from Singapore.” Did I detect a faint trace of irony in his words?
How about some takeaways from The Lesson Of The Testy Tour Guide:
1. You can have all the history, the infrastructure and the programmes, but a little bit of poor service can detract from it somewhat. (Okay, this is the hardware-software thing again)
2. While we continue to laud ourselves for our rule of law, efficiency, structure etc etc, spare a little thought for some who don’t necessarily think this is the best way, and how irritating it can be.
3. When in doubt, throw in some cute, doe-eyed pop stars with cutesy, squeaky voices and stunning looks, and all will be forgiven.
That, by the way, is K-pop, really. (At least, that's what K-pop is to fuddy-duddy me.)
The last point, by the way, is a reference to some members of Girls' Generation, a nine-member chart-winning girl band that's made it big in Korea and beyond. (If you haven’t heard of them, you're probably older than 20.)
After the Asean journalists met the group, it was all they could talk about. Tour guide? What tour guide?