Photo Essay: Flowers and Fragrance

Flowers and Fragrance

Photographs by Oh Eun Ah

Springtime and early summer is unquestionably the most colorful time of the year with the freshest of fragrances in the air and a prismatic array of flowers to meet the eye. “April showers bring May flowers,” as the saying goes. By extension, this age-old proverb tells us that a period of discomfort will be followed by a period of happiness. In this present period of coronavirus discomfort, let us take solace in knowing that there are better days ahead – just as following the harshness of the winter, the spring brings the comforting colors and fragrance of flowers.

Convenient Food Ordering with Help Me Emo!

When I first arrived in Korea, I was very codependent on the variety of Western foods available back home and the ability to pick up the phone and order at will. However, though I was aware there would be a language barrier, I was unprepared for how scared I would be trying to order food at the counter, let alone via the telephone. For some people, this may not sound like such a big hurdle, but I am painfully shy and not too proficient at learning languages. As the years passed, I would either cook from home or acquire take-out on the way home from worwk. Working in a kindergarten hagwon from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. left me fatigued and hungry. I often wanted to leave work as quickly as I could without stopping in a store or restaurant. Last year, I discovered, via Facebook, a small service company called Help Me Emo that claimed to help foreigners who were unable to speak Korean place a food delivery order. I was hesitant at first because I thought that the process could not possibly be as easy as the poster was claiming, but luckily I was mistaken. Nowadays, I find myself using Help Me Emo often, and I believe that this firm is the most convenient way for foreigners to order from the comfort of their own homes.

Help Me Emo connects with its customers via the Korean social media platform KaKaoTalk. When you add Help Me Emo as one of your friends, they will supply you with a complimentary order as a welcome to their services. During my first time, I found that I was unsure of where to order pasta in my new neighborhood. Help Me Emo was accommodating and supplied me with a variety of choices that delivered pasta, along with screenshots of their menus. Once I decided on my meal, I relayed the request to the company, and they then proceeded to place the order for me. They asked for my address, which I knew in Hangul. However, if you are not practiced in Hangul, they simply request a screenshot of a previous electric bill and use that information to pinpoint your location.

My first meal was complementary and arrived within the timeframe specified by Help Me Emo. From that point forward, the cost was 2,500 won per order. In my mind, this was a small price to pay for convenience. There are two ways to pay for their services: One is a bank transfer and the other is using a link to pay with a debit or credit card. I attempted to use the link provided to pay, but for some reason my card was rejected, so I chose to pay

Reviewed by Katy Clements

via money transfer. However, going to your ATM to simply transfer such a small fee could get a little exhausting. Soon after my first few orders, the company made me aware that if I transfer 10,000 won, then I would have four prepaid orders and a bonus order, which is five in all. Typically, that is how I pay for the service; however, it is important to note that you must pay for the prepaid plan in advance or you will not get a bonus order, you will simply have paid for a meal and then have three prepaid meals remaining. Additionally, they have added a new way to earn free orders. Once a week, you can post an advertisement on Facebook, and if you make your post public, you will get a free order.

Though this is a convenient service, there are a few drawbacks that I have found. One is that you can learn to rely too much on the service and your diet can begin to dwindle. Second is that you can become too comfortable with not learning Korean. Since I am not feeling the urgency to step outside my comfort zone, I have not been practicing my Korean. However, if you can find balance in your life and be mindful of these things, Help Me Emo could be a convenience. For example, if I am hosting a party and need to order in a hurry, Help Me Emo will be there to make sure things go smoothly. I am glad I discovered this service, and I want to encourage you to reach out to this company if you find this information interesting. I highly recommend Help Me Emo! Add them on KaKaoTalk to get started today.

Help Me Emo!

: help me emo (with spaces) : helpmeemo

The reviewer

Katy Clements lives in Mokpo with her husband. She has a degree in criminology and sociology.