This is an Outrage!

Vogue Magazine

Imported To Korea

One of the major joys of my life is lounging with a cool drink and reading either fashion magazines or celebrity gossip magazines. Living in a new place, one tends to acclamate as much as possible to one's surroundings. Korea has provided me a steady job, a comfortable apartment, delicious food, and plenty of entertainment (bars, casino, theme parks, cultural sites). Seoul is a lot like New York City with its fast-paced cosmopolitan nature, so with all the hustle and bustle I tend to want to slow down and relax. On a trip to Kyobo Bookstore (equivalent to Barnes & Noble), I find a very large section of international magazines in Korean. Elle, Glamour, Vogue, Cosmopolitan all priced under 10,000 won. After living here for more than 10 months, I unfortunately still cannot speak Korean. Viewing pictures is nice, but I also like to read for content. I search a different section of the bookstore to find only 1 half shelf of international magazines in English. Success!



I scan the magazine for the price...Ouch! 89,000 won for an English language Vogue. As much as I can defend the import export industry, this is an outrage. In the US and probably almost any other country, magazines are duds after a week or a month depending on its circulation. They are tied up waiting to be picked up by sanitation workers. Whether it's the US or world recession, Korea's high price to import, or Vogue's eternal place as supreme fashion magazine enabling it to set the standard whether its pop culture, fashion or price, this is an outrage!