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A Realistic Guide to Enduring Korea’s Hot, Humid, Monsoon-filled Summers

Happy August. Happy muggy, humid, sweltering, disgusting August.

Korea is known for summers that are all of the above: muggy, sweltering, monsoony, hot, humid…gross.

This month’s blog topic is “how do I stay comfortable in the heat?” Well, first off, I don’t. I am NEVER comfortable in the heat. I’m a sweater. With a capital SWEAT. And I’m a head sweater. So two steps out into Korea’s sticky summer air, and my scalp is dripping. My face is sweating. Rivulets are running. My bangs get soaked and plaster themselves to my forehead.

It ain’t pretty.

So, how do I stay comfortable in Korea’s summer heat? That answer has two parts…

Avoidance at All Costs

How do I stay comfortable in the heat? I don’t. I avoid going outside in the heat. If I have to go out I plan to go as early in the morning as possible and then return home to spend the bulk of the day inside in air conditioning.

Just like how I hibernate inside in January and February with the cold early nights, curled up on the sofa under a cozy blanket, watching a k-drama…I hibernate in July and August as well. I just stay in. I accept few invitations and don’t make many plans for myself if I know it’s going to be over 90 degrees…and especially if it’s also humid.

I Get a Little Help from my Cool(ing) Friends

And if I absolutely MUST go out, like trekking half a mile up a hill to class (thank goodness THOSE days are over with!), then I make sure to keep certain things with me.

Hankies

My father was a handkerchief guy. Blowing nose, wiping sweat, it was an all-purpose disgusting rag he kept in his pocket at all times. I have followed in his footsteps except tht I do NOT blow my nose into it, yuck. But for sweaty face wiping, they’re invaluable. I used to have literally hundreds of vintage hankies both inherited from my mother and that I found myself at tag sales and auctions. Sadly, I had to get rid of almost all of them when I left the US, and now I am getting by on just four. FOUR. There is always one in my purse or camera bag when I go out, regardless of time of year, cuz I always sweat.

Paper Folding Fan

In my purse, I carry a folding fan my tutor brought back for me when he and his friend traveled to Japan last year. It’s perfect for my purse because it takes up very little room. It’s good for helping to dry your face that you just mopped up with the hankie.

Electric Handheld Fan

I know these have existed in the US for ages but almost as like a novelty, they were cheap and ineffective. But when I started following BTS on social, I saw them with these little electric handheld fans, and people all across Korea seemed to use them. So I got one when I got here…I paid about $15 for mine and it’s worth every penny. It’s USB chargable and a charge holds for a really long time. It has three speeds, and even the lowest is pretty powerful. It bends so you can either hold it in your hand, or stand it on a table or desktop as a tabletop fan. AND it acts as a phone charger, as well! It easily fits in my camera bag. I could GET it into my purse, but it’s tough if I also have a glasses case in there, too.

Cooling Wipes

Gatsby Wipes, or some variation thereof. These are body wipes that have a menthol/alcohol base and feel cool on your skin. They also come in sheet sizes that you can wrap or drape around your neck for a cooling feeling. I haven’t seen the Gatsby brand in the US, but Biore makes some, also. I don’t like them quite as much as the Gatsby, but they’re better than nothing!

Note: the menthol/alcohol-based wipes, if you’re wiping your face (which, of course you are), don’t get them near your eye or undereye, cuz the fumey vapors will waft up into your eye and that’s not good.

Sun Umbrella

I have only used this by chance, when I happeed to have an umbrella due to the threat of rain, but instead it got sunny. It’s like walking around with your own personal shade. So many people in Korea and Japan always walk with an umbrella with a uv-protectant lining to keep the sun and sun’s harmful rays off them. And you can even get a thingy that attaches your handheld fan to the umbrella handle so you get fanned as you shield the sun. Brilliant!

Cooling Strips

Also called Fever Strips, they’re very popular here and in Japan. They’re like the cooling wipes but they have a gentle adhesive (like a band-aid) so you stick them on your forehead (or your secret crush does when he finds you limp with fever on the street and carries you home on his back, SIGH) and it helps relieve the hot fevery feel. You could also apply them to your wrists or the back of your neck just for general cooling on a hot day.

Other Cooling Ideas

  • Stay in the shade whenever you can
  • Drink lots of water. Always have a bottle of water or electrolyte/sports drink with you
  • If you happen across a washroom or water fountain, run cold water over your wrists for a minute or two
  • Or even better, if you can put your feet in a cold stream, oooohhhh
  • In Korea, some of the fancier areas have “smart bus stations,’ that are enclosed and air conditioned in the summer, and heated in the winter. These can be life-savers if you’re out for the day and just need to sit in the cool for a few minutes before continuing on.
  • Wear natural fabrics, like linen, cotton, rayon. These are more breathable than nylon or polyester and let the air circulate and cool your body
  • Take your shoes off (when safe). Like your head, a lot of heat is trapped in your feet…and if you can release them, even if just for a few minutes, you can get some relief. When I used to car, I always kept a pair of slides or flip-flops in my car to slip into at the end of a long, hot day. It felt so gooood.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol. That frosty beer or cool cocktail can seem cooling, but it actually makes you feel warmer.

I know a lot of these seem like common sense, but sometimes we forget the simplest remedies.

I apologize, I have pictures saved somewhere for this but it’s the day I’m leaving Korea 🙁 and I’m running out of time for the things I HAVE to do, so…sorry 🙁  No pictures or links. Guh.

Please do take a look at my cool friends’ blogs as well…

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

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