English Translation FAIL Blog

I love Korea, I really do. But, is it ethnocentric of me to be overtly amused by the English translation fails? I'm not sure, but seriously, I can't help it. I am going to keep track of some of these on my blog as I find them because they are honestly giggle worthy.

1. Brian bought these little cups at the local mart just down the street at Centro Palace. When I finished my drink, the first time I used the cup, I noticed at the bottom was a cheesy picture of a butterfly hovering over a giant sunflower. Next to the flower it read: "Beautiful Waiting. What's your favorite flower? The sunflower." I studied it for several seconds and I read it again, then a third time and profoundly thought to myself, "Uhhhh, What???" Beautiful Waiting? When has waiting ever been beautiful and what the heck does that have to do with drinking my milk?

2. There is an Adult only store right around the corner from Camp Walker. On the sign it advertises several of the novelties the store offers the local soldiers. Two of these kinky activities are "Real doll phoneting" and "Mobile photototing." Okay, I'll be honest, I'm pretty naive about adult novelty stores since I've never been in one, but my guess is that phoneting and photototing are not offered anywhere else on the planet, because, really, even the dirty-minded soldiers are left wondering, "What the $%*#?"

(The sign is on the corner of the building, but I took the picture as I was driving by, so it is hard to read the words.)

3. Our apartment's pet policy directly quoted: "If you brought pet, you must tell what type species, how pounds and how many to property owner. Also you have a totally responsibility about control your pet. When you staying high-rise apartment: If your neighbor complaint to your pet, then you can't keep them according to local policy." LOL! I hate it when my neighbors complain to my pet, "Hey, Fido, your owner's a real schmuck, you know that!"

4. Just read this--this is in our elevator. I read it every up and every down trip and I still am not quite sure what it says, but I do know I really love the randomly placed comma at the end.

5. My favorite. The other day Brian and I took the kids to go to Herb Hillz zip line course on the far side of the town, up in the mountains. When we got there we randomly ended up hooking up with another group of military families and because of that we were able to get a great discount on tickets. There was a Korean man who was leading the tour of military families and he was trying to sort out how many people wanted tickets to the zip line course and of those how many were children and how many were adults. First, he said, "All children raise your hands," then he paused wrote down the number and said, "And all adulterers raise your hands." All the military members paused and looked around at each other thinking, is this a trick question? We got a good laugh. But then a little later the man came back and said, "Okay, children you pay 9000 won (about $8) and we got good deal for adulterers, adulterers only have to pay 10000 won today ($9). I about died. What? Adultery only costs $9 in Korea. Unreal--in America it costs like your salvation, possibly your marriage--but thanks to a sweet exchange rate, adultery is on a great deal!