Pee-She-Bangs

Originally posted by Daphne:

One thing about Korea, it's a country of contrasts and contradictions. Some parts of the country (and culture) seem a 300-year step back in history, but others are a step ahead. For one, it's one of (if not the) most wired nations in the world with about 98% penetration of broadband internet. Part of this is due to it's incredible population density, but part is also Koreans need to be connected (with each other and also the outside world).

One of the main uses of PC방 (pronounced pee-she bang(s), the PC is personal computer, bang means room) is gaming. In Japan and the West individual games are all the rage, but in Korea linked (or arena) games are the #1 craze (Koreans like to be connected).

The best things about the PC방 is its price. It's about 1,000 won/0.90USD an hour! They also serve some food like 라면/ramyeon (ramen) and soft drinks and instant coffee. There is also (usually, there was a law passed outlawing cigarette smoking in office buildings and other public places) a lot of smoke wafting around the room. Prolonged abuse of a PC방 has even lead to death!