The subway system in Seoul is terrific. It's not as new as Beijing's, but it's extensive and fast and stays open until midnight. Rides cost 900 won, which sounds like a lot, but it's only 80 cents. I visited a week after the G-20 summit, which might have been the excuse to issue these "Foreigners-Only" coupons, included in the subway smart card package I bought.
In Beijing, the term for foreigner (laowai) is bandied about in good humor, such as in the Miss Laowai and Mr. Laowai contests, both of which must have been fixed since I received not even an honorable mention in either.
But in America's politically correct circles, we tend to shy away from the term "foreigner". Sensitivity-challenged Americans, those who do use the term with a sneer, would be appalled if the CTA actually gave out special coupons to America's guests. That's a shame. The coupons made me feel, in some small way, a little special. I'm slightly more likely to spend my tourist dollars in Seoul again.
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