10th Project Doll Seoul, Korea ✦ July 8

I'm from the other side of the world, but visiting korea and maybe living there for some years is totally in my plans!

 

My plan was to go as an exchange stundent,I feel like the time I would have going as a tourist would not be enough to enjoy the place and the culture as much as I want to.

One thing people say a lot about living in korea is how safe it is, I live in a quite unsafe place (some years ago it was even in the top 5 'most violent cities of the world', now its around 14th), I dont have a lot of courage to take my doll and camera outside, sometimes I even leave my phone (when I really shouldnt cause I totally need it if something happens), my mother literally tells me to keep some money in my pocket "just in case you're assaulted" cause you know, being a female and not having something to satisfy the criminal can end badly. So yeah, when people talk about how safe living in korea is I feel quite charmed.
On the bad side I also hear a lot about how xenophobic koreans can be, but as I dont inteend to do more than enjoy the country I dont think that would matter. I know it would, for example, be a hell to marry a korean (because of what their parents could think and how they would prefer a korean women and so on), but relationships are not in my plans anyway. I kind just want to enjoy my time for some years and than move away to the next country in my list without creating roots.
I mean, brazilian women are used to being viewed in other countries as "b*tchs", I have friends that were literally called this by guys they dont even knew because "you are brazilian" and thats kind of the sexualized image we have out there (that was in USA, so I can only imagine how much worse it would be in a more conservative country like korea).

 

Yes, I heard about this interference problem too. People here are a lot more empathic, but its not in everything you know. Here we have a old saying "in a couple fight you shouldnt put your spoon", nowadays that are lots of campaigns against this, including stores that sell spoons (yeah, taking things kind literally) to collect money to support women proctetive services while saying "yes, we will put our spoon". This saying basically states that if its a couple problem you shouldnt butt in, but we all know how women get abused by their own husband/boyfriend and so on. Once my sister was in a store and there was this man and this women fighting, they were not a couple, they were strangers who accidentally scratched their cars against each other's. My sister noticed how violent it was becoming and called the security guard only to hear "oh no you shouldnt meddle in couple's fights".
A tv program actually did a "hidden camera" test some years and people said things "its her problem if she cant value herself and not get involved with someone like him, she should fight back, she is letting this happen", they actually also put an actress there to stir talk and many people agreed it was an abusrd, but said they were too afraid to interfere.
An youtube channel tried more recently and there were lots of people ignoring the problem, but there was one or two people who steped up and when they did more people would also do it, I guess that may mean things are starting to change

Actually, my parents dont like how much I want to go to korea. They say things like "why not another country, like... you know, Canada?" I mean, Canada is also in my plans, but one thing at time. I don't think there is a perfect place in this world, so I guess we just have to adapt to each place's diversity.

Being shameless about the hobby is really a great thing. Here having a doll when you are an adult is like having two heads. I dont only have bjds but other kind of dolls like estrela's susi (which is basically brazilian tammy (usa), fleur (france) and so on, I guess many countries had it), and collecting them is really different from bjds because its more of an historical thing... Like, studying how toys and trends changed in my country along the years.

 

Yeah, its a daily fight to be a woman in this world, but we are conquering our space little by little and there is no holding back.

Here in Brazil there is some doll meet ups, but in my city/state specifically there is none (in fact I only know ONE person who also has bjds here and we are yet to meet personally), there are some in the next state, but they are really small reunions, so its kind not worth all the time and money the travel takes, but I do plan in going when my social anxiety is more under control.

I dont have any culturally inspired doll, I like my dolls being versatile so they dont even have a lot of personality and history bg or style... I do like when people do this kind of thing, but since I dont have a lot of space (since susis and other off topic dolls already take a lot of it) I dont think I would have enough to put all the dolls I would need giving each characteristics I want them to have, so yeah, they are kind like little kids who are yet to develop their personality and just try a bit of anything.

 

cudnaruza I have not been to Project Doll, but I have been to other Doll events in Korea. The best I can tell you is bringing your doll is okay. I would recommend not taking your doll out of a bag etc. inside the event and carrying it with you, there will be people everywhere. Most of the Locals are glad to see foreigners at their booths and will help as needed. Also Bring cash as most vendors do not have card readers, and the ATMS near the event can be cleared out. Have an idea what booths you want to go to. Be prepared that the thing you want might have gotten sold out. Bring a camera of some sort to take pictures of the new stuff you bought for your doll, and be prepared that the locals will be out in the hallway doing the same, this is a good time to talk to other people in the hobby. Even though vendors have photo ok I always like to ask them to take pictures of their booth, it's not needed, but it's my choice.