Rain Changes Life Style

Change in Life Style = A chilly wind struck inbound travel agencies this year. “We saw a 30 percent drop in customs this summer for weekend 3-day/2-night packages. Unlike last year when there were hardly any typhoons or storms, and hence no canceling of departures, this year I think customers had excessive concerns over the inclement weather,” remarked one travel agent from an agency that specializes in tours to Ulleung Island.

Online outdoor activity communities for company workers which promote leisure activities or travel are full of articles blaming the nasty weather, saying, “I can not believe, the monsoon season lasted 3 consecutive months. Is Korea now part of South East Asia? I can only wear only miniskirts and sandals because of the persisting rains this summer.”

One employee at the Yeouido outdoor swimming pool also complained about the weather, saying “Our swimming pool has a capacity of 3,000 people, but we had only about 100 people visit last weekend due to the rain.”

Meanwhile, luxury hotels in the heart of Seoul took the advantage of rain, filling more than 80 and 90 percent of their rooms on weekdays and weekends, respectively. Kim Ji-Eun, promotion manager at the JW Marriott Hotel, said there was an increase in the number of guests that came on special “summer packages” and enjoyed watching movies in the hotel rooms or using the massage centers and gym.

Home shopping companies also enjoyed an increase in sales on “home dishes.” Programs about different foods such as mackerel, preserved crabs and kimchi doubled compared to last year. Discount stores and department stores also saw a 20 percent increase in sales on raincoats, umbrellas, dehumidifiers and noodles.

Matchmaking services are also taking advantage of the weather, saying the wet weather suits them best for arranging blind dates. The reduction of melatonin, a hormone which governs the body`s biorhythm and decreases when the weather is humid and cloudy, makes us feel lonely, according to matchmaking service providers. “When it`s raining, the success rate of blind dates increases, which means the enrollment rate does too,” said O Mi-gyeong, assistant manager of marriage information provider Duo.

As the rain continues and humidity rises, the number of patients visiting hospitals due to arthritis and food poisoning has also increased, as has the number of patients suffering from depression due to a lack of exposure to sunshine.

The number of elderly patients visiting hospitals due to degenerative arthritis has increase some 20 percent this year compared to last year. If humidity is high, the immune and digestive systems are weakened, and the elderly, in particular, are more sensitive to humidity,” said Cho Bi-ryong, a professor at the school of family medicine at Seoul University Hospital.

More than half this past summer`s days saw rain, and in some regions the rain actually followed a pattern whereby there were 3 hot days followed by 4 consecutive rainy days. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, out of the 92 days between June to August, it rained 50 days, 54 days and 44 days, respectively, in Seoul, Daejeon, and Busan.

In Seoul, it rained 18 days in August even after the monsoon season had passed. The duration of sunshine in Seoul decreased 146 percent, the lowest in 10 years, while there were downpours in the capital city every weekend from July 20 to August 30. Moreover, it is expected to rain this weekend as well in Seoul.

“I would rather recommend taking advantage of this inclement weather by changing the fixed idea of going outdoors in summer. Developing hobbies such as collecting something or playing computer games would suit the weather,” said Kim Jeon-eun, a professor at the school of leisure information at Myongji University.

cij1999@donga.com jarrett@donga.com