Consider, for a moment, a Noribong. It’s a small private karaoke room that groups hire out for an hour or five and belt out a few songs after a night on the booze.

Consider, for a moment, the local illegal operations manager. He’s been learning English for a few years and knows where all the foreign teachers drink. So he turns up at the bar for some conversation late in the night, pays the tab then invites everyone, including Yours Truly, upstairs to a noribong.

Consider, again for a moment, the feeling Yours Truly had while belting out Sweet Caroline on the karaoke machine while the local gangster joined in playing tambourine (which he does well). Swinging his hips and arms around to the music, it’s difficult for Yours Truly to comprehend that this amiable gentleman with a wonderful smile is not to be trifled with.

And consider, finally, that the gangster pays for it all with a handshake. Yours Truly has been feeling relatively weird about it all. It’s scary when he turns up hours after the bar-tab has started and he pays the whole thing regardless.

It’s happened a few times now to Yours Truly, and YT expects it’ll continue to happen constantly while YT lives in a small area of a small town.