How The Devil Saved Me From Indecent Exposure In Korea

A million to one odds. So many great stories start that way. One great Seinfeld episode even ends that way. It’s funny how a few seemingly innocuous, unrelated events all culminate it one pinnacle moment of either great success or shameful failure. In this particular instance it was the former not the latter when the devil saved me from indecent exposure in Korea.

Sure, I’ve been locked up abroad a few different times now, but that would certainly have been the most embarrassing reason of them all. (And simultaneously the most entertaining.)

How The Devil Saved Me From Indecent Exposure In Korea

😈 The devil in this story is very much real. He is a horny-headed red poof ball devil attached to the backpack. I wanted to take him off, she said no.

And so the devil remained on my back as we explored Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan. I completely forgot he was there….until the moment shit hit the fan and I needed a savior.

This isn’t even my backpack! It was just by chance that I had it on that day  

  A decade ago Gamcheon Culture Village was a poor bland neighborhood until it used a government grant program to transform it into a colorful jewel on the mountainside better suited for the artists who call it home. And it worked. Gamcheon is now a popular destination with travelers and photographers. But the entire neighborhood is full of narrow, winding alleys, staircases and street art. (Except for the one main road in the photo above.)   See More

It is also under surveillance.

With so many foreigners freely wandering around a neighborhood primarily of peoples’ homes and art exhibits, there are security cameras everywhere. Especially on the “Stairs To See Stars” which is where it happened.

As a result of all the bending, kneeling, and stretching while exploring Gamcheon, suddenly there was a   POP   as the leather strap of my belt broke and the buckle came off. My pants, three sizes too big for me, immediately began to drop towards my ankles as I frantically dropped everything to grab them, struggling to keep them above my junk.

What to do?

The simple answer is to buy a new belt. But where? I’m in the middle of a village with no nearby clothing shops or markets, a heavy backpack full of gear and several hours until hotel check-in time. (Which turned out to be a love hotel, but that is an entirely different story.) 😂

It Turns Out The Devil Is There When You Need Him

Quick solution. Need rope. No rope. How about a clip or carabiner? Nope, my keychain was back at our temporary home in Korea. Wait…..the devil! After unclipping the devil from the keychain and removing the poof ball, I was able to use the clip to temporarily hold my belt buckle in place. At least long enough to find a mall and purchase a new belt.

And there you have it. That’s how the devil saved me.

  If I had removed the devil from the backpack in the morning as I tried to, I would have gotten myself arrested for indecent exposure in a public place.
  If I had been using my usual photographer backpack instead of that one, the devil would not have been there to save me.

There are cameras up and down the “Stairs To See Stairs” and I could literally see the one hanging above us spin to focus on me during this whole debacle. So I stepped off-camera while hastily repairing my belt.  

Well, that’s it, end of story. Thank you Mr Devil! 😈

Ever hand any embarrassing clothing-related mishaps while traveling?

See More     My Travel Fucktastrophes