"Opegwon"

Some of you know I wanted to use some Korean photos as cards which would have my contact details once I move to Kiev.
With your help I selected few and decided to go to few printing shops in Chungmungro to order cards. After a great start this morning my spirits were bright and strong. I was ready for adventure. I did not expect going to print shops will be easy but I was determined to have cards ordered.
I accomplished nothing. I wasted three hours of my time and got frustrated. Went to about 15 shops including Kinko's. Not one person spoke a word of English!!! During the process I even called a Korean colleague to help with translation. This was also waste of time. So I decided that making cards was a stupid idea and that spending three hours of my time is enough waste of my resources.
After print shops and cards debacle - in an attempt to salvage going to the town - I went to Insadong to buy hanji paper. Hanji paper is one of things I like in Korea. I went to the shop I usually go and given holiday season choose a lots of paper. Once the lady shop owner calculated what I should pay the bill came to KRW 52,000 (about USD56). I asked for a discount and she looked at me and said “Discount?” Mumbled something in Korean and than I recognized “opegwon” word. "Opegwon" is KRW 500(USD 0.53). I repeated “Opegwon”? Then the lady took a calculator and indeed typed “500”. I do not expect 10% discount (although this would be nice) but she could round it up to KRW 50,000. Obviously she did not want to sell to me and considered me a stupid foreigner. I left the shop and kept KRW 52,000 in my pocket. I'll manage without hanji paper.
On a day like this time until Jan 30th passes to slow.