Primping is a public affair

Asia is often known for having cutting edge technology, especially when it comes to electronic gadgets. Korea is no exception, and it seems that I'm the only one in the entire country that doesn't have a cellphone (even the little kids that I teach have one!) And of course, these aren't "just" cellphones, but often camera phones, MP3 players, etc. People use these features for all kinds of things, but there's one that I would never have suspected. Everywhere I go I see girls primping with the help of their camera phone! I have yet to see the camera phone used to take a picture of someone or something else- it's always used to take a picture of its owner! Girls will sit at work, in a restaurant, in stores, in a park, on the street, or just about anywhere else you can imagine, when they'll turn the camera phone on themselves, take a picture, and then fix that one unruly strand of hair. The result is then confirmed with at least one more photo. The camera phone can also be used for other primping purposes too, like putting on make-up, checking one's complexion, etc. At home, primping seems to be a more discreet, private affair- you walk past a mirror in the mall and then, when you think nobody is looking, you quickly adjust. But Korea is definitely a nation where primping is a public affair.