So after the mistake of shutting the cats off from their litterbox for a full day, I had to decide:  do I just sleep on the loveseat for six months or do I get a new bed?  I decided six months was actually a long time to go without a place to stretch out, so I went for it.  Only this time, not anticipating guests from France, I opted for a twin size to better fit into my tiny apartment.

Turns out, there is no such thing as twin sized in Korea.  So if you’re ordering one, call it single.  I also had a hard time finding a single!  I think the majority of Koreans these days are buying western beds and, if they don’t and they are more traditional, then there are probably several family members sharing their yoh, so they get queen sized, though shorter, eggi (baby) yohs are more common than singles.  While there weren’t a lot of single cotton yoh’s available, there were a lot of foam ones available.  The salesman kept trying to talk me into one and I pantomimed how I didn’t like how they folded.  Because they are so rigid, the smallest they fold up is into thirds, but I wanted a traditional one because it can fold up into fourths, taking less space.  Maybe they aren’t as thick and comfortable, but space is at a premium in my tiny apartment.

Even harder was trying to find a cover for it.  Again, there were a lot of eggi covers (which are too short) but only one or two butt-ugly full-length single covers.  Had to travel to several department stores to find one, which I’m really tickled with, because it’s striped like the sleeves on the hanbok yeogori.  And then I got a slimmer neckroll that matched pretty well.  It was the only yoh cover at the department store – they sell mostly western mattress bedding.  I think the yoh is becoming a thing of the past.  But there are still lots of white goods stores which sell beautiful gorgeous sets for them.  Only they are double or queen sized.  So I’m still in the market for a pad and blanket, but I’ll just make-do with the wrong sized ones I have until I find something that matches.  There are actually tons of websites on-line so I can find the bedding I want, just getting it to match what I have is going to be the challenge.

So the single sized yoh is 100 x 200 centimeters.  The eggi sized yoh is 100 x 185 centimeters.  Double sized are 120 x 200, and queen sized are 150 x 200 centimeters.  You purchase the pad in the exact same dimensions.  (these look like moving pads) and the blankets and comforters and duvets are 20 centimeters wider.  Price of a single foam yoh is $25.  Price of a single cotton yoh is $40.  A pad can go anywhere from $25 – $45.  Comforters and duvets can run about $45 each.  There is no such thing as a top sheet in the traditional Korean bedding system, though you will find seersucker blankets and in the summer they have blankets which are like giant gossamer scarves.  Also anywhere from $25 -$45 bucks.

Momo hasn’t desecrated my bedding for a long time now, and I don’t plan on shutting the door to her cat box ever again.  But just to be safe, I encased the yoh with a shower curtain underneath the yoh cover.  It makes a crinkly sound she loves to pounce on.  I love my new yoh!  And Sara, I will box it up and send it to you before I move.  And if you ever don’t want it anymore, please send it to me instead of throwing it out!