Stovetop

I have the weirdest stovetop in my apartment.  I couldn't figure out how to turn it on.  Whenever I did, it would beep and hum and then stop.  Then, sometimes when I tried it, it wouldn't even go on at all.  I had one of my coworkers (not sure what I should call them...fellow teachers?) email the guy who used to live there, and he said that you needed a certain type of pot or pan for it to work.  When one of the people at the front desk called the landlord, he said the same thing, though they didn't believe him...none of them had heard of such a thing.  Eventually, my boss and I had dinner in my area and then he went to my apartment to check it out.  The landlord told him that you need to have a certain type of metal on the bottom, one that a magnet would stick to...ferris, he said, or something like that.  The teakettle I bought was aluminum.  There was one for 13,000 won at the store that I'm sure would've worked, but no, I had to get the fancy one with a guard on the spout for 22,000 won (there was one of that kind for like 17,000 won, but it was pink so I broke down and bought the more expensive one).  Anyways, 22,000 won wasted.  I bought another one for 15,000 and it works.  Finally I can eat oatmeal and ramen!