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Have you noticed how Koreans behave abroad?
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rapier



Joined: 16 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 1:43 am    Post subject: Have you noticed how Koreans behave abroad? Reply with quote

Have any of you watched koreans when they're out of their country? Its quite amusing. I was in S.E Asia recently and came to the conclusion Korean tourists are the whiniest and most arrogant. They must rate themselves as the superheroes of asia when they visit their poorer but friendlier cousins. First of all they go everywhere in intimidating groups, pushing their way through everything. Then they complain when faced with the relative third world nature of places like Thailand etc. Witness:
a) Shouting at a poor bartender, demanding a refund on a bottle of "whisukee" (that they'd already opened) because it wasn't the best available.
b) Going crazy about the aircon in their hotel room (not like it is back home).
c)Refusing en masse to take an alternative flight stopping in Japan, after their original direct flight was cancelled.
d)Asking the bus to stop when it passed a lone korean restaurant.
e)Pushing and ignoring the qeue when presented with a buffet breakfast. And then, each person took double what they needed.
f) Pushing and shoving to get on and off the plane first; grabbing all the bus seats in a mad stampede.
g) buying all the groups tickets and stamping their passports in big bundles. (Not such a bad idea).

The only Korean tourists I respect are the lone backpackers you see, who actually have to meet and mingle with the locals, or other tourists. Even then its kind of satisfying to watch them having to speak English, after all those years of resisting it so determindly in a hagwon.
cheers.
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The Great Wall of Whiner



Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 1:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reminds me of another nationality on holiday in Canada....
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Hotuk



Joined: 10 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I, too, have seen poor Korean tourist behaviour. I've also seen Koreans act much better than many Westerners abroad. You don't have to look too far in Bangkok (Khao-san Rd), or the beaches in the south (full-moon parties), to see filthy gen-xers getting obscenely drunk and/or stoned and trashing the locale.

I'm not disagreeing with the premise, nor am I apologizing for Koreans. But how badly did we need another Korea-bashing post?

Besides, there's already a thread here discussing this same issue.
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dutchman



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 3:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Great Wall of Whiner wrote:
Reminds me of another nationality on holiday in Canada....


Good grief whiner. You never miss an opportunity for a jab do you? Come on now fess up. What's the real reason for your grudge? Did some sexy Yank steal your woman?
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Homer
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 6:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well why single out Koreans as bad tourists when many other nationalities are equally bad as tourists...lets see

Japanese...not much better then Koreans when travelling in S.E. Asia.
Some americans when travelling in Europe (before the current tensions mind you).
About 80% of white western male tourists in Thailand

The list goes on....

To me, in S.E. asia, Koreans are no worse than japanese as tourist. both equally condescending.

But isnt this attittude quite common to our very wae guk community living right here in Korea?
Just take a quick look at the attitude of many foreigners living in Korea.
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matko



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: in a world of hurt!

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Well why single out the Koreans as bad tourists when many nationalities are equally bad as tourists


Because this is the Korean discussion forum.
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jajdude



Joined: 18 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I have spent most of my time abroad in Korea, but when I have noticed Koreans outside Korea I didn't notice much, except their language struggle. Two or three times I felt sorry they couldn't communicate whereas I could. I even did a little translation once for a Korean woman at Osaka airport. But I have seen Japanese in Thailand behave with arrogance. The few I saw acted as though somehow the Thais should know Japanese because they pay a lot more for the services... sex or whatever. I don't know much about japan but it seems to me they are not so different from Koreans in international settings.
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The Great Wall of Whiner



Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dutchman wrote:

Quote:
Good grief whiner. You never miss an opportunity for a jab do you?


I have passed up plenty of opportunities, I can assure you.

Quote:
Come on now fess up. What's the real reason for your grudge? Did some sexy Yank steal your woman?


What makes you think I am talking about Americans?
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Rand Al Thor



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Locked in an epic struggle

PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that people of all cultures can be complete a$$es when abroad. In this case I don't think it is necessary to pick on Koreans.
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rapier



Joined: 16 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 2:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All natinalities can be a***s when abroad, correct. But because this is the Korean forum i thought I'd single out Koreans- just because after living here its funny to notice the uniquely korean way they react in foreign countries...for example you dont spot dreadlocked grungey korean travellers much, unlike westerners; and you don't tend to see lgroups of 40 Americans travelling together,appointing a spokesperson, and doing all the same things.
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Mr. Kalgukshi



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Location: Here or on the International Job Forums

PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 2:51 am    Post subject: Stereotypes Reply with quote

I was in a Burger King in Hua Hin, Thailand about a year ago. Seated across the way were a young Korean couple and their 3 year old daughter. The daughter was playing with a ball which proceeded to fly out of her hands and land on my newly arrived Jr. Whopper. I picked the ball up and carried it over to her, and placed it in her hand. I also told her, in Korean, that she was very beautiful and to enjoy her time in Thailand. The last thing they expected to encounter in Thailand was a Korean speaking Miguk. I'm glad they did. It made both our days.

As for stereotypes, they are just that and never to be confused with the truth.


Last edited by Mr. Kalgukshi on Mon Apr 07, 2003 6:47 am; edited 1 time in total
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kim jong il



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Pyongyang room salon with a pocket full of rice!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 3:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

g.w. whiner wrote:
Quote:
Reminds me of another nationality on holiday in Canada
and
Quote:
What makes you think I am talking about Americans?
let me take a stab at it. is it french-canadians? i had to deal with that foul-smellin', foul-tempered bunch every summer on the jersey beaches.
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gang ah jee



Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: city of paper

PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My aunt works in the hospitality industry in New Zealand. All she knows about Korea is that Korean tourists do get the most complaints and have no table manners. Neither do they know how to eat continental breakfasts, and would do things like mix bacon, cornflakes and kimchi in the same bowl. It's probably a fair call, at least for older Koreans.

Could be worth keeping in mind though that Koreans have only been allowed passports for the past 20 or so years. It seems that they are becoming much more like the Japanese in the way they travel though. Quite a few of my Korean friends travel independently now.

New Zealanders go on Con-tiki tours of Europe in buses filled with the same and spend a day getting leathered in each country, no doubt shagging in public bathrooms along the way. That doesn't sound any worse than Koreans to me.


A female Korean friend of mine actually does her best to avoid western men when she's travelling. Sick of being asked how much for a long-time.

300 posts. I am the message board king. Or at least an earl or a baron.


Last edited by gang ah jee on Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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hellofaniceguy



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: On your computer screen!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to add my 2 cents worth; a few years back, 2000, the korean times and korean herald ran articles about a number of European countries who perfered to NOT have koreans visiting their countries. The reasons were whatever you can think of and then some. Rude and obnoxious tourists? They are everywhere and from all countries. But koreans sure seem to take first place on this. It has nothing to do with "koreans have only had passports the last 20 years or so." It has to do with manners, common sense and respect.
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Homer
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes matko this is the korean board mate.
does this mean comparisons are NOT allowed and that singling out koreans for every bad ill on the planet is ok?
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