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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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 Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Dodge7 wrote: |
When I leave my house with my wife I sometimes liken it to entering the gauntlet lol. |
Any public appearance with a korean women tenses me up and puts me on wary/alert setting.
At some point, somewhere...usually when you least expect it, some ajoshi is going to try something. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Scorpion wrote: |
| Any and all shops, products or services that contain the word "Story". |
this is quite obnoxious indeed.
| Scorpion wrote: |
| Blaming the big powers for the ongoing division of the peninsula. (Um, you can have a united Korea tomorrow if 'Koreans' can solve their own differences. Nobody is standing in your way.) |
this is so wrong i don't even know where to start. do some reading and research to find out why this is very far from being correct. |
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actionjackson
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Location: Any place I'm at
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| The small size of taxi lights. It's easy to see it - just a glowing red bit of neon but for some reason this grates on me. It's easy for me to focus on the car when it's far away and decipher that it's a taxi but why should I have to. I don't understand why they can't just make it nice and big, so I can see that it's a taxi with no effort. Also, I think taxi drivers might behave like taxi drivers instead of bumper car drivers if they made it more obvious that that's what they are. I saw a car recently with rubber rims stuck onto the bumpers, and I wasn't at all surprised. A lot of drivers here should be forced to drive bumper cars. |
This has always bothered me too. I can't understand why they don't make the taxi's a different color from all the rest of the cars. I mean it wouldn't be that hard, pick one of the colors that isn't white, black, or silver. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| I can't get used to Baduk. I really struggle at the game. I also can't get used to being on TV, its nice and soothing to watch and there are brief moments where I "get it". I wish back home there was a chess channel. Instead its the closest is chessTV on the web. |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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It's the food culture that gets me. I'm not a food person at all. I don't think about food very often at all, and I don't find it an interesting topic of conversation. I don't particularly like most Korean food either. I've had enough of being lectured about Korean food every day
| Julius wrote: |
The extreme insecurity when faced with any foreign criticism
The touchiness regarding dokdo/ east sea etc.
The inability to view such topics objectively or logically
The lack of concern for the plight of north koreans
The denial of what is happening north of the border
The ease with which they give up when faced with adversity
The inability to think outside the box
The refusal to try new ways of doing things
The stubbornness, even if on the wrong course of action
The fact that.. they won't be told. Certainly not by a foreigner! You could have ten relevant PhD's but still they would not accept your expertise on the matter
The way management coccoons itself from criticism, opinions, and even ideas, that would benefit from greatly if they just listened for a split second!
The unspoken rule that a foreigner must never be granted authority or power of any sort in this country (no matter how well-suited to the position) |
These are great. Some of them really strike a chord with me. I often find it difficult to have a meaningful conversation with a Korea because I know from experience how touchy they can get regarding anything that could be seen as a criticism of Korea  |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| actionjackson wrote: |
| Quote: |
| The small size of taxi lights. It's easy to see it - just a glowing red bit of neon but for some reason this grates on me. It's easy for me to focus on the car when it's far away and decipher that it's a taxi but why should I have to. I don't understand why they can't just make it nice and big, so I can see that it's a taxi with no effort. Also, I think taxi drivers might behave like taxi drivers instead of bumper car drivers if they made it more obvious that that's what they are. I saw a car recently with rubber rims stuck onto the bumpers, and I wasn't at all surprised. A lot of drivers here should be forced to drive bumper cars. |
This has always bothered me too. I can't understand why they don't make the taxi's a different color from all the rest of the cars. I mean it wouldn't be that hard, pick one of the colors that isn't white, black, or silver. |
A lot of drivers use their private cars, so making them one color would put an undue burden on new entrants into the market. |
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Scorpion
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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Intersections where the driver / pedestrian's view of on-coming traffic is obstructed by advertisements, metal boxes, lamp posts and any number of other impediments to sight.
Expressing your annoyance about something (immigration, Gepik, etc.) to a Korean co-worker only to get the, "Why are you angry at me" response. I'm not angry at you. Why on earth would I be angry at you for something stupid done by immigration? "Then why are you yelling at me?" Yelling at you? Who is yelling at you? I'm just expressing my exasperation with events. "But you are yelling at me..." No, I'm not. I'm just....oh forget about it." 
The next one has been mentioned before, but it deserves a second mention - the public grooming of each other by Korean adults. I was on the escalator up from the subway the other day and the Korean couple ahead of me were cleaning out each others' ears for each other. One ear would be finished then he'd turn the other ear to her. Once that's done, he starts on her ears.  |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Scorpion wrote: |
Expressing your annoyance about something (immigration, Gepik, etc.) to a Korean co-worker only to get the, "Why are you angry at me" response. I'm not angry at you. Why on earth would I be angry at you for something stupid done by immigration? "Then why are you yelling at me?" Yelling at you? Who is yelling at you? I'm just expressing my exasperation with events. "But you are yelling at me..." No, I'm not. I'm just....oh forget about it." |
Yep. There's a tendency for people to think that all your behaviour relates directly to them.
You can't even have a bad mood for an hour without them taking it personally, even if it has nothing to do with them.
I would add:
The constant miscommunications due to language barrier and culture difference
The fact that many Koreans do not appreciate that there are massive unseen and unspoken culture differences between themselves and westerners
The fact that many Koreans are not interested in learning these culture differences, they just expect foreigners to think and behave like Koreans
The fact that koreans are not interested in foreign culture, only learning english to pass exams
The lack of good korean teachers who can teach korean to foreigners
The way they turn into tyrannical dictators once you try to learn Korean from them
The total inability of most Koreans to teach Korean
Koreans who laugh at foreigners efforts to learn Korean yet have no idea how ridiculous they can sound trying to speak english (which is usually tacfully overlooked by foreigners)
The unwillingness to overlook or forgive any imagined slight
The nose-picking. On the subway or bus. Eugghh!
The constant bargeing-in the whole time
The arresting voice-pitch. Even a korean whispering in the corridor will wake me, because of the tone.
The way everything is dramatically overstated.
The tendency toward exaggeration and low importance placed on solid facts
The way Koreans absolutely hero-worship the latest or newest person to appear, and suddenly drop the previous one. One day you're flavour of the month, the next you're lower than nothing and they can barely bring themselves to talk to you.
The way Koreans churn out obscure, useless or unnecesary academic papers purely for the sake of publishing and raising their personal credentials.
The fact that everything is either a whine, a complaint, a yell, or a reprimand.
The abasing sycophancy to whoever is seen to be granted power or position. Its not hard to see why north korea became the way it did.
The fact that Japanese love Korean cultural exports but Koreans cannot bring themselves to like anything Japanese.
The lack of good faith accorded to relations with outsiders.
The whole one-sided approach to relationships. Me me me!
-"We can emigrate to the west, they must not come here. We can export products to ther countries, they must not sell theirs here. They must like the korean wave, we refuse to watch their cultural exports.
The way they are friendly to you in private but then suddenly turn the cold shoulder whenever other Koreans are watching.
The low opinion of women.
The false pride that looks down on hard manual or menial labour. |
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komerican
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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One good thing about Korea is it does force a few Westerners to experience what it means to be a powerless member of a racial group.
Here's another list 
http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.kr/search?updated-max=2010-03-12T10:06:00-08:00&max-results=15&start=60&by-date=false
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| Predominantly white spaces can be exhausting to navigate. I have to consciously be aware of what I am saying, of who is around me, of what I am wearing, of what I am doing, of what others are saying and doing. In critical ways, I cannot let my guard down for a moment. Because -- and even as I write this I recognize how paranoid this may sound to people unfamiliar with the experiences I refer to -- at any point I may be forced to defend myself, defend my presence. |
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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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Some good posts here. I think that many of the things that really irritate us here can be explained thusly. Until Western contact Korea was (how shall I put this) a "pre-modern" society. It had no science to speak of and the populace lived similarly to their ancesters hundreds of years earlier. The Americans come in and bring a thousand Western products that were totally unseen here before. It was like modernity just descended from above on top of an Iron Age culture. Modern Korea is the result.
Also, as Western people invented each new thing they were able to adapt to it and determine an eticate and rules for its use. Korea on the other hand had a thousand different Western products to deal with all at once. As a consequence they have cars, but developed no rules about their use. They have sidewalks, traffic lights, elevators, phones and all the rest, but......well, you know. 
If Korea had been exposed to Western scientific products more gradually perhaps we'd have less to complain about. But when a culture goes from the Iron Age to the modern age in fifty years it's inevitable that there will be unpleasant hangovers from the earlier era.
Unfortunately, Korea has them in droves. |
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geldedgoat
Joined: 05 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| komerican wrote: |
http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.kr/search?updated-max=2010-03-12T10:06:00-08:00&max-results=15&start=60&by-date=false
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That about sums up that article, as well as the rest of the blog. Wow. |
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fermentation
Joined: 22 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I have to consciously be aware of what I am saying, of who is around me, of what I am wearing, of what I am doing, of what others are saying and doing. In critical ways, I cannot let my guard down for a moment. |
This is about being Korean, right?
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That about sums up that article, as well as the rest of the blog. Wow. |
No kidding. Guy should just end it already. |
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pegasus64128
Joined: 20 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| komerican wrote: |
One good thing about Korea is it does force a few Westerners to experience what it means to be a powerless member of a racial group.
Here's another list
http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.kr/search?updated-max=2010-03-12T10:06:00-08:00&max-results=15&start=60&by-date=false
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| Predominantly white spaces can be exhausting to navigate. I have to consciously be aware of what I am saying, of who is around me, of what I am wearing, of what I am doing, of what others are saying and doing. In critical ways, I cannot let my guard down for a moment. Because -- and even as I write this I recognize how paranoid this may sound to people unfamiliar with the experiences I refer to -- at any point I may be forced to defend myself, defend my presence. |
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Yeah but the guy who typed that might not have been a naturalized citizen, yet still able to enjoy internet privileges, cellular phone contracts, credit card privileges etc. in their adopted country, and the police won't necessarily take the other party's side in any physical altercation, if there was one - all stuff that Korea is only getting its head around now, and still hasn't in some cases. The author may potentially be a naturalized citizen by now, possibly - try that in Korea without jumping through a gazillion loopholes whilst swinging a cat under a full moon and putting up with the same stuff as the article and worse for no real reward, really.
I'm also tired of hearing the "White people weren't the first people in the Americas" argument ( http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.kr/2010/03/think-of-americas-as-empty-before-white.html ). There was too much in-fighting in the countries of Europe and America was colonized partly for that reason - to make a fresh start. I had a Korean co-teacher attack me once about Europeans conquering America and I'm not even American. I would have shrugged it off but because she targeted me, I took the bait. I reminded her that the airplane she just got a free ride on (from America I might add - New Jersey for some teacher immersion) was built off conquest. So is a lot of the technology she uses in her day to day life. A lot of it's built off theft too in fact as the American people didn't really vote for a cold war or a space race for example. I don't like what's happening in the world right now but if I resent a random person for it who has nothing to do with the problem, then I may as well resent myself just as much, and go and live in the wilderness. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Smithington wrote: |
Some good posts here. I think that many of the things that really irritate us here can be explained thusly. Until Western contact Korea was (how shall I put this) a "pre-modern" society. It had no science to speak of and the populace lived similarly to their ancesters hundreds of years earlier. The Americans come in and bring a thousand Western products that were totally unseen here before. It was like modernity just descended from above on top of an Iron Age culture. Modern Korea is the result.
. |
You do realize that Korea was largely modernized by the Japanese, right? What you think this all began with a few dozen missionaries and trading vessels in the 1870s or with the Americans coming in in 1945?
Cars, planes, radio, popular music, consumer goods, streetcars, phones, electricity, that was mostly from the Japanese, who of course got it from the rest of the world.
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| I had a Korean co-teacher attack me once about Europeans conquering America and I'm not even American. I would have shrugged it off but because she targeted me, I took the bait. I reminded her that the airplane she just got a free ride on (from America I might add - New Jersey for some teacher immersion) was built off conquest. So is a lot of the technology she uses in her day to day life. A lot of it's built off theft too in fact as the American people didn't really vote for a cold war or a space race for example. I don't like what's happening in the world right now but if I resent a random person for it who has nothing to do with the problem, then I may as well resent myself just as much, and go and live in the wilderness. |
True, but I think the problem is when some people puff themselves up with pride over inventions and glory of their mother countries, stuff they had nothing to do with. But when it comes to talking about slavery or wars of genocide, they say "Hey, I had nothing to do with that."
I for one think that people deserve neither credit, nor blame for their ancestors or even for other members of their nations. To puff oneself up with pride over something that no one contributed to is just ridiculous, be they Korean or American. |
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geldedgoat
Joined: 05 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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| pegasus64128 wrote: |
| Yeah but the guy who typed that might not have been a naturalized citizen |
I dug around on that blog some more, and I think the author is attempting to fashion himself into the next Tim Wise. He writes like him, links to him, and is apparently another self-hating whitey like him. |
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