Job Discussion Forums

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

And hip-hop boy78 wrote:
'I agree with your last statement. I also find it a pity that Koreans weren't able to pick up the politeness of the Japanese'

You know the crazy thing, it was probably actually the japanese who picked it up from the koreans. There's massive historical basis, in being able to say that's possible.

After all: "Once known as the "Eastern Land of Courtesy," Korea, in its long history, seldom cultivated overseas interests, never invaded its neighbors, nor sought development outside given boundaries. Ancient Chinese records say it was the custom of the Korean people, being so courteous to each other, to avoid walking on the road, fearing it would hamper the movement of another. Foreigners commonly were called barbarians"

I found the above passage by doing a google search. I remember that the chinese used to call Korea 'The Land of Courtesy, decorum and propriety.' Something like that.....

This politeness, respect etc, does still seem to be strong in Korea between those who have relationships with each other. Sadly, it is going away a lot, in everyday life, between those who don't know each other.

And also...the real funny thing is......Koreans have warred with each other throughout the ages like anyone else, but the real action happened after the Japanese colonial period. That's when the Koreans did things...like....Oh...say.....going into Cheju-do (Korean island) and killing 20,000 of their own people cos they were pro-communist. etc. etc. korean war, bla bla bla, and so on!

Maybe.....they DID 'pick up' something from the 'polite' Japanese.

[sushi]

They say that korea's history would have been different if they had opened up the country to foreigeners the way Japan had. Apparently the wife of King Kojong, Queen Min fought with her father in law to be more progressive and allow foreigen influence in for the betterment of the country. He desisted of course, and set Korea on the path of becoming the hermit kingdom.

She was later murdered by the Japanese. Not sure why, but I have read somewhere that she was a force capable of uniting the country. Maybe the occupiers knew this too.

[parrothead]

You can go back to the beginning of time to explain why a group's behavior is the way it is. Current behaviors (of violence against foreigners) deserve no excuses. I was shocked by my last recent visit to Korea. It was certainly not a Land of Courtesy. Korea is a wealthy country, just not a particularly warm and fuzzy one, especially with regards to multicultural harmony.

[Lynn]

[hip-hop boy78]

Parrothead,

You've hit the nail on the head. Maybe the reasons for such behaviour are complex and difficult to understand but there's no excuse for such behaviour. Actually I feel that tourists are usually treated well by Koreans because the locals want foreign visitors to have a good impression of Korea but for those of us who have to live/work here....sheesh!

[some waygug-in]

I wonder what Japanese attitudes are regarding public displays of anger.

In Korea it sometimes happens that a male will punch his female partner in public. People around will generally stare, but not interfere.

Similarly, if there is a fight or someone being bullied. Nobody seems to say anything, they just watch.

I am wondering if this happens in Japan.

[nomadder]

Lynn: I once read somewhere that Japanese and Korean were both orphan languages -unrelated to anything else.

The above post reminds me of the catfight I saw in Seoul-2 women going at it, kids crying, other women intervening. I was only there for a few days. I never saw a fight in Japan after 3 years.

[parrothead]

Lynn, I am also curious to learn more about how the two languages are interconnected. I'm not fluent in either. Thanks!

[sushi]

was an article in the Yomuri Times about increased violence by students to-wards teachers in elementry schools. Some of it was in the form of swift kicks to the teachers bodies by the older kids

[sushi]

was an article in the Yomuri Times about increased violence by students to-wards teachers in elementry schools. Some of it was in the form of swift kicks to the teachers bodies by the older kids

[sushi]

was an article in the Yomuri Times about increased violence by students to-wards teachers in elementry schools. Some of it was in the form of swift kicks to the teachers bodies by the older kids

[Brooks]

Waygug-in,

getting angry in public is bad form in Japan. However, I think this is more common in Kanto and northern Japan.
One of my students said that a lot of people in Tokyo keep their anger inside. Anger should be displayed in private behind closed doors.

In Osaka, I think it can happen, but not like Korea.

I was in Seoul in March and I would hear guys yelling at each other, like by Lotte World or at a subway station, and I thought a fight would break out, but they were just having an argument.

[some waygug-in]

I suspected that the Japanese would be more "behind closed doors" people, but having only been in Japan for visa runs and flight stopovers I don't really have much experience.

Koreans seem to live for public confrontation. It seems great sport to humiliate someone publicly. As for violence, Koreans tend to accept as normal things like wife beating, bullying, and fighting in public.

I find it so ironic that Koreans see it as OK for a guy to slap his wife or girlfriend around in public, but it's not OK to hold hands or show affection.


I am not saying that doing it behind closed doors is OK either, it just seems Koreans have no sense of shame about it.

I wonder what the Chinese attitudes are in comparison.


**********************************************

Why are the 2 languages similar?

It has mostly to do with the grammatical structure,

"Subject - Object- Verb" which is the same in Japanese.

Also, Japanese and Korean share some of the complex honorific things I believe. You have to say "respectful words" to your elders, parents, teachers, bosses etc., but you can speak plainly to friends or those of lesser age or rank.

[Big John Stud]

hip-hop boy78 wrote:

A brief peruse on the Korean Job Discussion Forum will lead you to at least two threads about English teachers in Korea being beaten senseless by the locals. Why does this kind of thing happen in Korea but rarely, if ever in Japan? Why are Korean people so much more aggressive than Japanese people? I recently read a book entitled "Korea Unmasked", written by a Korean which I found to be highly informative and interesting. The book gives an eye-opening insight into the character and way of thinking of Koreans and also describes the relationship between Korea, Japan and China. It's written in comic book style which certainly lends it some flavour. I'd highly recommend it to anyone, even if you're not living in Korea. I've started this thread because after living/teaching in Japan for three years I now find myself teaching kids in Korea. I have to say that I much prefer the way of life, culture and politeness of the Japanese compared to the helter-skelter, rough and tumble way of life here in Korea. But I still can't figure out why Koreans and Japanese are so damn different. In Japan people will just leave you alone and let you be, no hassles whatsoever, but in Korea I constantly feel like I have to be on high alert. You just never know what's coming around the next corner. Life here in the ROK isn't all that bad but I do miss Japan and the little idiosyncracies that made living there worthwhile. That's also a reason why I'm strongly considering returning when my current contract expires next year. Would anyone like to comment on what they feel are the reasons for the differences in character between such close neighbours as Korea and Japan?

I had the same experience! In fact, I didn't even wait for my contract to end! Since returning to Japan four years ago, I haven't left.

I think the reason why Japanese are so noble and noble and Koreans are so prejudice and violent to the point of being savage is because Koreans like to think of themselves as victims so they feel justified to hate.
Koreans at the school I worked at would apologize often every single day, but when one of the foreign staff made a slight mistake, they would make a big deal.
I was only in Korea for 3 months. During that time, I saw seven street fights. One time a group of old people were just swinging away at each other.
The kids, adults and the nation like to think of themselves as victims. This is why they hate Japan. True their history is basically about being taken over by Japan. But what they don't tell you is that Japan invade Korea in 1910 to stop a civil war. And 8 years after getting independence from Japan, Korea did have the civil war, known as the Korean War!
Instead of taking responsibility, most Koreans blame the U.S. for the Korean war! Koreans love to blame again making themselves the victim and everyone else the bad guy! Japanese however can't blame no one, because they have always been on top! This is a mighty culture, always has been and probably always will be.

[Brooks]

in Japan it is about face, and is Confucian to a degree but less so than Korea. Korean has a lot more 'respectful words' than Japanese does, because Korea is more old-fashioned whereas Japan has changed more.