Job Discussion Forums

Noelle · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 361 Location: USA

I've worked in both China and Korea. I posted this on the Korean board since I'm in Korea now.

I love my job here and never regretted coming to Korea but recently I was asked the question by some adults in my class...

I gave my honest answer and told them I believe the Chinese are actually nicer. They seem to be generally easier to deal with in a work environment and they are more friendly to foreigners in their country.

I've also worked taught both Chinese and Koreans in Canada, Australia and the states. Again, the Chinese seem to be "nicer".

My current K students weren't too thrilled with my answer.

Anyone else out there who has experienced both care to share your opinion on this subject? I'd be really curious to hear from folks on this discussion board...

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Well I spent over eight years in Korea and two here in China. My first year here in China I would have said China by a mile. However this year after suffering from dishonest management etc in a government position and some back stabbing by the Chinese head teacher that I work with I would say that both countries would be on par with each other. I have been popular as a teacher plus I'm the first foreign teacher to have worked at the college where I'm employed so I've given no reason for the treatment that I've experienced. So give me Korea at a management level and either place at a friend level.

Dishonesty here in China is way out in front of Korea worse luck. I had good friends in Korea and I also have good local friends here. Usually I work in places where I'm the only foreign teacher.

Koreans as tourists have a bad name but richer Chinese show little respect for say restaurant / service staff here in China.

Oh, one thing I will say but is that restaurant staffs are very friendly here and medical personnel in say medical clinics are also friendly. I fell more relaxed in China say walking about markets and places but I used to love going to national parks in Korea and tea houses.

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

Noelle · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 361 Location: USA

They do not suck!

But you're right... they can't really handle criticsm. I don't get it because saving face seems to be as important in China as it is here in Korea but the Koreans really take it to the extreme.

The original question referred to the people... Chinese vs. Koreans. In terms of "niceness", I find that the Chinese are just all around nicer people in general, both in their country and in countries abroad.

Anyone else experienced both and want to comment?

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

This thread will not be permitted to focus on Korea and living and teaching in Korea. Those discussions should occur on the Korean Job Forums. Should the focus of this thread become Korea and living and teaching in Korea as opposed to a balanced discussion involving both countries, the thread will no longer be available.

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

melilly · Joined: 21 May 2008 Posts: 44

Here are my comparisons, my opinions only, and very broad in scope and defenition. I taught English in Korea for 2-1/2 years and I've taught in China for about 1-1/2 years now.

Korean men are sterner and more arrogant, their hearts hardened in some cultural way, and they are much heavier drinkers than Chinese men, which makes them even louder and cockier. They can be downright unfriendly and even beligerant at times. They spit and to get angry quite easily and they're not afraid to show their displeasure with stares and glares and raised voices. Most Korean men want to be the Alpha Male most of the time.

Men in Korea have a certain disposition, a cold, distant attitude, that displays their unreserved national pride on their shoulders. They seem to carry a chip that says, "I'm Korean and damn proud of it"! They show less humility in the way they carry and conduct themselves, as they don't feel they need to apologize to anyone who "gets in their way".

Korean men also have a sweet, generous side, and they can be quite gracious and accomodating and will go out of their way to make friends feel special and comfortable. They will pour your drinks for you and often perform other cultural displays of respect and affection with gleeful boyish charm.

Chinese men generally seem to be less arrogant and more timid. They are more respectful of others and have a gentler, softer approach to life. Chinese men are a lot more in touch with their feminine side. The Chinese culture is more laidback, with a Zen and Confucius feel, while Korean culture is more "in your face" and confrontational. China's males stand up for themselves in a more traditional "saving face" way, and they tend to shy away from conflict. When pushed too far, though, most men in China are equally up for a showdown of testosterone.

Chinese men also have a very sweet nature, and love to smile and laugh and enjoy good times with their friends and the foreigners they meet by sharing meals, beers (but in much more moderation) and other social activities. The men in China are generally more fun to work with and easier to get along with, and seem to show more respect to foreigners in general. Korean men, when sober, are probably too rigid and serious for their own good.

Women, on the other hand, seem more alike than different. Korean women are more demure and accomodating, more confident in their feminine place in the world. They seem to have a better or more advanced sense of where they are culturally and traditionally in their ongoing development as a country.

Korean gals are much more fashionable. But Chinese women seem to be catching up. Many women coming of age in their China's middle-class cultural revolution are becoming equally stylish and aware of such leisure-time activities and pleasures as shopping, dining, and traveling, but still generally seem less classy and self-assured than their Asian sisters.

Korean women have a funny habit of covering their mouths when they smile broadly or laugh loudly, a subservient sign of acquience to the dominant males. Chinese women don't seem to have any such cultual quirks, at least none that I've seen so far. They seem more comfortable just being themselves and not trying to impress anyone.

Both Chinese and Korean women have similar Asian-based cultural behaviors and approaches to their lives as women in traditionally male-dominated societies. They know their "place" in the "order" of things, passed down from generation to generation.

Who's "nicer?" That's a very broad question, too, but I'd have to say it's a toss up, because the people I've met and made friends with in both countries have been equally nice!

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

At my American College I had Hundreds of Chinese aquaintances (lots of friends) and maybe a dozen Korean friends
The Chinese were a lot more fun, easier to get along with, down to earth. Maybe (ten years ago) they thought they were "lower" and acted more humble, I don't know. Chinese students going to America, they are changing.
I found the Koreans to be colder, much more status conscious, image/face oriented. They had a greater ability to plan, and think "western", but I would say my friendships with Chinese took off much quicker. Even after a longer term of aquaintance, it always seemed easier to relax and have fun with my Chinese friends. My CHinese friends maybe were accustommed to having less (this is 7-12 years ago)
But I would never ask them to help move if I was ever to move to another apartment or house.

Of cousre, only a fool lets his stereotypes get in the way of relationships, and friendships.

But certainly I agree with Anda once you are talking about leaders and your managment. it seems "leaders" in China feel a need to show they are a leader by mistreating somone lower (mistreating innour eyes)

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

chinese people are friendly. however, they try too hard at this. i've been approached many times in four years here by people who want to "become my friend."

i try to explain that you cant just "become" someone's friend unless you have some foundation (common interests, a period of time knowing one another) to base that friendship on. once thats established, friendship can follow.

i had two women knock on my apartment door one night last year, wanting to become my friend. they werent students, might have been teachers, dont know. i told them i was busy, they got my phone number and went on their way. an hour later they were phoning me to see if i was still busy.... i said yes i was, and ended the call.... then unplugged my phone for the next week so as to prevent further incoming calls. i never saw them again....

thats just the way i deal with it. others might see things differently.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

A couple years ago I was playing tennis at our college. Boy from the college across the street wants to watch. When we are finished he wants to talk. Okay. I'm walking back home and go to the local chicken sandwich place and buy some sandwiches. He is waiting outside. One of the few times I have seen a Chinese student do some heavy planning.
First he'll help me buy a DVD and we will go to my house and watch, and we can meet tomorrow, and he can help me buy stuff, and during the summer we could be friends, etc. I gave him my contrary thoughts quite plainly.
Worse even then the time that I was playing cards with four guys (wearing shorts) and one Chinese guy wanted to play with my leg hair.

Yes I am your stuffed doll

Not!

Noelle · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 361 Location: USA

interesting comments here.

Thanks all for the replies!!!

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:40 pm Post subject:

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killian · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:42 am Post subject:

i have done both countries. it is more a matter of "geminshaft" vs "geselshaft" (forgive me as psych 101 was decades ago.)

bigtown/ high population density folks are gonna be colder.
small town/ less population density folks tend to be warmer.

so...take a first generation peasant farmer off the farm vs. some urban child who has spent every waking hour in some of controlled environment and more often than not the small towner is going to be kinded.

the folks in guangzhou and the folks in changwon are the same: if you don't know them you don't exist. however, if you can get past the big city mask they are kind and friendly.

jeffinflorida · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:19 am Post subject:

Chinese outside of the city are usually very nice.

The Korean fruit store in Queens where I grew up were not nice people...

Does that answer your question?

SpedEd · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 143 Location: Shanghai

I've found Koreans to be somewhat hostile initially, but they are far more civilized compared to the average C-person, imho. A person needs to be patient with Koreans to allow them to access you as a person. C-people don't seem to put up this kind of barrier initially.
I would pick Koreans over Chinese most any day of the week with regard to getting along and conducting business with. China sure does have a *long* way to go in the ethics and morals dept. before they can call themselves a civilized nation. I've been aching to go back to Korea since I got here.