Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tobacco Dreams]

Yesterday afternoon I taught a "teachers' class" (as I do twice a week), in which all my fellow teachers (or for this one hour, students) are Koreans.

My blood boiled as I bit my tongue and refrained, just yesterday, from answering these two talking points:

1) Goguryeo was "invincible." (I wanted to point out that Goguryeo was finally overcome by Shilla in combination with Tang China, but forgot the year, and realized that ARGUING THIS POINT WITH A KOREAN WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY BE POINTLESS!)

2) Japan's crimes against Korea during the Colonial period of 1910-45 remain "unpardonable"--yes, these are both DIRECT QUOTES from a Korean English teacher who teaches alongside me in what is supposed to be this country's number-three ranked high school . . .

My intended response (in case 2) is that if Japan's crimes are TRULY "unpardonable" then it SERVES NO PURPOSE for the Japanese to apologize, since you (Koreans) will refuse to pardon . . .

(I did in fact argue that Japan HAS apologized, again and again, and DID pay reparations, in Park Chung-Hee's time, but my points were just waved aside with further invocations of the "unpardonable" BS.)

TAKESHIMA? Forget it. Recent developments on the Web have quite conclusively demonstrated that the Korean case for sovereignty is bogus as a kosher pork chop and entirely based on lies, but how can I even start to unfold this issue for . . . well . . . children?

and there's the rub: I half hate myself for looking down on my self-evidently inferior Korean colleagues--but if they CANNOT think (no, it's not genetics, friends--culture, culture), if they've been born and bred in a culture which rejects dispassionate analysis at all costs . . .

Forgive me, Saints above,

because I do NOT, for a thousand different reasons, want to say it or even think it:

but Koreans prove themselves irrational and un-open to argumentation or even IN-FORMATION over and over and OVER again, so predicatbly, that it's enough to drive an expat here utterly insane . . .

I'm at a loss . . .

just venting?

------------------


and JUST to heap idiocy upon idiocy, our "text" for that hour was an opinion piece from the "Korea Times" written, I swear to God, ENTIRELY in Konglish. The "teacher" who'd selected it didn't seem to understand how truly outrageous each and every sentence was. Politeness prevented me from insisting that "it's got to be the Chosun Ilbo English edition if we're going to do local rags . . ."

dear Lord above, I'm SO very much at a loss . . .

Finally (because I just can't resist the trajectory of these thoughts): Ahn Jung Geun--nationalist hero, or incredibly stupid, loser, bleeping a-hole?

I mean, come on . . .

Give up your life so that semi-civilized (generously construed!) Korea can resist (maybe!) being taught to read and write and do maths by its more advanced neighbor . . . ?

[Hosub]

Well at least you acknowledge that there were crimes in the colonial period, or even in other nations, so that's perfectly fine.

You don't have to talk to Japanese international students that have these points to fling out when speaking of war-time atrocities.

A. Numbers were extremely exaggerated.
B. Western witnesses were liars to diminish the sovereignty of the Japanese government.
C. Japanese witnesses were, liars. They were communists who agreed to lie in court to diminish the sovereignty of the Japanese government.
D. All newspapers that reported on the atrocities were leftist communist lying trash newspapers.
E. Lies, lies, and more lies. Japanese historians say otherwise, look at these books! Me: "Have you read them?" Them: "No."

Even a Chinese-Japanese youth denies the role Japan had in these atrocities. What is this, stockholm syndrome?

Also, to your point about Korea being uncivilized and being unable to read, I take offense at this supposition and would like you to elaborate. Realize you're venting, but that's something that must not go without further explanation.

Perhaps, you, the grand Westerner should show the meager pitiful oriental here what you exactly mean.

[yesnoyesyesno]

a new low has been reached. congrats

[mindmetoo]

You should mention to your teacher that their government already pardoned Japan for its crimes back in the '60s in return for interest free development loans. Korean sex slaves have had no luck in Japanese courts because Park Chung Hee forgave 35 years of colonial rule for bag full of Japanese magic beans. It seems to me Korea's own elected rulers have long been allies to Japanese machinations. They should start there.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[doggyji]

[conan]

ha.welcome to the nightmar eetha tis korean people...........ever wondered why when they go oveseas the only do it in huge packs? and bring their own food............worst race of people in the world

[mnhnhyouh]

[Doogie]

The thing that saddens me is that all the little kids are taught to hate Japan. I teach elementary school and my students are always going,"I hate Japan", or "Japan is bad and mean." During my time here, I've read all about Korean history of the 20th century. I agree, the Japanese were brutal to the Koreans. It was, however, over 60 years and 2 generations ago. The Japanese military elite of the time are all dead and buried. How can they hold the Japanese people of today responsible for what their fathers or grandfathers did? 30 years from now, will my students also teach their kids to hate Japan? Probably.

[Hosub]

[yesnoyesyesno]

[MissSeoul]

OP, your job is teaching english and when your contract over, go back to your home country and don't look back korea.


Makes your blood boil ???
Man, you sound very stupid !!

[RACETRAITOR]

It sounds like you'd be a lot happier in Japan. Don't let the door hit you in the as$.

[Niagara]

[jajdude]

I also dislike hearing kids so unequivocally state their hatred of Japan and the bad people there. It's just a shame to hear. Carrying hate around is not good for the soul. It can make one feel self-righteous and indignant, which I suppose gives a certain limited energy and unity among the clan, a solidarity of something to be angry about and say, 'woe is me, I been done wrong.' Psychologically it helps avoiding being responsible or accountable for yourself since others, outsiders, are the violators and wrongdoers, not me. It's hard to have a good discussion where emotion rules and minds are already set in stone.