Korean Job Discussion Forums

mateomiguel · Joined: 16 May 2005

I have just recently moved out of the elementary school teaching profession and into the scary corporate world of information technology in Korea. I sit at a desk in an office and type all day long. I'm the only foreigner around.

The guy immediately to my left is not part of my team. I don't know him, I don't work with him, I only sit next to him. But, he knows English, and talks to me sometimes. He is an accountant and real nerdy, even by Korean standards. It sounds like he practices the previous evening before our conversations, so the conversations never really seem to deviate too far from a script.

He's also seven years older than me.

Yesterday, when I came to work, he turned to me and said hello, good morning, how are you, yadda yadda. I answer politely enough. Then he tells me something more strange. "In Korea, it is a custom for younger people to say hello to older people first, so I want you to say hello to me when you come to work in the morning." I didn't really know how to answer that, and I'm definitely not going to do it. Only trained monkeys say hello on command!

I never shoulda told anybody my age.

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

Yeah, kind of sucks but you learn to live with it. I turn up at my school every morning, go into the office first thing and give a deep bow and an anyeong hashimnika to the wonjang. No skin off my nose.

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

poet13 · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:28 pm Post subject:

Your colleague made a culture based request. Unless there is some other dynamic at work there, it's entirely reasonable.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Just say 'good morning, everyone!' as you get to your desk.

As you should know by now, this culture's really big on greetings. I was in the staff room early one morning when there was just one other younger Korean teacher around. A senior teacher walked in with a big happy 'anyeong hashimnika!' and it was more like she was greeting the room than us.

Wanting to avoid any confusion of formalities, I just greet everyone in English as I'm coming in. 'Good morning, Mrs Jang; good morning Mr Park; good morning Mrs Kim; good morning Mrs Chun' all the way to my desk.

mnhnhyouh · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: The Middle Kingdom

The Hierophant · Joined: 13 Sep 2005

Passions · Joined: 31 May 2006

Honestly, he is correct.

You are in a foreign country so you should make effort to abide by their customs.

That being said, is it ridiculous? Of course!

Oreovictim · Joined: 23 Aug 2006

You should be a complete smart a$$ and tell him that you can only promise to greet him on odd-numbered days. Say, "Hello! Oopps! I forgot, it's the 20nd. I take that back, I'll say hello to you tomorrow instead."

mateomiguel · Joined: 16 May 2005

I think I'm going to go with the smarta$$ version, because it would be consistent and makes me feel so much better. When one of my coworkers told me at lunch to finish my rice, I asked him "Are you my mother?" causing the whole table to laugh for like 5 minutes. And when one of my other coworkers asked me if I lived alone, I said "Why, are you going to come kill me?" getting a weird look and an end to the conversation.

When I was a teacher in this country, I was the most understanding, flexible waygook any Korean could ever want to speak to in conversation class. But now, they're paying me for skills I've actually studied. I don't have infinite patience when I'm not doing the easiest job in the world (teaching). Now, these Koreans can see mateomiguel unleashed!

Its payback time.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject:

I'd just say I'm not Korean. Wink

Nod and smile.

(A water-off-the-duck's-back situation)

stumptown · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject:

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

I agree. Saying good morning to someone that sits next to you is absurdly hard and demeaning.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

It sounds like your coworker made a reasonable request and asked politely, so I'd have no problem doing that.

When I started my office job, I'd leave at the end of the day and only say bye to my coworkers. One of my coworkers mentioned I should say bye to my boss in his office also. I started doing that, and there hasn't been a problem since.

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

i think your coworker is being completly reasonable. he did nothing rude. he asked you to abide by his culture, which is where you live. he even initiated the conversation first.

is it really that big of a deal to say hi first every morning?

i can understand if you were back home and he wanted you to abide by korean culture, but you chose to move here, to it. adapt to the local culture. its not that hard, it doesnt take any time, it is not stupid or demeaning.