Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

Since last fall, I have gotten the feeling that alot of the posts on all the Korea forums have gotten to be more and more negative towards Korea, Koreans and the ESL teaching profession.

I know I come across as a pessimist on this board, but in reality, I really love Korea and Korean people and culture. Yet I have seen more and more posts bashing Korea and Koreans for even the smallest things.

I rant because I want change, but I also realize "you can't drag a dead horse to water". So I have learned to accept things in Korea.
I accept it to the point that I am more homesick for Korea than actually being in the US.

A while ago, if someone was to bash Korea, the "apologist" squad would come to save Korea.
I am far from being an apologist, but I do tolerate things, sometimes too much.
But hey, when in Rome......

[Rteacher]

I think part of that phenomenon is the periodic influx of new people. It takes some time to adjust to a new culture, and many hogwan businesses seem to be managed in a way that seems too high pressured and irrational from a new foreign teacher's perspective. Many directors would be considered tyrants in the west.

Also, even experienced expat teachers here react to negative portrayals of western foreigners that occasionally appear in Korean media ...And even public school and university FTs have to deal with an educational bureacracy that has politically motivated anti-foreigner elements within it at the highest levels...

I personally would rather teach here than in most places in the U.S., though, and Korea is relatively nice in many respects...

[stevemcgarrett]

Of course, the posts have gotten worse.

Sometimes it takes time for that numbness of utter disdain to wear off long enough to get some feeling back in one's fingers to post.

And, hey, Ron, if you went back and looked at some of those chicks you humped early in your "career," you might wonder why you didn't leave the porn industry sooner.

[jajdude]

I don't think so. Same old stuff has been covered over and over for years with a few new thoughts. Korea has probably become a better place to live in over the past few years. BUt then there have been more foreigners arriving, freaked out, and expressing disdain, which can add to sour thoughts expressed.

Steve that face is too large and intimidating! I know I'll have bad dreams.

[Smee]

I guess they do feel a little more negative, OP. I've seen a lot more sharp tongues lately. But there's been a lot of stuff to complain about in the media, though, so those topics have been recycled plenty over the last month. Also, this is about the 4-month mark for the tons of people who started public school jobs in August, so this is the time when culture shock is first setting in.

[dalpengi]

There are a number of cycles here (with regards to how people view living here).

At the very least we can say there is a seasonal cycle that Smee has pointed out (also adding that people are away from home at Christmas which makes them more miserable) plus a long-term trend as pointed out by jajdude (I agree that overall standard of living in Korea has improved and it seems to me that as a result, on average the posts seem a somewhat more positive than when I started reading this forum in 2001) and of course there is a completely random effect here as well (such when some scandal occurs that sees a temporary wave of anti-western sentiment).

There are also couple other cycles no doubt (business confidence etc.) that filter through to us and find reflection in our posts.

Everybody will have a different opinion on this but overall I feel that the number of �positive� posts has increased. This is actually one of the main reasons why I decided to join this forum. In my early days in Korea (2001, 2002) the negativity here was just too much for me and not only did I not join but I also occasionally took long breaks, not reading anything for months at a time (I have a weak mind).
[/b]

[dalpengi]

Of course, in addition to that our own perception of what gets posted here changes with our own experiences in this country.

People complaining no longer have the same strong influence on me as I am now able to distinguish the issues (things that may deserve criticism) from the non-issues (when people vent after a bad day at work).

[mack the knife]

What's the point of posting "Korea is so great let's suck Korea's d*ck" posts when Koreans already have that angle well-covered? If you want to post/read that stuff head over to soompi.com. Yin-Yang, people. Yin-Yang.

What I have seen on the board over the years (I've been a member since its inception, well before the sea change took place) is more people posting useful information, like where to buy such and such, where to obtain such and such, and how to do such and such. You can thank the old timers like me for that.

[Oreovictim]

It's getting negative because of the winter blues. You see, in Korea, there are FOUR distinct seasons. So the winter blues here are more drastic.

[vox]

Could be all the hyped-up holiday prep. Semesters ending, plane flights booking, what to do what to do, if you are part of any social club or group they're prepping for Xmas, could be stressful.

[Bukowski]

Mack,

I was on here back in the Fall of 1996 when the address used to be something like http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/eslcafe.html. When did you start?

The format has changed quite a bit, but the negativity from the majority of the posters still dominates.

AC

[RACETRAITOR]

Unfortunately at no time in history was society changed for the better by a bunch of foreigners whining about a group they don't belong to.

It has been more negative here lately, my guess is probably because of that play in Busan that was shut down for complaining about Koreans.

[Mashimaro]

[Real Reality]

Survey: Koreans Unhappy at Work
by Kwon Hyuk-joo and Lim Mi-jin, JoongAng Ilbo (August 28, 2006)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200608/27/200608272308261879900090509051.html

69.1 Percent of Poll Respondents Unsatisfied with Life
by Hong Yung-lim, Chosun Ilbo (August 8, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200408/200408080035.html

Sufferers From Mental Disorders Jump 27 Percent
By Bae Ji-sook, Korea Times (October 13, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200610/kt2006101319203911970.htm

96.5% of Young Employees Wish To Work Abroad
Chosun Ilbo (September 6, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200409/200409060026.html

93% of Koreans Say Income Gap Serious
by Lee Jin-woo, Korea Times (February 16, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200502/kt2005021617270310440.htm

'Drinking Is Leading Killer of Middle-Aged Korean Men'
by Soh Ji-young, Korea Times (December 12, 2002)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lpage/nation/200212/kt2002121317183211980.htm

Korean Men World's Most Selfish in Bed: Survey
Chosun Ilbo (March 23, 2006)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603230006.html

[mack the knife]