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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject: Free HIV Tests for "Foreigners" |
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Anybody see that TV commercial on Arirang TV? It goes something like "Now free HIV tests are available to foreigners."
They specifically say "foreigners". Don't you feel insulted by the ad? I'd almost go as far as calling it a smear campaign against foreigners. Imply to Koreans (especially Korean women) that foreigners have a higher likelihood of carrying HIV than Koreans.
That's all we need here is some more wood on the fire to fuel the xeonophobia that already exists in this country.
Shame on you Arirang! |
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brianthestrider
Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah I've seen that ad quite a few times and it did get me thinking similar things. I guess (in their defence) that they're probably expecting mainly foreigners to be watching that station and that's why it targets us specifically. Doesn't strike me as being a particularly wise or helpful approach though... |
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Ginormousaurus
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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While I appreciate the service offered, the connotations implied are insulting.
I don't have a TV and haven't seen the ads. Where can a get this free test? |
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Ginormousaurus wrote: |
While I appreciate the service offered, the connotations implied are insulting.
I don't have a TV and haven't seen the ads. Where can a get this free test? |
Here,
http://www.kuisc.org/Html/Test_02.php |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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Do Koreans get free AIDS tests? If this is a service being extended to us, I could see the point to a degree, but extending this of all services to us is indeed a bit insulting.
Perhaps some Dave's members living back in the west could put up a sign that says 'Free sobriety tests for Koreans', take some photos, and then spread them around the Korean Net. |
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antoniothegreat
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| this reminds me of a time i was in itaewon, the shop owners are always on the streets trying to sell stuff. i saw a western girl that was a bit over large. the Korean guy tried to get her attention by saying "we have clothes, big size." i wonder why she didnt go into his shop... |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
| 'Free sobriety tests for Koreans' |
Ziiiinnnggg!
Don't bother with the test. You check off some boxes like
"Have you ever had sex?"
and
"Are you a foreigner?"
then put it in the machine. It spits out a message that says:
Yep, you probably have AIDS. P.S. If you have had intercourse with any Korean females, please turn yourself in to the nearest police station for bludgeoning. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Ah the spirit of giving continues.. first Korean men get free movie tickets if they don't go to brothels, now free AIDS tests for foreigners. I'd like to see see free movie tickets for us foreigners who don't go to brothels. |
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antoniothegreat
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
| 'Free sobriety tests for Koreans' |
Ziiiinnnggg!
Don't bother with the test. You check off some boxes like
"Have you ever had sex?"
and
"Are you a foreigner?"
then put it in the machine. It spits out a message that says:
Yep, you probably have AIDS. P.S. If you have had intercourse with any Korean females, please turn yourself in to the nearest police station for bludgeoning. |
that's funny, but why does it seem so possible here? |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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| The next promotion will be "Free Yellow Stars for Jews!" |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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| I love getting free stuff. Where's my yellow star and HIV test? |
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Chamchiman
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Location: Digging the Grave
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:55 pm Post subject: Re: Free HIV Tests for "Foreigners" |
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| Dev wrote: |
Anybody see that TV commercial on Arirang TV? It goes something like "Now free HIV tests are available to foreigners."
They specifically say "foreigners". Don't you feel insulted by the ad? I'd almost go as far as calling it a smear campaign against foreigners. Imply to Koreans (especially Korean women) that foreigners have a higher likelihood of carrying HIV than Koreans.
That's all we need here is some more wood on the fire to fuel the xeonophobia that already exists in this country.
Shame on you Arirang! |
I haven't seen the commercial. If it in fact does simply say "Now free HIV tests are available to foreigners" then why is this in and of itself a bad thing? Who's against free HIV testing and increased testing options? Why shouldn't English teachers, Bangladeshi factory-workers and nannies from China have a place to go in Seoul to get their HIV-status checked free of charge and receive counselling in their native language? I get a test every once in a while just to make sure that my precautions have been effective. In fact, I just had an HIV/Hep C test done that I had to pay for, and might have preferred to have it done for free. And if, heaven forbid, a test comes up positive because I didn't slap a condom on my tongue when I went south, then I'd like to have some immediate, English-language conselling.
I can understand that some people might think that Arirang is "fueling the fire of xenophonbia", and even if they were, which I think is highly unlikely, what is the greater good? I think it's a positive development for responsible, sexually-active foreigners (of all nationalities) in Korea, and it may even be a sign of greater awareness in a country, which up until just recently, had a fair number of citizens who would have been happy to tell you that no Koreans have AIDS. I've even started to see ads in Korean on public transport which advertise about some of the dangers, and testing and counselling options available to Koreans. I hope that Korea takes education and awareness campaigns seriously while there are still relatively few HIV infections per capita.
I checked Dev's link to the Korea UNAIDS Information Support Center, and if you give me a choice between increased awareness, free HIV testing for foreigners, English-, Chinese-, Bangladeshi-, and Mongolian-language counselling for foreigners and migrant workers and the commercial versus less awareness, no free HIV-testing for foreigners, no English-, Chinese-, Bangladeshi- and Mongolian-language counselling and no commercial, I'll take the former. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Are HIV tests free for Koreans? |
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Chamchiman
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Location: Digging the Grave
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| Are HIV tests free for Koreans? |
I just phoned the KHAP. (KHAP is the new name of the KUISC. KUISC is the link Dev provided.)
Helpful Woman: Hello? (Static...something...static...)
Chamchiman: Hello?
Helpful Woman: Hello? Are you there?
Chamchiman: Yes, hi. Is this the KUISC?
Helpful Woman: Yes, but actually KHAP is the new name of the KUISC.
Chamchiman: Ah yes. I see. Well, I'm going to register for the free HIV test on your homepage, but I have one question first.
Helpful Woman: OK.
Chamchiman: I know that this is a center for foreigners, but can my Korean girlfriend register for a free HIV test too?
Helpful Woman: Sure! Why not?
Chamchiman: Great! Thanks very much.
Helpful Woman: Wait! You can register now over the phone.
Chamchiman: Umm...Actually...Sorry, I don't have much battery power left on my phone.
Helpful Woman: Oh, it won't take long.
Chamchiman: OK, thanks. Bye!
Helpful Woman: Wait! Wai
I felt bad for hanging up on her, but I did confirm two things. One, HIV tests are free for Koreans. ("Why not?") Two, at least one person at the KHAP can speak English and is helpful. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:21 am Post subject: |
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| I wonder if it is announced though. Why not simply state that this service is free and that councelling can be had in non-Korean languages. I think what most of those who object to this ad feel is that the semantics of the word foreigner in the Korean context conveys that we are in some way different to the Korean majority. Some Koreans seem at times (and I am not generalising here) blunt. I think it may stem from the forthright nature some of them possess. Many are not schooled in the nuances of English. Arirang in particular seems to pull most of is scripting from Korean and simply english-ify it. Notice the documentaries on that channel that resort to the same saccharine coated platitudes not common in our language and the constant repartition of the subject of a sentence without substituting an appropriate pronoun. I don't think the offence here is malicious but simply just another case of cultural misunderstanding on behalf of a less-than-competent Arirang staff. |
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