Korean Job Discussion Forums

[buddy bradley]

Is facial hair acceptable in Korea, or is it like China where having a beard is akin to having 'the face of a dog'?
I ask this because it seems as if stubble is 'accepted' in Japan, and I always think of Korea as being similar to Japan (although I doubt that I should say that to any Koreans!).

[hellofaniceguy]

Wear what you want to wear and don't worry about it being acceptable or not. Do your own thing. If someone "worries" or complains about ones beard, etc, that sounds like it's a personal problem.

[thegadfly]

On the other hand, when I shaved my mustache (which I had on arrival and for my first 10 months in Korea), I started receiving a lot of compliments -- people that knew me were "surprised" at how "handsome" I was...several women I knew expressed an interest in "showing me around" that hadn't existed for the previous 10 months...and I received many more positive comments from folks I had never met...had many more women approach me than I was used to....

At the same time I shaved I cut my hair to a more "Korean" length -- it was longish but not touching my shoulders...I had it cut pretty short "like a Korean man."

No one ever treated me badly because of my hair or mustache -- a lot of taxi drivers said I was "handsome" and "like Omar Sharif" with the longer hair and mustache...after the shave and haircut, no more taxi driver compliments....

You be the judge

[dogbert]

My personal experience has been that having a beard and moustache brings many compliments from men of all ages and women over 40, but is not so appreciated by women in their twenties and thirties, for some reason.

[Ryst Helmut]

Had a goatee for the longest time (ok, only during winters) and have recieved so much flack. I ask them, 'Why?' (they all take the bait) and sure enough I get a response like, "Only dirty or uneducated men have them.' I then proceed to pull out the 1,000won, 5,000won and 10,000won Korean notes (as if there are other wons about).

I don't even say anything, and that usually shuts them up....

Shoosh,

Ryst

[BTM]

Good answer!

I must say, though, that although I've had a goat as well almost the entire time I've been here (well, most of the last 15 years, actually), I've never had a negative comment of any kind.

[white tiger]

i had taken a course at uni. that discussed facial hair, and north americans' peceptions; when shown photos of men with/without goatees, those with goatees were seen as more untrusting, or 'evil'. but, that's just north america..
i guess that doesn't really answer the poster's question, but an interesting tangent i guess. cheers
oh yeah, and i'm not in korea yet, but will be in 8 days. finally.