Korean Job Discussion Forums

PimpofKorea · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: Sense of Humor Diminishing

I am curious if anyone else is experiencing this phenomenom. I was always considered to be a "funny guy." In high school and college I was kind of the class clown. I'm not a really smart guy...and my only endearing qualities are to crack jokes....make people laugh....slam people with insults..etc..etc. But since I have been in Korea for almost 2 years...I can feel my humor abilities are diminishing. The jokes...the wisecracks...the one liners....and all of the other things I was known for....have been disappearing. Being around Koreans who you can't really joke with and uptight foreigners....is killing my humor skills. Anyone experience something similar...or am I all alone out here???

fadedgirl · Joined: 26 Nov 2006

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees Crying or Very sad

lets add sarcasm too...no one gets it when I say something sarcastic...it's so sad.

PimpofKorea · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:28 am Post subject:

Sarcasm....yeah that doesn't go over well at all out here... Funny over here is a guy dressing up like a woman...now thats what I call real comedy

thebum · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Location: North Korea

Oreovictim · Joined: 23 Aug 2006

I know what you mean, man. Most people over here just don't get my sense of humor. Sometimes the little kids get it, but the middle school kids? They don't even smile or anything. Of course, by the time they have my class, they're exhausted.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

i can't relate there, man. i've just been getting funnier and funnier. it's almost sickening.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject:

Jokes translate badly here or anywhere that English isn't the native language. Wit is wasted as an English teacher. Slapstick (Mopagi?) and using body/facial expressions is key to getting kids to laugh or relax.
Example: Target Language: "What happened?" Student's guess as I go through the motions, "He found a kitten." as I loveingly pick up a imaginary kitten, hold it in my hand and then drop-kick it. Cracks my students up!

slow_life · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Location: here

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

I spend too much time on the Internet so I'm pretty up-to-date on all the new slang and cliches out there. I can make people laugh their christ out in small doses, so I have to keep myself moving around or I start to get lame.

jdog2050 · Joined: 17 Dec 2006

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:54 am Post subject: Re: Sense of Humor Diminishing

shifter2009 · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Location: wisconsin

Nothing wose than saying something you KNOW is funny in front of your students and getting nothing but blank stares. Least I have learned what bombing is like for a stand up comedian. Humorless little punks.

Cerriowen · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Location: Pocheon

I said something to my new class of students and they laughed.

Either all of korea has suddenly started understanding western humor, or my sense of humor has seriously gone down hill.

jdog2050 · Joined: 17 Dec 2006