Korean Job Discussion Forums

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

1st, this is not a rant. I'm not complaining, rather making an observation and asking a question.

2nd, I normally try not to start new threads because most everything under the sun has already been covered on this site...except for a few topics like this one (I think) so if someone could point me to the thread, I'd not only appreciate it...I'd buy them a beer.

OK here goes nothing...

I've been back in Korea for about a month now and I had forgotten about this one. It's usually middle aged men that do it, along with their counterparts the infamous adjuma. NOT EVERYONE does it, just a percentage. I'm interested to know what they call it in Korean, and why so many of them do it.

It's a sound they make with their mouths. They habitually do it on the subway and it's ... yes it's a little annoying!

It sounds like a squishing sound...almost like they're trying to get something out from between their teeth, but it's not. I can't describe it in words but I know you've heard it before. If someone reading this can describe it better in words for the casual reader, please...do it.

Anyone know where this comes from and why they do it? For that matter, why does only a percentage of the population do it?

Please tell me I'm not the only one who's noticed this.

Please.

aldershot · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

i believe they're sucking their teeth, mr. fly. perhaps there's a string of kimchi or beef between their canines and molars. or it's habit. pure unadulterated habit, assumed from years of their forefathers sucking their teeth to get every last bit of goodness out of their last meal.

or they're teething.

or frothing at the mouth.

nautilus · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

Its called sucking your teeth.
its a fairly normal idle habit of Korean males. same as belching and yakking at dinnertimes.

Disgusting to us, normal to them.

talking of busses , what gets me is the really harsh braking. Not the sound, but the fact you get flung around the vehicle like a loose cannon.
They must put new brake pads on every week or something.

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

BigBuds · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Location: Changwon

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Hyeon Een · Joined: 24 Jun 2005

Most of my bus journey's have varied between terrible and hellish. But sometimes you get a good one.

One time I got on a bus and the bus driver immediately asked where I was from. When I told him he muttered something and messed around under his dashboard.. I figured I'd said something wrong and he was looking for a taser or something. I sat down at the back of the bus.

A minute or so later he found what he was looking for and "Hey Jude" started playing.. followed by Beatles for the rest of the trip. We had a good chat on my way off the bus (much to the annoyance of the rest of the passengers)

He liked us English Gentlemen and wanted to impress me with his Korean gentleman-ness. I appreciated the sentiment (the Korean passengers didn't..)

God bless the occasional awesome driver.

Rapacious Mr. Batstove · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Location: Central Areola

What gets me bent out of shape is the 'pulse driving' most of the buses and a lot of the taxis/general traffic do. They rocket up to 80ks and then pulse the accelerator to maintain their speed. The end result is this nodding effect which is a rough as guts on a hangover and generally frustrating if you are trying to chill.
And yeah, I've heard the subway mouth thing as well, but I though it was just furballs.

Col.Brandon · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

thebomb · Joined: 13 Nov 2006

superacidjax · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Location: Seoul

As crazy as those drivers seem.. I've never been in an accident. They fly but seem to avoid tragedy. Try a Nepalese bus.. now that sucks. Squashing pedestrians is the least of the concerns, try flying off a cliff.

I rather like the adventure of the bus. Much more entertaining than the subway. Of course I once liked BASE jumping too..

I'm a little off I suppose.

JMO · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

mehamrick · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Location: South Korea

But have you ever noticed how the Koreans can sleep like a baby while the bus drivers are doing this?? And wake up at the right stop... amazing.

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

A lot of what I see in traffic goes in one ear and out the other but this 'vision of lawlessness' is an outstanding vehicular antic. A bus doing a last minute, left hand turn in a high speed, careening arc. The weight of it was pinned to one side with the suspension heavy down and, as the busdriver grimaced like a madman leaning and holding the wheel, half way down the bus, sitting beside the window, a woman, about thirty, possibly a secretary, smiling like her belly tickled and she was getting her money's worth on an amusement park ride. It was awesome!