Korean Job Discussion Forums

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

Patting someones dog here seems to be on a par with breaking into their car, it seems.

The other day I stopped to pat a passing dog that looked rather cute. It seemed very affectionate but then its owner, a rather grumpy middle aged ajosshi came around the corner and yelled at the dog to come to him, as if angry.
i told him its ok, I just wanted to pat it, but he gruffly replied "aniyo, aniyo" and grabbed hold of the dog and quickly made off with it.

In fact this is quite usual. They simply don't let you near their dogs. most westerners would see it as a way to make friendly conversation with passers by, here they seem to be angry.

Are they afraid you're going to eat it or something? Either way they seem to be as over-protective of their dogs as they are their women.

xingyiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

Thats because by and large Koreans probably DONT want to make conversation with you. It's their country. And thats not the only part of this warped life that suffers as such. If Koreans come to your house be prepared to have them rifling through every nook and cranny they so desire. Now of course don't try to do that at their houses. But again WE are the sojourners so we really dont have the right to complain. I have found unique ways of combatting this. I simply don't let too many Koreans (barring the occasional delivery person0 into my house. And if some of my coworkers or boss and his family want to intrude I just make up an excuse that I am going to be gone or something. Then make it a point to actually BE gone. As far as their women go, hey if you want to give free English lessons away for not a whole lot in return then thats your perrogative. I have been burned too many times.

JMO · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

Maybe the dog is nervous with strangers. Sometimes what looks like gruffness is sometimes just the way people are, they don't mean anything to you. One of our dogs is nervous with strangers and can be aggressive. My dad would sound gruff to someone who doesn't know him, as he cals him sharply whenever a stranger walks towards our house.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Maybe he remembered when someone gruffly told him to not try to touch a strangers childs' genitals to determine their gender

Cerebroden · Joined: 27 Dec 2006

korean dog owners are VERY rare. Although I have noticed a significant portion of koreans that have large rats with dyed ears.

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

Maybe he was concerned you wouldn't get along with the dog, and the dog might bite at you or bark and you'd be offended.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Bramble · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Location: National treasures need homes

A lot of people let me pet their dogs. I learned to say "An mureoyo?" first; once a guy answered (no, s/he doesn't bite) in perfect English. Embarassed

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

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

poet13 · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject:

I ran into a Korean friend the other night. His Korean friend, who I had never met before, had an adorable 6 month old lab. He was quite happy to let me hold and pet it. Maybe you just got a strange fellow....or maybe he's quite civilized and believes as my mother told me, "don't play with your food."

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

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

On an unrelated note, this weekend I was talking with a Korean girl I know, and she showed me a picture of her cat. Why are Koreans always showing me pictures of their cats?