Korean Job Discussion Forums

[philipjames]

A recent thread talked about Koreans' tendency to exagerate their country's achiervements. Specifically, it referred to the Korean tendency to say things like "Koreans are really genius." What makes such statements so annoying is not only their patent absurdity, but the fact the same Koreans go out of their way to denigrate certain other nations.

I lived in Canada for many years, although I don't sound Korean. So Koreans feel free to say absurd things to me about Canada. If I'd a nickle for every Korean who said the following to me.

"Canada has no culture, no history, no industry, no literature, no art etc." I ask them what books they've read on Canadian history. None. Have you ever visited Canada. No. Have you taken a course on Canadian history. No. Canada has no history!

I've heard this rubbish from numerous Koreans who've been unaware of my Canadian citizenship. Where do they learn this stuff. Is it another mantrta that they learn at school along with "Koreans are geniuses" and
"Koreans are very polite."

When people rant about Korea on this site, it's because Korea brings it on itself.

[philipjames]

Oops! I meant to say that "I don't sound Canadian."

[RACETRAITOR]

[rhinocharge64]

Oh, and Canadians are completely boring. In fact so boring they could send a glass eye to sleep.

[philipjames]

Some questions for Koreans.
1.Define culture. (In my view culture includes blowing snot rockets down your nose, horking on the street, bumping into people, not putting your kids in seatbelts, etc.)
2. Please explain to me thow a section of humanity has no culture?
3. Please explain to me how British and French settlers in Canada were without culture?
4. Please explain how British and French culture, transferred from a European island to a continent-sized nation, can fail to morph into a new culture?
5. How can you say that the native peoples of Canada, who have been there 10,000 years, have no culture?
6. Do you think that the Chinese in Hong Kong (who have only been there 200 years) are equally without culture?
7. Given KOrean thinking on this matter, would you agree that Korea has no culture (given the predominance of Chinese culture in Korea)?
8. If Chinese influence were removed from Korea what would be left?

[Bingo]

I've heard Koreans say this too. I ask them where they get such views from. They inevitably say, "That's what Korean people believe." I ask them what they base it on. They say, "That's just what Koreans think."

Think? That's the problem. They're not taught to think. Confucianism frowns on the lower ordres actually questioning received doctrine.

[doggyji]

Yeah, it's silly of them to say so. However, please drop that whole school conspiracy theory haha. Well, I've been on this board for a year and I've seen quite a few people who say something along the line of "Korea has no culture. Korea has no 'real' this and that... it's all about Sejongs, dude." Interesting. Btw, you said you don't sound Canadian. Then what do you sound like?

[Captain Corea]

I was curious about that too.

Are you ethnically Korean?

[venus]

A recent report in a Korean newspaper suggesting that Korean female students partaking in language exchange classes in Sinchon and Hongdae was in part responsible for the spread of aids in Korea.

Another great one was my first week at my school. After eating my co-teacher told me that 'Koreans are the only race to drink 'pure water' after eating a meal.

I told him that this wasn't true and he said "English people drink tea and Americans drink cola and coffee after a meal."

I Told him that English and Amercians drink whatever they bloody well like after a meal, there is no set rule and some people would choose water, some wouldn't. I also pointed out that a lot of Koreans drink something other than water after a meal.

I asked him where he got these ideas. He said "This is what we teach our students in their text books."

I said "but it's not true, it's actually nonsence."

He said "But this is what we teach our students."

I then clicked that there was no going beyond this remark and changed the topic of conversation.

Gotta love it!

[Bingo]

Examples of Canadian industry.

1. Spar Aerospace (designed and built the Canadadarm on the space shuttle.)
2. Bombardier (third largest manufacturer of airplanes in the world, and largest manufacturer of of regional jets in the world)
3. Stelco (steel manufacturer)
4. Doasco (steel manufacturer)
etc etc etc

[dridgway]

I would never say that Canada has no culture but I can see they point that they might be trying to make. Canada has less of a distinct culture than many places in the world. When I'm asked in classes about Canadian food I never know what to say after "poutine" and "maple syrup". haha Seems to me that Canada is one of those countries that is more of a mixture of different cultures.
As for our history...it IS rather short but hey, quality not quantity. Right?

[the eye]

[princess]

[doggyji]

[Bingo]

When Koreans boast about the Korean economy I love pointing out to them that Canada is part of the G8 and that Korea isn't. This blows them away. They can't get their minds around it. They think Canada is a big farm. After telling one Korean that I had lived in Canada, he said "Ah, Canada. America's backyard." I could've floored him.

When they say things like that aren't they aware that one could equally say the Korea was China's backyard?

Koreans are incessently playing with their precious handphones, and boasting about their handphone industry. Not one of them will be aware that the technology for the phone orinated from Alexander Graham Bell's research in Canada.

Another example of Koreans copying things, rather than inventing things, and then giving zero credit to the original inventors.