Korean Job Discussion Forums

n3ptne · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Location: Poh*A*ng City

Now I've been here about 18 months, and I think that gives me rank enough to make at least one overt observation. And, I'm curious to here yours.

Koreans seem to have this almost biological need to use things only as they were "intended" to be used. I can't undersatnd it.

At work we have an elevator that has a DOWN button that sticks, and every day I watch students, teachers, and parents alike try to use it, and everyday I watch them give up and walk down the four flights of stairs.

Never does it ever occur to them to hit the UP button, activate the elevator, and then use it to go DOWN.

Today I showed one of my coworkers how to do it... and not only was she amazed, but as I was showing her she actually looked at me and said, "But, I want to go down, not up".... she was shocked when I told her that the elevator doesn't know care.

Another example is how my girlfriend tells me that the toliet can only be used for 똥&휴지... she actually yells at me when I use it to flush away condoms, q-tips, cigarettes, or anything else. She told me once that the toliet was specifically designed for 똥, and 똥 alone.

Amazing.

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:16 am Post subject:

That is soooooooo funny. and true.

what about how they turn your tray around in the school cafeteria? (and then you have to turn it back to the way it was, and get a look of disbelief from the drones)

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

leebumlik69

ooh I was like a hungry greyhound behind a steel mesh fence licking my paws to get into this!
I'm sure what you mentioned does happen but so does this:

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I think the Op gets at a good point. When too many people think and act alike
they seem to find it hard to perceive other ways. Food can be eaten differently, coffee can be different, people can line up and wait for others to exit. But when everybody's doing the same thing, everybody follows. Maybe part of our job is to introduce different things.

The "unbelievable" thread points out some amazing things too.

jinks · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Location: Formerly: Lower North Island

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

n3ptne · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Location: Poh*A*ng City

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

If you think flushing condoms down the toilet is idiotic, at least level that one at our cultures too. All English-language sexual education material on the proper use of condoms clearly states you should not flush condoms down the toilet. I won't argue whether it's right or wrong, just that it's a western idea as well.

And while we're on the topic of Koreans using items only for their single intended purpose, I invite you to look at how they use toilet paper. We use it solely for cleaning ass and consider it dirty, but they use it for wiping up just about anything.

Also, I was amazed to see Koreans using scissors in food preparation. It's brilliant.

Bondrock · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Location: ^_^

i try my best to obey the maxim "when in Rome"

but, in matters of food i break away... koreans seem fixed on certain combinations of food and certain sauces only go with this or that food and so on... try roasting a pepper when you are having kalbi... they will freak... those peppers are only eaten cold...

the pepper's spice (capsicum) gets 10 times hotter if you roast it... convince a korean to try a bite... hilarious... i do it, then take a spoon of rice to cool it...

also beer... i like beer from a bottle... i hate beer poured into a glass, especially when they make that 10 oz head on a 12 oz glass...

and when my guest uses the bathroom, i pour my own soju, i dont wait like some helpless idiot...

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

I throw away condoms in the garbage can because I've lived here for long enough to repsect the garbage disposal system in my neighborhood.

I take medication with water after a meal because I follow the instructions.

I try no to let the paper part of the tea bag fall into the water because I don't want to put my (potentially dirty) fingers into the hot water.

________________________________________________________

In fact, I have found the opposite of the OP to be true.

In one office I work in the battle for the elevator at lucnh has gotten to such a point that everyone gets on going up... so as to shaft those waiting to go down.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

I must admit, it is fun to dip a food into a sauce that Koreans don't associate with that food. They just can't fathom why anyone would dip a chicken wing into gochujang whenever there's honey-mustard on the table.

Or having something other than beer with fried chicken. Soju with fried chicken?!!! You crazy foreigner!!

Bondrock · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Location: ^_^

yea, we're all nuts because we like variety...

forgive me... but i also like ketchup on chicken.... my father (canadian) used to get angry at me for that....

but now, I'm the dad! if i want ketchup on my chicken then stand outa my way.... conventions be damned...

condoms??? WTF... get a vasectomy and save the environment....

two-fold savings....

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

I completely disagree with the OP.