Korean Job Discussion Forums

toomuchtime · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 7:08 am Post subject: korean perma-frown

Am I the only one that's noticed it?
Sure, it's a generalization, and I know how much some posters here hate them, but sometimes when on the subway or walking down a crowded street, I'm amazed at how pissed off people look.
I remember once waiting for someone in a SWS, accompanied by a Korean acquaintance. I made my observation to him and he just laughed when he noticed it himself.
I know, I know, some cultures around the world think that people who smile too much look simple, but come on! Is life THAT bad?
It's pan-generational too. The old folks can get a mean ole' forehead crease going on, but the young chicas get pretty severe ones too. Trying to look cool? misunderstood- 'world's against me,' kinda stuff?
Any theories?

leeroy12 · Joined: 01 Jul 2003

Man - you should see London at 9 o'clock on Monday morning! Smile

toomuchtime · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 7:22 am Post subject:

Dude, I've been here long enough that I've got one of my own now.
Good for keeping all but the most intrepid of subway free-English lesson seekers away.

posco's trumpet · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Beneath the Underdog

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 2:47 pm Post subject:

Yea, I notice it. What's funny is people tell me that I need to look happier. ?!?!?!?!? I'm not the one with a damn permafrown!

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Bus stops are excellent places to observe perma-frowns. Or people riding buses.

Granted, waiting for a bus is not my favorite occupation either, but everybody always seems to look like they have a large uncomfortable object wedged up their butt. Or that they just lost their job.

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Worse still, if you combat it by trying to take a very positive, smiling approach to everything, your boss thinks you're not taking your work seriously. If you look miserable at work, they give you orders to "smile, smile, the parents are coming".

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

19th-century photographs always seem to have such gloomy looking people in them, partly because exposure times were long and sitting for a camera was uncomfortable, but also because the smile-for-the-camera tradition wasn't around then. It may be that people didn't associate a straight face with being unhappy back then, but only with a natural expression.

What I notice about Korea-- and this is a little off-topic-- but I realized last week that it is rare that I hear any music in public. In my year in Mexico I constantly heard happy music from cars and buildings and musicians on the street, with people dancing or smiling. Here the only music I hear is construction cranes.

Ken:>

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

The closer people are to nature, the happier they are. City dwellers hear no birdsong, swim in no bubbling waterfall pools, and can barely see the stars at night.

toomuchtime · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:53 am Post subject:

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Sounds like a Seoul perspective to me. People in my town arent exactly all jumping with joy but smiles arent uncommon & ordinary folk tend to put a pleasant face to everyday transactions.

Want grumpy-looking? Try Canada.

Or even better, I was in Las Vegas last year & there were thousands of people, on vacation, streaming from one 'pleasure' palace to the next, not a smile amongst them.

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:03 am Post subject:

little mixed girl · Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Location: shin hyesung's bed~

.....

Hyalucent · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: British North America

Well... they had that TV campaign during the World Cup to get everyone to try and smile for a change. I got a real kick out of that commercial where the statue started to smile.