Korean Job Discussion Forums

[simone]

So our team had a really nice lunch with the ������ (Senior Exec VP, #2 at the company) today, and of course, with my position, and being the only foreigner in the company, I had to sit near him.

The guy's a nice guy, friendly smile, all that, but let's face it, my sad Korean is better than his English. He regales us with drinking stories all through lunch, (of course) after which, he straight out asks me if I ever go to a Noraebang. I answer affirmative, but 'not often'.

So he says that to help challenge him with his English, in one month, he will have to perform an English song at Noraebang, to which I will have to perform a Korean song. I think the look of horror on my face was clear, so he countered with "two months".

So I smile, say "ok", all that... hoping to god that he'll forget this conversation, but noooooo. We all have to go for a coffee after lunch, to which he announces to the whole group that in two months there'll be a grand performance. Nope, no forgetting her. It's like he's imprinted the image of me singing in some dingy smoky little room, like a baby duck or something, and now there's a better chance of me being made the next mayor of Seoul than him giving up on it.

Please keep in mind, too, that in two months I'm going to be very visibly pregnant (close to 6 mos) and certainly won't have the chance to get tanked up on boilermakers to give me an additional courage boost. Just the image of myself, sober, belly sticking out, doing "my time" in the singing room, sad sad sad.

I have no problem singing English songs, but I find the K ones just too fast to read.

So, I need recommendations. This is really stupid, but I need to find a few songs, titles, artists, find the lyrics, and then get a copy of the song. I have a whole staff of people now who would help with these details, but where to begin? Trot? Songs are fairly short, maybe a bit slower to sing... I just don't know.

If anyone here has successfully added a few K-songs to their noraebang repetoire, I'd love to know what they are. Please, save me from even more humiliation than is absolutely necessary.

[maximreality]

[RACETRAITOR]

말달이자 by Crying Nut is pretty easy. I could probably rustle up the mp3 and the lyrics if you're interested. They're kind of like the Green Day of Korea.

[billybrobby]

go with trot. the most stultifying muisc on earth.

아줌마 너무 좋아
볼수록 너무 좋아
꽃보다 아름다운
아줌마 정말 좋아
좋아 좋아 너무 좋아
아줌마가 너무 좋아
사는게 힘들어도
아줌마가 정말 좋아

아줌마 가는 길에 행복과 사랑주네
꽃보다 아름다운
아줌마 정말 좋아

can you sing this? it's 아줌마 by 태진아

[ilovebdt]

I don't think a smoky Noraebang is any place for a 6 month pregnant woman. Couldn't you decline on health grounds nearer the time?

ilovebdt

[SeoulShakin]

Learn the Korean national anthem. It's super short, easy to learn, and it will likely go over pretty well that you took the time to learn their anthem. Worth a shot, right?

[venus]

You could use your spine and tell him that you don't like singing?

Tell him what you're required to do within your contract and say that you just don't want to go to a norraebang?

[simone]

[jinju]

Spine

whats the definition of that? Its more than just a bunch of bones and nerves runnin down your back...

figure it out.

[TheBrain]

Sing some easy songs. Then sit back and yell "It's your turn" the rest of the evening. That's what I did.

[simone]

[jinju]

[kimchi story]

jinju you need to chill, dude.

step away from the keyboard for a while.

[jinju]

[venus]