Korean Job Discussion Forums

[okokok]

Well, I'm leaving Korea in a few weeks, so I guess it doesn't matter but I still felt like sharing.

What are your thoughts on upstairs neighbors who have a child who runs back and forth in their apartment for most of the day and night? It begins at 6AM and goes on CONSTANTLY until around noon or 1 pm when he must get put down for a nap.
Now this is no small noise, as it literally shakes my apartment and wakes me up each morning. Bang , bang bang... thump-thump-thump... and then he runs to the other side of the apartment. And then back again. And back again once more. This continues for hours. There's no way to sleep through it. He's doing it as I type this at 10:30 pm. There is no peace in my apartment at any hour.
Anyways, the parents have been talked to many times(beginning several months ago) but the problem has just gotten worse and the parents obviously could care less about anybody's lives but their own. This happens seven days a week. Doesn't matter if it's a Sunday or a holiday or whatever...
The kids mom is extremely noisy as well, as she is always stomping across the floor and dropping things, and smashing things. Never seems to sit down in fact.
So do they have the right to do whatever they want in their apartment?
I grew up in a house, and I was never allowed to run in the house. They have made obviously no attempt to teach the kid, and I think at this point they actually encourage it just to make my life hell. Most nights I literally sleep a couple of hours and then after work I'm exhausted and want to get some shut eye, but it's impossible because the same thing is going on then.
This is probably the #1 reason I'm leaving Korea, since I dont' want to move again. The last year has been hell, since I have not had a place to go where there is peace.
My biggest problem with it all is their attitude. There's none of the famous Korean jeong going on here. I guess that's reserved for people that matter to you.
So in this situation is it just tough luck for me...... or do these people have a responsibility to cooperate with their neighbors and not be so disruptive?

[mehamrick]

earplugs or mp3... pretty much cuts out everything...

[Ilsanman]

Correction: Famous for saying they have 'jeong'. Not famous for having it.

[newintown]

i have found korea a very noisy country.
it may well be because i don't understand the language & therefore, what people around me are saying, and am therefore more sensitive to other noise, but i have been astounded by my neighbour's screaming baby (he never stops), little trucks/vans blaring announcements about their wares, the big brother-type random korean intrusive announcments in my apartment, the deafening aerobics classes, the volume of music in the gym, hell, even a trip to lotte/emart is hard on the ears.
* ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh *

[Hopelessly Human]

It's after 1:00am now and outside there are some serious construction noises going on, which I'm sure are keeping anyone within 100 yards awake. Whatever they are doing it better be absolutely necessary. I don't go to bed until 5:00am, but it's still freakin' annoying to hear now. And I'm sure the poeple who keep normal hours aren't happy about it either, but they may be used to things like this here.

[W.T.Carl]

Try sleeping with a fan on. The noise blocks out most other sounds. But then again, it might kill you.

[Areut]

Sleep with the radio on! I have done it since I was young so you don�t hear any noises and can sleep peacefully. But make sure you get a loud alarm clock so you will hear it.

[Hopelessly Human]

2:50am and they're still pounding away. Wherever they are it's creating a tremendous echo. Very loud. It better be necessary, but I doubt it. I think I can see where they are and I'm pretty sure what they are doing can wait. I don't go to bed for another couple of hours, but it's really starting to pi$$ me off, knowing that they have that much nerve to do that at this hour. Unbelievable!

[mrsquirrel]

Move to Thailand a beatiful peaceful country.

[formerflautist]

My neighbors live in a house. Outside, close to my building, are four dogs on short leashes. Anytime someone walks by, they bark. I have thought many times about poisoning these dogs. I wouldn't do it, I just think it. I know other teachers in the building have complained but nothing is ever done. Oh well, I leave at the end of the month anyway.

[Dev]

With regards to kids in this country. It seems like every single kid is raised like the emperor or empress of Korea.

If he / she runs around the house or even a public place like a restaurant, it's okay.

If he drops things and breaks things that's okay too.

This culture is pretty much cenetered around kids, so I think Korean neigbors just put up with other kids' noise.

[Troll_Bait]

[Yo!Chingo]

I read somewhere that if a K doesn't know you personally, you mean nothing to them and so they don't give a frick' if what they do affects you or not. That's a sad commentary on their mindset and culture .

[Bingo]

Dude I feel for ya. I go through the same thing with my f@cking neighbours slamming their cast iron doors twenty times per evening and first thing in the morning. Bang. Slam. Bang. All evening. And I can't even sleep with my window open for some freah air because of those God damned blue trucks that come around blaring their noise at 7:00 am. Or the Korean national anthem (and exercise directives) that blare over the complex speakers at 6am Mondays.

Sometimes this country drives me nuts.

[Alyallen]