Korean Job Discussion Forums

pdx · Joined: 19 Jan 2007

not offensive.

But then again, I'm not Korean, and I'm still young.

I don't see what the big deal is.

Alyallen · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

mj roach · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

When a westerner is asked the question by a Korean of the same age,

they will invariably check to see if you answered in 'Korean age'. If so,

they will immediately convert your age to a year (or 2) younger so they

can be 'senior'. Why try to 'steal' what is not yours?

Every school kid (primary thru uni.) has 'juniors' and 'seniors'.

Difficult to understand objections to Koreans asking 'Korean' questions in

Korea.

"It comes with the territory."

Grimalkin · Joined: 22 May 2005

mj roach · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

Level of respect or manner in which respect is shown?

Once asked a Korean how old they were. (Mea Culpa?)

Answer? With a glint of mischief..."Old enough".

Grimalkin · Joined: 22 May 2005

luvnpeas · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:46 pm Post subject:

I edited and printed out this thread, and gave it to my advanced teacher class. It was good for half an hour of discussion. Naturally, they found the slang pretty dificult, but it was a good change of pace from the textbook.

The teachers said they can only be friends with someone their age or grade. Same grade-level in school/career was actually more important. for example, one teacher was born in December and another in January, making them different ages in the Korea system, but the same place in life.

One of them knew (vaguely) the phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." and produced it as her comment on whether the age question is rude.

Alyallen · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:19 am Post subject:

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

kermo · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:21 am Post subject:

This winter I finally hit the big "soron-sal" in Korean age.
This month I was referred to for the first time by a close friend as "no-cheon-nyeo."
It was a sad moment, but it bears no resemblance at all to my life, which is anything but that of an "old maid." In fact, last week I was mistaken for a 22-year-old (thank God for dark rooms and beer.)

Jeweltone · Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Location: Seoul, S. Korea

I found the question offensive when I first came to Korea, but I have gotten used to it...

I usually reply "How old do you THINK I am?" if I feel the questioner is being rude. I am 31, but good genes make me look much, much younger (I have, on occasion, been mistaken for a teenager in the USA- not always a good thing for an high school teacher!).

The funny thing is, I had a "hair-from-hell" Korean experience a couple of weeks ago, and my question backfired. My new 'do was dyed two shades darker than my natural color (I said highlight!) and cut like a Korean middle school girl...

All of my Korean female friends assured me that it made me look younger (though it did make the dark circles under my eyes stand out). A handsome Korean guy in his late twenties struck up a conversation with me the next weekend, and guessed I was "32"!

The following weekend, I went to a better salon to get the damage fixed.
As I was browsing in the store, the quesion got fired at me again by the ajuma. I replied, "How old do you think I am?"

She scrutinized my face carefully.

"22? 23?"

I win!

passport220 · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

It's rude to ask Western perople their age. Period. My mum always told us she was 105. She was 105 all through my childhood. She's still 105 (and kicking) to my knowledge.

Koreans are not stupid. In my public school introductions class I taught 1,000 kids that it's rude to ask Westerner's their age. The K teachers translated it as a 'cultural difference'. that is, age is not relevant to status/friendships/relaltionships or marriage in our culture.

I still have to say I'm 105 about once every 6 weeks. But then another kid will quickly tell their mate: "that's rude". The kid who asked immediately says: "sorry".

I've been here 3 years and it REALLY BUGS ME that only older K's 'want to be my friend'. Koreans are trapped in a dying Confucian society - they're only able to be friends or relate to people their own age - or relate to them in a 'senior/junior' scenario. What sort of nonsense is this in this century of globalised economies?

I'm not used to having my life chances determined by my birthday.
I was running a business when 20 years old; my last 2 GF's were 15 years younger than me; I've had 15 people older than me working for me - my Western friends are young and old - and so on. If I could not have achieved anything in my life if I was hindered by ageism. Hell, I didn't got to uni. until I was 32.

Age is just not relevant in our society - and Koreans who communicate with us in English need to know this.

I used to teach my K businessmen that insulting your prospective clients/partners by asking their age was not a good start to a business relationship/transaction. They got it.