Korean Job Discussion Forums

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

Why do Koreans open all the windows during cleaning. They even do it in the dead of winter when the ondol heat is full on. Do they think all of a sudden all the dust is going to blast out the window.

I've worked in several high schools and witness people turn the gas on full and open all the windows.

Is this somehow related to the way Koreans view air circulation and ultimatly linked to Fan Death.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Don't try to understand why Koreans do what they do with windows and doors. You'll simply go mad trying to make sense of it.

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

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject:

It's just their institutionalized inability to grasp the fundamentals of comfortable, efficient climate control. Same reason people in cars here either have the temp all the way up/down with the blowers all the way off/on.

Anyone else go through this revolving door on a day to day basis? We'll have the A/C on full blast until someone inevitably stands up, shivers and says, "아, 추워요", at which time they turn off the A/C open all the windows and doors in the room. 20 minutes later, another person says, "아, 더워요", and the process is reversed.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

okokok · Joined: 27 Aug 2006

My gf's mom does it all the time in the winter. They say it's to get fresh air in. But somehow the air ain't so fresh.

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

seoulsucker · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject:

[quote="eamo"]

mack4289 · Joined: 06 Dec 2006

I'm the only person in my office who closes the windows when the air conditioner is on. I've actually seen teachers open the windows and then turn on the air conditioning.

I'm trying to teach my students before it's too late. I always point out when the a/c is on and the windows are open and that you shouldn't have both (but I can't explain the why to them because their English isn't good enough so they maybe they think it's some weird foreigner habit).

My favorite is when the kids are hot and the air conditioner is on and they want to open the windows to cool down. Whenever a kid makes a move to open a window I'll ask them if they're cold or hot. When they say "Hot", I ask them what will happen if they open the window, will they get colder or hotter?. Sometimes I get a breakthrough and the kids grasp the illogic, but not all the time.

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

kigolo1881 · Joined: 30 Jul 2006

The first time i arrived here was last summer, and when i walked into the muggy hot classroom with kids, i saw the windows wide open, 4 ceiling fans on and the standing AC unit coughing out cold air.

Yet everyone was sweating including me. By lunchtime i closed the windows and doors and just left the ac on. It was a bit cooler until the kids came back.

By the end of the day i checked the underperforming AC and took the front cover off, of course noone ever cleaned the airfilter and vents and it was all clogged up. I vacuumed that monster and turned it back on.
For the rest of the summer my classroom was the only one that was nice and cool and the kids' favorite room. I'm sure it wasnt bc of the English lessons but for the AC.

Everytime a teacher came in and wonders how i could keep my room cold i told them that you must keep the windows closed and the AC clean. To this day, its still a mystery to them.