Korean Job Discussion Forums

[BuHaoChi]

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[Paji eh Wong]

I've actually had some good luck with Korean tourists. However, they've all been younger than me and not in a tour group.

And whenever I mention I live in Korea to local service workers, there is about a 20% chance they go "Oh $%^#".

[mj roach]

One of my favorite ways to kill time while stuck waiting in airports in other countries is

walking up to k/tour groups... getting close and staring at them like at the zoo,

looking over the shoulder of the tour leader at the papers in their hands
while they are talking to the group,

leaning in real close and looking at their clothes and into any open bag they may have,

sometimes even pointing at or fingering an item of their clothing

all the while making loud comments about how strange everything about them is

ooooh they smell strange like garlic etc.

juvenile? sure but fun

[Summer Wine]

Its interesting reading the different experiences that others have had. I might have to agree that Koreans might look down on other asians except the Japanese who they don't really love and the Chinese who they quietly fear (?).

It does have an impact on them. My country has a bad reputation for drinking but that hasn't impacted on me as to my knowledge. Though I think many Koreans are oblivious to how their actions are viewed.

The worst one I heard is a story about how Korean men when playing golf in thailand would hit their caddies (who are women) if they missed a shot. I feel that its these actions that show them in a bad light and makes it harder for others.

[Gamecock]

Interesting you should mention golfing in Thailand...There are some fantastic world-class courses there with fantastic green fees, so I decided to give it a go when I was there. I was told by a Brit expat who lived there to go early, before the Korean golfers woke up from their drinking binge the night before. I thought he was only joking. The course was swamped with Koreans (I suppose a golfing tour group) who displayed zero golf etiquette. Never did they ask if they could "play through," they just acted as if you didn't even exist. Once a man literally shoved me aside at the tee so he could hit first, as if we were at a Korean buffet. Later, a Korean foursome decided to play through without permission or even the shout of "fore" (or any equivilant in Korean), a ball came out of nowhere and struck our cart mid-fairway. Soon I had an irate Korean all over me because I was in his way. The situation nearly came to blows.

Throughout that day, I saw Korean men who were abusive verbally,
although not physically,to caddies and clubhouse staff. The bar manager told me the staff had actually tried to get the owner to ban Koreans from the private club, but they brought in so much money that the owner couldn't bring himself to do it.

[Julius]

[marcus61]

We've been on 3 group tours with Koreans.. (we are white Australians) First to Beijing.. then X'ian and Hanoi. All the hospitality staff were very warm and friendly towards us, wherever we were, but not so to our travellng companions.. I went into a general/souvenir store in Beijng and noticed there was a lot of Korean type foods.. I asked for something that was not Korean and the young male attendant looked at me and asked "don't you like Korean food?" To which I replied that if I'm in a different country, I'd like to try the foods of that country.. since I live in Korea and can get Korean food anytime I want (which is never), I see no reason to buy something Korean.. Anyways, he very openly said that he did not like Korean tourists because of the way they treat people.. Then in Vietnam (Hanoi), we were at some place looking around and we were the only people who were approached by the locals, ended up having a few laughs and exchanging email addresses etc.. None of the Koreans did that..Korean people do have an inferiority/superiority complex AND they consider themselves to be the saviours of the "savages" in the other Asian countries.. Just watch Arirang propaganda TV or one of the other channels like KBS, KTV etc and you'll know what I mean.. It's one thing to go and help other people who are less fortunate than you if you are in the position to do so, but to blow your trumpet in a condescending way without a little humility is quite another.. I think I'm in my "I hate Korea" phase.. Almost at the end of 2 years here.. BTW The Korean tourists only eat at Korean style restaurants wherever they go.. they claim that they cannot live without a fix of kimchi.. I have a Korean friend who went to India and when she came back one of the first questons I asked was: "What did you think of the food?". To which she replied "It was awful. I couldn't eat it because I didn't like the smell of it".. I asked what did she have to eat, and she said she took some kimchi with her and some of the others she went with brought some food with them, too! Go figure!

[Saram]

To each his own I guess, but dammit, the BEST thing about India was the f'in food. I was eating mutton for breakfast because I was scared that before I knew it, the curry-train would be gone and I would be back to dried toast and Home Plus strawberry jam.

[BuHaoChi]

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[Dev]

Great thread guys. Nice anecdotes.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Julius]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Julius]

[Kimchi Cowboy]