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browneyedgirl
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
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 Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: body language |
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I didn't see this answered when I searched the site (I'm new)...
Anyone have any examples of differences in body language when they moved to Korea that they didn't hear about before? I know there are sites about asian body language, but examples that aren't covered in those other sites. |
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Pak Yu Man
Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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When you wave someone over you have your fingers towards the ground.
The one finger (come here) is very rude to Koreans.
I taught a chapter on body language last term. Most of the rest is the same.
Make a fist and stick your thumb under your first finger....
That's the Korean Puck you! |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| The middle finger doesn't have the same implication here. They know what it means from movies, but pointing with your middle finger or scratching your nose with your middle finger isn't bad. |
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pheeeel
Joined: 17 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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This isn't really body language, but gay men here will wear all their clothes backwards as a sign that they're gay, kind of like having the right ear pierced in the West (if that still means anything).
They'll wear everything backwards, so a tie will be hanging on the back, shoes are facing backwards, which causes a strange kind of limp.
I'm not sure why they do it, but I think its supposed to be symbolic of how their lifestyles goes a different way than most peoples. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Don't forget The Dreaded X-Hands!
A little one is just two fingers crossed. A medium one is the hands. A huge NO WAY SCREW OFF is both arms crossed in front of you. You'll get this a lot from shop-keepers when they don't understand what you're looking for. |
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caniff
Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| pheeeel wrote: |
This isn't really body language, but gay men here will wear all their clothes backwards as a sign that they're gay, kind of like having the right ear pierced in the West (if that still means anything).
They'll wear everything backwards, so a tie will be hanging on the back, shoes are facing backwards, which causes a strange kind of limp.
I'm not sure why they do it, but I think its supposed to be symbolic of how their lifestyles goes a different way than most peoples. |
Where does this happen? I've lived here almost 5 years, travel around Seoul everyday, and have never seen this.
It would be humorous, though. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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| caniff wrote: |
| pheeeel wrote: |
This isn't really body language, but gay men here will wear all their clothes backwards as a sign that they're gay, kind of like having the right ear pierced in the West (if that still means anything).
They'll wear everything backwards, so a tie will be hanging on the back, shoes are facing backwards, which causes a strange kind of limp.
I'm not sure why they do it, but I think its supposed to be symbolic of how their lifestyles goes a different way than most peoples. |
Where does this happen? I've lived here almost 5 years, travel around Seoul everyday, and have never seen this.
It would be humorous, though. |
Only in Pheeeel's dreams. Then it would be easier for him.
Women cover their mouths when they laugh. I've been here too long. I cover my mouth when I laugh, too. |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:15 am Post subject: |
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Italians have the best body language..  |
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seoulman1
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Location: Jamsil
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| when you have a guy severely throwing up outside your window at 4am and people hocking up spit all day long you tend not to worry.. |
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browneyedgirl
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:53 am Post subject: |
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| Pak Yu Man wrote: |
When you wave someone over you have your fingers towards the ground.
The one finger (come here) is very rude to Koreans.
I taught a chapter on body language last term. Most of the rest is the same.
Make a fist and stick your thumb under your first finger....
That's the Korean Puck you! |
Are Koreans more touchy...do they need less personal space? |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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| browneyedgirl wrote: |
Are Koreans more touchy...do they need less personal space? |
I am talking about when you're in public.
Babies and children are touched a lot, even by strangers.
Children and teenagers and even adults will touch each other OF THE SAME SEX. (Don't even get me started on the piles of teenage boys on the floor in taekwondo. Sometimes I wait for the porno music to start. Alas, it never does.) Boys will hold hands and sit on each other's laps, which can be a little odd. But it's not homosexual. Girls will hang on each other and hold hands. I'm 28 Korean age and when I go out with Koreans girlfriends they still link arms and hold hands.
Opposite sex couples. They'll hold hands, but not all the time. Sometimes people get bold (by Korean standards) on the subway. Still, it's not at open as PDAs in the States or Canada for example. And this is YOUNG couples, under the age of 30 or so. Older than that, they rarely touch in public.
Be careful about touching someone's head because in some religions (Buddhism? Someone help me out here) the head is the most important part of the body.
If you work in a public school or with older kids (as opposed to kindy) and you go to hug them or touch them or do that half shoulder squeeze, they may flinch. Many Korean teachers hit children and they (the children) are thinking you will too.
Hope that helps a little. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| caniff wrote: |
| pheeeel wrote: |
This isn't really body language, but gay men here will wear all their clothes backwards as a sign that they're gay, kind of like having the right ear pierced in the West (if that still means anything).
They'll wear everything backwards, so a tie will be hanging on the back, shoes are facing backwards, which causes a strange kind of limp.
I'm not sure why they do it, but I think its supposed to be symbolic of how their lifestyles goes a different way than most peoples. |
Where does this happen? I've lived here almost 5 years, travel around Seoul everyday, and have never seen this.
It would be humorous, though. |
You probably didn't notice because they were walking backwards too. |
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browneyedgirl
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
Hope that helps a little. |
Yeah, when I used to watch the Xmen game show I noticed the guys were all over each other, and I didn't know if it was because they all had a special bond, or if it was part of the culture. |
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seoulman1
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Location: Jamsil
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
| browneyedgirl wrote: |
Are Koreans more touchy...do they need less personal space? |
I am talking about when you're in public.
Babies and children are touched a lot, even by strangers.
Children and teenagers and even adults will touch each other OF THE SAME SEX. (Don't even get me started on the piles of teenage boys on the floor in taekwondo. Sometimes I wait for the porno music to start. Alas, it never does.) Boys will hold hands and sit on each other's laps, which can be a little odd. But it's not homosexual. Girls will hang on each other and hold hands. I'm 28 Korean age and when I go out with Koreans girlfriends they still link arms and hold hands.
Opposite sex couples. They'll hold hands, but not all the time. Sometimes people get bold (by Korean standards) on the subway. Still, it's not at open as PDAs in the States or Canada for example. And this is YOUNG couples, under the age of 30 or so. Older than that, they rarely touch in public.
Be careful about touching someone's head because in some religions (Buddhism? Someone help me out here) the head is the most important part of the body.
If you work in a public school or with older kids (as opposed to kindy) and you go to hug them or touch them or do that half shoulder squeeze, they may flinch. Many Korean teachers hit children and they (the children) are thinking you will too.
Hope that helps a little. |
good post, couldn't be more true. One thing to ad, I went clubbing for the first time last night, Korean guys dancing with each other in a very sexual manner, probably due of the lack of women but was still interesting to see.. Ive seen it happen in western countries but wouldn't last more than 3 seconds. Any longer and its homosexuality, over here its just the norm. |
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browneyedgirl
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: |
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| seoulman1 wrote: |
good post, couldn't be more true. One thing to ad, I went clubbing for the first time last night, Korean guys dancing with each other in a very sexual manner, probably due of the lack of women but was still interesting to see.. Ive seen it happen in western countries but wouldn't last more than 3 seconds. Any longer and its homosexuality, over here its just the norm. |
That's so funny. |
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