Korean Job Discussion Forums

squat toilet · Joined: 08 Mar 2005

I get praised and applauded for my youthfulness and virility on a daily basis. Just last week I was carried out of Hanaro Mart on the shoulders of a group of strangers when all i wanted was some Hamburger Helper and Moon Pies.

I think it's safe to say it's just you OP. You look old. Deal wit' it granny.

beachbumNC · Joined: 30 May 2007 Location: Gumi

the age thing in Korea is interesting to me. i'm 25 (well, in a few more days i'll be 25) and most of my adult students are several years older than me. the ones who are in their late 30s/early 40s sort of act like i'm a kid (which, really, might happen anywhere). but the thing that i think is funny is that the ones who are say 27 or 30 think THEY are old. my director is 44 and she thinks she is freakin' ancient.

as far as kids go, well, kids are just silly anyway...but to them, i imagine 22 does seem old.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Holy fackin hell, little children thinking adults are old? WTF IS WRONG WITH KOREANS!!!!

Right?

LUCRETIA · Joined: 20 Jun 2007

No need for sarcasm - I get that all little kids think adults are old... Laughing

Its just hard for me to handle that some little Korean kid thinks I look exactly the same as her GRANDMOTHER...

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

Koreans of all ages are annoyingly honest about each other's physical drawbacks. If you're fat, they'll just tell you right to your face. Same with looking tired or looking old. They're so honest, I don't understand how the combovered survive in Korea. Is nobody telling them that it looks bad?

cuckoo for kimchi · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:50 am Post subject:

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

There's something very contrived about the Western-people-looking-older phenomenon. Koreans and other Asians know how sensitive we are about aging and they feed off the stereotypes that (a) we look older to them and (b) they look younger to us. As we know, Koreans love being better than the West at something.

That whole "guess my age" thing (usually girls) is irritating. Guessing someone's age is very uncomfortable. Often I guess older just to annoy someone's ego because it's a very vain and arrogant request (on the assumption you'll guess younger and they can give themselves a hearty self-congratulatory pat on the back at their wonderful Korean stock), but recently, I made a genuine guess (27) to a girl who's 20. She was devo'd.

I must say though, I've come across Westerners who look strikingly older than they are. I've resigned myself to the reality that I could pass for 33 (at nearly 29). I got into booze and drugs very early and have probably taken a few years off my life. Don't drive yourself nuts over it. Think about something nice instead.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

JMO · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Haha, that's funny. My experience has been the opposite. Back home in the university town everyone (18, 19, 20 etc) thought 22 was ancient... I came here when I was 22, turned 23 a little bit more than a month ago, and everyone is going on about how young I am.

Think about it this way, when you were ten you thought everyone over the age of 12 was old... so its only natural that kids who are between 7-12 think 22 is old. They probably think 18 is old too.

I don't think it has anything to do with your looks, moreorless the fact that you're their teacher.

Atavistic · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:50 am Post subject:

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

I get told I look younger in both the US and Korea. In the US I even get carded for cigarettes sometimes!

The plus side is that younger chicks want a piece, but the downside is..well...screw it, being a manboy rocks!

alwaysfaithless · Joined: 22 Jun 2007