Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Snowmeow]

An acquaintance of mine is considering going to Korea and I've been talking about the place and work with her a little, which was a lot of fun because I like talking about Korea. I've generally given Korea a good review and my theme was that having a good experience overall largely depends your ability to stay positive and not develop a chip on the shoulder (I'm assuming no unusual problems with the employer)

Anyway, she has alopecia and about half the time she doesn't wear her wig at home. She asked me if I thought it would be a problem in Korea and I really had no idea what to say. I said to her it'd be best to wear her hair at all times when in public and at school, and never to mention it. I felt bad saying that to her though, like I don't want to make anyone nervous.

So do you guys think it wouldn't be an issue (the alopecia)?

Hi, if you're reading

[as-ian]

[Pak Yu Man]

Of course she will have problems. Everyone knows your speaking ability is related to your hair. DUH!

[Natalia]

Unfortunately Koreans are the most superficial people I have ever met.

And, unfortunately as-ian is right. She would need to wear it every day.

There has never been a week working in Korea where a student has not pulled out a strand of my hair as a 'souvenir' of Western hair.

But I don't think it should stop her teaching in Korea - we all have something or other we have to deal with here adjusting to being the freak in Korean society. I think Koreans would devote a lot of time to asking unnecessary questions if they knew, but I don't think they would be intentionally unpleasant about it.

I had a friend with the same condition. Her mistake was to pretend she did not have this condition, and so when people found out through unavoidable incidents it was distressing.

[yingwenlaoshi]

It would be funny after teaching English Time at a hagwon for a while. When you get to the vocabulary section with 'wear a wig', you could ask the students jokingly "Do you wear a wig?" After they laugh and say that they don't, you could pull yours off and say, "I DO!!!!"

[Alyallen]

I'm a woman with very short hair (well...by Korean standards). I would say that should wear her wig and never reveal that it's a wig if only to spare herself from kids trying to yank it off. I am not bald but kids have yanked on my hair thinking it was a wig....I could only imagine what would happen if it turned out it was

[Jellypah]

I've had my hair touched A LOT! Little girls I teach always want to braid it. Even the boys are curious. "Ohhhhh! Doll hair!" I've had strangers (oftentimes grandmas in restaurants or on the streets) "pet my head." Your friend will probably spend time slapping curious hands away.