Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gypsyfish]

I find Israelis pretty loud.

And I work with a Canadian who bellows. Nice guy, but very loud.

[eamo]

I'm Irish and I can talk more loudly than any Korean. It's just that I choose not to.

[seoulunitarian]

[Rock]

This is a phenomenon that I'd querried about whilst living there. I found out that to most Koreans it stems from their past of being fishermen, therefore needing to talk loud while fishing long distances. This is what the Koreans told me.

I didn't, and still don't, believe it. Matter-o-fact, I've experienced other Asian countries and find that it's kind of a frenzy phenomenon, a battle for one-up-manship, dominance, a kind of jump-in-and-swim mentality. .

I hated it, finding that it wasn't involuntary, but a sort of smokescreen.

[sojourner1]

I think the kids and the salesmen are the loudest talking and most rudest people I have ever encountered in schools and marketplaces, but at least they pose no real threat to my personal safety. Or do they? I always hope they don't try to stab my eyes out when they think I am not listening well enough. They already got me in the arse a few times for which I went ballistic about.

I think it has something to do with the ultra competition that a crowded, confined, and small environment instills on masses of people trapped in it, be it kids or adults. Think about the difference of being caged up vs. living in a whole spacious field. To put it in analogy, one dog with lots of space such as a big green yard is much quieter (and happier!) than that the same one dog within a pack of dogs cramped in a small house. It's like the people here are virtually caged up so they are hyper talking, in attempt to be heard. I am like, "STOP!". Stop right now what you are doing, because you're not going to accomplish anything by over whelming me and my nerves and making me pissed the hell off.

I thought Europe was crowded, loud, and competitive, but Korea has them blown out of the water big time. Europe is actually very pleasant with plenty of room to operate your living in. Korea racks your brain due to so many loud mouths bombarding you in competition to be heard!!! I think it's so funny when a loudmouth kid goes, " Hi! Bye!." at the top of his lungs in 1 second flat! I fell over laughing in a crowd of people last Saturday and everyone stared their eyes until they ran out of time which wasn't long in the land of Bali! Bali!. Upright ultra competition on a human in your face level is what this is all about.

I know you are only 2 feet in front of me and I am screaming at you at the top of my freaking lungs for your pencil I so need cuz my classmates, who brought a pencil, are beating me at writing, "The Big Blue Bug Went to Town to Buy a Pencil", since I leave my pencil at house like a big forgetful loud mouth, but can you hear me Mr. Teacher Man!!!? Gimme Pencil!!!!! LOL

Some people think they can't talk loud enough so they attach speakers to their Bongo trucks to ensure we are up and adam for their egg, potato, and what ever sales attempts. RLMAO! They sound sick and miserable after you hear the same loud daily speech for many hundreds of days straight on end. I often think, if I were Korean, I would stop them or at least pop their tires to tell them to stop intruding our homes with loud mouth hogwash. I often think, if I were Korea, I would smack the hell out of rude loud mouths, both kids and adults. If this really is a conservative culture, why is rude loud mouthing tolerated? I would had gotten scolded for loud rudeness back in midwest USA.

Since this is not my country and I am not Korean, I can't go stopping Koreans from being loud mouthed since that is a senseless thing to attempt in such a loud mouthed culture far from home. I am learning to just mentally block out all that loud mouthed hogwash the best I can. I ignore many loudmouthed imbecile's regardless of how pissed off they get. I am looking forward to my vacation on a silent white sand beach.

[tzechuk]

Ever been to a Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong at around 11am on a Saturday or a Sunday?

Beats the hell outta Koreans anyday.

[ChopChaeJoe]

Man, I don't know, but i went in to work today having 4 or 5 hours of sleep in the past two days. I had a break between classes and i was sitting in my office area, which is kind of tucked into a corner but is not closed off on one side. My head was hung low, not sleping, just resting in a dense fog of semi-consciousness with my eyes closed, and i realized that the only sound I heard was about 17 kids screaming their heads off in the four rooms of the school commonly used by students. There seemed to be no reason for it, just kids running around screaming at the tops of their voices. i guess it's fun for them.

[jajdude]

Kids are noisy everywhere I think.

I don't find the locals to be especially noisy people except when they're arguing, which is common enough. But the noise level in many places is a bit much at times. The trucks, the guys in the stores, blaring music. I think many Koreans would feel too lonesome or something in a quiet, spaced out place. That's Seoul and other big cities anyway. Seems like Japan is quieter. My last visit to Canada was years ago. Montreal. Downtown seemed almost empty and silent.

[KOREAN_MAN]

Weird. I always found foreigners extremely loud in subways/buses. They look nice and all, but so loud for some reason.

In restaurants, though, Korean ajusshies and ajummas win.

[IncognitoHFX]

Where the hell are you from?

Ever hear frat boys walking around at 2:00pm in the morning? Yeah, I've never heard anything in Korea that could top that.

[endofthewor1d]

[Lao Wai]

Hi,

I think a person's perception/tolerance for noise probably depends on where they come from. I've grew up in small towns with tonnes of space, peace and quiet. When I first went to Korea I would sometimes almost go into shock when I'd be in a loud, crowded area for an extended period of time(like the underground shopping malls or PNU area in Busan). It would just completely overwhelm me. My eyes would start to burn and I'd get a splitting headache. The longer I was there my tolerance increased but I still didn't like it.

I think if you grew up in a more condensed environment you'd be able to handle the noise a bit better. Every time I'd return to Canada after a year in Korea, my parents' neighbourhood seemed deserted...like there was a nuclear holocaust or something.

[Natalia]

Americans are louder. You can always hear every word of their conversations - even when they are trying to be quiet because they are talking about someone nearby.

I've been in Europe most of this year, and it's been a bit of a running joke that we can always hear an American tourist a long time before we can see them.

It's not that they mean to be loud - it's just the way they talk.

Yes, other English speakers can be loud when they drink (Australians and the English), but the American accent just generally booms.

[canuckistan]

I guess you've never worked with Greeks then?

Fabulous people, but when they get excited or pissed off, get the earplugs.

[Rock]