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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Homer
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 Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 6:31 am Post subject: |
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I learned to avoid the self-guiding torpedoes that are the adjumas... 
They launch and will not be detered, I avoid them and then move on.. |
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Ryst Helmut
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Location: In search of the elusive signature...
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 6:32 am Post subject: They don't |
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Coincidentally, this happened (a kind of bump-into) today, and it irked me. The bump didn't irk, nor the non-apology....I stopped getting ticked some 5 years ago.
What irked me was....ok, lemme set this up first.
I was at Carrefour (a Wal-mart/E-mart type market), Sunday afternoon, where everyone and their grandma was there....status quo. It would be a miracle not getting bumped into, run into, and cart sandwiched....and these I take as acceptable. Once in a blue moon, I'd get an apology, or an acknowledgment of contact....ok, icing on the cake, BUT
Today at Carrefour, I was doing the no-no....not looking straight ahead. I was at a good pace when I felt this harsh jab in my arm and then ribs. Almost knocked the wind out of me. Quick glance to see that it was some schmuck (also looking the other direction) who has curtain rods in his cart.
No, not totally disassembled, thus protruding from the cart a good half-metre....AND not straight in front of him, but caddy-corner. A Farkin! jousting putz he was!!!
He didn't even acknowledge the spearing, ok...but I turned back around a minute later to see...sure enough, the SOB didn't even correct this dangerous angle of these poles.
My point, I don't believe that they care for others. Ok, so they don't apologise (for whatever reason), so they bump (even accidentally, so be it), but NOT try to correct any act that may inqure another....
Shoosh,
Ryst[/i] |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 6:39 am Post subject: |
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| matthewwoodford wrote: |
| I don't know the reason for the pushing and shoving but it can't be overcrowding or Confucianism or it would be the same in China. Hmmm, maybe it *is* the same in China? Well probably not.... |
Speaking from the depths of the wisdom of my 4 days as a tourist in Beijing, it isn't. I went through some pretty crowded places in Beijing, Tiannenmen Square, the Beijing Metro, and other places. As an experiment, I deliberately walked into crowds and miracle of miracles... they got out of my way.
One thing that the Chinese did have in common with Seoul pedestrians, however, was that annoying tendency to come to a sudden stop right in front of a "lane" of oncoming pedestrians. However, again unlike Seoulites OR New Yorkers, Beijingites took pains to go around the offending stopped pedestrian.
BTW, in the past two years, I have noticed one change among Korean pedestrians. Koreans who bump into me are more likely to apologize to me, but only in English, than they have been in the past. Maybe this is a sign that Koreans actually are becoming more sensitive to Western ideas of space and courtesy when it comes to the Westerners living in their midst?
Not the most scientific study, I know, just one guy's experiences. |
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katydid
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 6:51 am Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
| BTW, in the past two years, I have noticed one change among Korean pedestrians. Koreans who bump into me are more likely to apologize to me, but only in English, than they have been in the past. |
Interesting. Once in Mokpo I was almost practically clotheslined by the halamoni walking with her 25-ish granddaughter. Roller hockey halamoni said nary a word, just stared straight ahead and kept going like she hit a chair. The granddaughter looked sheepishly at me and bowed an apology. That was nice.
Then this year at Big Mart, I wasn't looking where I was going and my elbow smacked into a dolly of milk cartons a salesclerk was pushing. She was really sorry.
You're just going to find the younger generation being more sensitive to the dea that if you inflict pain on someone, even by accident, you should apologize. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 7:11 am Post subject: |
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Hmm... the entire population around 1920 of the entire peninsula was 17.2 million and the population of Kyonggido was 1.7 million (10%), whereas now the population of the southern half is 48 million versus 21 million at present for the area around the capital (close to 50%). When riding the subway line 2 over here I hardly know who has bumped into me, much less cared whether they said sorry or not.
I think we need some insight from somebody out in the countryside. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| The actual number of people has little to do with it.. Try Tokyo station at rush hour.. people will not bump into you. Koreans are just different to Japanese in this way. |
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