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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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 Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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The newspapers here pretty well covered the current law regarding military service after the last round of changes:
1. Full-blooded Korean males are required to serve.
2. Non-pure-blood Korean males who have one Korean parent and the other parent is Asian (not Korean) may serve in the military if they so desire but will not be conscripted.
3. Non-pure-blood Korean males who have one Korean parent and one non-Asian parent will not be permitted to serve.
4. Korean females are exempt from conscription but may serve if both their parents are Korean or if one parent is Korean and the other parent is Asian (not Korean).
So, you consider the automatic exemption something good? I consider it a racist policy. |
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bluelake
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
The newspapers here pretty well covered the current law regarding military service after the last round of changes:
1. Full-blooded Korean males are required to serve.
2. Non-pure-blood Korean males who have one Korean parent and the other parent is Asian (not Korean) may serve in the military if they so desire but will not be conscripted.
3. Non-pure-blood Korean males who have one Korean parent and one non-Asian parent will not be permitted to serve.
4. Korean females are exempt from conscription but may serve if both their parents are Korean or if one parent is Korean and the other parent is Asian (not Korean).
So, you consider the automatic exemption something good? I consider it a racist policy. |
Not good, not bad... Like with many laws in Korea, it will change like grass that blows in the wind. |
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Johnwayne
Joined: 28 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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To any non-Asian person I look some sort of Asian. As is evidenced by the number of times I got called some racial slur growing up.
To any Korean person, it generally goes something like this when the subject of ethnicity comes up, Me > "My mom is Korean" Korean person > "Ooooooooh...." Since, my 'Korean-ness' is not that obvious too them.
Either way, I just laugh it off anymore. Don't be overly concerned with other peoples' opinions when it comes to your own personal identity.
If anyone asks me, I'm an American of Korean descent. If they don't agree, well then, I think they are an idiot and just laugh at them. |
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little mixed girl
Joined: 11 Jun 2003
Location: shin hyesung's bed~
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| Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: |
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| nicholas_chiasson wrote: |
-Identity Crisis...
You're AMERICAN. We don't have ethnicities. Most of us are proud of that. Sometimes when we go to other countries we feel sad, because we don't have a nationalsim based on skin color or language. I've got adopted siblings. When ever I explain that to Asians, they get confused. All you need to know about the attitude here is that they don't consider a pure korean kid born out of wedlock to be adoptable. And they wonder how Americans can want and love half-black people.
-I think the amount of stress on asian-LOOKING-Americans to assimilate to some kind of pan-asian-neo-nationalism is one of the saddest and strangest things I've encountered in my time here. |
that's a lot of bull.
we might all be american, born and raised, but that doesn't mean that all of us americans are treated as americans. those that aren't white are black are seen by many people as foreigners.
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to the OP, you shouldn't worry about how koreans will view you.
because how you are looked upon and treated will vary from person to person.
there are koreans who probably will look down on mixed people, there are koreans who will probably love mixed people (especially if they are half white), then there will be people who think you are just a foreigner or whatever.
just spend time in korea learning the language and more about the culture.
if you want to talk about nationality, then you're american. if you want to talk about race then you're asian and whatever the other half is. |
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JeannieAbroad
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| little mixed girl wrote: |
| nicholas_chiasson wrote: |
-Identity Crisis...
You're AMERICAN. We don't have ethnicities. Most of us are proud of that. Sometimes when we go to other countries we feel sad, because we don't have a nationalsim based on skin color or language. I've got adopted siblings. When ever I explain that to Asians, they get confused. All you need to know about the attitude here is that they don't consider a pure korean kid born out of wedlock to be adoptable. And they wonder how Americans can want and love half-black people.
-I think the amount of stress on asian-LOOKING-Americans to assimilate to some kind of pan-asian-neo-nationalism is one of the saddest and strangest things I've encountered in my time here. |
that's a lot of bull.
we might all be american, born and raised, but that doesn't mean that all of us americans are treated as americans. those that aren't white are black are seen by many people as foreigners.
-----------------
to the OP, you shouldn't worry about how koreans will view you.
because how you are looked upon and treated will vary from person to person.
there are koreans who probably will look down on mixed people, there are koreans who will probably love mixed people (especially if they are half white), then there will be people who think you are just a foreigner or whatever.
just spend time in korea learning the language and more about the culture.
if you want to talk about nationality, then you're american. if you want to talk about race then you're asian and whatever the other half is. |
Korean and Italian...Represent! haha |
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pcs0325
Joined: 21 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Calling all mixed-blood Koreans...I'm confused |
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| JeannieAbroad wrote: |
I'm confused. The more research I do, the more the facts I come across keep cancelling each other out.
I am half Korean and half Caucasian. My co-workers, who are very nice and helpful, have made it clear (in a nice way) that they don't consider me Korean. Just American and a native speaker. I've heard that gyopos are starting to be "welcomed back to the Motherland" but does that not apply to mixed individuals? Does half Korean not count?
My mother, who is full Korean, always said that Koreans are very touchy about the mixed-blood issue. Some even hostile, due to the assumption that anyone of mixed blood is a product of an American GI and a prostitute. I didn't really believe her. Actually, I still don't, I am still trying to form an opinion.
I always had a pretty clear notion of who I am. I'm proud to be an American. I came to Korea to teach and find out about a part of myself that I really haven't tapped into yet. My mom raised me with Korean food, but stopped speaking Korean to me when I was five years old, when my Dad moved us back to the States for me to start school. She wanted me to be completely American. She regrets not helping me retain a second language, as do I.
I came here to see where I came from, but should I just accept the fact that only being half is not Korean enough? I never had an identity crisis until now! My friends back home think I look Asian, but here, I had to show my parent's wedding photo to prove to my co-workers I was Korean!
Please note that I am enjoying my time here and love Korea so far. |
I'm also half-caucasian, half-Korean and I don't consider myself Korean. For two reasons: There's not a drop more Korean blood in me than there is white-American (figuratively speaking) and I was born in America.
The Korean language on the other hand also distinguishes me from being a Korean. A Korean can call me a 튀기 (twi-gi), however, a Korean wouldn't call a 교포 (gyo-po) a 튀기.
Incidentally, I've never had a problem being mixed. All of the Korean-Americans think it's cool and the Koreans just don't say anything. The only reason I know the word 튀기 is because I specifically asked one of my Korean friends about it. |
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Korlingus
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Calling all mixed-blood Koreans...I'm confused |
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| pcs0325 wrote: |
| The only reason I know the word 튀기 is because I specifically asked one of my Korean friends about it. |
Does this "friend" refer to you as "튀기"? If so, get a new friend. |
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pcs0325
Joined: 21 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: Calling all mixed-blood Koreans...I'm confused |
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| Korlingus wrote: |
| pcs0325 wrote: |
| The only reason I know the word 튀기 is because I specifically asked one of my Korean friends about it. |
Does this "friend" refer to you as "튀기"? If so, get a new friend. |
^o^ No, he doesn't. I never once heard him use the word, but we were talking with a bunch of 교포's one time and they asked me if I was a 교포. I said, "No," and then it occurred to me to ask my friend 진호 (JinHo) what the word for me is, so he let me know.
Now, it's my sense of humor to call myself that. I like how it's two syllables like a typical name, so I sometimes say my name is 박튀기 (Twi-Gi Park). |
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andrew
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:05 am Post subject: |
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.....
Last edited by andrew on Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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byunhosa
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Center Ice
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:25 am Post subject: |
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As a Korean by marriage, I am naturally interested in this topic and thank everyone for their candid comments.
My wife and I do not have children yet, but I do hope that our children learn to love and respect Korean culture as my wife and I both do. I will strongly support my wife and encourage them to become fully bilingual (as a minimum; I also hope they learn Mandarin as well) and bi-cultural. I study Korean now not for myself, and not even for my wife, but for my kids. I realize they will quickly surpass me (especially if they are as gifted as my wife is in terms of a natural ear for languages) but I am going to do my best for them, and to show my respect for this country and their identity as Koreans.
I have no doubt that our children will be fully Westernized and completely comfortable in English due to their formal education, which is why supporting their Korean education will be the part that takes work and the unified support of both parents.
My wife has an American male friend who was her former colleague. He and his Korean wife do not plan to teach their son any Korean beyond the "baby" Korean he learns from his mom around the house. Personally I think this a mistake that they (and their son) may come to regret. |
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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 Nov 23, 2007 1:31 am Post subject: |
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| byunhosa wrote: |
| As a Korean by marriage |
What in the world does that mean? |
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byunhosa
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Center Ice
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:34 am Post subject: |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
| byunhosa wrote: |
| As a Korean by marriage |
What in the world does that mean? |
Means I married a Korean, moved to Korea to marry her, and have changed my life and identity accordingly.
I was being somewhat glib.  |
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JeannieAbroad
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| byunhosa wrote: |
As a Korean by marriage, I am naturally interested in this topic and thank everyone for their candid comments.
My wife and I do not have children yet, but I do hope that our children learn to love and respect Korean culture as my wife and I both do. I will strongly support my wife and encourage them to become fully bilingual (as a minimum; I also hope they learn Mandarin as well) and bi-cultural. I study Korean now not for myself, and not even for my wife, but for my kids. I realize they will quickly surpass me (especially if they are as gifted as my wife is in terms of a natural ear for languages) but I am going to do my best for them, and to show my respect for this country and their identity as Koreans.
I have no doubt that our children will be fully Westernized and completely comfortable in English due to their formal education, which is why supporting their Korean education will be the part that takes work and the unified support of both parents.
My wife has an American male friend who was her former colleague. He and his Korean wife do not plan to teach their son any Korean beyond the "baby" Korean he learns from his mom around the house. Personally I think this a mistake that they (and their son) may come to regret. |
I agree. Giving their son the best of both worlds would benefit him in the end. I hope they change their minds. The "baby" talk has only gotten me so far here. Plus, English was a second language for my Mother. A lot of times growing up the language barrier was frustrating. I sometimes wish I understood her thoughts and feelings better, and vice versa. |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Here's the irony to Korea's hypocrisy regarding their opinion of mixed-raced people
You can go to places like Japan, China, Philippines and even Thailand and you don't see as much blatant disregard or racism for mixed-blood/mixed-race people as you do in Korea.........at least I wasn't to lead to believe it during my travels......if anyone wants to interject...go right ahead.........
Case in point- the lead singer for the group The Pussycat Dolls. Shes mixed and she was hailed as being as being Pinay almost as much as from her place of origin (thats what I know from going there and from talking to some of my filipino friends)....
And when I was working in China, I saw MANY mixed-blood foreign born Chinese who found a place in China and they were not looked down on (in the case of one female coworker- she was seen as being more exotic than the average white female teacher....).
As for Japan---- whoa! I won't even mention the golden treatment some mixed-raced gaijins get there
My question is; Where does Korea get its logic? As more interracial marriages are taking place, it is to be expected that a child could be born and to scorn the child from birth based on Korean's logic of impure-blood doesn't make much sense.....especially since alot of Koreans can trace their ancestry to Mongols, Chinese and even Japanese origins.
My advice to the OP; Don't be lost. Don't feel confused. Be happy with who you are and enjoy the experience of being in Korea without having to worry about who you are and how people perceive you.......life is too short for that..... |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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| lastat06513 wrote: |
| Where does Korea get its logic? |
I'm sorry but your question contains two self-cancelling terms. Please rephrase. |
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