Korean Job Discussion Forums

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Location: Seoul

I'm interested in what particularly makes you lose your temper here living in Korea or Asia (Edit: or in general just dealing with people as a working adult).

For example, I was walking down the sidewalk and a guy rode his motorcycle right into me. It was all I could do to punch the guy in the head! Then, My girlfriend had a hole burned in her pants from an ajoshi who was walking down the street and smoking in front of her. Then, there're the guys that blow smoke in my face when I'm standing at a crosswalk!

I'm guessing my question might be played on these forums but I haven't searched for a similar thread.

Somedays I think I'm frustrated and spiraling out of control - ahaa!! Very Happy

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

A young mother walking her young child in the middle of the street while you are driving behind her.

On the flip side, seeing an academy car go 50 km/hr through an apartment complex bustling with little kids.

They both make me angry.

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:43 pm Post subject:

i've got a good one... a few mths ago i was sitting on the train, really tired. a man and his daughter get on, and the kid gives me a look like she just found some interesting new candy. anyways, i'm tired, long day, so i close my eyes and just rest. about 5 min go by and then i hear a loud clapping noise right near my head. obviously i'm wide awake now, and i see the same guy with his daughter about to get off the train grinning at me like idiots.

now that makes me mad: people expecting me to entertain them at the drop of a hat, and if i don't, they'll find a way to get some entertainment out of me somehow

Chris Kwon · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Location: North Korea

People answering their phone in the middle of a movie and conversating for at least 5 mins. Never had this problem in the states, ever.

I want to Spartan kick them down the stairs.

cunning_stunt · Joined: 16 Dec 2007

Nothing makes me loose my temper . The best form of defence is offense . I get society before society gets me .

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

I never loose my temper, I don't have a chip on my shoulder about Korea and besides, loosing ones temper is a loss of face.

cunning_stunt · Joined: 16 Dec 2007

Fresh Prince · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: The glorious nation of Korea

Overall I've had a really good experience in Korea compared with the West. There was one time that I got pretty heated though:

I was in a small town on a sidewalk that was deserted except for one man; walking in the opposite direction. The sidewalk in this area was exceptionally large as far as sidewalks in that area go. Although there was plenty of room to go around me, a the man decided to ram his shoulder into me and push me out of the way.

Of course, this is really nothing to what I experienced in San Francisco:

I was staying in a cheap hotel with a room on the third floor. I awoke one night to find a guy trying to jimmy my window open. He was propped up on the outside wall of the hotel hanging three storeys above the ground with his hands on my window sill and his legs hanging out of another third storey window. He must have thought the room was vacant because I scared the heck out of him when I opened the window and yelled at him. He had a friend that pulled him back through the other window and he ran off. When I talked to the manager about it, I was informed that another guest had been robbed of everything they had the night before.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

You weren't thinking, by alerting him you gave him the chance to get away come back and rob another unsuspecting lodger. What I would have done was whacked/pushed him in the forehead hard enough to cause him to fall, closed the window, gone back to bed and say say F@uck it right before falling happily asleep.

ABC KID · Joined: 14 Sep 2007

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

Thing is though, these people don't realize that what they're doing is rude. There are other things though...that make it impossible for them to NOT know they're being rude, things they do to foreigners that they wouldn't dream of doing to another Korean. BUT NOT ALL Koreans do these things...which makes it easy to identify what is rude and what isn't.

Things like:

Not making any effort to move their ass over when you want to sit down on the subway. One person shifts a little, but the other fat ass just sits there and makes life difficult for you by jutting his elbows out and spreading his thick, short stubby legs out as far as he can possibly stretch them. Dude, I realize you'd rather me not sit next to you, but sorry...I paid for my ticket just like you did and I'm sittin down. I usually get my way by gently shoving them slowly and forcefully till they understand that it won't stop unless they move. (And no, I'm not overweight in the slightest - 32 inch waist).

When you're standing in line, respecting the peoplez and the mad culture....and some assaholla/ess just barges to the front to get his/her smokes.

When you're walking down a crowded street, and 15 middle school girls are walking slowly, arms locked and taking up 95% of the sidewalk.

But then, just when you're about to curse the whole population to hell...while on the train...a pretty young uni student offers to help you with your Korean pronunciation! Then you looooovvvvve Korea! Korea is the best country in the world! There are soooo many positive things about this great country, and btw do you have a BF? NO!?! really?? Whatchoo doin this weekend? No big plans? Wanna play with me? Yeah? Really? cool!!! (that was before i got married)

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Location: Seoul

Spliff and Mr.T - You guys are good!

I will definitely heed your advice, especially about "The Dude" and the "F*ck it!" approach Very Happy

But, I don't believe you if you're telling us that you "Never" lose your temper.

Poeple lose their tempers - it's natural.

cunning_stunt · Joined: 16 Dec 2007

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

It's the last minuted-ness. Nothing pisses me off faster than last minute changes.
Like today, my co-teacher informs me that the school is having a camp the last 2 weeks of February and I am expected to teach it.

I told her that according to my contract, no I don't.

I am supposed to get 2 weeks off with pay and a return ticket for renewing.

She just goes on about "Oh, well it's overtime, you get 30,000 per class."

It's not the money.

I have to renew my visa during that time, I can't be pissing about with a camp. So far, my Public school job has been just as bad as any hogwon.

Except that I get paid.

Leslie Cheswyck · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: University of Western Chile

If thou art pained by any external thing, it is not this that disturbs thee, but thy own judgment about it. And it is in thy power to wipe out this judgment now.

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A cucumber is bitter. Throw it away. There are briars in the road. Turn aside from them. This is enough. Do not add, "And why were such things made in the world?"

--- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations