Korean Job Discussion Forums

Jeaves · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Oregon, USA

So I was out in 홍대 for my buddy's birthday party and everyone was having a really good time at Ho Bar eating, having drinks, playing pool, etc. Problem was, people started to leave around 1 a.m. and when we went to pay we realized that a number of people that had been there did not pay for anything (the bill was 430,000 원). So long story short I ended up paying 130,000 out of my own pocket. Didn't want my friend to have to deal with the problem on his birthday.

I was already feeling a bit tired at that point seeing that I had played a round of footie for about 3 hours earlier in the day, and after the money problem I was ready to just go home and sleep. Problem was as I was leaving there was a group of people standing to the side of the street watching these two people. At first I thought they were playing around but as I got closer I realized that it was a guy and a girl (boyfriend & girlfriend possibly) and the guy was literally beating hell out of her and hitting her in the face as hard as he could while she was laying on the ground.

I immediately run up to the guy, got him off of her and asked him what the hell he thought he was doing. I was trying to speak Korean but wasn't doing a very good job of it... he had this really crazy look in his eyes and was trying to take off his jacket as if he wanted to fight. I could tell that he was not in his right mind - either he was on drugs or had had way too much to drink (maybe both). Some friends came running up and said "friend, friend" in English and a few other things in Japanese (no wonder the guy wasn't throwing a bunch of Korean swear words in my direction) and one friend pulled the guy off to the side while another helped the girl up and took her away.

Someone called the police but they came about 10 minutes after everything happened and the girl was already gone. They briefly questioned me and a few others around before trying to talk to him. When he couldn't (or wouldn't) speak Korean they just got back in their squad car and left. I guess since the girl left and none of the people involved (me included) could speak really good Korean they figured that they couldn't do anything.

Grabbed a cab home after but couldn't sleep for a few hours. Was pretty hyped up on adrenaline and whatnot. The feeling was similar to what you might get when you are one of the first few people on the scene of a car accident. I've never really been in a confrontation like that before, but until that guy's friends came up I was pretty dang sure that we were going to go at it. He just had that look on his face. I've read some of the horror stories on Dave's in the past about people being getting into confrontations like this in Korea and getting the short end of the stick from the police because the person in the wrong ended up worse for wear.

I would say that my biggest regret is that this jerk is out and about again tonight having had no punishment whatsoever. In my experience, when people are sick enough to do stuff like this (beating people, etc.) then they are not going to simply go one and done. They'll do it again and again.

Felt like I should write this down and get it out. It'd been eating at me all day long. Think I'll go take a run...

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

Take comfort in the fact that you did more to help the girl than any of the onlookers.

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

It's good you were there to help out, since the other people in the area didn't have the balls to stop him.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

It's sad, sad, sad. When you see something really ugly like that, it sticks with you. Everybody likes to tell fun stories about barfights and stuff, but when you see it, it's usually rather cruel and disturbing. A man hitting a woman can only be that much more so. The really sad thing is that if that was a couple having a fight, they're probably already back together. That's the way it is with that kind of mental illness. I guess you can take comfort in the fact that you tried to do The Right Thing.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

I have a lot of respect for what you did, OP; anyone on the ground getting beaten clearly needs help. Hopefully you don't blame yourself for the guy getting away because you did what you could and that was a good thing.

Jeaves · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Oregon, USA

Thanks for the words all. I think the thing that really sticks out in my mind is the fact that until I intervened, the "friends" of these two people simply sat there and didn't lift a finger. I don't mean to pass judgment on people but I would hope that if I was the person that was out of line and being violent (not to say that I ever want to be that guy) that the people I call friends would have no qualms about immediately jumping in and putting me in my place.

I guess this is one of the reasons I've generally always steered clear of drugs and heavy drinking. When a person loses control, there really is no telling what they are capable of doing.

And yes, I agree that if this was a couple that they are most likely back together and out and about town again tonight. I just hope that for the girl's sake she learns that what happened last night and perhaps at other times in the past is not normal, is not right, and is not something that she should have in her life.

I guess taking comfort in doing the right thing is good... but I really wish that somehow I could have done/could do more.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

You were lucky. I wouldn't've waited around for the cops.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

I don't mean to be cynical. It's possible that she goes back to the guy, and it's also possible that she takes a good long look at her life and tries to find somebody who's not a total maniac. Or maybe she gets a hobby like jazz dance. Who knows? Maybe the guy will feel remorse and try to turn his life around. Maybe he was beaten as a kid or went through some some trauma like that. I mean, we don't know, right? Everytime I see somebody doing something horrible, I try to think maybe there's some reason behind it. You can't really read too much into these bizarre, drunk encounters that happen at 2 AM outside of a club. All you can do is try to be a decent person.

I guess I'm getting a little too philosophical with this post. It's just that I empathize with you. Seeing that kind of stuff is terrible. Let's hope everything turns out for the better.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Good on you. Most choose to not get involved. You did the right thing.

And how I only wish I could go out for a night and only spend 130! Those were the days.

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...

Jeaves · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Oregon, USA

Jeaves · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Oregon, USA

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Again, you did the right thing.

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Location: Seoul

First, I also want to say you did a good thing. I guess you could say that what you did is kind of an "act of valour" in that you don't know how seriously he could of hurt her or, heaven forbid, even kill her!

Second, what you did was risky. The consequences of getting invovled in disputes between local people - whether you're in Thailand, Taiwan, Korea or Japan - can be quite brutal. I'd say you definitely put your balls on the line for that woman.