Korean Job Discussion Forums

Carmy · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

How many of you have any?

Sorry if this question has been asked before, but I'd just like to know out of curiosity who here actually has friends from Korea. And what are the friendships like? Do you think that after your time here in Korea is done, you'll still be mates with them?

A friend of mine who saw my pics on Facebook commented that she thought she'd see a lot of Korean people in my pictures yet she hasn't seen many at all.

Now I'm not saying it's their fault, but sometimes I wonder why I managed to make such awesome friends in the other two countries I lived in, one was England, so there wasn't a language barrier at least, but the other one was Brazil and I went there not knowing much Portugeuse and some of my friends don't even speak English at all, yet I met fantastic people who I am still friends with two years later.

Kinda sad I reckon, that I live in the country yet I can't say I have any
친구s from here.

luvnpeas · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:09 am Post subject:

I find it difficult. There are a lot of false positives: Korean who seem friendly, but actually only want to practice their English, or are curious and see you as a novelty, or see an appreance of friendship with a Westerner as a status symbol.

I am friendly with several Korean teachers within the work environment, but there are no Koreans I spend time with for fun. It is frustrating and disappointing. I find Korea a lonely place.

dimitri31 · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Newbie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

6 years, no friends.

Back when I was single I knew some guys I liked to go out drinking with, but that didn't last. Over the years I've met some guys at the gyms, most of them ended up being pretty annoying. These days the Korean men I meet are all in-laws. Most of them have been pigs, wanting to take me whoring when our women go home. Not my cup of tea.

There's a lot to think about:

As teachers, we see mostly female Koreans. Many factors limiting the friendships there:
1. bosses telling them not to associate with us
2. stigma of guy/girl friendship
3. they're scared
4. they have hubbies/boy friends who wouldn't react well to the frienship
5. they're hot and I want more than friendship
6. I'm hot and they want more than friendship.

Another serious problem is just Korea in general and their inability to accept foreigners. Let's face it, we're freaks to them. This is a receeding trait, but still very visible.

As well, if you were a Korean would you put much effort into someone who is most likely just gonna be around for a year?

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

Some of the teachers at school I'd consider friends but we don't do anything socially outside of Mens club.

Back in the 90's when I first came here I lived in Cheonan and had 4 or 5 good friends and we hung out constantly. But those were different times.

My best friend is my wife...but, she's not Korean. Very Happy

crazy tigger · Joined: 06 Aug 2006

I have a group of really good Korean friends, all of them bar one have lived in the West though so this probably makes a difference. I can't imagine being here and not having Korean friends though.

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

Yes I have some good Korean friends who I get together once or twice a week to jam with. We have some miss-understandings but I don't take anything to seriously. We just get together and have fun.

kiwiduncan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: New Zealand

nicholas_chiasson · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Location: Samcheok

-I guess you people are either fluent in Korean, or know Koreans who speak more English than "You know Korean Soju?"
-At least I can drink with them.

mr. positive · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place

I was thinking about this this morning... as a married guy, I'm not interested in making friends with Korean females, so that leaves the guys. And in general, Korean guys are either wimps (the nice word for it) or total dickheads. I did have two Korean friends when I lived in Seoul, but now that I'm in Bundang, I don't see them. One of them was a guy who was my roommate from his days studying in the U.S., and the other was somewhat of a wimp but not enough so that he didn't have his own ideas and opinions about stuff in life.

Like a previous poster said, this makes Korea a lonely place indeed. My general take is that since we don't have a place in the pecking order, the atittude of the vast majority of Koreans is to just to play it safe and not befriend foreigners. Sorry for not living up to my namesake, but this really is one of the hardiest things about living here for me.