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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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 Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:52 am Post subject: Re: Is the hostility becoming more open? |
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| esetters21 wrote: |
OP, you have been here long enough to determine that the things that you have described are all relative. It happens to the best of us. |
Well thats true...
I have some lovely Korean friends of course and have mostly enjoyed my work and teaching here.
Its just the vibe I get off the street, Koreans in general that don't personally know me and appear to view me as the enemy, that tends to drive me up the wall sometimes...Ok rant over... |
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justin moffatt
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I have done my best in ignoring the hate stares and disgruntled comments by Korean men (especially when with my Korean wife). However, I have noticed that they have increased even when I am alone now. Very strange. I generally wear a suit and tie every day, and previously most Koreans on the subway would ignore me and sometimes even be kind to me (especially when I am studying Korean). Although, lately this attitude has changed. I can't quite place it, but something feels different . . . |
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newteacher
Joined: 31 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| krell wrote: |
| regicide wrote: |
| Adventurer wrote: |
| I was reading somewhere that people with inner anger attract people like that... Frankly, I have not encountered what you described. No one has taken my seat, people even were willing to move for me when he saw I was about to go for a particular seat on the subway, but I relented in appeciation and gave it to him and went somewhere else. Generally, I've had pretty good treatment by Koreans...I am not saying there are not racists out there and people with bad attitudes. Definitely, there are people like that. I did have one incident where I was told to be quiet because someone didn't want to hear someone talking on the cell phone in English. I am assuming it's because I was talking in English. I wasn't loud. However, it is not like someone can't encounter a bad attitude in other countries. |
When are people going to learn that their good experiences do not make any difference? The OP still had these experiences as many people have.
As for your theory about attracting people base on your "inner anger"!
You don't know squat.
I have personally noticed that there have been days where I was out and about and feeling down or a little angry and people were especially attracted to me in a positive way--and days when I was feeling cheery and positive and I ran into--that day a bunch of smucks.
There is no predicting these people and how your day will go. After all this time here--when I step out the door it is a potential minefield--even my 5 minute walk to work. |
So what? Live with it or go home..Now you know how immigrants to North
America feel...at least in Korea its nothing more than attitude usually. In
the wild west an immigrant could face far more than just a rude waiter. |
Yeah you're right. Free English lessons, laws to protect them, community welcoming committees, programs at school to help their children adapt; how can they put up with all that hostility?
Maybe it's just because I'm from the north east, but we don't treat immigrants the way they might have been treated 50 years ago anymore. We have a very large immigrant population in my community back home and they are treated with love and respect, and many many people go out of their way to help them and set up programs to help them help themselves. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Word to Roch!!! |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Some might read and think the OP and many others on this board are whiners, and that this is all trivial. I don't think so. It sounds small when you look at a few incidents now and then, but it becomes wearisome encountering nonsense regularly. It's part of the grind here, and a big reason you hear a lot of unpleasant things about Korea. It's all true. Too many people have felt the same many times, so it isn't just a few whiners.
' |
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Css
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Location: South of the river
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| cant say ive noticed it myself. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| I've noticed a little more inhibition on the Korean side of things as well as a lot more of the younger generation showing lack of interest in foreigners. I think it is a good thing because I don't like being stared at or approached by some Koreans who whip out post cards from their family in Canada and expect you to stop your life until they have finished talking about stuff I already know. |
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stevemcgarrett
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Julius wrote:
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| What have I done to deserve such attitude? Nothing. I'm not even American or Japanese. But its clear these people have been watching too many slanted anti-foreigner Korean documentaries over the past few years. |
Well, I'm hardly the person to ask to cheer you up. I'm notorious on these boards for my negative disposition toward Koreans, although I didn't arrive here with it.
You see, I think in general (yes, I know they're plenty of exceptions to the rule) the Koreans are cold fish. I have never felt welcome here in a genuine way. Returning from China and Spring Festival, I have to go through reverse cultural shock. The differences in how Westerners are treated there compared to here is night and day.
I'd ask yourself this question: Is it worth it to remain where you don't feel welcome? And is your feeling, unfounded or not, strong enough that it clouds your judgment and ruins your day? If the answer to these questions is "yes," I'd pack the gator and leave. |
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HBC007
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:19 am Post subject: Is the hostility here becoming more open? |
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It definitely is. I think that there is a big backlash to some of the proposals to improve English education in Korea. This has definitely ignited some of the xenephobic/nationalist sentiments that lie just under the surface.
This became apparent to me during one of the night classes
that I teach at a company in central Seoul. I did a free talking class about the new government's proposals and basically the class went nuclear with it. The tone of the discussion was if a company wants to do business here--everything must be in Korean. Korean and expatriate employees are to only speak in Korean. The class became very agitated about the emphasis on English. At one point they even tried to turn on me by saying that English is easy for me because I am a native speaker...(complete lack of logic I know but...)
Many people who are 35 plus may be feeling threatened by the strong emphasis on English --especially since their own skills in this area are so poor. They may fear for their job security.
I have found that to discourage people from venting at me just swing a full 500 ml bottle of soda as I am walking or just standing seems to do the trick. |
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sistersarah
Joined: 03 Jan 2004
Location: hiding out
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| Korean youth seems to be OK, open-minded, and progressive (in my opinion)... the guys and girls our age can't wait to get rid of the confucious culture which is comparable maybe to fundamentalist Islam. |
Am I the only one who doesn't agree with this? I'm not looking forward to the younger generation growing up.... they seem more close-minded to me than the older generation. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:33 am Post subject: |
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| sistersarah wrote: |
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| Korean youth seems to be OK, open-minded, and progressive (in my opinion)... the guys and girls our age can't wait to get rid of the confucious culture which is comparable maybe to fundamentalist Islam. |
Am I the only one who doesn't agree with this? I'm not looking forward to the younger generation growing up.... they seem more close-minded to me than the older generation. |
I'm not either. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:16 am Post subject: |
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| Kimchieluver wrote: |
| sistersarah wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Korean youth seems to be OK, open-minded, and progressive (in my opinion)... the guys and girls our age can't wait to get rid of the confucious culture which is comparable maybe to fundamentalist Islam. |
Am I the only one who doesn't agree with this? I'm not looking forward to the younger generation growing up.... they seem more close-minded to me than the older generation. |
I'm not either. |
yeah, it's been my most recent experience and opinion that many of the younger generation are learning E and then using it to abuse, berate and continue the lying cheating and deceitful business practices of their parents...
as for bad experiences, I'd say yes, they do seem more frequent. When I first arrived here back in 2003, I didn't live in Seoul but made trips here regularly and usually had an excellent experience, on the trains, stores, restaurants, wherever.
definitely that's changing and yes, sometimes it does seem like open hostility. not just that, but a continuing lack of acknowledgement and respect towards foreigners.
just the other day I sat down in the subway directly across from 2 kids and their mother - the youngest, maybe 4, was eating a corn on the cob and damn near dropped it when he saw me and kept pointing at me and talking to his mom - I ignored the first 3 seconds of it but when he kept it up and couldn't stop and then his mom looked at me and I told him to "Stop it!" firmly and looked right at her. all she did was look back down to her own munching. he didn't stop so I got up and moved away, muttering my disgust as I went. others saw, they got the message.
Jees- why on earth have Ks not yet learned it's impolite to point at foreigners - or anyone that's different, for that matter?!! is it really rocket science?!!  |
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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Jane
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: Things, they are a-changin'.. |
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| I've been here since 2002, and this week, for the first time, I think I felt real disdain from Koreans. I thought I was just being sensitive that day, but OP, maybe you have something here.. |
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bellum99
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: don't need to know
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Yup...I feel it too. After you learn the language then you will really notice it. I can't count how many times people have spoken to me in a impolite form..even though I am polite to them. I feel the same negative vibe...and it is all summed up in one easy little sentence that I have heard many times while being in Korea:
KOREA IS FOR KOREANS!!!! (because they are the only ones who can stand it) |
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