Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bassexpander]

I've lived in Korea for many years now, and barring IMF, which I wasn't here for, I've never seen Korean businesses so uptight and trying to screw you for every penny as I have now.

Some things are small and obvious -- like Bennigan's changing their menu by hiking prices 25% while making the portions smaller. Less food for more money, and they've cut out most of the side portions so we can't save money when we eat there by just adding sides instead of paying 18,000+ for a whole new meal. We're done eating there.

Other things are not so obvious, like the guy selling whole chickens down the street, 2 for 10,000 won. I paid him, talked to him for a minute about general stuff, and then he turned around and asked me to "pay him" after I had already paid. What could I say or do? I wanted to just walk off with the chicken, and probably should have, but if the police were called, it would be my word against the poor Korean chicken salesman. So I just flopped the chicken down and walked off. The asshat made 10,000 won off of me -- I wasn't about to buy his chicken. I have a reputation to uphold in this area.

The third thing this week was when I went out drinking with a Korean friend of mine. We were at a bar which didn't have much business, and they overcharged us by double. I was keeping an eye on what we ordered, and we were there less than an hour. It was an absolute screw-job. Somehow, they managed to ring up 12 drinks by us in just 45 minutes. When we got the bill, my friend's jaw dropped, and I went ballistic. I wanted to call the police, or just walk out. My Korean friend just decided to pay after we got the bill cut down to 8 drinks.

This is starting to get crazy. Prices are being raised at restaurants, and I've never been screwed-over by Korean businesses 2 times in one week.

Maybe I'm incredibly unlucky, but just watch your money, people. These days, I get the feeling that foreigners are seen as one big dollar sign.

[asylum seeker]

At the moment you can get an appetiser, main and desert at TGIF for 14 000 won. Limited choice of course, but still a pretty good deal.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Some places are just ridiculous. And they'll try to get a couple of thousand or more in on your bill. I've seen it. You gotta really be careful when you're drinking, too.

I made the mistake of going to TGIF a few weeks ago. Why I ever went there is beyond me. I guess it's because I wasn't fully set up in my apartment yet for cooking. Had a hankering for ribs. What a huge rip off. 30 bucks for a rack of ribs that I ate in about 5 minutes. Their menu sucks, too. I think they have a burger for 11,000 Won. WTF is that?

I can't believe that chicken guy did that to you. Maybe he really thought you didn't pay. Could be. I'd have thrown a fit.

[bassexpander]

Most main dishes at Bennigan's are now in the 18,000 won + range. Chicken breast side has been removed, as well as the side salad. They also have these crafty menus with two prices... the cheaper, "if you've got this card + phone minutes" deal or whatever is about 5,000 won less than the actual price normal people pay. The "actual price" is there, but it's in much lighter type. Kind of sneaky.

[bassexpander]

[yingwenlaoshi]

You can cook all that at home. Even if you have umpteen million dollars, there's really no reason to go to those types of places (Outback, TGIF, etc.). I'll admit that I've gone to them, but maybe 5 or 6 times int 3 plus years. You can cook ribs at home that are much thicker and make a better BBQ sauce. And nachos and whatever. And burgers and steak. Much better having a steak at home. The better burgers can be found cheap in pubs...

If you wouldn't eat at these places back home, you shouldn't eat at them here.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[reactionary]

i've been ripped off for really weird stuff. went into a pharmacy with my ex asking for talcum powder. they quickly got it for me, threw it in a bag, and said it was 10,000. didn't question it. got home and the price tag on the container said 5,000.

and yeah, definitely agree about the drinking. i like to pay as i go when possible. not a fan of tabs here.

[bassexpander]

We used to eat at those places, but we're done. We only went out to non-Korean places maybe once every 2 weeks or so.


By the way, the International Clinic sent me an e-mail recently. They were warning that they have seen something like a 300 percent increase in the number of food-poisoning cases in the past month. My theory is that restaurants are not as busy as before, and they're holding food past the due date and serving it, rather than lose more money.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I remember going to one of those pharmacies and Q-tips were outrageously expensive. A certain brand. I asked where the cheap ones were. Jesus H. Some places will charge you like 3000 for nail clippers when you can get a better pair at Family Mart for 1000. They really do gouge.

I could go on, but I'm out of here.

[DrunkenMaster]

Over-priced fast food restaurants. Why anyone would eat at TGIF's or Bennigan's is beyond me. That food is pure crap. They should sell it with a side order of a rib-spreader and cardioplast it's so full of deep-fried evil. Everything you eat at those places, including the salads, seem to have been laminated in cooking oil and marinated in lard. It's gross. They make MacDonald's look healthy.

[fortysixyou]

A few weeks ago, I bought a cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

I thought I gave the woman a 10,000 bill. So when she gave me a couple of 1,000 bills as change, I politely told her I had given her 10,000.

She apologized profusely and gave me the extra 5,000.

It wasn't until I walked out of the store and checked my wallet that I realized she was right, and I had originally given her 5,000.

Free cup of coffee AND 7,700 won.

Not bad. Not bad at all. I felt guilty, but not guilty enough to go back and tell her it was my mistake. Plus, DD coffee is overpriced!

[asylum seeker]

I can still get a 돌솥 비빔밥 for 4000 Won so I'm not going to panic about these price rises just yet...

[bassexpander]

[DrunkenMaster]