Korean Job Discussion Forums

earthbound14 · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Location: seoul

I had something similar happen when I taught a lesson on bigger and smaller to 6th graders. I made the mistake of using Korea as an example of something small. I even used a Korean world map to show the kids different sizes of countries. I had no interest in telling them Korea was bad, I just wanted to teach bigger and smaller.

My kids swore that Korea was big, a few students even went so far as to say Canada was actually small and the US was bad. They said the map wasn't true and proceeded to march around my class singing "Dae Han Mingu!!!"

Another Korean teacher walked in to see what all the fuss was about....I just shrugged my shoulders and said "I told them Korea is small.?.?"

Her gaze dropped to the floor in disgust "Hmmmmm, you shouldn't say that" and walked out letting the kids keep ranting.

I just sat and waited for the storm to settle and changed the small country to Japan...that pleased the natives and I wasn't sacrificed to the Dokdo gods that day.

I still nervously await the day I make a fatal mistake that is unforgivable to the native people of this small isolated little penisula and I'm sacrificed on an some stone alter on Dokdo, or perhaps thrown into Halla Mountain (perhaps they will find some volcanic fissure somewhere) while the shamans chant....Dae Han Mingu ......whiting!!!!

Bramble · Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Location: National treasures need homes

Are you sure the parents are angry because of what you said about "beef"? It sounds as if you completely lost control of the class and no one learned any English. Also, if you said something about "crazy Korean TV," the kids may have told their parents you were using bad language. Things like that can get twisted.

(This is all assuming you're not a troll. I'm going to throw up if I just wasted my time responding seriously to a troll.)

Quack Addict · Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Location: Seoul

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

No, no. This is believable. Happened to me during Ohno-gate.

ceesgetdegrees · Joined: 12 Jul 2007

I got in trouble once for saying that korean wasn't spoken by anyone other than koreans (well aside from a tiny smattering of waygooks who have picked it up for whatever reason). This caused one of my high school girls to cry and me be reprimanded by my absolute bitch of a supervisor "you shouldn't say that, korean language is very special and unique blah blah blah..." I laugh at these petty little twerps sometimes, well a lot of the time actually.

PGF · Joined: 27 Nov 2006

I would NEVER bring the beef thing up to the kids. It's a far too emotional topic right now.

Anyway, I had a meeting with the owner and a few teachers the other day and they asked me what I thought about the beef thing. I explained my view of the situation and explained how some K TV show made false allegations, etc., etc....and then I pointed out an article in the Herald which showed that Korean beef farmers have to use a lot of antibiotics to bring their cattle to slaughter age because they are raised in cramped, dirty quarters whereas US beef have a bit more space and therefor less antibiotics.

Of course they didn't believe it...... So, I just said, "it's silly" and "everyone will forget about it in a few months"...

silly people

Hobophobic · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject:

diablo3 · Joined: 11 Sep 2004

Say 'takashima' to them.

ED209 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006

Sometimes I want to run and jump into the Sea of Japan

Binch Lover · Joined: 25 Jul 2005

Well, at least they have the freedom to question the government line.

aarontendo · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Location: Daegu-ish

You guys have some anal students and coworkers. My students don't get upset when I saw Takeshima or talk about american beef heh.

Atavistic · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

I got the mad cow argument from a teacher.

I explained that bird flu has killed more people in asia than the "mad cow disease" and I would be more concerned about that.

She then argued that "mad cow diseasee" has a long life term and one british person caught it after 15 years.

I then said that the recent issue of trade wouldn't mean that you will catch it today and I would be more scared for my chidren.

She argued that it didn't matter and I argued that it had more to do with the scientific argument that a disease may have jumped species and was related to the food provided to cattle.

She didn't know what to say, except that USA beef was wrong.

I explained that USA beef is tastier but Aussie beef is healthier as it doesn't get grain feed with additives so therefore buy aussie beef.

Well that doesn't support anti usa beef so I lost the argument.

Suwon23 · Joined: 24 Jan 2008