Korean Job Discussion Forums

[helly]

We've all got stories about elevators, getting shoved, people right in the doorway, constant pressing of the close button.

Here are my three favorite.

1. This is common, actually. For some reason, some people think that the function of the down button is to bring the elevator down. So, the elevator is on the 11th fl, some waiting on the 9th fl wants to go up to 20 and presses the down button. When the elevator arrives, they join the crowd and continue to go down. Always elicits the "moiya?"

2. Get on my apartu elevator the other day, a chinese delivery guy gets on with me. I press 15, where I live, and he just stares at me. I stare back and he looks away. When I look away, he starts staring again. When I get to 15, he breaks out of his trance and realizes he never pressed the button for his floor.

3. My favorite, happened just the other day. I'm going down to visit a friend on the 4th floor from my place on 15. As the elevator is going down, it stops on 7 and a couple gets on. Doors close and we continue going down. Man looks at the elevator buttons, sees that 4 is pressed, turns to his wife ands starts saying "why is this going to the 4th fl? What the heck? 4th floor, chincha, Why?" Stops at 4 and I get off. Go to my friends apartment but he's not home. So I walk back to the elevator and press the button to go back up. Doors open immediately and there is the same couple, complaining about why the elevator didn't go down to the first floor!! I press 15 and the elevator goes up to the top. Dude is still whining about the elevator stopping on 4 and never going down to the bottom. DUDE! YOU NEVER PRESSED 1!!!!

[jaebea]

AHAHA

some really good ones there.. :D

I'm sure there are heaps of stories, considering how pervasive elevators are in Korea.. :D

jae.

[mithridates]

Those are some amazing stories.

I'll post some things I've seen before - nothing to do with elevators though, sorry.

1)Here in Sanbon where I live there is a store called "Green Meat Market", and another store called "Baby Hunt" next to a store called "Bang Bang". I told the owner of Bang Bang how funny that was one day but he didn't seem to find the humour in it.

2)At a small kimbap restaurant here in Sanbon the prices go as follows:
1 line(!) of kimbap - 1500W
2 lines of kimbap - 2500W
3 lines of kimbap - 4000W (!)
4 lines of kimbap - 5000W

3)A guy on the subway with a shirt that said "A lean, but mean, spoon."

4)A girl about 6 years old with that shirt we all know so well - I can't remember the exact wording but it goes something like: "Save the handicapped lesbian black whale overweight jesus ocean blah blah blah...so many causes, so little time." She had no idea what it said of course, and I asked her if she noticed any English people laughing at/with her because of it. She said no, and what does the shirt mean...I told her not to throw it out and try to decipher it in about a decade when it might make sense to her.

That third elevator story was good.

[panthermodern]

[desultude]

When I am at the university hospital, using the elevator is surreal.

From the first floor, its hard to go anywhere. People storm the elevator until it is overloaded, so eventually some will get off, while the overload buzzer is still going, others will pack in. When the load is finally stabilized and about to take off, somebody hits to open button to let on a family with a stroller, and the process begins anew. Often in the middle of the third itteration, someone will arrive with a stretcher, and the pushing begins for a safe position to not have to get off. It usually ends up being the family with the stroller and the guy with the I.V. drip and pole, who can't move fast enough to protect their position. About this time I am heading up the stairs to the seventh floor, bronchitus and fever be damned (and, truth be told, I probably contracted that in the elevator last time I was here anyway.)

[panthermodern]

[Holyjoe]

[Mr. Pink]

Getting into an elevator and having it pack full, then letting a fart rip. Has happened, will probably happen again.

On reverse, walking into an elevator where someone let one rip and then left...

Last elevator story...

I actually got trapped in an elevator once...was around the 15th floor...pretty scary sitting ALONE in an elevator for like 1-2hours while the repairmen come and try to get me out of there. I always thought it was too bad a girl wasn't trapped in the elevator with me...would be interesting to pass the time that way, instead of wondering if the breaks are going to fail and I might be street meat.

[weatherman]

I live in a co-ed dorm at my univeristy. The prof's apts. are on the women's side of the building. I find the spatial politics of young co-eds riding the elevator with a foreigner very interesting. There are two elevators and regardless of the extra time it takes, most female students will want to wait until I get on one, so they can take the other. Even had a few cases of students back away when clearly waiting for the elevator I was to get on with them. In some extreme casses women will just not get on the elevator and wait for another one if I am already on it. But thankfully this is very rare. The other male teachers have noticed the same things so I am not alone here.

All this side it often impossible not to be on the elevator without a group of co-eds on it too. When I get on, most dart to the mirror for hiding, or there wil be a strange silence on the elevator at first, which I usually break by my practicing a little small talk in Korean with them.

[schwa]

So I get on the elevator on my way to work one morning & the reek would knock you over. Theres still a puddle. Some subhuman had used it for a urinal!

I'm holding my breath 12 floors & rehearsing my complaint to the security guy when I remember I dont remember coming home after a major beerfest the night before. Um, surely not. Naw couldnt happen, but, but. I slip quietly past the guardbooth.

When I got home later they'd completely renovated the elevator -- ripped out the old tile & made it all brand-spanking new. Never know. Surely not.

[dutchman]

[schwa]

[quote="dutchman
Speaking of which, it's almost Christmas. Don't forget to give your building cleaning woman a gift certificate. They really do make peanuts.[/quote]

Apt & nice suggestion that everyone here might well heed. The new flooring part is quite true, surprised (pleasantly shocked!) me as well.

[paul]

I used to teach a private lesson at one of the newer highrises in Kangnam and the elevators talk. Actually,they whisper in soft feminine voices. My Korean isn't good enough to understand completely, but the voices are obviously saying what floor you've stopped at.

In this particular building, there were four elevators on either side of the hall. And when they are all buzzing by, the voices are fairly loud, almost all in a cryptic chorus.

The lights go off at this building for one minute everyday at 7 p.m. for some strange reason. One day I was waiting for an elevator in the dark, and all of these elevators were whispering.

Down right spooky but I guess you had to be there.

[desultude]

dutchman,

[dutchman]