| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: musings from a Korean wedding |
 |
|
went to my Kotex's wedding this weekend.
they were "Christians", so the priest performed the ceremony at the banquet hall.
took 30 minutes. My VP said- took 10 minutes longer than "usual" (apparently 20 mins is the "norm" for said ceremony)
Groom screamed out a very loud and guttural and way too enthusiastic "I do" (on the question of do you promise to love her.. blah blahb blah blah blah)
everyone clapped
bogey666 note: we'll see if he still feels this way after say... 5 years
VP bet "happiness" would last 2 years tops. Since I'm an optimisit.. I'll give it 5
bride made that tiny little Korean voice "deh", when she said I do...
everyone clapped
I laughed.
so dinner is served.. REAL food! meaning not Korean food  no weeds, nothing fermented on my plate.. an actual "steak" of sorts!
I tell VP , you will go crazy - this could be American beef!!! he said..
I don't care.. I like American beef.
a couple of bottles of soju on the table... no bar though.. Where is the BAR goddamn it?
dinner over... people get up.. I'm like ok... do we have to go and dance to very cheesy music now?? in our suits? (nothing cheesier than dancing at a wedding to "Celebration" or the "Macarena" with middle aged people and retirees, dressed in a suit)
but No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the wedding is "over"!!! everyone is going home!
What the "F____"????
no bar... no mingling.... no dancing/music (this is a GOOD thing, see above)
but I was hoping to socialize a little with the female teachers outside of work... see how "they are".. etc.
btw.. none of the teachers from my school came with SPOUSES???
female teachers came alone... (even married ones).... ditto for VP and head teachers.
no spouses MUCH less boyfriends/girlfriends, companions, etc.
big room/wedding. Huge... at least 400 people I think.
I was making jokes about "crashing" the wedding to some other teachers.
You can't crash Korean weddings...
the movie "Wedding Crashers" and the concept would never work!!!
so...........
conclusions?
I want to be in the Korean banquet hall business. I am sure they charged RIDICULOUS prices for the entire matter.. I am sure the food was tremendously overpriced.. they had minimal cleanup costs (with no boozing, dancing, no socializing... and everyone was out of there in about 2 hours, if less! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Froggy Parker
Joined: 21 Nov 2007
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| You forgot to credit Itaewonguy as your writing tutor. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Froggy Parker wrote: |
| You forgot to credit Itaewonguy as your writing tutor. |
Yeah I've been to a Korean wedding and noticed one thing: they're pretty cheesy. The one I went to was at the Grand Hilton in Hongje-dong, and while the wedding was nice, people's attitudes towards the whole affair were very disrespectful.
The food was good:
But then there was this:
These two inconsiderate jerks were chatting on their cell phones during the ceremony! The height of rudeness, no? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ds_fan
Joined: 07 Apr 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
so this is normal??
im going to one next weekend, i was told there will be no party after, though i never know what to believe here, no one speaks decent english.
worth going to? - i have to go anyway.
do you reckon there will be a piss up at least after it? iv heard korean weddings are more of an in out kinda place. there are 2 weddings apparently i should turn up in a suit and they will give me korean clothes for the 2nd part-  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Froggy Parker wrote: |
| You forgot to credit Itaewonguy as your writing tutor. |
it's Hunter Thompson "stream of consciousness" writing, you dolt
cdinkorea -- yeah, the "attitude" of the people was kind of interesting.
I did see some Korean women (usually a little older, ajumma like) get "emotional" during the ceremony. The men mostly yawned.
My big sense was people were there out of a sense of "obligation" and perhaps respect for the bride or groom.
Certainly no one was there of their own volition because they thought it'd be a "good time".
Generally speaking I hate weddings (because of the super cheesy aspect most have)
but there is ZERO "fun" of any kind at a Korean wedding. Zero amusement, zero enjoyment.
as much as I despise the typical BS and cheesy rituals of the American wedding scene... (and the preposterousness of dancing (even to good music) in a SUIT????????? )
they still beat a Korean wedding. By a mile!
Last edited by bogey666 on Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ds_fan
Joined: 07 Apr 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| oh shit, and what present do i need to buy, any ideas?? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ds_fan wrote: |
| oh shit, and what present do i need to buy, any ideas?? |
I asked my coteacher about this.. but didn't have time.. so will present her with envelope when she comes back from honeymoon.
apparently typically people give money (like in N. America) though you can also get a present. Apparently they don't have the whole "registry" thing at the stores (that I am aware of)
I was told most people give anywhere from 300-500 thousand won.
I was told "for me", 300 would be ok.
It's been a while since I've been to a wedding but that's high pricing. I gave my best friend 500 bucks almost 10 years ago.. and that was considered quite generous back then in the US.
compared to the fact the entire affair is short, and devoid of any entertainment, amusement, etc - that's a very princely "recommended sum" no?
ds fan.. "korean clothes?
you mean the traditional garment?
no one besides the bride/groom (late after ceremony, and the parents of both wear these! (at least at the wedding I was at)
Last edited by bogey666 on Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
saw6436
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon, ROK
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ^^No present necessary. Just put W30,000 in a plain white envelope. Write your name on the outside and give it to the gentleman collecting the envelopes (usually at a table near the entrance). Give W50,000 if it is our friend getting married and W100,000 if it is a GOOD friend or boss. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bobranger
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Location: masan
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| One could consider it disrespectful to go to the open bar too often. Then make a fool of your self chatting up every single or semi-single girl in the place. Only to force someone on the dance floor to show you�re inebriated skills. Only to end up puking in the plastic potted plant at 7PM. While some poor guest has to tend to you because your drunk and frustrated. Or maybe worse get into a fight. No bar or extended party is sometimes a good thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| saw6436 wrote: |
| ^^No present necessary. Just put W30,000 in a plain white envelope. Write your name on the outside and give it to the gentleman collecting the envelopes (usually at a table near the entrance). Give W50,000 if it is our friend getting married and W100,000 if it is a GOOD friend or boss. |
wait are you sure?
I thought one of the other teachers said 300,000
but the Koreans at my school, their "English-ee" isn't too good.
they always screw up hundreds vs thousands.
I will have to ask VP about this.. have him write out the goddamn sum. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| bogey666 wrote: |
| but the Koreans at my school, their "English-ee" isn't too good. |
I daresay they've learned that from you. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| bobranger wrote: |
| One could consider it disrespectful to go to the open bar too often. Then make a fool of your self chatting up every single or semi-single girl in the place. Only to force someone on the dance floor to show you�re inebriated skills. Only to end up puking in the plastic potted plant at 7PM. While some poor guest has to tend to you because your drunk and frustrated. Or maybe worse get into a fight. No bar or extended party is sometimes a good thing. |
I completely agree if you choose to make yourself into a drunken fool or idiot.
But sometimes... (granted RARELY) there are some interesting single women (or men) at a wedding that you can nicely and casually socialize with over a drink.
this does not happen at all at a Korean wedding. It's kind of like banning McDonalds or candy for everyone because most people will get fat. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bovinerebel
Joined: 27 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| A wedding that ends early is my idea of bliss. In fact I wish people wouldn't invite me ...I won't enjoy it and it'll be even more of a waste of your money than it already is. With exception of the one wedding above with the food pictures posted....that looks pretty good 11 months in to Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| CentralCali wrote: |
| bogey666 wrote: |
| but the Koreans at my school, their "English-ee" isn't too good. |
I daresay they've learned that from you. |
I don't "dare" say.. I just say... you are an assclown?
since I just got here, whatever they have learned, it was not from me.
I'm trying to figure out btw.. where that elongation comes from. They seem to have particular problems with "ch" and "sh" endings.
perhaps all such sounds in Korean language are always followed by a vowel? or an ee?
bovinerebel, given my own wedding experiences, 90% of the time I'd agree. In and out with minimal time and effort would be ideal. You would have liked the food at my wedding as well I suspect.
But there were those other 10%...
Last edited by bogey666 on Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bobranger
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Location: masan
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I agree bogey666. I did have fun that night. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
