Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

I went snowboarding yesterday. Had a great time. My school and I went to "Jisan" in Gyeonggi-do, which has a small set of slopes that are quite easily accessible.

My complaint is about the behaviour of beginners on the slopes. They're crowded; I get that, but why do so many people choose to sit down/stand/relax/lay down on the slopes?

I was heading straight down an incline where the snow was very compacted and it was difficult to make sharp turns. A couple about twenty feet in front of me stopped and sat down on their boards for no apparent reason. I yelled at them to move (I was going about 20km/h) and then I swirved so hard that I tumbled about five feet and crashed into another person who had decided to sit and reflect upon their life in the middle of the slope. They swore at me, too.

I never went snowboarding in Canada so I'm not sure if this is common there too, but has anyone else encountered this?

I had a great time, don't get me wrong. I'd recommend a ski trip to anyone. I'm just perplexed by this behaviour as it's very counter-intuitive (akin to reading a book while sitting on the freeway). I'd understand it in on a beginner slope but this was happening on intermediate/advanced slopes.

What are some ski resorts / slopes that don't foster this kind of behaviour?

[livinginkunsan]

because (like other places in Korea) there is NO etiquette. It is every man / woman for themselves.

[air76]

I got into an argument with someone on here a couple of years ago who claimed that skiing in Korea was just like skiing in Canada.

No...people DO NOT behave the same way on the slopes in North America, or in South America for that matter...I can only assume that it's the same in Europe although I've never skied there.

Skiing in Korea is an utter nightmare....of course it can still be fun, but skiers are all over the place, sitting down, crashing into one another...I seriously doubt that you'll find a ski resort in Korea where the conditions are otherwise.

[Bibbitybop]

Korea doesn't properly train people to ski or snowboard. They should have clear rules about sitting in the middle of runs.

I personally get drunk when it is too crowded or else I get super pissed off at everyone.

[milspecs]

ive onnly been boarding in the US and you have people sitting on the slopes. and yes people crash in to each other all the time. its a part of learning how to ski/board.

[poet13]

There is only one hard and fast rule.

The upslope person must yield to downslope people....anywhere.

On the othre hand, I've also seen patrol snip off tags for parking in stupid places and inviting mayhem.

[I_Am_The_Kiwi]

[air76]

[T-J]

Went skiing in the States last year and also noticed the sitting phenomena. It was my first time going in a long time and the difference was very noticeable.

The biggest thing I noticed skiing in Korea, and I haven't skied in Korea since '93, was the tendency to run over the backs of skis while in the lift line. In the States you can get your lights punched out for such an etiquette infraction, here it was a free for all.

[espoir]

I have been skiing for most of my life back in canada. Was never in any competitions but just enjoyed doing it for fun. So when some korean friends of mine invited me along for skiing last weekend i was absolutely excited! However 30min into skiing and I was absolutely furious. There is absolutely no etiquette whatsoever!! back hoem if you want to take a break on the slope or for whatever reason you fall. You either get up in a decent amount of time or you shift towards the edges of the slope. Here people were all over the middle of the slope sitting down having a grande ol conversation. Nearly ran into people so many times.

I also learned after my first slope that is was absolutely necessary to constantly look over your shoulder to ensure that some other idiot wouldnt come crashing into you. People had no care in the world for anyone else on the slope. the people I was with were intermediate at best and so on the longer runs were would break for a minute half way down or if they fell we would go off to the side of the slope. Well even there my friend was run into by some idiot who thought to try and blame her for causing them to crash, when he was going super fast on the edge of the slope.

Honestly its every man for himself her and I have set to see even the slightest amounts of etiquette here in Korea on the slopes. I think in the mere 4 hours we were out there I saw over 30 accidents and I even got hit after some idiot snowboarder who decided to cut across the entire slope and run over the back of my skis causeing me to wipe out hard.

[itaewonguy]

look at the way they drive!
look at the way they shop!
look at the way they walk!

you honestly didnt expect skiiing to be any different now did you

[earthbound14]

No skiing isn't like this back home.

Koreans are relatively new to the sport so they have yet to adopt a lot of which we consider to be basic etiquette. Although among the advanced skiers there is almost too much etiquette I find. They just keep carving...and carving....and carving. Advanced riders do nothing out of the ordinary here so they are pretty safe. You seem to be without those big ego maniacs who are super reckless. But usually those guys are off doing stuff that will likely only hurt themselves away from rookie riders...so I never really had too much with them.

I do find new Korean skiers to be completely cluesless and stupid while the ski patrol and better skiers do nothing to change it. Rookie riders and skiers are a problem every where but here they are worse, by sheer numbers and sheer stupidity.

They are not taught about the down hill skier having the right of way, they ride as if slower riders should get out of their way.

They sit down anywhere, which I don't get, they just stop, sit or cross the width of the run without looking. In a country this crowded on slopes this crowded it doesn't make sense. They should have strict rules, but they don't. Rookie snowboarders do this alot back home too, one of the reasons skiers don't like em. I used to stop and sit in places where people couldn't see me sometimes...until an irate skier saved my bacon by yelling at me....never did that again, but in Korea nobody says shite so people keep on being dumb.

There are a number of old school adjoshi types who just plain suck. They are a minority but they suck none the less. They don't think line ups are for them, they step on your skis and they don't think they should do anything slowly. Tried to teach one such arse to ski....he would not listen, not once, he just pointed his skis down hill and went. He requested a lesson but was not willing to admit he was a rookie and would not listen. Total waste of time. These people are accidents waiting to happen. When I teach beginners to ride I spend most of my time looking uphill watching for run away skiers and riders.

Learning to ride here is not the safest thing in the world, but once you get good the advanced (read intermediate) slopes are pretty safe (aside from the carving fools who don't like to deviate from their perfect line). I prefer to think of everyone as moving trees....I miss tree skiing. If you're good enough you can pretty much stay our of trouble this way.

[poet13]

In Crested Butte, Colorado, during the first winter X games (the one where you didn't have to qualify, just pay race entry fees), my ski instructors name was Poz. Older guy. Super laid back. Really sweet form. He loved powder snorkeling among the trees. I always thought that was dumb cause you can't see what's buried. I personally love near vertical and hard scrabble, near zero bite ice. Much, much faster.

So, he had me out doing some kind of moguls exercise, and I was just plain doing it wrong. He went through it with me for an hour, and never once did I feel he was frustrated. (I sure as hell was.)

Anyways, he had me on the side of the slope talking me through where I needed to be to set up for each bump. Some clown come ripping around the corner, sees us from more than 100 meters away and starts screaming, "Get the Feck out of the way!". Poz doesn't move. Just watches him approach. He finally skates to a stop showering us with snow. Screams something like, "Why the feck are you in the way you as2holes?" Poz is wearing (I think they were red at the time) his ski patrol jacket. "Waiting for you.", he says. Reaches out quick like a pickpocket and *snip*, day tag is gone.

The guy flipped. He never physically attacked us, but he had me going a bit. Not Poz. Just said enjoy your last run cause ski patrol will be waiting at the bottom to escort you out. And then back to the lesson.

EDIT: His last piece of advice for me. "Ski fast, take chances."

[talltony4]

man, that is a great story

[Underwaterbob]