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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Mr.NiceGuy
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2003 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Actually fellas, I love it here. I just wanted to start a thread. But thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to marry an adjumma and settle down.
Now that's genuinely Asian. |
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elmer
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Location: cowtown
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2003 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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haha, that's funny (Mr. N)
After a few years it definitely does get harder to "find the romance".
If you have a car, it's much easier to get out and about and find places more off the beaten track.
And, yeah, the BoSung Tea Plantations aren't exactly close to Pusan, but much closer than if you were coming from up around Seoul...
I like He-in Sa as well. The area around there is really beautiful and the temple itself is cool too. I'm not much of a temple person (on the weekends, anyway), but Heinsa gets my vote. Another cool little spot is Tap-Sa. It's near Mai-San (horse ear mountain), and there's lots of ginseng grown around there. It's a temple, yes, but totally different from the usual suspects. There's a picture of it in the older LP book (I don't know about the recent ones, mine is 5 years old).
How about taking the train along the east coast? There's a spot that goes right along the ocean. Sounds romantic to me.
PS. Will B. you are a hoot...ripped off...hahahaha |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2003 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I think I'm going to marry an adjumma and settle down. |
Um, do you know what an ajumma is? Doesn't sound like it. |
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Mr.NiceGuy
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 3:16 am Post subject: |
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| Bulsajo wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I think I'm going to marry an adjumma and settle down. |
Um, do you know what an ajumma is? Doesn't sound like it. |
Some are married, some aren't. A lot have had kids. Mean types. I think I know.
Apparently you haven't talked to any and heard their sad stories either.
By the way, an adjumma can refer to any 30's or 40's something women, just like I'm called an 'adjoshee.' Lighten up a little, will you?
Last edited by Mr.NiceGuy on Thu Mar 13, 2003 6:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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The King of Kwangju
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| Hey listen. How much culture do you glean in Korea? My argument is that there need to be a more attractions to the place, more aesthetic feel to it. Even in the cities. |
My argument is that Korea doesn't need to meet your needs. It doesn't have to be "more Asian" to satisfy you - it's Asia already!
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| No one's talking about this "you owe me something deal." |
Except you were just saying that Korea needs "more attractions" and a "more aesthetic feel" to make you happy.
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| What we are talking about is, "I want to get something out of life," and get a little inspiration. Korea offers little in the way of a rich cultural experience, but I'm not knocking it either. |
Sounds to me like you're knocking it. If you need to get something out of life, why do you feel Korea should provide it for you?
Granted, it might. But if it doesn't, that's not Korea's fault. |
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Mr.NiceGuy
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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| The King of Kwangju wrote: |
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| Hey listen. How much culture do you glean in Korea? My argument is that there need to be a more attractions to the place, more aesthetic feel to it. Even in the cities. |
My argument is that Korea doesn't need to meet your needs. It doesn't have to be "more Asian" to satisfy you - it's Asia already!
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| No one's talking about this "you owe me something deal." |
Except you were just saying that Korea needs "more attractions" and a "more aesthetic feel" to make you happy.
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| What we are talking about is, "I want to get something out of life," and get a little inspiration. Korea offers little in the way of a rich cultural experience, but I'm not knocking it either. |
Sounds to me like you're knocking it. If you need to get something out of life, why do you feel Korea should provide it for you?
Granted, it might. But if it doesn't, that's not Korea's fault. |
Oh, it's not Korea's fault. It's 'the good o'l waeguki's fault,' Korea is a dud of desire, a dungeon of dirt. I just woke up and found it this way, scratched my butt and said "Gee, fellas, what a terrrible place." Now I should go back to sleep?
What philosophical reasoning. I love this 'Korea doesn't owe you anything' argument. Just like JFK's speech, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY!"
If I could only find something worthwhile to do. |
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gang ah jee
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: city of paper
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm bustin out the cliches, but 'boredom is a state of mind.' |
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Mr.NiceGuy
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| gang ah jee wrote: |
| I'm bustin out the cliches, but 'boredom is a state of mind.' |
No one's talking about boredom. What I am talking about is a culture where the highlights are 1,000 year old tombs like Beomosea and architecture that looks like post WWII Japan.
How exciting! |
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The King of Kwangju
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| Oh, it's not Korea's fault. It's 'the good o'l waeguki's fault,' Korea is a dud of desire, a dungeon of dirt. I just woke up and found it this way, scratched my butt and said "Gee, fellas, what a terrrible place." Now I should go back to sleep? |
You could go back to sleep if you wanted to - who could blame you? Or you could go online and write in a messageboard about Korea's deficiencies. Neither will get you anywhere.
Or you could make a conscious change to steer your life in the right direction. You've already made one, coming to Korea, so you have the balls to make another.
So what's stopping you?
| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| What philosophical reasoning. I love this 'Korea doesn't owe you anything' argument. Just like JFK's speech, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY!" |
I'm sorry - I forgot your point here. Or was there ever one?
I get the feeling you only wrote so people would agree with you and commiserate with you. If that's true then I apologize for my lack of sympathy. |
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gang ah jee
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: city of paper
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
| gang ah jee wrote: |
| I'm bustin out the cliches, but 'boredom is a state of mind.' |
No one's talking about boredom. What I am talking about is a culture where the highlights are 1,000 year old tombs like Beomosea and architecture that looks like post WWII Japan.
How exciting! |
I'll rephrase: Excitement is a state of mind.
Beomunsa and buildings. Seems to me like your definition of culture is pretty limited. But, I guess, you sleep in the bed you made. good luck trying to understand this country~ |
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riley
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Location: where creditors can find me
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 9:02 pm Post subject: boring arguement |
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Guys, your arguement has become both pointless and ridiculous. Good job 
Seriously, some of this thread has been quite worthwhile. Now I know of some places to go to. Thanks. I have to write this down and think about my next vacation. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 12:50 am Post subject: Re: boring arguement |
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| riley wrote: |
Guys, your arguement has become both pointless and ridiculous. Good job
Seriously, some of this thread has been quite worthwhile. Now I know of some places to go to. Thanks. I have to write this down and think about my next vacation. |
Thread Killer!
15 months later, I�m going to reserrect the dead here. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 1:37 am Post subject: Re: Where's the Romance? |
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| Mr.NiceGuy wrote: |
Well, the romance of living abroad has long since expired because that part of Asia I thought allured me here has become defunct. That part I can't express. The senses know, however, the first moment I stepped foot in Hong Kong and felt the city humming and vibrating with life; the moments I went swimming in the cobalt blue ocean waters off Hong Kong's shorelines; and the times I made excursions into inner-China, passing through Shangri-la-like valleys and seeing bare-foot peasants plodding the dry, dusty roads. My senses also know the times I scurried through Tokyo, swam in the 'Inland Sea,' and eventually, landed in Korea.
But what of the romantic allure here? I could go to Haeundae and see the ships pass by. Or go to Seung-jong beach and eat naktchi. Better yet, I could sit on a mountain top at Yongdu-san Park in Busan and gaze across a jumble of ad hoc buildings and a sore-thumb of an orange bridge. Or I could tour the major metropolisises and get caught in traffic all day in Seoul.
In other words, I can't experience romance here. I don't mean human romance. I mean life's romance, that feeling of the enchanting things and of beauty, of being somewhere far away. Maybe Cheju-do has something to offer, and the natural setting of Korea's mountains and countryside as well. But that overall feeling, of being in a rich culture, of seeing the grandiloquent like other parts of Asia, has as of lately struck me like a thud to the head. I think I know why.
I find the utilitarian side of life casting a shadow over the aesthetic here in Korea. The dull and common place are killing my senses. Parts of Korea often look dirty and drab. There's not much of the faraway feeling of being somewhere, except in the open markets, or places where I really feel like I'm in Asia anymore. Nor are there the aesthetic attractions like that of Japan and Thailand. I feel like I'm in a world where machines and men have taken over and the senses become pure reason.
Well, it doesn't matter to most. But then again it does. Just think how boring back home was and try to remember what you pictured Asia like before you came here. Did you think it'd be like this? If you didn't expect it to be like this, maybe it's time to ask yourself, like I have, if you'd rather be back home. Then your caught between a rock and a hard place. |
GREAT post.. I feel that entirely. The reason is absolutely blindingly obvious: Asians are busilly ruining their beautiful environment at an incredible rate. "Romance" is a feeling that comes directly from being in touch with nature: staring at a starry sky is just the simplest and most immediate example.. Asians , in their blind headlong rush to industrialisation and economic success, are building on, draining, destroying, and wrecking their natural habitat. It holds no relevance to them anymore, money is everything.
Korea: i could talk at length here....but you mention the Pusan area: Taejongdae for example was wonderfully undeveloped only a few years back- now the developers have banked it up and made many unnecessary roads etc just to attract more cash and jobs.. I've seen it all over korea: every last picturesque countryside area is coming under the bulldozer to build roads and a host of other totally useless and redundant developments.
Driving from Seoul To Pusan is now simply one long, unending stretch of urban development and concrete. Koreans and most Asians have zero understanding of ecology, preservation, or aesthetics. They will get it one day, but it will, typically, be too late. |
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