Korean Job Discussion Forums

humanuspneumos · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

Frustration has been shared on this board in the past with denials of what is really going on in Korea by Koreans when asked about a situation they find shameful regarding their country. To what degree do you think this cover-up on a national scale exists.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

My free talking students don't usually mind discussing "shameful" Korean issues in class. Sex selective abortion, prostitution, wife assault, etc etc. Then again, I usually let them initiate such discussions, or at least I refrain from labelling the topics as specifically "Korean" issues.

I wonder about the conversational strategies employed by ESL teachers who claim that they always encounter the "cover-up". I imagine the conversations going something like this:

Teacher: Korea has a real problem with sex-selective abortion. How can you people tolerate such awful behaviour?

Student: It does not happen like that!! That is a lie!!

I've always found the following approach to be constructive:

Teacher: Okay, the topic today is abortion. What do you think about that issue?

Student: it can be a problem for Korea, because sometimes the couple, if the baby is a girl, they will have an abortion.

Teacher: Okay. Why do you think people prefer boys?

Student: it is because of the Confucian thought.

That's a rough composite of a conversation I've had about half a dozen times in class. So, I find it dificult to swallow when I hear that Koreans absolutely refuse to acknowledge anything unflattering about their country.

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

I think a lot of it goes on because it involves foreigners--defensiveness when speaking to us is not so unnatural, a lot of non-Koreans do it too though not to the same degree as it's done here. I think Korea's historic isolation and retrograde Confucianism is to blame for the degree of it, e.g., the "no homosexuals in Korea" talk. I love seeing the Confucianists go down.

That said, I've heard lots of Koreans speak pretty disparagingly about Korea, many of whom called Korea 2nd world (at best). Now, while I know this should be expected (it's something of a reality), I'll wager it takes a lot to admit your country just doesn't have it yet. I found Koreans too often glamorizing life in the West, and for the majority back home it ain't all that glamorous.

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

Exactly, a lot of it is about what they are prepared to say to a westerner. We can only guess at what goes on "behind the green door". There is so little candor, and so much concern for the western perception of Korea, it's baffling. The whole prevelance of the question "So, what do you think about Korea?" ( actually more accurately but incorrectly "How about Korea?"), and if you only say good things, as I've learned to do, some will actually push by saying, "What about the bad things?". It's like they kind of know we have some bad perceptions, don't really want to hear it, but are morbidly fascinated, or perhaps they want to relieve you of your cultural ignorance, and show you how there is not really a problem except that "You don't understand Korea". I know that I for one, when meeting a foreigner while in New Zealand, am never moved to to ask "So what do you think about New Zealand?". My question of choice is more like "Are you having a good time?" or "What have you done so far?". I'm certainly not interested in promoting a positive image of New Zealand if I have to spin facts, I'm just interested in the pure response of the visitor. Could this sensivity be related to the famous national insecurity in this country?

desultude · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 4:11 pm Post subject:

I much prefer the candid approach used in the United States. For a perfect example, I highly recommend watching the U.S. State of the Union address tonight. There you will hear a candid and humble discussion of all issues facing the country.

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

jaderedux · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Lurking outside Seoul

desultude · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject:

humanuspneumos · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

Actually- it's likely a given that all politicians everywhere are paid to misrepresent the truth for their political party. The message I get in Korea is that the commoner has a problem acknowledging the painfully obvious.

Also- yes- adults will talk about hot topics in the classroom given a newspaper staring them in the face. However, usually it seemed that in general table talk if asked- "Does Korea have a problem with ___________?" the answer would be negative. Or just blight comments like "I understand that your country has a problem with divorce... bla, bla, bla. We in Korea can't do that. The family is very important."

jaderedux · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Lurking outside Seoul

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

Let's draw a line between what a politician says in a speech on TV, and what a student or friend will tell you with a straight face, point blank, over beers.

desultude · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 5:52 pm Post subject:

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

By the way, I don't believe the idea behind the OP is "Korea bashing", "cover-up on a national scale" notwithstanding. I like Korea and I like Koreans, but share the OP's frustration. What he's talking about is all too real.

peppermint · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 6:06 pm Post subject:

I think a lot of it has to do with us not being insiders. To keep the tone light, it's fine for a blonde to make blonde jokes, but if a brunette does it, there's hell to pay. It seems like the same thing here.

When a Korean makes a critical observation about his or her country it's seen as simply that- an observation. When one of us does it, it's seen as an attack on the country, because we're outsiders. Koreans definitely do talk about controversial things, but they don't often want to share their dirty laundry with us. Besides, it's a difficult thing to do in a second language anyway.

That said, I find both the KT and the KH have very anti Korean slants sometimes. Almost all of their articles about Korea show the country in a very negative light.