Korean Job Discussion Forums

[humanuspneumos]

Over the years I've heard teachers again and again say something like, "When I walk into a restaurant, step onto a subway, stand in an airport, or almost everywhere- the place around me lights up- "Waegook-Saram or Migook-Saram" and then they talk and talk repeating the terms. Do Koreans like to gossip about us that much?

[desultude]

I must be completely oblivious- I seldom if ever feel this way. And when they are talking about me, I know it is only good stuff!

[peppermint]

Well, it seems that way at first, and kids especially do get excited about foreigners, but I don't generally think it's hostile.

[Son Deureo!]

What I can glean from conversations like that that I overhear is that they are usually talking about some other experience that they had with a foreigner, or studying English. They're not talking about me per se, but I reminded them of some waygook related anecdote they wanted to share with whoever they were with.

[humanuspneumos]

Yeah- I saw some sensational terms used in the original post like "hostile" and I scrubbed them off of the questionaire. Anyway- one has to admit that the Koreans aren't exactly quiet which is often times mistaken as aggression.

[Ya-ta Boy]

It isn't the Koreans talking about me that I mind so much, it's you guys here at Dave's talking about me that gets on my nerves. I'm on to the trick with the little yellow faces. But keep it up. You will get what's coming to you when the Venusians land. You've been warned.

[Mr. Pink]

almost never happens. Especially in really big places.

[Ilsanman]

It only happens much in the countryside. Cities are all saturated with hagwons, and then therefore saturated with foreigners.

[weatherman]

[Tiger Beer]

I would have more or less agreed to that in 1996.. but 2004 its totally and completely different. Very little visual or obvious acknowledgement or awareness of your prescense in public. So now I'd say it almost never happens. Eight years ago, it seemed to be a common and annoying occurrence.

Another thing is quite a few foreigners have picked up basic Korean.. and tend to talk back.. particularly when they hear or see pointing coupled with the words 'waygook saram' or 'migook saram'. Somewhere along the lines, the Korean people seemed to have been educated not to do that to foreigners. Maybe too much famiarity and/or perhaps tired of foreigners responding probably negatively to it.

In short however, that was common a long time ago, and almost never ever happens anymore.

[humanuspneumos]

I imagine the news (TV)- what bad/good/amazing thing a waegook/migook saram did on that particular week- affects to what degree we impact their conversations.

eg. when people got ran over by waegook military it seemed for a while there that foreigners were experiencing hostility on the subway in Seoul and talking about it here at Dave's

[Butterfly]

It happens sometimes when I'm outside central Seoul, and it doesn't bother me. Why would it?

[ryleeys]

In three months, I have only been pointed out as a "waygook" once. I was refused service at a restaurant. Other than that, I have not had anyone stare at me, attempt to have a conversation in English with me, or such...


The few exceptions may be to a few restaurants which I visit on a regular basis and the owners recognize me as a regular. But since that happens for Koreans too, I don't attribute it to my Americanity (cool word!)

[HardyandTiny]

I do not know, but I do know that Koreans talk about being Korean more than Americans talk about being American.
I don't think I care much what people do in America as long as they obey the law.
I can't see myself defending things that are wrong with America simply because I'm American.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

It's different if you're with a k gal at dinner, I've heard a lot of trash talked about me and my partner, real abusive stuff, happened three times so far.