Korean Job Discussion Forums

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

On May 29th a drunk Korean man came into our academy. He was upset that we refused admission to his son. He was screaming and yelling every bad word you could imagine. I stepped out of my class and realized that this man wasn't going to stop.

I asked him to leave. He wouldn't. I told my Korean admin staff to ask him to leave. He wouldn't. We called the police. They asked him to leave. He wouldn't. The police dragged him out.

While yelling and screaming, he started calling me names like dirty American and so on. At any rate, he was processed at the police station, then allowed to leave. Here comes the amazing part.

When he was at the police station he filed a report against me. He stated that he "Believed I was a drug user, and I looked strange! " He went on to say that I was a threat to the students. The police took his report and forwarded it to the Drug Investigation Unit at the main police station in Nowon. The following day a detective called my director and asked him to bring me in to do a pee test.

I explained to the director that I wouldn't do it as it was a completely vindictive and racially motivated act. If I went in and did the pee test, it would mean that any Korean could file a complaint against the dirty foreigner. I told him to tell the detective to get a warrant.

So to my knowledge the detective started to proceed with a prosecutor, and was in the process of getting a judge to sign a warrant. Having been in Korean for 7 years, I have made a very nice social circle. One of my Korean friends has a friend who is a police chief in Gangnam. He called the detective and asked him to drop the case. I was told that the investigation was closed.

I simply cannot believe that a detective would actually put merit into this drunk man's story.

Please don't turn this thread into a bashing session of the police or Korean people. I just wanted to share with you all this most ridiculous story.[/b]

The Gipkik · Joined: 30 Mar 2009

That's a great story. Amazing how something so relatively benign can escalate into a mess. And how we're guilty until proven innocent. Imagine what could have happened. A friend of a friend of mine in Thailand got robbed by two guys on a motorcycle. They basically grabbed his girlfriend's purse and sped away. Well, the traffic was heavy he chased them, grabbed the shirt of the guy sitting at the back and caused the motorbike to crash into a car. The two guys were slightly injured, but they got the cop to press charges on the friend of a friend--and the cop did!

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

Polonius, I would have taken this one step further. If anything, the drunk ajosshi was causing trouble in your hagwon (thus potentially hurting the business), and he said that you were a drug-user (hurting your reputation AND again hurting the business). With Korea's strict libel laws, I would have pressed charges.

The police were witness to everything, and if it came down to it, take the pee test, prove your innocence and get paid from the Ajosshi.

DJTwoTone · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:33 am Post subject:

Why don't you prove that it is racially motivated... File the exact same charges against this man... Then when they don't investigate it, take it to a media outlet and let things happen.

Cerriowen · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Location: Pocheon

That's really terrible.

Sorry to hear it.

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

That really is Sparkling

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

Rory_Calhoun27 · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

Props to Polonius!

I probably would have caved, but I don't have 7 years exp. or a good network of Koreans. You did everyone a service on that one.

Now the next thing to do is run into the A-hole and pull a "Nelson" on him from the Simpsons.... "HAH-HAHHHHHH" Wink

fromtheuk · Joined: 31 Mar 2007

I'm glad the issue was resolved. It is posts like these which confirm our status here. I honestly don't believe some of the bravado on this forum i.e. those who claim they tell off their co-teachers when they are out of line.

I know from experience, if you have an awful co-teacher and make their life difficult, they can also make it difficult for you to find another job.

There are clearly limits to how much we can realistically assert ourselves in Korea.

That is why I have now adopted the 'Yes all the time approach' at my school. I don't think my co-teacher loves me, but she has no excuse which she can use to cause trouble, at least not yet!

I digress. Laughing

Polonius: This is why I only go out of my apartment when there is a need/purpose. I avoid everybody as much as possible, and I stay out of trouble that way. Being an introvert has its advantages. Laughing

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Sounds like the detective was trying to make a name for himself.

michaelambling · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

travelingfool · Joined: 10 Mar 2008 Location: Parents' basement

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'd find out where he worked and lay a complaint with his boss.

Zulethe · Joined: 04 Jul 2008

Finally a post that lives up to its advertising. Incredible that they would take a raving lunatic seriously. In some ways I wish I hadn't read this because no matter how culturally sensitive one is, this makes no friggin sense.