Korean Job Discussion Forums

[spyro25]

dont know if anyone commented on this or not, but lee cham (not his real name) an ex-german citizen who has lived in korean for over 30 years, was made head of the korean tourism body. he was on tv last night and had some good ideas. i think this is a turn for the better - he is the first foreigner to hold such a high post.

thoughts?

[joshua7choi]

Lee Cham, the German-turned-Korean media celebrity, has been appointed to the head of the nation's tourism body.

Lee will take the helm of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) for a three-year term. He will be the first naturalized Korean to lead a public corporation...

see more detail

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/07/178_49325.html

In my point of view his flent Korean works effectively in Korea society.

[Yaya]

He's a weirdo. He came to Korea as a Moonie and has no experience or expertise for his new position.

[jdog2050]

[hellofaniceguy]

Charm is ok...we are have our faults and idiosyncrasies....some think they are better than others, etc....Charm knows how to play the game, speak the lingo and how to kiss azz..it has made him wealthy and well known amoung the koreans.
Some are envious of his success and some figure he is a jerk....he'll do ok in the PR department for korea however.
Speaking of no experience....look at how many foreign teachers also have NO experience for their new position.
I have love/no love for Charm...it don't matter to me...yeah....I know him....who better to appoint to a tourism position than someone who learned the culture/language, live in country for 30 years, etc. and is not "korean?" An outsider promoting korea sounds good! Now the problem is getting the outside to agree with him! Koreans have made themselves a bad name in most of the world as many know. He'll improve it.

[Yaya]

[itaewonguy]

promote tourism!?? how difficult is it... just have something that people want to see..

temples?

[js99]

I knew a guy who worked for a tourism hogwon for 2 and half years, taught both Korean history, culture and tourism to Korean tourguide candidates. Then he did several lectures for tourism majors joining the KNTO. He also trained Korean tourguides working for the USO for 2 years.

Would that make this guy more qualified to work as head of the KNTO?


It's all politics.

[Netz]

Only on Dave's will you see the type of ignorance that's in this thread, from foreigners residing here, against other foreigners. I tend to believes it's jealousy, rather than anything else.

Lee Cham, for all his perceived faults, helped to change the perception of Foreigners by Koreans. The fact that a foreigner was married to a Korean on national TV in a Syndicated TV show was a breakthrough moment in tearing down the xenophobic views of Koreans towards "outsiders". It was akin to showing a "Black and White" relationship on American TV in the early 60's.

He has helped Koreans to realize that not all foreigners are dope smoking, child molesting, under qualified ESL azzhats, and for that alone I give him respect.

Some posters have obviously not been here long enough to realize that fact.

He was not the typical "dancing monkey" foreigner that had, and still to this day does, permeate the airwaves of Korean media. I wish there were more "Lee Chams", and Less EBS idiots, or Korean speaking girlie shows, as these are the types of media images the Korean media wishes to portray foreigners as.

In other words, "Western Morons".

When he married a Korean citizen, there were no "F" class visas for foreigners married to Koreans. He loved this country, culture, language, and partner enough to give up his natural citizenship to become a "Korean", which is something I doubt less than 10% of those married to Koreans would be willing to do today. That goes for F4 visa holders as well, as I doubt they would be willing to relinquish their current citizenship, to become naturalized Koreans either.

Say what you want, make petty remarks about being on "drugs" in regards to my post, but it doesn't change the fact that this man has had a great deal of influence on changing Korean's perceptions of "what is possible", breaking down walls of discrimination, and paving the way for many an ESL "monkey" in this country.

I wish him the best, and certainly think that anyone who cares about Korea as much as he has obviously shown himself to in the past, will do well in this position, if not mired down in the internal politics of Korean isolationism that still exist to this day.

Instead of of all the hatorade, why don't you show a little respect to someone who has done more for Korea than anyone who posts on this forum probably ever will.