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Khenan
Joined: 25 Dec 2007
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 Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 10:27 am Post subject: |
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| I've been here almost two years - not long, but I've seen some pretty f'ed up things happen to foreigners. Random beatings, willfully ignorant government officials, crooked cops, etc. I've also seen a lot of nice things happen. Maybe this country is just manic, but you certainly can't say that everyone here fits into a tidy little box. They seem to often keep their personal beliefs to themselves, which perpetuates the anti-foreigner perception that a lot of us get - and yes, it does exist, to some extent - but they're not all the same. |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 10:38 am Post subject: |
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| jsk wrote: |
I'm a gyopo who can't speak Korean but can comprehend maybe half of spoken conversations. My candid opinion is that when it comes to society proper, I've never felt fully accepted in either America or Korea.
I grew up in the southern US. I got a lot of BS growing up in school for just being Asian. The differential treatment many foreigners complain about here is real, but it's just as real in America for an Asian person trying to adapt there. And good luck trying to adapt in America without being able to speak English. I'd wager that a foreigner who can't speak English will face more discrimination in America than a foreigner who can't speak Korean in Korea.
So my point is that Korean xenophobia and ignorance is real but it isn't special. It exists in every country in large doses. Last time I returned home from Korea, I interviewed for a position at the local public defender's office. The guy saw my last teaching position on my resume and spent 20 minutes trying to convince me he was some kind of expert about North Korea, based on what he saw on the news. I still get harsh stares from some establishments in the South even though I'm an American citizen with a neutral accent.
If anything, hopefully everyone's experience in Korea will make you more aware of the way you treat foreigners (or foreign-looking people) when you return home. |
The southern US. I wonder if your experience might've been a bit different if you grew up in, say, NYC or LA.
The thing is, even in a big "cosmopolitan" city like Seoul, this crap is still rampant. We're not talking about rural South Korea here, but rather an extremely populous city that likes to posture itself as a "world city." Not quite there in my opinion.
I can only imagine what it would be like to be hanging out in a Korean hick-town. I'd rather not find out. |
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Keepongoing
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: Re: I want to Like Korea |
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| winterfall wrote: |
| Keepongoing wrote: |
The apparent fact that it is aired shows how out of touch the media is with the rest of the civilized world.
Sure, there are foreigners who do bad things. People do bad things. Even Koreans do bad things. Unfortunately, shows like this seem to paint all foreigners (especially men) with the same brush.
Personally, I do not like these girls! |
You haven't traveled enough. Are you Korean? Visit the Mideast or South America. In the Dominican Republic: traffic stops, crowds gather, and gleefully yell Chino!!!
I am not Asian. I have only been to 32 countries, most of which have been in Asia/ I have lived in Asia 24 years.
I know that every country has its prejudices and racism. The point I was trying to make was about the show. The show does not help Korea further its desire to be branded as a foreign friendly nation. Especially, that it is airing this show in other countries and other people form opinions about Korea based on this show. It surprises that it has not dawned on them that this show relays a message that goes against the governments goals and perhaps reinforces already negative ideas about this country.
In the Mideast. Your probably the only Asian in the country. They're think your Filipino. Ask why you don't have body hair. And tell you how much they love China.
On the Plus side. Your very popular with the ladies.  |
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OnTheOtherSide
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:37 am Post subject: |
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Korea is well over 99% Korean.
We all know what we're getting into before we get there. |
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alphakennyone
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: city heights
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:52 am Post subject: |
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| OnTheOtherSide wrote: |
Korea is well over 99% Korean.
We all know what we're getting into before we get there. |
When are you coming back? Can't wait 'til you do another 180 on us. |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| alphakennyone wrote: |
The southern US. I wonder if your experience might've been a bit different if you grew up in, say, NYC or LA.
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It would have been different, but not less racist/xenophobic. In the boroughs, the racial tension is pretty high. In Manhattan, you get a lot of what you can find in Seoul at times -- people who talk the talk and are sweet as honey to your face, but ultimately don't count you as a real person if you're a foreigner/immigrant, particularly from an Asian country, or "Chinese", as they like to say. |
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Morning_Star
Joined: 21 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject: ... |
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| redaxe wrote: |
There's a one-word explanation for just about all the weird behavior that Koreans display toward foreigners: jealousy.
Also, there was another thread about this particular show recently. One standout comment:
"There's a reason why it's called 'Chatting with the Beauties', not 'Chatting with the Smarties'"  |
Keep telling yourself that, maybe it'll help you sleep better at night. The foreign men are such losers, even the women don't back them.
Most of the guys on this site are racist and nationalists so they totally deserve it. At least now you losers will get a taste of "racial profiling". Ever heard of that losers? |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: ... |
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| Morning_Star wrote: |
| redaxe wrote: |
There's a one-word explanation for just about all the weird behavior that Koreans display toward foreigners: jealousy.
Also, there was another thread about this particular show recently. One standout comment:
"There's a reason why it's called 'Chatting with the Beauties', not 'Chatting with the Smarties'" |
Keep telling yourself that, maybe it'll help you sleep better at night. The foreign men are such losers, even the women don't back them.
Most of the guys on this site are racist and nationalists so they totally deserve it. At least now you losers will get a taste of "racial profiling". Ever heard of that losers? |
I'm the first to jump on the guys around here with their nonsense. But that doesn't justify these women smearing foreign men all over the television set like it's some kind of ridiculous variety show game. There are a lot of good foreign men in this country. And our brothers, fathers, grandfathers, etc. are "foreign" men. It's not acceptable.
And on a personal level, I'd like to thank the bubbly little tarts for perpetuating the idea that foreign women are just falling all over themselves to (read between the lines) sleep with Korean men. In case you haven't noticed yet, boneheaded, dimwitted cretins exist on both sides, and I *really* love running into one of these in a bar, who instantly brings up Misuda and how foreign women are just mad for Korean men.
Don't expect me to don a mini skirt and prance around singing Super Junior anytime soon, thanks. It's a great idea to put foreigners on Korean television and try to get their perspective on various subjects and aspects of Korean society. It's not a great idea to put foreign women on tv and expect them to simultaneously fill the mold some aspects of Korean society have set for both women, and foreign women in particular. It's trash, plain and simple. |
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Epicurus
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| In the Dominican Republic: traffic stops, crowds gather, and gleefully yell Chino!!! |
this is the problem when you don't understand another language and culture.
Chino is not a slur in Spanish. It means Chinese. Nothing more, nothing less.
They will also use it with almost anyone with Asian eyes.. They will use it as a nickname, once again, no slur intended.
I had an Asian friend who insisted that in Havana (which isn't the DR it's Cuba but same principles, in fact more so apply) he was being slurred when people went around calling him Chino.
It took me a very long time to try to educate him and I'm still not sure I succeeded. I think he preferred thinking it was a slur.
but it's not.
It's very often used as a nickname as well for people with Asian eyes and or features with both sexes.. chino.. china.
if you're fat they'll you gordo too. No slur intended.
Just obvious truth.
the crowds gathering and pointing is a bit over the top but a true Chinese in the DR would be a rarity indeed, so I'm not shocked. |
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Keepongoing
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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You know, I lived in Hong Kong for 15 years and there white people are called "gwai-lo" The direct translation of this is: white ghost" or "white-demon", This phrase came about during the Opium Wars. Knowing a little history of that; I can understand why they call us that. They use this term all the time, even on TV. I never took offense to it. It is not intended to be personal. I loved Hong Kong and made many life time friends there. I do not know of any show like they have in Korea in Hong Kong. I was there between 85-2000. Of course, it being a colony for much of that time, there was some control on the media. None-the-less, I never seen there what I have seen here. I did not live in an ex-pat community, I lived with the Chinese in their homes.
I want Korea to attain its goals of being more foreign friendly and becoming a more popular tourist destination, and I hope it will make the changes that will make these things come about. This TV show does not promote those changes. |
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Daegudavid
Joined: 08 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| I also want to like Korea, but the people here make it so difficult. |
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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Daegudavid wrote: |
| I also want to like Korea, but the people here make it so difficult. |
a simple, simple truth.
Good post.
They either treat you like a child or try to push Korean culture on you too much whilst proclaiming how wonderful it is. Tt's hard to like either... |
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