Korean Job Discussion Forums

[asmith]

My my mother was happy that there was at least one woman in th world desperate enough to marry me.

[PRagic]

Wow, didn't even consider THAT one! Had that been an issue, I would have sprinted for the nearest exit or we would have had to leave the country! Lucky me.

[ms.catbc]

We recently announced to both sides of parents that we plan to get married.

Everyone is full on excited. Couldn't be more happy!

The most common thing that I have heard from friends and family is how unique and magical and great it is that two people from opposite ends of the world have managed to find each other.

[Alvy Singer]

Don't want to barge, but Christ, I'm bored to tears here at my desk. I figure, though, that I can write a little something somewhat applicable to the topic.

Ethnically, I'm Korean; the girls I've dated have been Black, White, et al except Yellow. My dad tended rarely to take an interest in what I do. But my mom, she's, er---despicably racist (redundancy used for emphasis, I suppose).

Got me a too-long lecture one evening from Mom on the topic of 'strange babies'---back during my junior year in college; had made a rare visit to see the folks for a weekend---which was actually the follow-up to the preface I'd heard from her years back, say, in middle school.

There was one time, though, when my dad, in one of his good moods maybe, invited me and my then-girl out for dinner. It was me, girlie, the folks. Dad tried, in his OK-but-not-always-decipherable English, to keep in chat with my girl: asked questions, cracked jokes, poked fun at me.

Then there was Mom.

She sat despondently in the corner of the L-shaped booth, sinking into the leather. Most of the evening she kept her eyes shut as if in prayer, head bowed, hands folded. Over a year later, when the girl and I split, I'd somehow ended up on the phone with Mom; I mentioned the breakup and she had Hallelujah all in her voice.

Anyway. Girl I'm dating and a-lovin' now is ethnically Mexican. I haven't spoken to my mom in quite some time, but some of my family in Korea have met my girl. I'm sure I'll get an international ring on my phone when news of the looming prospect of 'strange babies' gets around homeside.

(I wish I knew how to say in Korean: 'Mom, have you seen a "mixed" baby? They're freakin' adorable; it's God's way of telling us we should screw outside ethnic boundaries.')

[catchshime]

I love Korean double-standards.

Half-Korean/Half-Black: HORROR

Hines Ward: Korean, but it's ok that "he's" black as well.

Hines Ward the NFL superstar: HANGOOK all the way

Hines Ward the Superstar with a Superbowl MVP: Pretty much all because of Korea.

Korea loves da Hai-eenz-uh-Wuh-duh.

Ridiculous... so f'ing ridiculous.

[fermentation]

[AgentM]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[catchshime]

[Cerriowen]

His family doesn't care that I'm white.
My family doesn't care that he isn't.

They've got serious reservations about everything else, but it's interpersonal rather than a racial thing. Now that we're married, everyone's trying to adjust.

My family wasn't happy that he's military, and that he's got a lot of roots here so we won't be moving back to the states. They were also worried that he'd start beating me once we were married. Now that it's done, they're being more supportive and happy for us.

His family was still getting over the shock and disappointment of his divorce. They didn't want him to re-marry, because he's got a daughter, and were afraid of how that would impact her. They kind of edged around the topic of disowning him if he went through with it, but dropped it as soon as they realized he wouldn't be swayed. They were even more shocked when he didn't tell them when we would sign the papers until 2 days after we were married.

We got married 3 months ago, and so far haven't seen his family. They've asked for time to accept this. The only comment they've made so far is "It's a shame you didn't meet and marry this one first!" So... I guess it'll work out in the end. They've met me before and said they like me as a person, but aren't sure how to deal with this.

No racial tensions though, which is nice. We get odd looks from people walking down the street, but when we end up talking to people, they always ask us when we'll have children... because half-korean/half-white babies are gorgeous.[/u]

[Cheonmunka]

[Alvy Singer]

[earthbound14]

[eamo]

[djsmnc]

I think the hardest thing for me is convincing the moms that there are many many things the Vietnamese who do her nails do not have in common with Koreans at all.