Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bryan]

When I'm on an empty bus and it begins filling up, or the subway (on my daily ride I always start off getting onto a train when it's empty, then it slowly fills) people take every single seat except the one next to me. That seat is always the last to fill on my subway car.

And on the bus, often people would rather stand than take up some of the space next to me.

Are they being overly courteous and giving me space just because they can see I'm a foreigner? Or is it because I'm tall and they'd rather not cram themselves in there?

[Conrad B Hart]

I would absolutely love that.

[Bryan]

[PuppetMaster]

because you're too "handsome". It makes them nervous.

[Bryan]

That crossed my mind. When I grow a beard Koreans say I look like "Jeejus." That could be intimidating.

Serious this doesn't happen to anyone else? I heard other people talking about this before.

Actually the most reasonable explanation I heard from my ex-gf. She said they're afraid I'll speak English to them.

[djsmnc]

I get the hotties on the subway. Ajummas on the bus, though.

[Caesar1313]

[Conrad B Hart]

[gakduki]

sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on how I dress/look/act. Also depends on the Korean in question. When I have a bottle of beer, reek of smokes and look like the living dead, I get the whole seat to myself!

[cazzy3]

yeah,
i get it as well. i don't fully understand why though. I'm not bad looking, don't initiate conversation, and basicall just stick to myself...so why do some avoid us on public transportation? it's not like you are going to start asking them questionns in english and test their fluency....or maybe they are afraid you may try to hit on them?? who knows. that's why i prefer to stand and study the subway lines.

[I'm no Picasso]

The train is where I make my ajeoshi friends. They generally learn their English from listening to a morning radio program and talk at about the volume level I imagine they tune in at. Very often they have a tall, smart, handsome son they would like me to meet.

[Papa Smurf]

not that ive noticed. more likely, someone will try to strike up an awkward conversation.

[coralreefer_1]

I cant say I take the bus much anymore, but on the subway people don't seem to avoid me at all. I have black hair and 99% of the time I have some type of reading material with me on the subway...so they probably don't even notice I am a foreigner unless I actually look up at them or they have gotten close enough to sit next to me.

Honestly I could not care less. Everyone rushes to that end seat so that there will be at least one side of them where there is another person. I don't think Koreans care very much whether it is a foreigner next to them or not as most generally would prefer no-one is directly next to them anyway (this is Daegu and the subway here is generally only packed on weekends at a few stations around downtown)

Young women may avoid the area...but I think that has more to do with the fact that I am male rather than being a foreigner, and they just feel more comfortable sitting alone, or it no other option is available..will choose to sit next to the ajumma before sitting next to ANY man(given the sexual harassment that happens on subway this is an understandable situation)

[DCJames]

[cdninkorea]

This does happen to me sometimes, but not much. It would bother me a little if I knew it was because I was a foreigner, but it's also likely it's because I'm big- just like people avoid sitting next to the old guys who keep their legs spread out (The slang term for those guys is 쩍발남 or something like that), even though I make a point of keeping my knees relatively close together.