Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rapier]

I think a lot of the naiivety and so on, is just making conversation, small talk, or nervously looking for something to talk about. Don't take it literally, most times they're just trying to be friendly. They're prone to saying the first thing that crosses their minds.
If you were at home, and some eskimo who couldn't speak english walked in, and you had to serve him, what neutral, obvious topic of conversation would you start with? would you be curious, and would your cultural preconceptions/ stereo types come into play at all?
I think too many westerners here are too unable to put themselves in a koreans' position.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[jajdude]

Korean: "You use chopsticks very well."

Foreigner: "Thanks. So do you."

Korean: "You understand some Korean language."

Foreigner: "A little. And you, wow, you know some English."

Actually not really funny, but may be good replies to these kind of remarks.

[Tiger Beer]

I just ordered at Burger King. I say the entire exchange in Korean. The person behind the counter sweats and hmm-hahs trying to say everything back to me in English. At the end of the ordeal he turns to his co-worker and says in Korean (English is very hard).. grrrrr.. doesn't have to be.. I was speaking to you in Korean during the entire exchange. Oh well.. I guess he could use the practice for the next foreigner who comes in..

[ryleeys]

I'm mildly frustrated that no matter how many times I say to the taxi driver the name of my school, they still don't understand me. And every Korean friend I have has told me that on the phone, they have to listen hard to know I'm not Korean... the very few phrases I do know, my kids hammered into me the exact correct pronounciation. So, why the hell does the taxi driver act like I'm speaking Farci when I tell him this one phrase that I have practiced hundreds of times?

[indiercj]

[saint_moi]

[leeroy12]

I love the puzzled look on my Korean students' faces when I bash out some lamentable Korean (adem dawo jagiya, salang hae, etc...) and show off my deep understanding of Kimchi and soju. I've never been to Korea, which compounds their bafflement.

In a way, I sense that they are almost dissapointed. They want to be seen as from this foreign land - unheard of by ignorant westeners.

London's more dangerous for Korean girls than western girls, apparently, as they are the potential rapist's victim of choice.

In a class activity designed to practise 2nd conditional sentences, a Korean guy had his turn...

"If I could do anything, I would a) Make the world a peaceful place, b) Give myself all the money in the world or c) Make my family happy. Everyone chose b) as his correct answer, but even before he smugly revealed the true answer I had seen it coming a mile off.

"Because Asian people always love and respect their families" he announced proudly. What he was implying was obvious, though probably lost on the rest of the (majoritively Latin American) class.

Koreans (in my experience) share similar views with Japanese and Chinese students in many respects. They see the western-style family unit(s) as dysfunctional, undisciplined and uncaring.

[dogbert]

[HardyandTiny]

I always thought it was more like.....

Korean female: "Wow, you can use chopsticks?"

Western male: "Would you like to go to my apartment?"

Korean female: "Wow, you can speak Korean!"

Western male: "You are so beautiful"

Korean female: "You like Korean food!"

Western male: "Do you want to go to my place?"

[kangnamdragon]

[quote="cacheSurfer"]

[kangnamdragon]

[shevek]

[Ody]

[Derrek]