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Bloopity Bloop
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo
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 Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:58 am Post subject: You look smart (warning: lame thread) |
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What does this mean?
All the girls I meet out here inevitably say, "You look smart" (usually pretty early on). It's not that big of a deal, I know, but it's happened about 8 or so times--so it's gotta be something. I've never gotten this in my life until I came to Korea--cause, frankly, I look daft.
I warned you. |
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Bog Roll
Joined: 07 Oct 2009
Location: JongnoGuru country. RIP mate.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:03 am Post subject: |
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I explained this to a K-Teacher once -
British English - it would mean - you look dapper/well dressed.
American English - you look really intelligent - do you wear glasses?
Being Korea - I would assume they are saying that you look like an intelligent guy. |
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Panda
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:41 am Post subject: |
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welcome to embrace Korean stereotype!
In a country where certain people fit in certain appearance......You better look like your personality, otherwise you get infinite confusion.
People wouldn't understand why you look in a way but act in another way... Just like, they won't believe you are a good person if you are blood type B ...
I am quite lucky that my blood type is A and I have a small face............................In Korea, which equals to "you are a beauty"  |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Panda wrote: |
welcome to embrace Korean stereotype!
In a country where certain people fit in certain appearance......You better look like your personality, otherwise you get infinite confusion.
People wouldn't understand why you look in a way but act in another way... Just like, they won't believe you are a good person if you are blood type B ...
I am quite lucky that my blood type is A and I have a small face............................In Korea, which equals to "you are a beauty" |
Where as I look like both Brad Pitt and Jude Law. I got this from the same person within 2 sentences (one of my bosses).
But come on Brad Pitt and Jude Law look nothing alike.
I also get Ethan Hawke a lot |
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reactionary
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Location: korreia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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| You probably wear glasses. |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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It's kind of like what you look cute means in Korea:
Arumdadapa - You look like the most perfectly beautiful girl
Gorgeous/beautiful- You are 2nd place.
Pretty - I'd tap you, but marriage is probably out of the question.
Cute- Korean girls interpret this as ugly. It's like saying they look plain or something. Apparently "cute" is like a cop out for not calling someone gorgeous or absolutely beautiful. So if you couldn't call them one of the above, you're left with calling them cute. They hate it. And they will keep pestering you to call them more than cute.
You call a girl cute and the most common response is
"CUTE? Just cute?"
And then suddenly you can feel the tremors and ethereal sense that there is no God.
So many you look smart is like the equivalent cute for guys?
lol nothing personal bro |
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Bloopity Bloop
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Goku wrote: |
It's kind of like what you look cute means in Korea:
Arumdadapa - You look like the most perfectly beautiful girl
Gorgeous/beautiful- You are 2nd place.
Pretty - I'd tap you, but marriage is probably out of the question.
Cute- Korean girls interpret this as ugly. It's like saying they look plain or something. Apparently "cute" is like a cop out for not calling someone gorgeous or absolutely beautiful. So if you couldn't call them one of the above, you're left with calling them cute. They hate it. And they will keep pestering you to call them more than cute.
You call a girl cute and the most common response is
"CUTE? Just cute?"
And then suddenly you can feel the tremors and ethereal sense that there is no God.
So many you look smart is like the equivalent cute for guys?
lol nothing personal bro |
HAHA. No offense taken. This is pretty funny even if it's true. |
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Bloopity Bloop
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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| blackjack wrote: |
| Panda wrote: |
welcome to embrace Korean stereotype!
In a country where certain people fit in certain appearance......You better look like your personality, otherwise you get infinite confusion.
People wouldn't understand why you look in a way but act in another way... Just like, they won't believe you are a good person if you are blood type B ...
I am quite lucky that my blood type is A and I have a small face............................In Korea, which equals to "you are a beauty" |
Where as I look like both Brad Pitt and Jude Law. I got this from the same person within 2 sentences (one of my bosses).
But come on Brad Pitt and Jude Law look nothing alike.
I also get Ethan Hawke a lot |
Really? I thought you were more of a Michael. J Fox myself.
Anyway, thanks to all for posting in this lame thread o' mine. Your responses were all amusing and somewhat informative. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Goku wrote: |
It's kind of like what you look cute means in Korea:
Arumdadapa - You look like the most perfectly beautiful girl
Gorgeous/beautiful- You are 2nd place.
Pretty - I'd tap you, but marriage is probably out of the question.
Cute- Korean girls interpret this as ugly. It's like saying they look plain or something. Apparently "cute" is like a cop out for not calling someone gorgeous or absolutely beautiful. So if you couldn't call them one of the above, you're left with calling them cute. They hate it. And they will keep pestering you to call them more than cute.
You call a girl cute and the most common response is
"CUTE? Just cute?"
And then suddenly you can feel the tremors and ethereal sense that there is no God.
So many you look smart is like the equivalent cute for guys?
lol nothing personal bro |
Right after reading this, I decided to put it to a test. The science assistant at my school is pretty vain, so I showed her a picture of my girlfriend and asked, "Isn't she pretty?" knowing that the science assistant would follow up by fishing for a compliment and asking, "Aren't I pretty too?" Predictably, she asked, and I said, "Well, you're cute."
She freaked out, and hit me. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: You look smart (warning: lame thread) |
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| Bloopity Bloop wrote: |
What does this mean?
All the girls I meet out here inevitably say, "You look smart" (usually pretty early on). It's not that big of a deal, I know, but it's happened about 8 or so times--so it's gotta be something. I've never gotten this in my life until I came to Korea--cause, frankly, I look daft.
I warned you. |
Just tell them that they're pretty. Pretty ugly. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Bog Roll wrote: |
| British English - it would mean - you look dapper/well dressed. |
It also has this meaning in American English. I've heard it that way quite often growing up in the US. |
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.38 Special
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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Smart has two meanings in American English, as it does in most English speaking places: intelligent or neat/fashionable. It can also mean painful -- "This burn smarts!" but that is much less conventional these days.
I have red hair. Therefore, many people have told me I must be a genius. It's not a Korean thing. It's people who are entirely too lazy to build an observation on their own. It's a bit like presuming all blonds to be imbeciles.
The thing with the Koreans, though, is that they possibly are not quite used to seeing non-Asian folks and therefore our more subtle features that can effect presumptions about us are overlooked.
No big deal. They could be calling you worse. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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| .38 Special wrote: |
Smart has two meanings in American English, as it does in most English speaking places: intelligent or neat/fashionable. It can also mean painful -- "This burn smarts!" but that is much less conventional these days.
I have red hair. Therefore, many people have told me I must be a genius. It's not a Korean thing. It's people who are entirely too lazy to build an observation on their own. It's a bit like presuming all blonds to be imbeciles.
The thing with the Koreans, though, is that they possibly are not quite used to seeing non-Asian folks and therefore our more subtle features that can effect presumptions about us are overlooked.
No big deal. They could be calling you worse. |
Three meanings
-intelligent
-well dressed/ fashionable
-sudden pain |
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Dude Ranch
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:15 am Post subject: Re: You look smart (warning: lame thread) |
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| Bloopity Bloop wrote: |
All the girls I meet out here inevitably say, "You look smart" (usually pretty early on). It's not that big of a deal, I know, but it's happened about 8 or so times |
Has it gotten you laid? |
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