Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiger Beer]

I haven't had one of those moments where everyone is just laughing their heads off rolling on the floor and their bellies ache for quite awhile. I'm trying to recall moments I've ever experienced this in Korea among Koreans, and I can't for the life of me recall any of them.

I can randomly recall with other foreigners. Just funny things and everyone has a smile on their face at the funny comment or whatever else.

Anyhow, to my challenge question. When and what was the last *thing* you overheard or experienced where you saw/heard a group of Koreans laughing? What was it about? or the situation around it?

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

What's so funny about peace love and understanding?

[peppermint]

I had a class of students crack up this morning. They were playing a guessing game, when one man asked a young, very shy high school girl, "I think something you wanted when you were young was. . . . SOJU!"

In English low level students seem to find small puns very funny. I was explaining "Me too" to a beginner class, and I mentioned "me three". They found that really funny, though perhaps it had more to do with understanding a joke in English. (as unfunny as that one is)

[U.S.A.]

One time while I was teaching a group of housewifes (private class and very cool people), I asked each one her favorite type of music. One woman replied "folk" but mispronounced it--I think everyone can figure out what she said. I lost it. Luckily, these woman were actually friends and mature enough that I could explain why. They all also lost it. We all had tears in our eyes from laughing so hard.

I realize it was immature, but something about the moment cracked us all up.

[caniff]

Two weeks ago I travelled to Mokpo with a couple of Korean guys. Anyway, we crashed at a hotel and one of them was sleeping on the floor outside of the bathroom door. I had to go to the bathroom, so I stepped over him and shut the door. When I finished, I didn't turn out the light before opening the door. The guy woke up, saw me, and completely screamed with a look of sheer terror. Maybe he was thinking 'FOREIGN MONSTER!!!!' I will never forget the look on his face. Classic!! I'm still laughing about that one....

[ryleeys]

I asked my one student what she liked to do during the summer... "I like to go to beaches!" was her enthusiastic reply... she has a very strong Korean accent and it came out "I like to go to b*tches!"

[caniff]

An adult student, a woman, told me in class what I initially heard as "You are eunich!!" My mouth fell open, but I determined that she meant to say "You are unique!!".. I explained, we had a good laugh...(private lessons soon followed

[tsgarp]

I introduced some advanced speakers to George Carlin's spiel on cussing in English. The part about housewives and the word *beep* had them in stitches for days.

[oldfort]

I was teaching a dialogue, and I had the guys say one part, and the girls the other....but amidst the melodious female piping was a lone rumbling voice. So I stopped, repeated my instructions....again, a guy recited with the girls. Some of the other students were starting to smile. So I said "Girls, raise your hands," and they did, and then "Boys, raise your hands"...and there was some quibbling as to whether they were "Boys" or "Men". In the end, though, we sorted out gender perfectly. And then I repeated my instructions "Girls, say..." and STILL, I heard that one hapless 'man'. Some of the students started to laugh. So did I.

I didn't want to embarrass the guy, so I tried not to laugh, but it was the funniest thing (especially after teaching for six or seven hours). So I tried again, girls, raise your hands, boys, raise your hands---and he still pitched in with the girls, and I LOST IT!

I actually started to CRY, I was laughing so hard.

The students stared, shocked, until one of them yelled "Teacher, cry!" and this set them off too. Gosh, it was a splendid laugh. Quite memorable.

My more advanced classes also get a charge out of sarcasm...I serve it leaden so that they 'get it', and this usually makes them smile.

[coolsage]

There isn't much humor in Korea, and what there is is not well-developed beyond slapstick. The measure of a developed, mature society is its ability to laugh at itself. Korea is nowhere near that place. So the jokes here must come cheap. A young friend of mine in Kindergarten with a Korean teacher was convinced that the poem read: :"The Itchy Bitchy Spider".

[Tiger Beer]

I had a funny incident tonight. Accidently ran-into that guy who use to live/work at Yellow Bar - Korean guy.

We popped into a bar and while there he asked me where I saw myself 10 from years now. I said 'i don't know, how about you?' He said an architect. Then he asked me how about me.

I said, 'I don't know but I'll be drinking a beer in either Thailand, Philippines, or Brazil 10 years from now".

He said "call me". and we laughed about it for the next 10 minutes

[Jensen]

[Squid]

Each today, Friday, I ask my students (adults) "What are your plans for the weekend?"...standard question.

Always cracks me up when one of them replies "playing with my boyfriend/ girlfriend"

I'll never teach kids again.

[coolsage]

Come on now, moderators. Don't you think that 'filter' is set just a bit too high when it bleeps the name of a female dog? Who is running the show here, Nancy Reagan? It's not the fifties anymore, and if you need proof, go to www.ajarn.com, and I think you'll find that most people who contribute to a forum such as this one can behave like adults without the need of a babysitter. I'm sure it makes you feel good to be in charge of something, Hank Scorpio, and I'll keep a cool heart when it's possible to bust on you for being such a puritan. I'll bet you'll kill this message, which will prove my point. Have a nice weekend.