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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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 Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:15 pm Post subject: "My major/job is trade." |
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Is this the male version of "fashion design" in Korea or what?
What does that even mean?
Girls? How often do you get the "trade" thing out of Korean men, and sweet all else, information wise? Not that I bother asking any questions after "trade". Boring. |
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UknowsI
Joined: 16 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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When I talk to someone who is studying something that could be considered a Mrs. degree or a Mr. degree I try to ask them some questions about their major. If they are genuinely interested in trade, design or literature I think that's great and very respectable. What I have less respect for is people who just study these topics to pass time, meet friends or study something that sounds good. For example I have some friends who are very interested in design and who actually read research papers on design theory and attend design seminars frequently and I respect them a lot for working hard with something they love.
But back to your original question. I'm a guy so I don't usually chat up too many guys but I do know a few guys who are "sons of their fathers" who study trade, so I think you very well might be onto something. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
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UknowsI
Joined: 16 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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| UknowsI wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
I only met women who worked for trade companies. Never guys so I didn't think the women were using it as a status symbol. Just to earn some money. Who knows. |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| UknowsI wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
That and I was also thinking along the lines of, "I work at GS25, but you're definitely not coming home with me if I tell you that." |
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UknowsI
Joined: 16 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm no Picasso wrote: |
That and I was also thinking along the lines of, "I work at GS25, but you're definitely not coming home with me if I tell you that." |
Next time I go out I'll try some reverse psychology and say I work at GS25. I guess I would need to improve my Korean if I want to be convincing though. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm no Picasso wrote: |
| UknowsI wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
That and I was also thinking along the lines of, "I work at GS25, but you're definitely not coming home with me if I tell you that." |
Have you ever caught out any guys in a straight out lie about their job or career? Maybe trade is a euphemism for being unemployed? Though, I think it works well as a cover for jjajangmyeon or 7-11 boy. |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| UknowsI wrote: |
| I'm no Picasso wrote: |
That and I was also thinking along the lines of, "I work at GS25, but you're definitely not coming home with me if I tell you that." |
Next time I go out I'll try some reverse psychology and say I work at GS25. I guess I would need to improve my Korean if I want to be convincing though. |
Well I actually did take home the GS25 guy. But not until after I sussed exactly what it was he was lying about. |
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coralreefer_1
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Xuanzang wrote: |
| UknowsI wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
I only met women who worked for trade companies. Never guys so I didn't think the women were using it as a status symbol. Just to earn some money. Who knows. |
I think guys say this because something like 70% of businesses in Korea revolve around trade.
As a student in the International Trade department, I can tell you that most of these people will not be working in a trade company. Learning about the ins and outs of trade for most of these people is useless, because only the manager(s) of the company deal with that kind of stuff. I too have mostly met women who work for these companies, and that is because it is usually women who have the LANGUAGE skill, which is most important for positions that do not involve management or logistics of the business.
Most of the folks in my department, will end up with some job that will not require any of the material we study in the department. If they cant speak English, Chinese, or Japanese, they will not be working at a trade company unless they are well connected. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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| coralreefer_1 wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| UknowsI wrote: |
| Xuanzang wrote: |
| There are a lot of import/export companies here. I don't think that's a cover for being a male gigolo like fashion/design might be for the ladies. |
I took it more as both being majors which are considered not to require too much work but sound good and have a positive influence on your social status. |
I only met women who worked for trade companies. Never guys so I didn't think the women were using it as a status symbol. Just to earn some money. Who knows. |
I think guys say this because something like 70% of businesses in Korea revolve around trade.
As a student in the International Trade department, I can tell you that most of these people will not be working in a trade company. Learning about the ins and outs of trade for most of these people is useless, because only the manager(s) of the company deal with that kind of stuff. I too have mostly met women who work for these companies, and that is because it is usually women who have the LANGUAGE skill, which is most important for positions that do not involve management or logistics of the business.
Most of the folks in my department, will end up with some job that will not require any of the material we study in the department. If they cant speak English, Chinese, or Japanese, they will not be working at a trade company unless they are well connected. |
Yup. That's what I found because one was the secretary and the other was a Japanese major. I think she handled accounts regarding Japan and took trips out there. |
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jsk
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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I hear that fairly often from my adult students ("I work for a trading company") but I never inquire further.
Once, the topic of business travel came up and two students in my class talked about their experiences overseas. One worked for a very well known large company here in Korea and the other worked for a fashion company. Both of their employers pressured them to steal IP (trade secrets and clothing designs). Both of them no longer work for their respective companies and I can't say I blame them |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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Fashion design is the cover for a lame job the majority of the time, no job, or being a sex worker...
I'd say 30-50% of the women I meet in posh gangnam clubs are
.
And no, it's not an easy major....the few design students and workers I know work their ass off. Maybe some schools have an easy design major program, but I haven't heard of it. |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: "My major/job is trade." |
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| I'm no Picasso wrote: |
Is this the male version of "fashion design" in Korea or what?
What does that even mean?
Girls? How often do you get the "trade" thing out of Korean men, and sweet all else, information wise? Not that I bother asking any questions after "trade". Boring. |
I think you are correct about it being the male version of "fashion design," and once you get that answer from a guy, that's really all you need to know (avoid!). Big red flag.
I have met several girls who actually did work at trading companies though, including my current girlfriend, who is a native Chinese speaker but also fluent in Korean. I agree that it seems like most of the people who work at those companies are women, because in Korea, women are more likely to have foreign language skills than men.
Actually my girlfriend was laid off from that trading company a few months ago, but her boss still constantly bugs her and 부탁s her to help him correspond with factories in China, since he doesn't speak Chinese himself. Great idea buddy, lay off your only employee who can actually communicate with your suppliers. 
If it's a guy saying he works at a "trade company" though, and he won't tell you a little more detail about what he does, he's full of it. And besides, any guy with a "good" job here will tell you the name of his company (to impress you), not the industry. |
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mayorgc
Joined: 19 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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have you guys ever met any women who said that they were fashiondesign majors but it turned out that they were hookers?
I can imagine finding out they had crummy jobs, but did anybody ever find out they were talking to a pro? |
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