Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

I just watched Ironman 2 tonight, and I was surrounded on three sides by people with poor movie etiquette: behind me was two women who talked repeatedly, to the left was a woman who checked her phone several times, and to the right was a guy who also checked his phone several times and talked to his girlfriend, also several times. I asked the woman behind me to stop talking (politely), but since I've forgotten the verb for "turn off" in Korean, all I could do to the cell phone people was gesture with my hand. In all cases but one, they stopped (the couple on my right continued to chat ).

I enjoy going to the movie theatre, but everytime I do I also dread it a little because these things are a consistent problem. As it was at its worst tonight, I'm interested in what others do when people lack movie theatre etiquette.

[pkang0202]

[lukas]

I have been to a few theaters in Korea, and it wasn't that bad compared to back in the states (i.e. New Jersey). It may have been that the audience was not as entertained since Iron Man 1 was waaaaay more action packed, and I found myself a little bored during the sequel. However, I wasn't expecting much from a superhero movie

[Senior]

Korean movie theaters are great. Never had a problem.

[Forward Observer]

The first time I was in Korea (mid to late 90's), this happened just about every time I went to the theatres. However the second time around, (07-10) - the opposite. Never had a problem, and I went to about 30 movies a year in Korea.

[Depths of My Soul]

Solution; Take a date and then you don't have to bother too much about the mooovie!

[oskinny1]

I rarely make it through a movie where someone's phone doesn't ring and then go ahead and answer it!

"Yobosaiyo!? 네! 네!"

I have yelled "dokcha" or "ipmaga" a few times and before the time the movie is finished the person has hightailed it out of there.

[itaewonguy]

had a guy kicking the back of my chair 10 years ago watching the beach..

I was getting pissed, he did it again, so I just got up and turn around and leaned over right up into his face and said in english..

"Stop kicking my beautiful chair " UNDERSTAND!!!!!

that worked... the korean girl I was with was shocked.. but after the movie thought I was cooler than Dicaprio hahaha

otherwise never really had problems.. I try to avoid the crowds now, so if the movie is just being released I don't go on Weekends.. I try to hit the late screening on weekdays... I hate crowds!

[LikeFrostOnRoads]

What do I do? Pull out my nine and bust a couple caps. Or sometimes I just yell "Fire!" Anything to clear the room, really.

[uklathemock]

I gave up watching movies here. The theaters are too hot in the winter and too hot and humid in the summer.

[atwood]

Just happened to me yesterday. The girl answered the phone and then began talking. The person in front of her turned around but she kept talking so I spoke up. She stopped talking but then decided to send a text message which got an older Korean man to speak up.

As for checking their phones for messages this is pretty much a constant. Younger Koreans have a very short attention span, although that's probably a universal these days.

What's become annoying is the 10 to 15 minutes of commercials preceding every movie, especially since they turn the volume way, way up.

[Senior]

[garygoodbloke]

Just to keep it in perspective, I never found this a problem in Korea. Although, I now live in Sydney and I'm constantly pissed off by people who talk, check phones or carry on during a movie.

Recently it was while I was watching Avatar on George St. (centre of Sydney) which means the cinema was predominantly Asian. Across the isle a group of (I think) Chinese youths were checking phones, chatting and jumping around in their chairs. I finally asked them to shut up (politely) but it pisses me off.

Although, I'd say it's more a youth and current social thing as opposed to cultural. In Randwick at an old style traditional cinema, I was waiting for the doors to open with my mum and sister. There were a bunch of teenagers sitting around making a lot of noise, I could see everyone around me was thinking the same thing. Eventually I said: "You're going to be quiet during the movie, right?" in as booming a voice as I could muster. They said they would be, and they kept their word, which was a relief.

Cinemas are about immersing yourself in the story. So when someone checks their phone or starts chatting, it pulls you out of the story and destroys the enjoyment.

As a previous poster said, go during the week if possible or go with a date on the weekend and you'll be less worried about it.

[coralreefer_1]

What do I do? I deal with it the same way I deal with all of the other things in daily life that annoy me. I chalk it up to being a drawback to not living on a deserted island with a volleyball as a friend, and ignore as best as I can.

People suck..that is just the way it is.

[ACT III]

Am I the only one that thinks movie theaters are weird? You're in a dark room with a bunch of strangers and you're not suppose to talk, interact, or be active in any sort of way besides eating. You veg out for two hours and after paying a sizable amount for the pleasure usually end up forgetting or complaining about the film.

Maybe people being a little noisy in the theater is a form of rebellion. And really there's nothing you can do besides oppress them in one way or another.

Hmm. After reading the above Ive decided I had too much wine.