Korean Job Discussion Forums

jonpurdy · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Location: Ulsan

I was wondering if anyone else noticed a peculiar behaviour pattern regarding old people (above 50 or so) and their use of elevators. I live in an office-tel that is at the top of a building that also has a medical center and a singing room for old people (콜라택, or something like that).

I've noticed that the old people don't seem to know how to use elevators here. For example, when traveling from my floor (8F) to the parking lot (B2) the elevator will stop at 1F and old people will get on. They will then press the 5F button and be confused as the elevator descends downwards to B2. ("뭐? 지하 가자?" and other such statements. When traveling upwards from B2 to 8F, it will stop at 1F and old people will get on, then be confused that it's going up and not down (to B1-3).

I asked my GF about it and she said that they probably press both the up and down buttons at the same time when waiting for the elevator. I asked why but she didn't really know. It's certainly not faster to press both buttons, especially since the elevator will make two stops at that floor instead of one. This slows everything down.

Any theories as to why they would do this? Similar experiences? Reason why? I've been living in this building for eight months and haven't figured it out.

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

Most geezers here think, in order to call the elevator down from above, they should press the down button, even if they intend to travel upwards.
In your case, the elevator came down to them, but they wanted to go back up. So, they were confused as the elevator continued down.

It has it's own special logic, and they never learn. I see it every single day.

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

This article is quite revealing on the issue.

Importing technology without ethics by KIM SEONG-KON

http://www.koreaherald.com/opinion/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20090701000117

By the way, I recommend his other perspective pieces are they are quite enlightening at times. He has a weekly column in the Korea Herald and his past pieces can be found there.

mimis · Joined: 24 May 2009

^ Excellent article.

Murakano · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

jonpurdy · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Location: Ulsan

BoholDiver · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada

Kim Seong-Kon is known as 'nutcase' at my old academy. He makes some good points in his articles but then usually loses his audience in his last article.

He talked about Korean 'pure blood' and compared it to Pol Pot. Hmmm.

He's in the paper every Wednesday.

VanIslander · Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 12:52 am Post subject:

That Korean has excellent insight into his own culture.

BoholDiver · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada

True. I don't know if ethics is the word to relate to elevators. Maybe manners.

BringTheRain · Joined: 26 Apr 2010

They are old. Take the stairs for a few decades then you'll be set after they die off.

crossmr · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul

I routinely saw young and old get on the wrong way back home. Some people think that if the elevator seems to be taking too long you should push both directions just to catch it and once you're on that will somehow make the process faster.
Ever get on an elevator with a couple people and when the floor stops 1 or 2 up and they give each other a look?
they got tired of waiting and now the elevator is stopping for their other button push.

I've seen people walk up and push both without waiting and get on regardless of the direction.

I was wondering if anyone else noticed a peculiar behaviour pattern with users here. They see something they've apparently never experienced before in their life and feel is a failing so they assume it must be a character flaw unique to Koreans.

BoholDiver · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada

If I am going up to a high floor, I will get on the elevator even though it is going down. That way, I am guaranteed a spot. More than a few times, I see a huge crowd and think 'I'll take the next one'.

Due to a mulitutde of reasons, the next elevator takes a long time (5+ minutes sometimes) and by that time, another crowd has formed. Sure I am young and healthy, but I don't feel like hiking up 6+ floors of a building.

One thing that makes me laugh are those elevators that the button will turn off if you press it twice. I saw some twit push his way on rudely then rap on the button more than a few times. It must have been an odd number. He wanted 5 and I wanted 8. When the elevator passed the 5th floor, he looked confused and then angry at me. I noticed what he had done, but b/c of his crap manners, I didn't feel like telling him or pressing it one more time for him.