Korean Job Discussion Forums

[AsiaESLbound]

I have a neighbor right on top of me that likes using a loud power tool late into the night just blasting me with power tool grinding, rattling, and hammering. He's doing some small business involving woodworking, but waiting until way too late at night to do his extra work on the side from about 9:30pm to 12, 1, or 2am. I have to get up at 7am myself so I'm down by 9 trying to wind down in hope of getting to sleep by 11. This is really wearing me down not being able to get some decent rest. I had a co-teacher write them a letter and phone the land lady, but nothing was ever done about it. I am talking about small apartments 15 feet by 30 feet in size with very thin concrete walls and floors; not houses.

Apparently the land lady doesn't care and the neighbors just slam doors in attempt to send a subtle message that is ignored which in turn creates more disturbances. This is keeping everyone up and noisily walking around, but trying to avoid conflict, because no one is directly confronting the problem. I'm talking about many neighbors that have to get up at 3, 4, or 5am for work tolerating this nonsense. They must be the tired, exhausted, and hurting working class for sure, but all neighbors tend to be the young who aren't going to college. I've lived in large high rise apartments and college dorms with high population density and never had such issues, because people normally quiet it down when it's bed time. You could get in trouble with the police and evicted if you refuse to be quiet at night. It was the hard rule of living in close quarters, but in Korea anything goes except direct violence and destruction of property.

What happened to common sense? I can't chalk up this blatant inconsiderate rudeness to cultural difference or any of this, "Oh, but you must under our culture," nonsense. He's only doing it, because no one cares out of avoiding conflict. I'm getting downright angry that I have to be subjected to this for his money. If he needs to build something in his spare time for his work or small business, he needs to rent or buy into a workshop. I'm a fighter; not a quitter or runner. I believe in correcting problems before abandoning a situation so this, "you should quit or leave," or, "I wouldn't give your problems to a monkey on a rock," doesn't give me any advice on how to proceed with plan D of sending a loud and clear message to my workshop neighbors right on top of me. Don't you just love having people on top of your damned head? I yearn for a house. Or a hanok as the Koreans call them.

[Goon-Yang]

Get a big loud speaker. Build a tower of furniture so the speaker is touching the roof. You could make a cardboard sound cone and muff the sound so it all goes up into his apt. When he complains...do nothing.

Play the music loud and often.

[milspecs]

you could try talking to him

[Troglodyte]

[nomad-ish]

[Senior]

Seriously, I wouldn't give your troubles to a monkey on a rock.

[The Gipkik]

Get the landlady on your side somehow. Give her a gift or something to make her want to take good care of you. My landlord is a super nice guy and takes care of all my problems. The other night, my neighbor above me was hammering away at close to 11 pm. Not late, but it got on my nerves after a while. I took a pot and starting hammering on the ceiling. It stopped and my above neighbor has been nice and quiet. If the noise is bothering you every night call the cops. You've got nothing to lose.

In Japan, I had a neighbor who shouted and yelled all night until 4 am. I jumped over onto their balcony banged on their balcony door, banged on the wall, banged on the front door, scared the shampoo out of them. They called the cops; they came, I told them the situation, they apologized, but told me it was the Japanese way. However, the next day, my neighbors moved out and I never heard from them again. I have no problem going to war if it is serious enough and chronic enough and I am very stubborn. I would be hammering and bothering that idiot daily if my landlord didn't take care of the problem. I'd be bothering him so much that he'd call the cops. My sleep is precious to me.

[carleverson]

Talk to the guy.

Thread over.

[Skippy]

Many places have an outside power box. If you can get access to it. Flip it off. Make sure to run back to your apartment quickly.

[orosee]

Complain to a guy who might be holding a power tool? Sounds risky. But I feel for you OP, in my first months in Korea I lived underneath a labour union guy who had a small printing press in his room and ran it almost every night from 11pm to 3am. It sounded exactly like what a young couple does on their honeymoon and I was wondering for a few weeks about the frequency, rhythm and stamina of "the guy".

Problem solved by moving out; coincidentally the guy had moved out a few days before me and the landlady wanted me to take his room so that's how I finally got a look inside. The place was a mess and the living room contained only two items: the printing press (nice piece) and a 1 liter metal can full of cigarette butts.

[kiknkorea]

Maybe he's using the kind of power tools that are meant for night use.

But seriously, like others said you need to talk to the guy. If he's bothering everyone else in the building, get together with your neighbors and complain to the landlady.

[AsiaESLbound]

I forgot to mention one month ago I had my co-teacher write up a notice that quiet hours are from 10pm to 7am which was delivered to my land lady, all 11 of my neighbors, and posted on the front glass entry door which is still there. She also gave my land lady a call at that time who just simply agreed to everything she said. Despite already having these talks and sending out and posting a public notice, nothing is being done to remedy the problem. It worked for 1 week and then things went back to business as usual. There should be no reason for me to be at his door trying to talk sense into him at 11:30 at night. I know I lack the ability to have this conversation in Korean and English won't be taken seriously if understood any at all. I would look silly trying to talk to this guy.

My co-teachers want to move me, but the boss says no to that one.

It's probably a bad idea to fight noise with noise to the point the police show up, because I will probably lose when this neighbor lies to the police and I have no representation or ability to fully explain the situation. You can bet the Koreans are going to lie before suffering embarrassment of the truth. You can also guarantee my best interests are their lowest priority in any situation. Well, I already found out fighting a disturbance with a disturbance is simply ignored when I yelled and pounded on the ceiling a few times.

I considered visiting the police chief as I found out he is the only one on our force that can speak English. My co-teacher said not to get the police involved as it wouldn't be in my favor should they act upon the situation.

[Quack Addict]

[milspecs]

is everyone on Daves passive aggressive?

just talk to him. clearly leaving notes isnt working and your landlord doesnt care.

[Quack Addict]