Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kozzlow]

I leave in about 36 hours.
My Mom's terrified. She saw all of the fighting on the news and now she wants me to stay. What I guess I want to know is whether Korea is dangerous. Something to reassure her. I've never lived away from home and I feel bad for her. I'm a little nervous but I think it will be a great experience and take a huge chunk off my loans. I'm not a teacher but I'm looking forward to coming. Sorry if someone's asked this question before. I can't use the search icon.

[kangnamdragon]

I walked right past a mob and 300 police officers today without any worries. I have always felt safe in Korea. There should be no problems for you. It is more dangerous to walk around any big city in North America.

[kozzlow]

Oh thanks. I've lived in a small town in Minnesota for my whole life so I guess everywhere seems a little more dangerous. Is it safe for girls ?

[kangnamdragon]

I don't feel qualified to answer that. It is probably safer than New York, but I'll defer to a female to answer the question. Are you female?

[desultude]

As a woman I feel much safer in Korea- no guns, for one thing.

Besides, I am bigger than most everyone here. I am sure that I scare them at times.

[the_beaver]

Keep your head screwed on straight and it's as safe as anywhere else. Even without your head screwed on straight it's not too likely you'll have a problem.

[rapier]

Korea. safest place I've ever felt, definitely.

[kozzlow]

Yes I am female Kangnamdragon.
Desultude, I'm unfortunately not that big.
I'm sure everything will be fine. My Mom got on the State Department website yesterday and read some warnings about how foreign women must take care in Korea. I don't think it will be a problem though.

[Snatch]

I almost had a fit one evening, about 23:00, when I saw a young woman walking alone.

Then I realised I was in Korea, not South Africa. In South Africa she would've been stabbed, raped, robbed, if not killed. A bit dramatic perhaps, but when people ask me what I like about Korea, "being safe" is one of the number one reasons.

Heck, in South Africa I had to constantly watch out for somebody coming up to me with a knife and demanding money. I've been held up at gunpoint, a close friend's mother has been highjacked, my girlfriend's house has been burgled. Many other stories as well.

Granted, I don't have any other frame of reference, but Korea is very, very safe in my opinion.

[kozzlow]

Thanks everyone for the reassurance. I feel better. The guy who helped me get the job lives in Seoul. I know him from back home. He said the same, told me to stop worrying. But I was never entirely sure of his intentions if you know what I mean.

[VanIslander]

Kozzlow,

Don't worry about the violence you see on T.V. about Korea. Koreans are openly emotional with their laughter and anger, especially compared to the Japanese. It's all bark, little bite.

Today I saw a Korean man and woman scream at each other, their faces inches away from each other. It turns out she and her family got on the wrong ferry boat, and were taken to an island known for its fine sandy beaches, rather than to the more-famous island known for over 750 varieties of planted trees. The married mother (adjumma) asserted her sterotypical bossy self in the face of the tour boat operator once they got back to the dock. The two got so angry with each other that I thought they were going to punch each other. I was horrified. But then I noticed that the local bystanders weren't worried. In the end they walked away from each other, stopping to turn and yell something more, before continuing along.

Koreans themselves have told me that Koreans are "hot blooded". What you saw on television is the extreme version of it. It looks worse than it is, in terms of social meaning.

And, foreigners have a privileged place in Korean society. Some people don't like foreigners but most Koreans are curious and, most importantly, everyone feels the social pressure to be hospitable. Rudeness by one Korean prompts another to step in and be extremely kind.

You can walk down a street and see two Korean men fighting, then they see you, stop fighting, you walk past them, look back, and as you turn the corner they start fighting again.
My students say they they are told by their parents to avoid us, or to always be nice to foreigners as guests in their country.

I've been here since the fall of 2002 and I am constantly amazed at how well I'm treated (except by taxi drivers) anywhere in the country.

I feel so safe that I don't even lock my doors at night. I know I should. Yes I should. I know theft happens here as anywhere. But I usually don't. I chastize myself sometimes for feeling so safe. Of course, I live in a smaller rural city, about an hour from Busan. I don't know if I'd feel so safe in Busan or Seoul. I should do as I always did back in Canada: lock your doors when you're not home, or while sleeping. I'm sure you will take those basic precautions.

Use your common sense and you should be okay. Don't be lulled into a sense of security.

Trust us: You will NOT live in constant fear here, though your parents back home might.

After all, social bonds of conformity and peer pressure are strong here, so much so that we foreigners often complain about the negative side of it; the positive side includes a degree of respect: it is of great SHAME to Koreans to present Korea in a negative light.

By the way, many strangers may ignore you like you don't exist, or stare at you unabashed, but once introduced, you are treated with great respect.

I do suggest you, as a woman, avoid wandering around late at night alone, since there's a lot of drunken Korean men stumbling around. I don't feel at all threatened. But I'm a tall man. As a short woman you will certainly use that common sense I am presently lacking.

Welcome to Korea!

And if you need any help just let us know here at Dave's.

Specific questions to the Q&A discussion board, work related topics to the job board, life aspects to the general board, and b.s. for b.s. sake to the Off-topic board.

And it'd be nice if you used the search command once in a while for those less pressing topics you wish to contribute to. Actually, you will find alot of useful info by using the search command. I have. (Check out threads for "newbies" as your kind is referred to around here)

Remember that there are as many positive as negative attitudes toward life here in the Land of the Morning Calm. Some posters have said they will stop posting because of the negativity of some (I soooo want to name names, but won't).

I recommend you spend your first three months with a good attitude, openness to differences, awareness that your judgments are themselves culturally biased, and with a willingness to go with the flow, in terms of work schedule changes at the last minute, and expectations to join staff for last-minute plans of dinner.

You are not in Kansas anymore. Don't expect it to be like back home.

We wish you well.

[Guest]

hah..yeah..snatch, I'm from south africa, couldn't believe it when i just forgot to lock my apartment door here overnight one time.

[just because]

Good answer VanIslander. Out of all the countries in the world I've been to (most of asia and Europe) I feel the safest here after Japan.

Just use your common sense and you'll be fine.

[Homer]

Like Rapier said dude...this place is definitively safe.

You should not overly worry about it. Also, don't always believe what you see on da tube...

Good luck man!

[Tony Danza's Houseguest]

OP: I'm from Duluth. Korea is at least as safe as Duluth.