Korean Job Discussion Forums

[patapata]

You know what I'm talking about...the "we don't get too many of your kind around here" stare that differs a little bit in every country. Just to name a few from my own experience: Japan-- the aversion stare (averting the eyes as soon as the stare-er is noticed by the stare-ee) and China-- the openly surprised stare and grin.

So here's a thread devoted to all those interesting stares out there. What kinds of stares have you gotten, both inside and outside of Korea?

What is the most unusual/unexpected "stare" that you've come across?

[nautilus]

[RMNC]

"When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back into you"

[AsiaESLbound]

Could you imagine if you never seen a foreigner? You might think. "OMG, what does this mean? Full on double living foreigner dropping out of the sky. OMG, What does this mean? Why this now? " And then you question your existence and place in the world. Talk about culture shock in your own country!

[curiousaboutkorea]

In Vietnam, in more out-of-the-way places, or on the highway from another passing bus, i got an interesting one. It was one as if they had just seen space aliens. Jaw literally hanging, eyes wide open, complete, motionless shock.

[Steelrails]

Foreigners stare as much at foreigners as Koreans do, if not more.

I know in my town if some the second a non-local foreigner walks by they draw tons of stares from us as we try to figure out who they are.

"Is it a new teacher? We're we supposed to get a new teacher? Maybe there's a new Hagwon opening up, quick call our token foreign hagwon worker friend"

"Maybe they're married to a local, see a kid? No? Maybe they're lost backpackers? Maybe they're Russian? Maybe they're AWOL soldiers? Maybe they're from the next town over...I hate those guys....buncha jerks"

Meanwhile all the Koreans are like "hmph, another random foreigner" and move on with their lives.

[NYC_Gal]

That's cute. I either smile and nod my head at foreigners or just keep on walking.

Koreans have had foreigners here for ages. We aren't something new.

[Louis VI]

The OMG-What-Is-In-The-Supermarket-Basket stare.
The What-a-Crotch! stare.
and the Open-Your-Mouth-And-Point stare.

[namerae]

I just saw a random foreigner on the street here but found it rude to stare or say hello. Is this unusual? It's my third day here.

[Junior]

[misher]

I don't find the staring to be that bad at all. At least I don't notice it. I actually think Koreans are indifferent now. Well at least in Seoul anyways.

If I'm with my girlfriend and not in Kangnam, Shinchon, Hongdae or Itaewon, then it is a completely different story and this isn't just something that is in my head either.

[nfld_chingu]

Most of the stares I get are from really young kids, like at E-Mart usually. I think they are really cute though, their mouths just drop open and a lot of the time they will say "wae-gook saram!" I talk to them in Korean sometimes, which really surprises them and the parents don't seem to mind.
Usually adults don't stare at me, unless I am with my Korean bf ... maybe they are surprised, although I see more and more couples lately of Korean man + foreign woman, but I guess it is still somewhat rare, compared to the Korean woman + foreign man couples.

[curiousaboutkorea]

[nfld_chingu]

[Steelrails]