Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Junior]

One thing I've always liked about this country is the pace of change.
Some differences are even noticeable within the past 6 months i think.
What do you think?

On and off I've been here 8 years, and here are some of the changes I've noticed:

Clothes: It used to be that korean men all seemed to wear the same shirt, jacket and smart shoes. Nowadays they're decked out in more casual stuff: T-shirts, sneakers and so on. More colourful. The young women are getting away with shorter skirts.

Hairstyles The variety has increased. It used to be identical neat bowl-cuts graded at the sides for the men. Nowadays you see guys with long hair more. The women seem to be dyeing their hair a bit more.

Stares Have definitely decreased in the Seoul area at least. I used to feel like a celebrity or alien walking around. Much less obvious now.

Number of foreigners Has obviously mushroomed over the past 2 years. It used to be case of walking in Seoul all day without seeing another wehgook.

Womens place in society has changed somewhat. Even 8 years ago all they did was marry a salary man and often endure domestic abuse. Nowadays they're more likely to put off marriage as long as possible, travel, own their own appartments away from their parents, and get a better job...and even continue working after childbirth.

Infrastructure has increased relentlessly and endlessly. In fact I'd say they have overshot the cut-off point and should have begun to focus more on societal reforms rather than building projects years back.

Employment for foreigners has diversified a bit. Used to be that absolutely everyone was employed in abusive hogwons: the foreign community was a hate-fest. Nowadays there are more variety fo jobs (although still mainly teaching) and the workplace abuses seem to have lessened.

Smoking They've begun to promote anti-smoking policies and campaigns. used to be that absolutely every male smoked. Not so much now. And women can be seen smoking a little more openly than before.

Anti-Americanism Has mostly vanished over the years. It used to be pretty hardcore.

[Konglishman]

Music: The Wonder Girls have stopped making new songs.

[Who's Your Daddy?]

Coffee shops on every corner.

[T-J]

Tanning Salons Tanning was popular in the early / mid nineties. 신촌 / 이대 were chock full of 'em.

[SeoulNate]

I havent been here too terribly long, 5 years in total from my first go-round but i seem to have noticed the Korean youth getting taller, and fatter.

[HapKi]

Electric carts I see more of them electric carts/wheelchairs for the elderly puttering by on the side of the road.

[ticktocktocktick]

I've noticed the selection at Paris Baguette is getting better. I don't think it's down to becoming accustomed to Korean style baked goods either.

[Steelrails]

Hand Sanitizer

[Joe Boxer]

Tattoos - aren't just for gangsters anymore.

Game Systems - when I first came here (almost ten years ago) there were no Nintendos, Segas, or anything like that. Kids only played computer games. Now tons of kids have Wii, etc.

Boobs - Korean girls' boobs have been steadily getting bigger.

Dave's - you could freely discuss religion and even question authority(!) without fear of being banned.

[cassimira]

Definitely agree that korean youth are getting fatter. When i was first here 4 years ago (at 20 ponds less than my current weight), I felt gargantuan and clodlike around all the slender Koreans. Now, it seems like every single class I teach has at least one SERIOUSLY obese child, and often the parents are fairly large as well. Perhaps due to a shift away from a traditional diet?

[Ukon]

[T-J]

Bowling alleys were popular and plentiful. No PC Bangs at that time.

Phone booths were everywhere and usually had a line of people checking their beeper while they waited. No cell phones.

[Junior]

[BoholDiver]

Agree with K girls having bigger knockers and everyone getting taller and fatter.

I noticed it has become more chain-oriented. A lot less Mom and Pop shops exist than before and there are more and more of the same 10 shops. Family Mart, 7-Eleven, Paris Baguette, etc.

[Waluigi]