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sluggo832004
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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 Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:40 pm Post subject: Is it a requirement for ESL teachers to blog and make vlogs? |
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It seems like every person who teachers ESL in Korea blogs. lol Im online looking at Korean websites and I come across tons of blogs.
They bring video cameras in the streets, restaurants, and even at bars.
I could only imagine what it must look like to see a bunch of foreigners walking around talking into their camera. lol
Anybody here blog? LOL |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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The worst ones are by teachers who've been in Korea for about 2 weeks who claim they can give "advice" to everyone. SURE you can. How about unpacking from your flight and getting your ARC, first, and then you can tell everyone else how to live in Korea.
BTW, if it's personal, no one really cares. But to put it on youtube and post links all over the web? Bring something new to the table, people.
Originality? Never.
They all cover the same "topics"-
Eating live octopus
Eating sumgyeopsal
Here's my apartment
riding the subway
visiting Itaewon
visiting Insadong
visiting MyeongDong
visiting Seoul Tower
walking from their apartment to their school and back
snowy day in Seoul
Sometimes they cross topics-
Eating live octopus while visiting Itaewon
A snowy day while visiting MyeongDong
But it's still the same blah, blah, blah. It's all been done and covered.
They always use the same background music, too. "The Time of Your Life" by Green Day has been so overused, it's ridiculous. Find something original, people. |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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One more thing, if you want to "review" restaurants, at least know something about how to review restaurants. Can't some of you at least read a book or take a class about how to review a restaurant or bar before launching a food blog? There's more to it than taking pictures and loving everything about every single restaurant. Learn what to look for before reviewing restaurants and bars.
Don't claim a bar is "great" because it has cold beer. That should be a given. Every bar has drink specials. You don't give a place 5 stars because Monday night is chicken wing night. Every bar has different food specials. And don't praise a restaurant because "everyone smiles when I'm there." If you are a well-known food critic they will always be extra nice to you. Look for things that are more important. |
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kardisa
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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| But it's still the same blah, blah, blah. It's all been done and covered. |
Of course it's the same. Most of us aren't blogging for our personal well being - we've been asked to do it by our friends and families back home. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but the majority of them don't want to read original, well-written posts about Korean culture, politics, or work environment. They just want to see lots of photos and hear about the more exotic aspects of our life here. |
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oldtactics
Joined: 18 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| kardisa wrote: |
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| But it's still the same blah, blah, blah. It's all been done and covered. |
Of course it's the same. Most of us aren't blogging for our personal well being - we've been asked to do it by our friends and families back home. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but the majority of them don't want to read original, well-written posts about Korean culture, politics, or work environment. They just want to see lots of photos and hear about the more exotic aspects of our life here. |
Exactly - OP, are the blogs hurting you? I learned a lot from them before I came to Korea, and I've learned about new places to visit since I arrived. Most of our families have requested photos and updates about our time here. I don't think bloggers should have to apologize for wanting to write about their experiences, even if they're the same experiences as everyone else. |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
One more thing, if you want to "review" restaurants, at least know something about how to review restaurants. Can't some of you at least read a book or take a class about how to review a restaurant or bar before launching a food blog? There's more to it than taking pictures and loving everything about every single restaurant. Learn what to look for before reviewing restaurants and bars.
Don't claim a bar is "great" because it has cold beer. That should be a given. Every bar has drink specials. You don't give a place 5 stars because Monday night is chicken wing night. Every bar has different food specials. And don't praise a restaurant because "everyone smiles when I'm there." If you are a well-known food critic they will always be extra nice to you. Look for things that are more important. |
This is my problem with the magazines like Groove and Ten. ALL of the reviews they write are positive. They must waltz into restaurants like "Hi there, we're from Groove magazine and we're here to do a review of your restaurant. Could you serve us your food the way it's normally like?" |
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Joe Boxer
Joined: 25 Dec 2007
Location: Bundang, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| redaxe wrote: |
| sojusucks wrote: |
One more thing, if you want to "review" restaurants, at least know something about how to review restaurants. Can't some of you at least read a book or take a class about how to review a restaurant or bar before launching a food blog? There's more to it than taking pictures and loving everything about every single restaurant. Learn what to look for before reviewing restaurants and bars.
Don't claim a bar is "great" because it has cold beer. That should be a given. Every bar has drink specials. You don't give a place 5 stars because Monday night is chicken wing night. Every bar has different food specials. And don't praise a restaurant because "everyone smiles when I'm there." If you are a well-known food critic they will always be extra nice to you. Look for things that are more important. |
This is my problem with the magazines like Groove and Ten. ALL of the reviews they write are positive. They must waltz into restaurants like "Hi there, we're from Groove magazine and we're here to do a review of your restaurant. Could you serve us your food the way it's normally like?" |
Given lible laws, I honestly don't know if it would be legal to give bad reviews for a restaurant in Korea. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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I only ever read Ten / Seoul scene etc for a laugh over the glibly positive reviews or the wanna be travel writers waxing cloyingly lyrical over things like cutting up meat with scissors and having some kind of soul orgasm over it or the cliche ridden over earnest attempts at reviews.
The sheer amateurism of it fills me with revulsion. The 'Stark View' thing in the Seoul Scene or whatever it's called is about the only thing I've ever read that I can honestly say the writer had a right to publish without needing to go spend ten years flagelating themselves in a remote monestary over.
I am a cynical bastard however.
I kinda like the 'idiots tale' blog just because he really isn't out to impress anyone whatsoever and has been here long enough that you know he's not going to be having a soul orgasm over anything mundane. It sometiems p's me off the way he makes fun of the Mother of his kids but then I'm not married to her lol...
That said I can remember my first year here and the maudlin Enid Blightonesque adjective littered letters I'd write my folks 'I'm eating beef with wild mountain mushrooms out of a hot stone pot and earlier I drank a cup of milky rice wine at the top of a mountain as the sun broke through the clouds, by a stream with a wizened old man whom seemed as though a shaman of my soul and the city below looks like a computer's motherboard and do we run it or does it run us!' etc, so whatver... |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| and the city below looks like a computer's motherboard and do we run it or does it run us!' etc, so whatver... |
heavy, man, so heavy. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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Just having some fun.
I respect anyone's right to practice and these zines are the garage band jams for writers.
Last edited by Hotwire on Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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waynehead
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Location: Jongno
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Yup, they're all pretty insipid and repetitive, mine is no exception which is why i haven't updated it in forever...oh, and i'm hella lazy. |
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sluggo832004
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| oldtactics wrote: |
| kardisa wrote: |
| Quote: |
| But it's still the same blah, blah, blah. It's all been done and covered. |
Of course it's the same. Most of us aren't blogging for our personal well being - we've been asked to do it by our friends and families back home. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but the majority of them don't want to read original, well-written posts about Korean culture, politics, or work environment. They just want to see lots of photos and hear about the more exotic aspects of our life here. |
Exactly - OP, are the blogs hurting you? I learned a lot from them before I came to Korea, and I've learned about new places to visit since I arrived. Most of our families have requested photos and updates about our time here. I don't think bloggers should have to apologize for wanting to write about their experiences, even if they're the same experiences as everyone else. |
Of course they are not hurting me. I never said I had anything against them. I just want to know who blogs and why do so many esl teachers blog. Thats all. |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
Originality? Never.
They all cover the same "topics"-
Eating live octopus
Eating sumgyeopsal
Here's my apartment
riding the subway
visiting Itaewon
visiting Insadong
visiting MyeongDong
visiting Seoul Tower
walking from their apartment to their school and back
snowy day in Seoul
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+1. I've only met a small handful of foreigners that ate dog. And even less that bothered to try Hongo (Can't type Korean on this computer). It's that fish that tastes like a bottle of alcohol. It's a bit hard to find. It's got an interesting taste though and after awhile it grows on you. I grab some every month or so. Relatively expensive compared to even dog.
But part of the problem is foreigners only hang around foreigners. Except when they're screwing a Korean girl. Even then they're still spending all their time hanging around other foreigners in the most foreign place in Korea, Itaewon. So it makes sense that the only they've got to blog about is the top 10 places you find in guide books about Korea
I never understood why people who say they came here to see asia, spend all their time hanging around Itaewon. Go figure.. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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I call naievety and hypocracy at those bloggers that say theyre only for their friends and family...
Then why not make them secure and only available to your friends and family?
It's like that RYAN guy that did the vids...
After he caught some flack on this board he actually posted a vid saying something like 'oh and to all those haters on esl cafe, if you don't like my vids, don't watch em, they're mostly for my family and friends...'
Dude, make them so random people can't see them and then comment on them then! Lolzers.
Last edited by Hotwire on Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| winterfall wrote: |
+1. I've only met a small handful of foreigners that ate dog. And even less that bothered to try Hongo (Can't type Korean on this computer). It's that fish that tastes like a bottle of alcohol. It's a bit hard to find. It's got an interesting taste though and after awhile it grows on you. I grab some every month or so. Relatively expensive compared to even dog. |
I tried that stuff once. It tastes like crunchy raw fish but it smells like ammonia and burns your nostrils. Very strange sensation. It goes well with pork and gochujang though. My coworkers told me "it smells terrible, but you will think about that taste later and you will want to eat it again." |
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