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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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 Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:37 am Post subject: Seoul voted the World's 6th Rudest City |
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-According to MSN..)
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6. Seoul
A dichotomy exists in Seoul that foreigners may find confusing. On the one hand, customer service is absolutely stellar. Every morning, the first customers to walk through shopping centres and retail shops are greeted by rows of sales associates who bow to you as you enter. Business cards are handed over with two hands, in a show of respect and deference.
On the other hand, drivers in Seoul have no mercy, going through red lights, ploughing down pedestrians at marked stops and screeching through the city with a lead foot. Nor do Koreans have qualms about asking strangers personal questions - a cultural norm that can often be mistaken for being rude and nosey. Subtlety is not a Korean forte, as foreigners may also find themselves being gawked at. Like the cuisine, garlicky and fiery hot, the Korean temperament can come on a bit strong. |
http://travel.uk.msn.com/inspiration/romantic/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=154851758&page=6
The full top ten is as follows:
1) Paris
2) Milan
3) London
4) Toronto
5) New York
6) Seoul
7) Hong Kong
Viii) Rio de Janeiro
9) Moscow
10) Mumbai |
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goniff
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:58 am Post subject: |
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well...I'll bet most koreans don't think so...
but since "rudeness" is pretty much a matter of cultural subjectivity
I'd say it's hard to go past the swiss and australians (anywhere)
just my impression |
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toonchoon
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:02 am Post subject: |
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these are all million+ population cities. i've been to 5 of the 10 on the list, and to be honest, they are just all big cities, with people going about their business. wouldn't say people are "rude". when it comes to Koreans, it's their culture that dictates how they communicate with people they don't know, and there's nothing wrong with how they do that.
and yes, the Swiss seemed really rude, more so than the Parisians. |
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lille
Joined: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Toronto's #4?! Where people grin sheepishly at one another as they pass each other on the sidewalk? How?
Edit: ... Because Torontonians walk quickly? Sheesh, at least they don't bodycheck you like Seoulites do.
This article's total bunk. "Parisians are snobby!" Breaking news. |
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Stalin84
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Location: Haebangchon, Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:15 am Post subject: |
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| Many tourists in Milan are the victim of a condescending once-over that makes them feel as if the Gap shorts they picked up on sale are not so much so last year as so no year at all, a feeling that can easily descend into a total, annihilating sense of insignificance |
I don't know anything about Milan but this sums up how I felt when I was in Toronto. I dress pretty well and am in good shape but I don't dress like a "Torontonian" for sure and felt like I was being visually picked apart the entire time I was there. Toronto doesn't hold a candle to Montreal, though. Montreal is a freaking rude city in the same way that Paris is. I only spent a short while in Montreal yet I have an almost pathological hatred towards French culture.
I don't find Seoul to be particularly rude at all. I get ignored 95% of the time and the other 5% people are polite, albeit there are some stares and personal questions. I found Tokyo and Japan in general to be much more rude than Seoul/Korea. It's just the sort of rude that you have to be paying attention in order to notice.
My list:
1. Montreal
2. Toronto
3. Tokyo
4. Shanghai
5. Seoul |
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Hugo85
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:20 am Post subject: |
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| MSN's article on world's rudest cities came on top of a poll on world's [Mod Edit] articles. |
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ESL Milk "Everyday
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| I haven't been to Paris or Milan (Milan sounds the worst), but I gotta say London really sucks. Who would have thought that asking a storeowner for change for the bus was a senseless, tasteless, godawful crime against humanity? |
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dyc
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Location: Vancouver
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:43 am Post subject: |
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People need to learn to open up (re: the personal questions thing). The questions that seem "personal" to us are most likely common questions amongst Koreans.
Obviously, like other posters mentioned, this is a very culturally subjective article. |
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ESL Milk "Everyday
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:47 am Post subject: |
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| Stalin84 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Many tourists in Milan are the victim of a condescending once-over that makes them feel as if the Gap shorts they picked up on sale are not so much so last year as so no year at all, a feeling that can easily descend into a total, annihilating sense of insignificance |
I don't know anything about Milan but this sums up how I felt when I was in Toronto. |
Maybe, but then you can just fire back with an 'uhhhh... you do know that this is Toronto, not freakin' Milan?' Basically, when people in Toronto start to resemble the people in Milan, then they can act like they're the beautiful people, but until they manage that (which they won't), Toronto will always only be the fake New York. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| Stalin84 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Many tourists in Milan are the victim of a condescending once-over that makes them feel as if the Gap shorts they picked up on sale are not so much so last year as so no year at all, a feeling that can easily descend into a total, annihilating sense of insignificance |
I don't know anything about Milan but this sums up how I felt when I was in Toronto. I dress pretty well and am in good shape but I don't dress like a "Torontonian" for sure and felt like I was being visually picked apart the entire time I was there. Toronto doesn't hold a candle to Montreal, though. Montreal is a freaking rude city in the same way that Paris is. I only spent a short while in Montreal yet I have an almost pathological hatred towards French culture.
I don't find Seoul to be particularly rude at all. I get ignored 95% of the time and the other 5% people are polite, albeit there are some stares and personal questions. I found Tokyo and Japan in general to be much more rude than Seoul/Korea. It's just the sort of rude that you have to be paying attention in order to notice.
My list:
1. Montreal
2. Toronto
3. Tokyo
4. Shanghai
5. Seoul |
Didn't make it out of the tourist trap that is Old Montreal, I take it? |
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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| By the list of cities chosen, I think it would be a compliment to make this list. |
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Landros
Joined: 19 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject: goal |
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| add to the rudeness. let's shoot for number 1 next year!!! |
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chellovek
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: goal |
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| Landros wrote: |
| add to the rudeness. let's shoot for number 1 next year!!! |
Hahaha that cheered me up no end.
...
I find people in London/SE England to be quite rude. |
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rainman3277
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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| the author of that article is korean which makes sense because anyone who lived in seoul and thinks seoulites are less rude than toronto or new york people is blind. obvios biased author. and in fact i do believe think t.o. and nyers are rude, but they are students to the korean teachers of rudness |
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tealeeds1
Joined: 08 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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1. London
2. London
3. London
4. London
5. London
6. London
7. London
8. London
9 = London
9 = Paris
never ask for directions in london. never ask for change. never ask for your photo to be taken. never ask about student discount. never ask what admission price is. never say 'excuse me, please' if someone is stood in your way. never ask if the seat next to someone on a bus is free. and before you get on the bus, never ask what bus to take, let alone when it might come.... never verbally interact with a person you dont know in london, no matter how good your intentions.
unless of course, you are a lowlife degenerate with some bloody cheek to interrupt a londoners busy lifestyle for even 30 seconds. then you can, but you will be treated as such. |
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