Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Steelrails]

[Mr. BlackCat]

Obviously a poll like this is unscientific and not only is 'rudeness' culturally specific but we all have different definitions as well. For myself, I would define rudeness as making others around you uncomfortable for no good reason and only thinking of yourself while putting others in unncesscary duress. Based on that, I have to say Seoul is one of the rudest cities I have ever been in. It's all ME ME ME FIRST!!! shove shove, spit, shove, stand in a doorway talking on my phone, shove, shove shove, screaming loudspeakers, etc. Neighbours being unreasonably loud at all hours, cars driving on the sidewalk honking at pedestrians. At the same time, customer service goes above and beyond usually and once a Korean gets to know you they will generally be very polite.

Toronto may be the rudest Canadian city, but the fact that it's listed above any pick of a dozen American cities discredits the whole exercise, in my opinion. If you've been to Philly or DC or LA and then go to Toronto you'll feel relieved. And this isn't typical US bashing on the part of Canadian superiority. Many American cities are fine, much better than Toronto, but the ones I listed along with several others, are definitely not.

I was just in Toronto and while I was waiting for a bus more and more people showed up. After living in Korea for so many years I got ready to shove my way to the front when the bus came, but at that time everyone filed into a civil line and patiently boarded the bus. A young man immediately gave his seat to a middle aged woman and the driver waited for everyone to be safely on board and then proceded to not blindly re-enter traffic and even stopped at red lights. Amazing. Personally I find Montreal to be terrific. People are warm and friendly for the most part. I also didn't have a problem with Paris at all. I find people who do have a problem with these cities go more on stereotypes than reality. The French are rude, it's a given. Montreal isn't perfect, but I don't really see how it's any more rude than a similar sized city. To the poster who said that people who think Montreal isn't rude probably just found a girl one summer, I have to say in my experience people who did find it rude were the ones (usually from Toronto or the US) who visited over spring break, got angry that people spoke French, went to really bad cheesy clubs and got annoyingly drunk/high, got ignored by the girls and then spent the next day roaming Old Montreal hungover and complaining about how expensive it was.

[eamo]

Easy. Paris. By a long shot. Parisiennes hate tourists. Especially English-speaking ones. So their rudeness is a more pre-meditated, malevolent rudeness.

Seoulites, on the other hand, although they don't always observe basic manners, whether that be western manners or their own, do so in a much more oblivious way. People are so very rarely called out for their bad manners here. So people have got used to ignoring what they know is polite if it doesn't suit them, or they are in a rush, or if they think they are richer or more important than the next person.


But never, never make the mistake that manners are all cultural and relative. When Koreans are being bad-mannered, they know they are. Spitting on the sidewalk, smoking in peoples faces, talking too loudly on the phone, pushing into the elevator before others get out, not saying sorry when you bump into someone......etc.....all these things are well known by virtually all Koreans to be bad manners.

[Lastrova]

[Steelrails]

[enchoo]

I was given six different directions when asking locals. I was told to go to a restaurant to exchange money then they said sorry we don't do that. I exchanged money in an official location with 50% commission. I tapped on a man's shoulder to ask for directions and he was wiping his shoulder as if I put dust on it. Subways are $4 and buses are $2. I guess they never forget the American Revolution.

[goniff]

as the song says:

"Ain't no love in the heart of the city"

(my favourite version was Cafe Jacques)

[Junior]

Seoul doesn't seem to be as rude as it used to be. A few years back it was hardcore.. blatant barging, shoving, gobsmacking, rudeness. The death stares and constant allergic reactions to foreigners. The bald-faced xenephobia.

Now its a bit more chilled. Or maybe I just got used to it.

[allovertheplace]

why does Rio get roman numerals why everyone else has to settle for boring numbers?

Thus rio is the worst because they think they are special.

[Lastrova]

[earthquakez]

[Steelrails]

[Vagabundo]

[Vagabundo]

[WilliamThomas]

to be fair I live in London and havent dated someone English for like 3 years.. its all about the swedes and thankfully there are loads in London.