Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kimiki]

to other female teachers: when you wear a new dress/pair of shoes etc do you find that it causes disproportionate interest amongst the women at your school? i should be used to this by now but no. on the contrary it has been causing me great irritation lately. just wondering if other teachers experience this too-- just constantly feeling like unbeknownst to me i'm on 'korea's next top foreign teacher model' or something like that. there's simply unwarranted attention and scrutiny paid to how i'm looking on a daily basis.

i'm certain that i'm not misunderstanding/being paranoid, in fact i have a tip off from a korean teacher who left the school a few months ago & i've remained friends with that it's probably even worse than i think. she told me that when i would walk out of the teachers' office one of our colleagues would check the label on my coat/sweater if i left something on my chair & report to others the brand and the size of said garment. (?!) also based on what she said i guess there's an ongoing and apparently nuanced and carefully considered debate on who is prettier, me or my predecessor.

obviously i have to just get over this as it's beyond my control but i'm wondering if anyone feels like sharing similar stories and or coping suggestions.... thanks.

[hapigokelli]

I've had a few comments on my clothes...where do they come from?, they are so cute...

More inappropriately, they like to comment on my chest size and my "s-curve body."

The only thing that irritates me is the occasional questions about why my boyfriend and I are not married, and yet living together.

[Perceptioncheck]

I know it's tough, but just try to ignore them.

If their lives are so petty, miserable and lacking in meaning that they get their thrills by talking about your clothes, it's their problem and not yours.

If anything, you should pity them.

[Radius]

[tanklor1]

[Radius]

tanklor i think you ragged on someone just recently about not using capital letters and other grammar nazi rules. when are you going to chill out about this? this place is an informal gathering for entertainment, it doesnt have to be so rigid all the time.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

[tanklor1]

[Bloopity Bloop]

Yeesh. Glad my predecessor was apparently "evil looking and super old"--my students words, not mine.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

[carpetdope]

[brento1138]

Haha. Interesting to hear from a girl's perspective. I think you take it a little too seriously. Maybe I've stopped noticing it since I've been here too long.

Koreans in general take a definite interest in your clothing, hairstyle, etc. Being a guy, I don't really get too concerned about what others say about my appearance... but this is what I got today... Today I was told that my hair is getting longer, and that I should cut it. My head teacher noticed my white shirt and kept saying how good I looked in it, and that I should wear white shirts more often. Every day, it's true, someone comments on my clothes, hair, or face. Almost every day I get the "your face looks good/bad" comment based on how much sleep I get! If I come to work unshaven, then everyone is commenting left, right, and center! Once or twice in the winter I've worn my beanie to work and it got a ton of comments (you look younger/better)... But the funniest one was "you look good in hip hop style" and the beanie I was wearing was totally NOT hip hop style at all. It was a tight fitting Olympics toque. And I never wear anything even vaguely hip hop. I would describe my style as smartly dressed (nothing baggy, dress shirt, dress pants, tie, Docs, jacket from Zara... nothing special but nothing remotely hip hop). Ahhh, Korea.

But meh, don't worry about it. That we are a spectacle to them is simply funny to me. It definitely is a change from home, but you gotta just giggle to yourself when that quirky Korean behavior comes out and say to yourself: "Ohhh, Korea!"

[Squire]

Koreans must think westerners are really touchy and uptight

[RMNC]

Korea is probably the most image-conscious society in the world as a whole. Maybe if people did research on it before they got on the plane there wouldn't be posts like this. Not to say that it's bad, just something that people should be aware of.

You wanna get ahead in Korean society? Look good. That's all there is to it. By looking good you obviously are dependable, trustworthy, smart, and you care about yourself and therefore everything else. Show up looking doughy and unkempt and you're in for a mediocre ride, at best.

Koreans only idolize good looking Americans. Ain't nobody in Korea looking up to Louie Anderson.

[methdxman]

The reason why America is going down the tube and that terrorists are winning the war on terror is because of posts like these.

We, along with other Western countries, are just big countries full of gigantic p******.

Just deal with it, Jesus. Wah, someone commented to my face about my appearance and clothes. I feel so violated. Oh shutup, grow a pair already.

I'd rather deal with comments about my clothes rather than fake ass people giving me small talk everyday like:

"Oh my god, really? Wow, you totally have to meet this guy, he's so cool, he's like the best person ever. Cool! I LOVELOVELOVE "How I Met Your Mother," too! That's fantastic! Wow! So Chad and Madison are coming over later for drinks so you should totally come, too. Mason, Logan and Parker can't make it tonight, because they're going to happy hour at this totally cool new bar."

How do people live in another country and not grow a thicker skin? It's really incredible.