Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Busanjon]

I'm a relatively over-weight guy. We're talking like 260 lbs, 5'10". I'm prepared for some stares and weird looks, but what kind of ridicule can I expect in general? I've never really been put in a position where i had to react to judgements on my weight. I know Koreans can be brutally honest. Also, I've never had a problem with women (because I'm funny!) but Korean women?

[Slowmotion]

Let me be honest and blunt, name any country that likes fat people.

[Busanjon]

[hondaicivic]

[gogophoto]

There are plenty of fat people in this country; many of them foreigners, some of them Korean. Being fat won't help you, but it may not hurt. Understand, however, that a higher standard is placed upon appearance in this country and that Koreans can be very direct when talking about your appearance. If you don't have thick skin to cover the extra pounds you're packing, you shouldn't come here.

[Busanjon]

[BoholDiver]

You will have to more assertive with yourself. I have found it is harder to get respect from people who don't know you well. Same thing with being bald or having some sort of blemish.

Just my experience.

[garybliss123]

If someone finds it a massive problem, do you really want to be friends with them? Whatever happens, remember this culture is still quite backward in a lot of the ways they think. Just take it for what it is

[Radius]

Sorry OP but you WILL get made fun of behind your back and to your face. Kids hold no punches. Old men will stare at you on the street, too, and make disgusted faces at you.
I once walked with a coworker female friend of mine along the road and kids would literally point and stare and then laugh as we walked away. Construction workers stopped what they were doing to look at the spectacle. It was pretty embarrassing.
This is the God's honest truth, OP. I just wanted to give you the real deal if what I've witnessed. You will stand out 3 times more than if your were skinnier.

[Css]

[Drew10]

OP,

I'm about your size...well pretty much exactly your size.

My only problem is getting clothes and shoes that fit. I usually do my shopping in military towns because I can actually find clothes that fit. Shoes are another story.

Some people stare, but no more than when I was stationed here for the army and weighed 180. Some people may stare because of your weight, but most probably aren't staring because you're chubby.

As for meeting women...I can't help you there...I'm a married man, and my wife fell in love with a 180lb soldier, god bless her for still loving the 260lb manager he became.

I just don't see you having any major problems. Good luck.

[Css]

Yeah i pretty much rely on costco and online stores for clothes...No way in hell i can shop in regular korean stores.

[RMNC]

Do yourself a favor, even a double-favor and try to lose weight before you come over. You'll find clothes and shoes will fit better, you'll be treated better in general, you won't face as many harsh criticisms that Koreans love so much to make, and you won't feel so horribly gross in the humid Korean summers.

There ARE fat Koreans, but the number is insanely lower than in the West. As someone else in this thread brought up, image is everything, and I can't think of a country in the world that cares more about image than South Korea.

As far as Korean women go, they, generally, don't like fat guys. Less than in America, I feel. Fat guys I know have gotten 0 play from any women in Korea until they lost weight. One guy I knew got in shape and saw his prospects go from 0-to-60 once he did. Being funny won't help much in Korea, since you don't speak the language well enough to make jokes, and Korean humor is pretty... weird, to say the least. Stand-up comedy doesn't really exist and western self-degradation comedy and observational humor is sort of nonexistent. Most of the "comedians" that exist in Korea aren't the same kind of comedians we think of, but rather just people in show business that are funny. Most of the humor comes from making fun of others for social taboos. Yawn.

So if you're fat, and you don't speak the language, then the only thing you have going for you is if you're white. But being white won't be enough for most people to get any while overseas. Most Korean women I've talked to about fat foreigners say they would never date a fat white guy they couldn't talk to over a slim Korean man who they understand.

And yeah, you will be talked about behind your back. Kids are up-front, adults save face by gossiping. Still, the life of a fat man in Korea, I feel, is vastly different than a guy who is in-shape. Just my opinion.

[Sector7G]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

2 of my guy friends are pretty large. They've had some pretty Korean girlfriends.