Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

Several of my students have told me they have seen non-governmental reports online which state that the radiation levels in Korea will continue to increase as the weather warms. Apparently this same air current which brought trace amounts will only become more active as the ocean heats up.

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

[itistime]

You lost me at -

"Students told me......"

I don't even believe what most adult Koreans tell me
because they are generally victims of media frenzy.

Are you being serious?

[brento1138]

Be very weary of what you hear in this country when it comes to rumors and hearsay. In general, Koreans are not very skeptical of the media. It's hard to discern reliable media from unreliable media, and I don't blame them. How information is outsourced in this country, I do not know, but I do know there are a lot of rumor mills on the internet, people over-reporting, hoping to get traffic/audiences through scare-tactics. The sensationalism in Korean media is pretty terrible (not just in Korea of course, it exists in every country).

If I were you, take every "fact" that random students, co-workers, etc., with a large grain of salt. No, in other words, just don't believe anything until you hear it yourself from a reliable source. And in the age of the internet, that is quite difficult... especially in Korea, the country with the widest use of internet in the world.

There's an almost total lack of skeptical thinking in Korea.

This is why people here believe that kimchi cures cancer/aids, fan death is real, ginseng/ginko do positive things for your body, the sun in Korea is brighter than in other countries, sweet potatoes are healthier than white potatoes, Chinese medicine works, acupuncture works, tapping a pen/needle on your finger cures headaches... the list goes on. A largely unscientific list with absolutely no backing by reality... yet people believe it and are generally surprised when you tell them it isn't true, or has been proved false by science time and time again. Follow the crowd, believe what the wide-eyed people say: "I heard this, it must be true!"

So really, when someone says radio-active rain is headed to Korea, don't believe it right away. Believe it when someone with legitimacy says so. And unfortunately, it's damned hard to do that in a country where the media, frankly, sucks (*cough* Arirang *cough cough*)

Feel free to add to my list of silly beliefs you've come across.

[GoldMember]

You actually listen too, and digest what your students say? Unbelievable!

[happiness]

Yeah, esp anything from Japan. Dont listen, watch any non-korean news source. I dont even ask about where good shopping is any more.

[oldtrafford]

A Japan hate campaign is on the rise, AGAIN!!!!! The local rags have been talking about Dokdo and Japanese student history books telling lies. I have to read my students reviews related to this, they chose the topic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At a glance they seem full of hate, par for the course, by the way I teach civil government workers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RMNC]

These are the same people who think sleeping with fans on kills people. Take what they say regarding health advice (see: kimchi cure-all) as trolling at best, idiocy at worst.

[sheriffadam]

Our planet just isn't clean anymore, doesn't matter where it's coming from!

http://i51.tinypic.com/ot1d0p.jpg

[oldtrafford]

To the last two posters: Da word!!

[joyorbison]

[Koharski]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=203849&start=45