Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jonski]

After being in Korea for a grand total of 23 days I have developed very bad skin. My diet is pretty good, I eat a lot of fruit and drink plenty of water. My skin has gone from pretty good to an adolescent teenagers. I've developed about 6 big heavy red spots on my lower face around my jawline. (Maybe from noodles dripping down my face every time I eat!) One other thing I noticed is that the water here is very different to the water we have back home in England. Its all "frothy and bubbly" so I don't know if its a physical thing from showering/eating or a mental thing from say stress! ( I have been worrying a lot).

Also, when did it become socially acceptable to highlight someone's imperfections? After my first week of being here, when I first started to develop a few spots one of my colleagues came out with " What's that on your face? At the time I was embarrassed and I brushed it off. Then after thinking about it I thought to myself WTF? As if anyone would say that to someone? Then another week or so passes and I get another comment, "what's wrong with your face?".......... I politely informed her that I did not know and that it was quite rude in my culture ( being a human being ) to point out such obvious flaws. She had no response and it was quite awkward as we were walking to the bus stop together!

I have read up on previous threads about how blunt Koreans can be, but I was shocked to be put in this situation. I am glad that prior to being asked how much I earned at the dinner table, I had previously read up on other threads posted here, so I was at some point expecting it. My response was that it was quite rude to ask such a personal question in my culture. They replied "yeah it is too in Korea"......................... (Great, at least you are being clear with me that you intend to treat with me no respect then)!

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

Welcome to Korea. Get used to it because you will get it a lot.

[pangaea]

My skin went haywire right after I got here, too, and I know other people who have had the same problem. I don't know why it happens. It looked way worse than it ever did when I was a teenager. I don't think anyone mentioned it, but I have had people comment that I look "tired" when I'm not looking my best. It seems to be normal here, though it is kind of irritating. I usually know when I look like crap. I don't really need to have it pointed out to me.

[highstreet]

If my friend developed some sort of imperfection on their skin randomly, I would point it out. To a stranger probably not, but my friends wouldn't care.

[DigitalSoju]

[jonski]

[ZIFA]

Rashes, itchy scalp, over dry skin, spots, you name it.My skin absolutely hates korea.

And I only have to fly out of here for a few days for it all to vanish.


My theory is that its the strong detergents everywhere. In the washing powder, soap, washing up liquid. and so on.

[Steelrails]

The water here can be a little ill...might have something to do with it.

[dltmdgk0711]

[Xylox]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Keep a large bottle of room temperature mineral water in your bathroom. Every day, as soon as you get home, wipe your face off with a "mul tissue" or baby wipe. Then wet your face with the bottled water and wash with Kiehl's Ultra Facial face wash. It costs 28k or so and lasts several months. Rinse off with a wash cloth soaked in the bottled water. If you want to be fancy, buy the moisturizing cream to use afterwards (or any other that you like), but that's optional, of course. The cleanser is very mild but effective.

When you shower, make sure to rinse your face with the bottled water after, as well.

I had the same problem when I moved here, then started doing the above technique. I only get a spot or two during PMS now, with flawless skin the rest of the month.

[Jane]

The pollution in Seoul (if you are in Seoul and are coming from less polluted place) may be a factor. Not much you can do about it unless you want to do a mass tire slash overnight.

I suspect your skin will get used to the change of climate/environment after a while.

[Slowmotion]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

[earthquakez]

Nobody here has hit on the obvious but I spose it's because they hear how 'healthy' Korean food is so often that they start to believe it. If you are eating Korean food (esp school lunch) that is the probable cause.

1) Much Korean food is fermented - that is not a natural process and it uses all sorts of nasty chemicals. Healthy it is not and never has been. Fermented food also causes constipation or the opposite, depending on your body's inclinations.

2) Much Korean food has colouring that is also heavy and will cause your skin to break out. No point in saying school lunch is 'healthy' when the vegetables are mostly fermented and not cooked fresh and all that sauce that they encourage you to pile on has nasty chemicals.

3) Excessive salt and sugar is in a lot of Korean food - not just the sauces. Excessive sugar is in the bread.

Your skin will get better if you choose your food carefully outside and bring it yourself at lunch. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Korean bakeries have some tasty food but it's difficult to get bread that is bread and not sweet tasting. Koreans also destroy garlic bread by making it sugary. If you are in a relatively big city you can probably find bakeries that have some decent bread.

If you're drinking that garbage called coffee from machines - don't. It's worse than the crappy brands of instant coffee back home. Canned coffee and tea will cause major skin break outs because of the sugar and sweetened 'milk'.

If you can't refuse school lunch because your co workers get all strange about (yes Koreans have a long way to go before they accept people have the right to make individual choices about what they eat) then stick to the non fermented food (if there is any), meat if you like it, and cut out the sauces.

As for the personal comments they make to you, again Koreans feel free to make personal comments among their peers. Your students will make them too. In your students' case, don't get offended. Often it means they feel comfortable with you and if you do something like come in with a crooked tie or there's a coffee stain on your shirt, your students will tell you to save you embarrassment.

In the case of adults, if they're friendly with you it's fine. But some are just doing one upmanship and in the case of women with women, many Korean female co teachers show their jealousies and envies by pointing out foreign women's flaws. You can always try the "Actually I'm here to teach about my culture and in my culture to make comments about the way others look is rude if you're an adult and not a friend."