Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Corea]

I smile at pretty girls, and ignore most others (unless they say something to me).

Pretty much the same as I was back home.

[sublunari]

After living in western Busan for two years we moved to Haeundae, and within the first day or two people were saying hello to me and making smalltalk in the elevator. This totally freaked me out. Two years of no smalltalk with anyone, period. Strangers could not just randomly meet and talk about the weather. It did not happen. Only old Korean strangers talk to each other sometimes. Then, all of a sudden...

When I lived in America I was one of those morons who loves talking about these little things with anyone, anywhere. Striking up conversations in the supermarket checkout line, whatever...and when I went back for a visit to New York City someone said "I hope it's not North Korea!" after I told them where I lived. It was fun and pleasant to ease back into that culture. But here there's so much tension, so much strain and awkward energy floating around, that yesterday I felt like my body was going to shatter as I witnessed an unbearably typical conversation between a foreigner and an old Korean man on the subway. I watched, of course, through the window's reflection, despite myself.

In the beginning when I felt more isolated here I became the shipwrecked sailor meeting his rescuers whenever I saw a foreign face. Now that I feel a little bit more comfortable I just try to act so desperately normal that I must come off as one of those guys who's stayed here a little too long.

[southernman]

I've lived a few different places here and in other countries as well. My thoughts and observations would be that the more self confident and outgoing you are the more likely it is that you will smile and nod at other westerners.

I do agree that if you're in an area with a hight population of westerners, then you wouldn't so much.

In the small place I'm living now, theres actually two westerners (not a couple) that avoid making any form of eye contact or anything. I mentioned it to some other westerners and they'd noticed the two as well.

Ah well, you meet all sorts, the weird ones just give you something to laugh about and comment on

[isisaredead]

i give the Waygookin Nod if i see a foreigner in my city that i don't know.

it's a small city, so acknowledging another foreign person's existence can mean a bit.

[thegadfly]

I give the nod and a smile to pretty much every foreigner I see, along with a quiet "hey." I don't break stride or anything -- I don't try to chat folks up -- just a quick acknowledgement as we each bustle along on our journeys....

[creeper1]

I actively dislike you if you are a foreigner.

My local neighbourhood has some sssttttunuuuunnnnniiinnnggg K gals and I want them all for myself.

It is possible that I have a chance in there with my "specialness" as a foreinger. Maybe say "anyong" and the K gal will think "귀여운".

Now consider another foreign guy in my area.

You are eroding my specialness just by your presence

Go home!

[vDroop]

Respectful head nod to girls or older people. Ignore young guys.

[brento1138]

I've had two modes of operation.

1) Back a few years ago, I was living in a smaller city... Daegu. Less foreigners, but you know, it's not as huge as Seoul. Less foreigners per capita, I'm sure. I was always making eye-contact with every foreigner about my age and they would do the same. We'd chat, exchange numbers, become friends. It was pretty cool. Felt natural. Normal.

2) In Seoul, I pretty much act exactly as I would back home. You don't go up to a random stranger on the street so much. I meet my friends now through other friends, but I'm not against talking to someone randomly. Sometimes as I am walking I look at the person walking towards me. Oh, a foreigner. But I feel no need to acknowledge them or anything. Maybe in my neighborhood, when walking to grab a beer at the mart, if there are two guys chilling outside, I might say "Hey, 'sup guys?" and chat or something. But walking down a busy street, inside a subway station... no effort to nod or smile from me, I'm in my personal bubble. Not to mention when I'm walking around in public I'm usually off to meet someone, or do something, and don't really want to stop and talk to someone randomly. However, I will if they need help or something.

So, anyways, I think the foreigner 'nod' and 'smile' is more of an outside of Seoul thing.

[sirius black]

Like most folks in the large foreigner communities Itaewon, Hongdae or foreigner heavy spots of other cities) I don't usually. Waiting for a drink and another guy or gal is therethen the 'elevator smile' is given. If I'm in an area that has very few foreigners I usually attempt eye contact and a nod or smile. If you look like a loser I won't acknowledge you. These are sometimes the type that wants to hang with me and I make aquick social acceptibility assessment (it takes 1 or 2 seconds) and I decide I don't want anything to do with you.
If you seem cool, I'll acknowledge and if you don't I assume you're too insecure and socially awkward and/or have some other character issues that precludes you from a simple head nod. In that case, I counter mentally with, I'm better off not knowing someone who apparantly has issues.
Its all about me basically and if we're honest, most of us are that way.

[Modernist]

[420trader]

I look too Korean for foreigners to know that I'm a foreigner.

I look too foreign for Koreans to know I'm Korean.

I'm so lost

[DaHu]

Why is it when Asians go to the west they stick together and seek each other out 100% of the time, but when westerners come here they can't even exchange a simple nod?

I get ignored most of the time, even after making eye contact and nodding.

[Steelrails]

So let's cross-reference this with the people who are all upset at Koreans who don't "welcome you in" lo and behold, same with us...

Now add in the "staring threads" in which we basically have just said ourselves "we stare at foreigners"....

[murmanjake]

[Fraser]

Time to create the Seoul High-Fiving White Guys Club