Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DBXD]

For those of you that taught here in the early 90's and throughout, what was it like?
I would have to imagine the stares were 10 times worse.
I wonder what the dating scene was like, too. You were definitely a rare species back then making you that much more mystique.
Just tell me what stood out to you working here back then.

[T-J]

All my friends were much younger back then.

[OiGirl]

The teaching was not all that different. Foreign teachers in language schools were a novelty. There were almost no foreign teachers in public schools. Think of the reaction you might get from the odd countryside kid who meets you for the first time.

I used high-quality textbooks and teaching materials from Western publishers back then.

Living in Korea was quite different then, but I think that's another thread.

[Swampfox10mm]

Life was grand. Everyone looked at me like a movie star. I saw fewer foreigners. Itaewon was actually fun. Everyone, including my boss at my kindy job wanted to date me. People actually lined up to use the public phones. Restrooms were awful and rarely had toilet paper, so it wasnt uncommon to carry a pack of tissues. Taxi rides started at half what they are now, and subway rides were like 600 won maybe? I missed IMF. Those are the fun stories. Oh, and TJ looked a whole lot younger then.

[DBXD]

[cisco kid]

[zappadelta]

It was fine, thank you, and you?

[Ramen]

less cars but the traffic was about the same because the roads were narrower and far less. hyundai pony filled more than half of the korean roads.

[weso1]

I'm interested in this too. Oh, to have a time machine...

I have a bit of a 90's fetish. I just remember it being a cool era. It's like the whole world was on the verge of a big change - affordable consumer electronics really have changed everything. The early-mid 90's were the last years of the "old way" I guess. The "pen and paper" years I call them.

I've seen Korean movies and youtube videos from that time too. Something about the women are really attractive as well. The heavy dark colored eye shadow and lipstick that was the trend, the just shorter than shoulder length "Friends" style hair, the earth tone clothes and the jet black stockings they wore with everything. I wonder if I can get a Korean girl to a bit of role playing for me, haha.

These stupid hipsters and their craze for everything from the 70s and 80s make me want to slap each of them. But the 90s, now there was a decade.

Grunge rock, a decent Star Trek series, Clinton - oh how I pine for the days when America's biggest problem was figuring out if the President getting a bj was an impeachable offense.

Everyone thought CDs were the wave of the future, but we still watched movies on VHS, good times. Saved by the Bell, now there's a show Koreans need to run non stop on OCN instead of that CSI garbage.

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Now, to make one point clear. Given that there is a strong possibility some of you newbs that just finished university and are here now could have been born in 89 - 90... that does not make you a 90s kid. I was born in the very early 80s but don't claim to be an 80s brat. I came of age in the 90s and I taker personal offense to you youngsters trying to hijack my decade.

[Ramen]

exchange rate was around 600 to 1.

[lawyertood]

[T-J]

[tukmax]

[Yaya]

The hakwons were worse to work in than they are now. I remember the endless wave of complaints on this board, which took off in the mid-90s, about how people weren't paid, housing was in some decrepit motel, and the like. There were far fewer stores and items from the West, especially beer. Long-term prospects were very limited and nobody really talked about being a lifer.

That said, Korea was more mysterious and thus interesting at the time.

[happiness]

i liked it. i had alot of jobs as there werent alot of other whiteyz then...