Korean Job Discussion Forums

[itiswhatitis]

Today I had an interview for a public school job at an EDUCATION OFFICE (not some silly random bozo teacher asking a silly question) and I was asked to name one thing that I HATE (they actually said "hate" and not "dislike" or "don't like" about Korea).

I immediately joked that the language was difficult to learn (I had already told them that I was studying Korean earlier in the interview). I laughed and thought that that was it and they would let it go but my laughter was greeted with serious eye contact from the 4 interviewers sitting across from me whom actually seemd to expect me to think of something. I hesitated and said that I could not think of anything.

How would you have handled this?

As an aside (I was obviously in no position to point ths out to them) would you ask a Korean in a job interview in America to name one thing that he hates about America???? HAH!!!!!!!

[Squire]

That's a good question for an interview! I think a good answer would be the way people are embarrassed to make mistakes, and will laugh whenever another non native speaker says something wrong, or when you make a mistake in Korean. Then you can say that, as a language teacher, you believe making mistakes is the best way to learn and that if Koreans were less worried about looking silly they could improve their English because their practice would be more worthwhile.

That's just my two pence. It would be an answer that makes you appear to be serious about teaching without ducking the question and saying you love everything about Korea, and Korea number 1. Or worse, giving the impression you won't fit in well by criticising the Confucian system, or hitting a nerve by saying you hate the unpalatable food here.

I'm curious to know how others would answer this one

[TheUrbanMyth]

I'd say "The humidity in summertime when it gets really hot"

That's a safe neutral answer...there are not too many people including the locals who enjoy the present humidity.

At all events steer away from possibly sensitive topics like the food and the language. As those are part of culture...one can come off as being culturally insensitive even if that were not the intent.

Oh and to the second poster. Making remarks like

[Squire]

[Kepler]

I think the politics here is what I hate the most. Certain issues seem to attract an excessive amount of attention but when North Korea does something really bad (such as murder 46 South Korean sailors) there is a lot less outrage.

[edwardcatflap]

One of the things I hate is the fact that they're so sensitive about what foreigners think of them, reflected in that stupid question.

[PatrickGHBusan]

[edwardcatflap]

[northway]

[big_fella1]

Being asked stupid questions.

[luckylady]

Korea Times 2014:

[kimchi_pizza]

aha! That is an awesome question testing your wit and knowlegde of the 'spirit' of this country.

Sorry you had to go through that and fail, miserably....

But....on a serious note, me?, "I don't know, I haven't been here long enough to develope any opinions and I keep an open mind. BUT I did come to Korea for the reasons of X, Y and Z." But dodge using words like,
"hate" or "dislike" but slip in, "I never fully understood......."

On a comical note, me? "Ooh, good one! *smile* Korean ONLY has four seasons? Man, we got FIVE!"

[Julius]

I'd instantly say "the bumping and pushing".

Or maybe, the stares whenever you are out with a Korean woman. Those are the top two.

[Son Deureo!]

[hogwonguy1979]

Simple:

The lack of quality weed