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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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 Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, if you're someone who really likes alcohol and wishes to avoid it, Korea is quite possibly the worst place in the world to be. At the same time, I've generally found that Koreans, though really into drinking prowess (females often included), are highly unlikely to force the issue if you tell them you don't drink. If you're straight with the people in question and just tell them that you haven't had a drink in x number of years and don't enjoy drinking, you should be fine. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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It's tough to avoid drinking in Korea. You'll face a great deal of pressure from Koreans you work with to drink, but the other native teachers will be worse about it. Many just live to drink and you may have a hard time finding friends.
Of course, anyone who wants to hang out with you just to drink is not a true friend, and more of an idiot, but welcome to Idiotsville. Being an expat in Asia means meeting many such people. |
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s.tickbeat
Joined: 21 Feb 2010
Location: Gimhae
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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I've been able to drink very little, or very occasionally, here. It's really not that difficult. I'm the sober driver, so I'm always able to say 'no, sorry, I'm driving'.
Additionally, there are some things that I don't drink at all, that don't touch my lips at all. Magkeolli is one of them. I've got some kind of allergy or something to it.
A friend of mine is allergic to grain alcohols, as well. She gets a rash whenever she drinks soju, vodka, whiskey. . . |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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| orosee wrote: |
As mentioned before, if you'd been a normal social drinker (e.g. 1-2 liters of beer a month, a few martinis, no shots) chances are that your alcohol consumption goes up by up to tenfold (speaking for myself only though). |
10 fold? More like 30 fold. That sounds like a normal night out. I exaggerate only slightly.
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| The thing is, the pressure to drink would not, most likely, come from myself, it would only be if a boss was forcing it on me or something, and couldn't take a "no thanks." |
Usually you just drink cider instead. If they are UBER-pushy you either drink a microscopic drop of soju or a full shot of beer.
Or get a car. That's a pretty good excuse. |
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le-paul
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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Id say its pretty difficult to avoid drinking here becasue if you want to make friends - youre going to have to go to a bar to meet people (usually).
I have avoided this by plowing myself into my hobbies and encouraging other people to meet me at venues that dont always require drinking like bowling alleys, screen golf on mountains or whatever. Basically get some activities going.
As for work, Ive only ever once drank with my bosses. Like others say, play an excuse like driving or 'wellness' (health) and you should be ok to get out of it (it wont do you much good socially but at the end of your contract, your boss will probably drop you like a sack of spuds and kick you in the back of the neck if he can anyway).
Good luck! |
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premiummince
Joined: 23 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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| lemak wrote: |
I ended up drinking like a fish in Korea. Booze was cheaper than water, but did used to go out with co-teachers or friends who didn't drink. They were always offered drinks from Koreans, but generally the locals didn't force the issue when they told them they don't drink - granted I tended to get invited out by the adjoshis a lot more than the non-drinking friends, however. Not just to bars, but on general social activities, hiking or whatever.
Not sure if you're a guy, McLoo or not, but the guys there really pride themselves on their drinking prowess. One of the first questions in adult classes was often "How many bottles of soju can you drink?", and like how we were back home in university and crap they do tend to judge each other based on drinking "skills".
Korean men generally like alcohol, and it's a big part of their culture, but I never noticed anyone forcing it down people's (especially foreigners) throats. |
The 'how many bottles?' isn't something you answer honestly. 1 means you drink casually, 2 means you drink a lot. That's all it is. |
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mike in brasil
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:41 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like OP is coming to Korea for the money. Nothing wrong with it.
However, if OP falls into depression, that money in coming into his bank account every month won't seem so big or worth it.
I enjoy the fact that Korea doesn't demonize alcohol. |
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mcloo7
Joined: 20 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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| mike in brasil wrote: |
Sounds like OP is coming to Korea for the money. Nothing wrong with it.
However, if OP falls into depression, that money in coming into his bank account every month won't seem so big or worth it.
I enjoy the fact that Korea doesn't demonize alcohol. |
There's some truth to that, but isn't it true for a lot of people. Even people who love Korea say money is one of the main reasons why they went there. It's not why I want to teach abroad though. I just want to get the hell out of my hometown. By the way, what's the fastest I could get a job if I start now? Seriously though, a lot of people say I'd be fine not drinking, and others think not. It seems to just be a matter of opinion. Again, I'm not saying there would be a personal temptation I'm mainly just worried about my job depending on it. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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| mcloo7 wrote: |
| mike in brasil wrote: |
Sounds like OP is coming to Korea for the money. Nothing wrong with it.
However, if OP falls into depression, that money in coming into his bank account every month won't seem so big or worth it.
I enjoy the fact that Korea doesn't demonize alcohol. |
There's some truth to that, but isn't it true for a lot of people. Even people who love Korea say money is one of the main reasons why they went there. It's not why I want to teach abroad though. I just want to get the hell out of my hometown. By the way, what's the fastest I could get a job if I start now? Seriously though, a lot of people say I'd be fine not drinking, and others think not. It seems to just be a matter of opinion. Again, I'm not saying there would be a personal temptation I'm mainly just worried about my job depending on it. |
Maritimes? |
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mcloo7
Joined: 20 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Maritimes? |
What does that mean? |
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mcloo7
Joined: 20 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Maritimes, Canada? No, Pennsylvania. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| As has been mentioned above, saying that you don't drink because you are a Christian is an excuse that is usally accepted. For a great number of Korean men, being a Christian basically means going to church on Sunday and not drinking and smoking. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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I took a year off from drinking and it was an eye-opening experience. I went to company dinners without drinking and my coworkers for the most part respected me for it. I did do an air toast on toasts but oh well.
Since going on the year-long fast, I have started to drink again but limit myself to two units per night. I travel quite a bit around Southeast Asia but I no longer go beyond a little tipsy.
I will say, however, that to truly succeed in Korea, you might have to have a few brewskis with people who will bring you business and stuff. I think the church groups are better with this but well, Korea is a drinker's paradise.
Last edited by Yaya on Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mcloo7
Joined: 20 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Yaya wrote: |
I took a year off from drinking and it was an eye-opening experience. I went to company dinners without drinking and my coworkers for the most part respected me for it. I did do an air toast on toasts but oh well.
After a year passed, I limit myself to two units per night. I travel quite a bit around Southeast Asia but I no longer go beyond a little tipsy.
I will say, however, that to truly succeed in Korea, you might have to have a few brewskis with people who will bring you business and stuff. I think the church groups are better with this but well, Korea is a drinker's paradise. |
Do you mean to succeed as an ESL teacher, or as a Korean businessman? Did your year of not drinking hurt your job situation or prospects? Thanks for the insight. |
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lemak
Joined: 02 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:33 am Post subject: |
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| fermentation wrote: |
| lemak wrote: |
Not sure if you're a guy, McLoo or not, but the guys there really pride themselves on their drinking prowess. One of the first questions in adult classes was often "How many bottles of soju can you drink?", and like how we were back home in university and crap they do tend to judge each other based on drinking "skills".
Korean men generally like alcohol, and it's a big part of their culture, but I never noticed anyone forcing it down people's (especially foreigners) throats. |
If you haven't seen anybody being forced to drink, you haven't been in Korean long enough or times are changing. |
I would assume he means from a foreigner perspective, in which case it's easy to refuse and the issue isn't really forced. I'm not surprised the peer pressure doled out to other Korean guys (especially the younger ones) is a lot stronger, and often unavoidable, however. |
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