Korean Job Discussion Forums

[asdfghjkl]

I was visiting Seoul this weekend, and some Korean woman kept taking my picture on the subway. I think she was trying to be covert, but she forgot to turn the sound off on her phone, and I heard the shutter sound effect. I said "haji ma" and put my arm out, and she started yelling at me in Korean. It was something about foreigners in Korea, but I couldn't understand everything she said. I thought that the people around me would come to my defense since she was being obnoxious, but the girl sitting next to me just got up and moved when the scene started!

I have lived in Korea for a while, and this has never happened to me before. I thought that I could at least expect to be treated normally in Seoul.

[thatkidpercy]

Are you 100% sure she was taking a picture of you? A lot of people have no shame taking pictures of themselves in public places using the front-facing camera on their phone and there's a chance that's what she was doing. I see people of all ages doing this every day.

If she was taking your picture, it's certainly strange and not representative of people in Seoul in general. I've been here 2 years and haven't experienced this (to my knowledge) - I'm 6'5 and so get some funny looks but in general people don't pay foreigners on the train much attention. You probably just had the misfortune to sit near a nut.

For future reference "그러지 마세요" (keu-reo-ji-ma-se-yo / Please don't do that) is a more appropriate way to ask a stranger to stop doing something. "haji-ma" sounds like you're talking to a kid.

[blm]

[seoulsucker]

Out of curiosity, were you sitting in a seat reserved for elderly/pregnant/handicapped?

[asdfghjkl]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Well, there's your answer. You were drinking a beer on the subway.

[Chalmers]

[bindairdundat]

[Weigookin74]

[asdfghjkl]

I've seen other foreigners drinking beer on the subway. It's hardly a photoworthy event. I still think she was being rude and intrusive. In America, somebody would probably slap the phone out of her hands.

[tiger fancini]

[CentralCali]

The last cell phone I had in Korea had a camera and there was no way to disable the shutter sound. Even if you had the phone on silent mode, the shutter would still sound.

And to the poster drinking an open container of alcohol on the subway: the subway's not a frat party. It doesn't matter that you've seen "other foreigners" doing that, it's still not a frat party. Do you care to guess the legality of the act? Try it sometime in front of a police officer on the train.

[asdfghjkl]

Whatever, CentralCali. I don't know why you're being so condescending. You're allowed to drink pretty much anywhere in Korea, and it's not like I was drunk, so I don't see what the big deal is. I was by myself and not whooping it up fratboy style, which you seem to know so much about.

[CentralCali]

[fermentation]