Korean Job Discussion Forums

[korea.teacher]

see - http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/koreans-slap-bill-gates-rude-handshake-113610749--abc-news-topstories.html


"Perhaps it was his all-American style but an open jacket with hand in pocket? That was way too casual. It was very regretful," said Chung Jin-suk, secretary general at the Korean National Assembly.

What's your take?

(Might be a good conversation starter on cultural differences for those teaching conversation classes.)

[Dodge7]

Koreans can be so stupid sometimes. Do they really think Bill Gates spent one second ever thinking about the cultural etiquette in Korea? Some really think he was trying to be disrespectful? I would bet my life savings he was just ignorant of the customs here or forgot about it.

Whatever. Bill Gates can buy this country, he doesn't care.

[cj1976]

"Active-X, bitches!"

[Skippy]

Wow once is world renown and built an empire worth billions of dollars. The other is a smart women who won an election using her father's coat tails. Really I would understand Bill taking a casual stance as well he is hot shit and he knows it. Because in five years, Bill will still likely be a big name and President Kim and her family if you take past history of Korean politicians will likely be up for fraud and embezzlement.

This is typical Korea. Take umbrage at something a foreigner has done and make a big deal of it. Harp on and on about it, and ignore that the rest of the world does not really care.

Of course when Koreans do it, then excuse and carpet lifting happens.

[cabeza]

Who cares?
Idiots asking "Was it intentional?" in the article. Yes, I'm sure Bill Gates has a true vendetta against Korea and Ms. Park. After all, why wouldn't he?

I can't stand this kind of rubbish. Like when Michelle Obama touched the Queen's back. Or when the NZ Prime Minister wore pants at a state dinner with the Royal family. The kind of people who care about this kind of stuff are brain dead morons.

If I met the Korean Pres, I'd have one hand down my pants and I'd fart. To embrace true Korean customs.

[jvalmer]

Non-issue. And no, Bill can't buy Korea, he'd need at least 25x more money than what he is currently worth.

[radcon]

So when did Koreans become experts on handshakes? Isn't this a custom learned from the West? Koreans can keep their limp dead fish handshakes to themselves and stay with bowing.

[Steelrails]

Yeah, completely Korean take on the problem. Not like Brits got uppity over Obama's etiquette towards the queen.

I for one, agree with people who think that when meeting a head of state you should so some etiquette. Dress appropriately and behave formally. Is nothing sacred these days? I think Obama giving The Queen an iPod was embarrassing and Bill Gates' was pretty bad. Though him being a nerd puts it in the category of unintentional and predictable.

I dunno, I guess I have old-fashioned ideas when it comes to royalty, heads of state, procedure, rules of order, and precedence.

The funny thing is that I see a lot of talk about people claiming that this is trivial and they would be different. I have a feeling if they were president of anything and someone, be they another Westerner or a Korean approached them in such a manner during an introduction, they'd be miffed as well. I mean, look at the other threads where every little aspect of Korean behavior is poured over and critiqued as to politeness.

There have been posts where NETs complain about getting "limp handshakes" and how this is rude. And these people aren't even head of state. But of course, turn the tables and things are totally different. The only thing that matters is which side the Korean is on, that's the wrong side.

My favorite is the "It's okay because Bill Gates is incredibly wealthy" line.

Funny too that for foreign teachers who complain how their boss treats them like crap because they are low on the totem pole, that this behavior is in turn justified when it involves a Westerner doing it to a Korean. These are the same people who howl about their boss giving dismissive waves or not treating the employee like they are the king and how "status and wealth shouldn't mean anything" and equality and blah blah blah.

But when the shoe is on the other foot and a Korean is on the other side, we see it isn't the behavior that matters, it's the ethnicity of the people involved.

Seriously people, try to have a little ethical consistency...

[cj1976]

He should have winked at her. That would have sent the KT into hysteria.

[Savant]

"Bill Gates is so rude to Koreans, he should understand our laws and customs" said Netizen Kim, who first typed his comment into an illegally downloaded copy of Microsoft Word before posting it online.

[cj1976]

[radcon]

[radcon]

[jvalmer]

[Savant]