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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:43 am Post subject: how to meet intelligent, open-minded Koreans? |
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I acknowledge I am posting this to the Dave's Korea forum ... can replies be kept on topic?
Anyway, in my 18 months here I have yet to meet (knowingly) a Korean person who hasn't lived overseas yet who is adept at critical thinking.
So, regardless of whether such people exist, where is a good place to meet Korean people who value and show individual intelligence and open-mindedness?
Please don't respond with something so general as 'Seoul' or 'Hongdae'.
And if you don't know, yet believe on the basis of your limited experience that there is nowhere, please don't comment. Cool? |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 16 Jun 2013
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Pardon for breathing - but what answers do you expect?
Does anyone know of a place where open minded Koreans congregate?
Really?
You are asking for this to be a shitbash. Carry on!
Big LOLZ on the 'critical thinking' part, the OP is a fine example of critical thought I must say. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:02 am Post subject: |
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robbie_davies wrote: |
Pardon for breathing - but what answers do you expect?
Does anyone know of a place where open minded Koreans congregate?
Really?
You are asking for this to be a shitbash. Carry on! :roll: |
If I knew what answers to expect, I would not have asked.
I asked because I would like to believe such a place, organization, or institution exists here.
I'm from the Midwestern US, where at least there are small groups of people who value meeting others who are willing to think critically about any belief.
I've met enough Korean people who represent a tiny counter-culture here that I believe something like this probably exists. |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 16 Jun 2013
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:06 am Post subject: |
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DanseurVertical wrote: |
robbie_davies wrote: |
Pardon for breathing - but what answers do you expect?
Does anyone know of a place where open minded Koreans congregate?
Really?
You are asking for this to be a shitbash. Carry on!  |
If I knew what answers to expect, I would not have asked.
I asked because I would like to believe such a place, organization, or institution exists here.
I'm from the Midwestern US, where at least there are small groups of people who value meeting others who are willing to think critically about any belief.
I've met enough Korean people who represent a tiny counter-culture here that I believe something like this probably exists. |
Course it doesn't!
Everywhere you go, it will be a mixture of the sane and the mad, the intelligent and the stupid, the interesting and the boring - which is the kaleidoscope that is life!
Would you ask for such a place that exists in Berlin? Barcelona? Mexico City? Dar es Salaam? London? Where the critical thinking and intelligent people congregate? Seriously...
As for the place where all the critical thinking Koreans congregate? Good luck with that one! Never found it in Korea in three years! Even the expat circles were full of madmen and lunatics! |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:34 am Post subject: |
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robbie_davies wrote: |
Would you ask for such a place that exists in Berlin? Barcelona? Mexico City? Dar es Salaam? London? Where the critical thinking and intelligent people congregate? Seriously... |
Where did I ask that? |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 16 Jun 2013
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:44 am Post subject: |
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DanseurVertical wrote: |
robbie_davies wrote: |
Would you ask for such a place that exists in Berlin? Barcelona? Mexico City? Dar es Salaam? London? Where the critical thinking and intelligent people congregate? Seriously... |
Where did I ask that? |
If these places don't exist in those cities, they are not going to exist in Korea.
Look - good luck to you in your quest - I look forward to seeing what answers you get myself. |
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liveinkorea316
Joined: 20 Aug 2010 Location: South Korea
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:52 am Post subject: |
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Koreans like joining study groups and meeting to learn something. Maybe you can find such groups that include people in their 20's and 30's inear unis. Basically any kind of club (loose meaning of small group that meets regularly) which can attract intelligent people. Jazz, dance, wine, English, another language, a sport.... not all of them will have critical thinking but my point is the more they discuss issues together and get out of their comfort zones the more possible they can have some critical thinking skills.
I met some very interesting Koreans at salsa club. They surprised the heckling out of me. The culture and discipline of learning salsa plus the hugs amount of people they meet through it I guess. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 9:58 am Post subject: |
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liveinkorea316 wrote: |
Koreans like joining study groups and meeting to learn something. Maybe you can find such groups that include people in their 20's and 30's inear unis. Basically any kind of club (loose meaning of small group that meets regularly) which can attract intelligent people. Jazz, dance, wine, English, another language, a sport.... not all of them will have critical thinking but my point is the more they discuss issues together and get out of their comfort zones the more possible they can have some critical thinking skills. |
Makes sense. I'm living near SNU (μμΈλ) now, so there should be something like this.
Any specific leads would be appreciated! |
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amnsg2
Joined: 15 Aug 2010 Location: Gumi
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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How about making friends with foreign students at the universities? I think they tend to have more Korean friends than the average EFL teacher, so you'd have more chance of finding the people you want to and your social circle would be really varied. As long as your definition of 'open minded' doesn't loosely translate to 'agrees with me' this should work. |
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The Cosmic Hum

Joined: 09 May 2003 Location: Sonic Space
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: how to meet intelligent, open-minded Koreans? |
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DanseurVertical wrote: |
I acknowledge I am posting this to the Dave's Korea forum ... can replies be kept on topic?
Anyway, in my 18 months here I have yet to meet (knowingly) a Korean person who hasn't lived overseas yet who is adept at critical thinking.
So, regardless of whether such people exist, where is a good place to meet Korean people who value and show individual intelligence and open-mindedness? |
Obviously you are fluent in Korean, and it comes off as odd that you don't just post this on some Naver or Daum chat site.
If you aren't fluent in Korean, some might think you are a horses ass for making such comments. |
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IlIlNine
Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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If you don't know Korean, try joining an English toastmasters chapter.
If you do know Korean, get a better job. |
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andrewchon

Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Try MENSA Korea,
34-24 Gumseong building 4F
Jamwon-dong, Seocho-gu
Seoul
Somehow this reminds me of an Woody Allen story: "W#ores of MENSA", where he in desperation for some intellectual stimulation, hired girls just to talk about existentialist philosophy. |
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maximmm
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, it is absolutely true. There is in fact a hidden and seldom discussed institution which is staffed by Koreans most adept at critical thinking - it is in Itaewon - on a hill. Its name shall not be spoken out in public. Seek it and you shall find it. |
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Paddycakes
Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Any "Ho" Bar in Hongdae... there's a whole bunch of them.
And no, I'm not making that name up. |
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War Eagle
Joined: 15 Feb 2009
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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robbie_davies wrote: |
Big LOLZ on the 'critical thinking' part, the OP is a fine example of critical thought I must say. |
Exactly my first thought after reading the OP BS.
EDIT: Furthermore, I would bet yet another thinly veiled criticism in the form of a question. Does OP really want to seek out open-minded Korean individuals to have intellectual conversations with? (Assuming there are no language problems either.) |
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