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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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 Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| wishfullthinkng wrote: |
oh and let's add the myth that samgetang is good and refreshing for you in hot summer weather.
um, heat up my already miserable body even more with hot liquid? no thanks.
the science (or the lack thereof) with this myth is astounding. |
Actually hot fluids should theoretically cool your body. Something to do with dilating the blood vessels if I remember correctly and the opposite goes for drinking cool or cold drinks in the winter.
Not that I usually follow that advice. |
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Mr. BlackCat
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| Newbie wrote: |
2. Western people can't eat spicy food: I can guarantee you there are MANY western people who can't. And generally, Koreans like to generalize (yes, I see the irony there!). So they meet 10 Westerners who don't like it, and they assume all don't.
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Well, I'd say that while many foreigners actually don't like spicy food, many tell Koreans this to avoid Korean dishes without offending the Koreans they are with. It's silly that we have to be that ultra-sensitive, but I've done it many times. Not only that, but Korean food generally has one specific type of 'spiciness'; I know many foreigners who don't like Korean spicy food, but love Mexican, Indian, etc. Meanwhile, I know many Koreans who take pride in the spiciness of Korean food (for some reason) but cannot handle a burrito or Indian curry. Lastly, I have eaten with lots of Koreans who cannot tolerate the spiciness of the Korean dish we're having while the foreigners at the table are lapping it up. So, basically, I think this whole "Foreigners can't handle Korean food because it's too spicy" is more to do with what they've been told all their lives rather than actual experience (we can see this with many myths already listed here).
| Quote: |
3. Kpop is popular all over the world: First, it's insanely popular in Asia, so they thinks it's world famous* Seems to have a small but growing fan base in South America and Europe. But, it's nowhere near as popular as Koreans think. Blame the media here. They exist to stoke the nationalist ego of the country. (*Canadian media is guilty of this too: someone like Avril Lavigne might be popular in the US, and suddenly she's "World famous". Is it really the whole world?)
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When my students learned I was from Canada in my first year here many of them asked me about Avril Lavigne. A few of them had her stickers/name on their books and bags. Her popularity may be fading, but I have heard her songs playing in several Korean establishments up until last week. How many Canadian, American, French, etc., kids do the same with Lee Hyori? Or Girls Generation? Or even Psy? Maybe you'd still hear Gangnam Style in a pub in North America/Europe/South America/etc. now, but I doubt you'll hear anyone else from Korea. Lastly, Canadians don't attach their identity to Avril Lavigne. When I meet Koreans I don't demand that they compliment Canadian music and list their favourite Canadian bands (which happens often here). Maybe if a band is from your hometown you'll mention it, but would you get angry at someone who says they don't listen to them, or, GASP!, doesn't like them? Have you ever told a Korean that you don't like Korean music? Not all of them, but in my experience a lot of them would have gotten very upset.
I don't mean to argue with you, it's just two points I have had many disagreements with various people over the years so I wanted to present the other side.
Back on topic, in addition to what others have said:
-Koreans love their children more
-There is no crime in Korea (often perpetuated by the expat community here)
-Koreans respect teachers/education more
-the USA is either a paradise or a dystopian nightmare where babies are murdered on every street corner by wandering gangs and everyone dies by gunwound by age 30
-Being at work= working
-In addition to above, the more time spent doing something= the better the result (aka efficiency is an American lie)
-Seoulites spend more time commuting than anyone else on the planet
-Only Koreans have a concept of 'face'
-Koreans don't show emotions
-Smoking pot once = drug addict (though it's changing)
-The IMF caused the crisis in 1997
-Koreans eat rice and kimchi most meals, therefore Americans eat hamburgers and potatoes every meal.
-"Western food" = hamburgers and french fries, also pizza.
-That criticizing, or poking fun at, any aspect of Korea means that you hate the place and should leave immediately
Unfortunately, many of these myths are perpetuated by many foreigners in Korea, too. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:55 am Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
| wishfullthinkng wrote: |
oh and let's add the myth that samgetang is good and refreshing for you in hot summer weather.
um, heat up my already miserable body even more with hot liquid? no thanks.
the science (or the lack thereof) with this myth is astounding. |
Actually hot fluids should theoretically cool your body. Something to do with dilating the blood vessels if I remember correctly and the opposite goes for drinking cool or cold drinks in the winter.
Not that I usually follow that advice. |
this article (http://www.salon.com/2010/08/16/chicken_soup_for_sweltering_soul/) tries to find the reasoning why koreans think that hot soup and "beating the heat with heat" work. they boil it down to the garlic and ginseng (to dialate the blood vessels to increase blood flow which is perfectly reasonable) and the heat of the soup. the issue is, when i've just walked 5 blocks to a restaraunt in this summer heat with the humidity at pretty much the maximum level it can be before i'm literally swimming instead of walking, i'm already quite sweaty and have no need to sweat more. this article doesn't take into consideration the already existing sweat and seems to think that people eat samgyetang when they are merely hot but not yet sweating (in which case the sweat from raising your core body temperature via hot liquids would work but not nearly as well as a simple glass of cold water).
no matter what though, the change of entropy in the human body by adding heat when it's already too hot and sweating is not a good thing. there's a reason why universities and laboratories have designed gauntlets that athletes can wear to hyper cool their blood. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:59 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
-Seoulites spend more time commuting than anyone else on the planet
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if you are going by city and not by nation then this has a high chance of being true. the only other city in the world that would have seoul beat here is tokyo. |
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Seoulman69
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| Newbie wrote: |
| Hatcher wrote: |
| And where do these myths originate? |
3. Kpop is popular all over the world: First, it's insanely popular in Asia, so they thinks it's world famous* Seems to have a small but growing fan base in South America and Europe. But, it's nowhere near as popular as Koreans think. Blame the media here. They exist to stoke the nationalist ego of the country. (*Canadian media is guilty of this too: someone like Avril Lavigne might be popular in the US, and suddenly she's "World famous". Is it really the whole world?)
It can be annoying as hell, but with a deep breath and some patience, one understands why it's necessary. |
It's total nonsense that any of the beliefs you mentioned are necessary.
Most of them were perpetuated by previous Korean dictatorships to ensure the populous were too busy working for 우리나라 to demand the basic human rights they deserve.
It didn't work though. The Gwangju massacre is an example of how the Koreans stood up against these thugs.
Sadly, most of the ideology has stuck around. Rabid nationalism still abounds. The idea of Koreans being a pure blood race is still present.
Most Koreans don't even realize that the Japanese apologized and paid reparations for the comfort women. The dictatorship at the time gave the money to the chaebols to ensure their success.
Koreans deserved better from their leaders.
As for your little disclaimer about Avril Lavigne - she has had a top ten album on every continent apart from Africa. Even that little *beep* Beiber has had a top ten album on every continent apart from Africa. No Korean artist has ever achieved that. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:58 am Post subject: |
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A minor quibble....A KPop "artist" (or should I exclude the " " and just say 'fartist') IS pretty much the most famous Youtube sensation of all time and is obviously globally known, at least as much as Avril Lavigne.
In a few years, as the Psy grape juice matures into vinegar, the more appropriate term might be "notorious". |
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Mr. BlackCat
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:05 am Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
A minor quibble....A KPop "artist" (or should I exclude the " " and just say 'fartist') IS pretty much the most famous Youtube sensation of all time and is obviously globally known, at least as much as Avril Lavigne.
In a few years, as the Psy grape juice matures into vinegar, the more appropriate term might be "notorious". |
Right. I would agree. But many Koreans believe "K-pop" in general to be world famous. This was even before Gangnam Style. Just have fun with it, don't put this expectation on it. And certainly don't attach your national identity to it. |
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cabeza
Joined: 29 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
| When my students learned I was from Canada in my first year here many of them asked me about Avril Lavigne. A few of them had her stickers/name on their books and bags. Her popularity may be fading, but I have heard her songs playing in several Korean establishments up until last week. |
Yeah she would easily qualify as a world star. When did she first come out? That skater boy video was like 2000/2001? She's been at it for 12 years now. Shit time flies. That's scary.
When i taught Chinese students, whenever i asked about what English music they knew, unfortunately, she was always the first person they would say. She's huge there. |
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Mr. BlackCat
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:15 am Post subject: |
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| wishfullthinkng wrote: |
| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
-Seoulites spend more time commuting than anyone else on the planet
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if you are going by city and not by nation then this has a high chance of being true. the only other city in the world that would have seoul beat here is tokyo. |
I still don't agree. Sure, Seoul is huge but many people I know in Canada commute 1-2+ hours to their job. Our cities might be smaller, but they're more spread out with less public transport infrastructure.* I have had many Koreans, including official guides to Korea, tell me Koreans sleep on the subway because they commute so far. An hour trip is just as long in Seoul as it is in Toronto or Chicago. At my first PS job here I was told by several different teachers that they were tired because they had to commute so far. Then they found out that I had an hour commute each way, more than most of them, and I found it to be normal. It's not a peeing contest, it's just one of those things that Koreans are told their whole lives without actually knowing what's going on in the rest of the world. And thus a commonly accepted 'myth'.
*Public transport. I have no idea why Koreans don't seem to be as proud and/or actively supportive of this. It's simply great all over the country, Seoul in particular. When I gush over it to my Korean co-workers and friends they're surprised to hear how much foreigners love it. Cheap, clean, safe, efficient and extensive. Just wish they'd have bathrooms on the intercity buses! |
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Seoulman69
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:17 am Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
A minor quibble....A KPop "artist" (or should I exclude the " " and just say 'fartist') IS pretty much the most famous Youtube sensation of all time and is obviously globally known, at least as much as Avril Lavigne.
In a few years, as the Psy grape juice matures into vinegar, the more appropriate term might be "notorious". |
Fair enough. As you mentioned his fame may turn into notoriety then sour into infamy.
Anyway, Lavigne has had 4 albums that have been successful around the world. Her last album in 2011 got to number 4 in the Korean album charts.
If Psy is scoring top ten albums on four continents with his follow up albums then I'll concede that at least one K-pop star is genuinely famous around the world. But the fact that the album Gangnam Style was on didn't register in any charts apart from Korea would suggest he will be a one-hit wonder
I'd say to compare his success with Lavigne, or even that little *beep* Beiber, is inappropriate. |
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Mr. BlackCat
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:21 am Post subject: |
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| cabeza wrote: |
| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
| When my students learned I was from Canada in my first year here many of them asked me about Avril Lavigne. A few of them had her stickers/name on their books and bags. Her popularity may be fading, but I have heard her songs playing in several Korean establishments up until last week. |
Yeah she would easily qualify as a world star. When did she first come out? That skater boy video was like 2000/2001? She's been at it for 12 years now. Shit time flies. That's scary.
When i taught Chinese students, whenever i asked about what English music they knew, unfortunately, she was always the first person they would say. She's huge there. |
I believe Skater Boi was 2002 (it was big during a life event of mine...I swear!) She also performed at the closing of the Turin and Vancouver Olympics.
Anyway, I think the point the original poster was trying to make is that Canadians seem to over-state or at least over point out Canadian stars. I'd agree to an extent, but the point remains that they are actually world famous stars. No one would be shocked that a Korean doesn't know Rick Mercer. Besides, we just point it out to Americans to irritate them. It's funny to watch their reaction.
Just watch what happens now. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Sadly, the one Korean artist who has been appropriately internationally recognized, remains largely unknown here. In fact, it would appear that he is more respected overseas. Reminds me a bit of Kurosawa and the Japanese.
That would be Shin Jung Hyun. |
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yodanole
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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| "As I know, most foreign teachers are not qualified to teach English." |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
| wishfullthinkng wrote: |
| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
-Seoulites spend more time commuting than anyone else on the planet
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if you are going by city and not by nation then this has a high chance of being true. the only other city in the world that would have seoul beat here is tokyo. |
I still don't agree. Sure, Seoul is huge but many people I know in Canada commute 1-2+ hours to their job. Our cities might be smaller, but they're more spread out with less public transport infrastructure.* I have had many Koreans, including official guides to Korea, tell me Koreans sleep on the subway because they commute so far. An hour trip is just as long in Seoul as it is in Toronto or Chicago. At my first PS job here I was told by several different teachers that they were tired because they had to commute so far. Then they found out that I had an hour commute each way, more than most of them, and I found it to be normal. It's not a peeing contest, it's just one of those things that Koreans are told their whole lives without actually knowing what's going on in the rest of the world. And thus a commonly accepted 'myth'.
*Public transport. I have no idea why Koreans don't seem to be as proud and/or actively supportive of this. It's simply great all over the country, Seoul in particular. When I gush over it to my Korean co-workers and friends they're surprised to hear how much foreigners love it. Cheap, clean, safe, efficient and extensive. Just wish they'd have bathrooms on the intercity buses! |
blackcat, it's numbers, sheer and simple. seoul has 11 million people in the city proper and the biggest city in canada, toronto, has 5.5 million. if the average seoulite travels one hour and the average torontonite travels one hour the math speaks for itself. even if seoulites travel for 31 minutes on average they still beat a torontonite clocking in at an hour. the only other cities that would top seoul is tokyo which has in at 13.2 million people, mumbai at 18 million, and shanghai at a staggering 24.3 million. (i might be missing a few but you get the point) |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. BlackCat wrote: |
| Newbie wrote: |
2. Western people can't eat spicy food: I can guarantee you there are MANY western people who can't. And generally, Koreans like to generalize (yes, I see the irony there!). So they meet 10 Westerners who don't like it, and they assume all don't.
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Well, I'd say that while many foreigners actually don't like spicy food, many tell Koreans this to avoid Korean dishes without offending the Koreans they are with. It's silly that we have to be that ultra-sensitive, but I've done it many times. Not only that, but Korean food generally has one specific type of 'spiciness'; I know many foreigners who don't like Korean spicy food, but love Mexican, Indian, etc. Meanwhile, I know many Koreans who take pride in the spiciness of Korean food (for some reason) but cannot handle a burrito or Indian curry. Lastly, I have eaten with lots of Koreans who cannot tolerate the spiciness of the Korean dish we're having while the foreigners at the table are lapping it up. So, basically, I think this whole "Foreigners can't handle Korean food because it's too spicy" is more to do with what they've been told all their lives rather than actual experience (we can see this with many myths already listed here).
| Quote: |
3. Kpop is popular all over the world: First, it's insanely popular in Asia, so they thinks it's world famous* Seems to have a small but growing fan base in South America and Europe. But, it's nowhere near as popular as Koreans think. Blame the media here. They exist to stoke the nationalist ego of the country. (*Canadian media is guilty of this too: someone like Avril Lavigne might be popular in the US, and suddenly she's "World famous". Is it really the whole world?)
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When my students learned I was from Canada in my first year here many of them asked me about Avril Lavigne. A few of them had her stickers/name on their books and bags. Her popularity may be fading, but I have heard her songs playing in several Korean establishments up until last week. How many Canadian, American, French, etc., kids do the same with Lee Hyori? Or Girls Generation? Or even Psy? Maybe you'd still hear Gangnam Style in a pub in North America/Europe/South America/etc. now, but I doubt you'll hear anyone else from Korea. Lastly, Canadians don't attach their identity to Avril Lavigne. When I meet Koreans I don't demand that they compliment Canadian music and list their favourite Canadian bands (which happens often here). Maybe if a band is from your hometown you'll mention it, but would you get angry at someone who says they don't listen to them, or, GASP!, doesn't like them? Have you ever told a Korean that you don't like Korean music? Not all of them, but in my experience a lot of them would have gotten very upset.
I don't mean to argue with you, it's just two points I have had many disagreements with various people over the years so I wanted to present the other side.
Back on topic, in addition to what others have said:
-Koreans love their children more
-There is no crime in Korea (often perpetuated by the expat community here)
-Koreans respect teachers/education more
-the USA is either a paradise or a dystopian nightmare where babies are murdered on every street corner by wandering gangs and everyone dies by gunwound by age 30
-Being at work= working
-In addition to above, the more time spent doing something= the better the result (aka efficiency is an American lie)
-Seoulites spend more time commuting than anyone else on the planet
-Only Koreans have a concept of 'face'
-Koreans don't show emotions
-Smoking pot once = drug addict (though it's changing)
-The IMF caused the crisis in 1997
-Koreans eat rice and kimchi most meals, therefore Americans eat hamburgers and potatoes every meal.
-"Western food" = hamburgers and french fries, also pizza.
-That criticizing, or poking fun at, any aspect of Korea means that you hate the place and should leave immediately
Unfortunately, many of these myths are perpetuated by many foreigners in Korea, too. |
Great post. This is why I wish this forum had a Like button. I really agree with what was said here, but have to quote the whole thing to say that. |
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