Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Scorpion]

When I first came to Korea some years ago I wanted the full immersion thing. For the first four months I avoided other foreigners. How things have changed. Now I go out of my way to avoid Koreans as much as possible. The differences in culture, manners, general etiquette and priorities are just too much. I am not ashamed to say that I do not like the culture, and try to avoid interaction with Koreans as much as possible. My question is this: those of you who have lived in other countries have you had similar attitudes towards the local population? If you did, why? If you did not, what is it about Korea that gets up so many Western peoples' noses? It's not that there aren't some good things about Korea, or even nice Koreans. There are...but it just seems that there is too much that is objectionable. I also find it's just not worth the effort to interact with Koreans. It's above my pay scale. I resolved long ago to do my job, pay my taxes, respect the laws of the country, but to have as little interaction with Koreans as possible. I think that, in the long term, this is the best survival technic for the long-term waygook.

Steelrails, would you agree?

[optik404]

subtle troll bait post.

[Scorpion]

[Fox]

It's interesting, the attitude you've expressed here in this post is more or less the primary complaint I hear individual Koreans articulating about foreigners. Not "They take our women," or, "They have AIDS," or, "They do drugs," or anything like that. Just this basic attitude you've outlined, the way in which foreigners come into the country, live here, work here, and do it while wanting more or less nothing to do with Korea's people or culture. I know it can be hard for westerners to deal with Korean culture, so I won't join in their condemnation of you; how you feel is understandable enough. I think how they feel is understandable enough as well though.

[optik404]

[No_hite_pls]

[andrewchon]

[Steelrails]

[edwardcatflap]

[NohopeSeriously]

It's like me, except that I only accept Koreans who go to my church or the affiliated churches. Pity the ROK (rest of Koreans).

[Fox]

[Who's Your Daddy?]

[Scorpion]

[quote="No_hite_pls"]

[joelove]

Seems reasonable to me if that's how you want to live. You're not doing anything wrong. It's pretty rich for Koreans to complain about foreigners doing this. I wonder what do most Koreans do in foreign countries. Isn't it hang out nearly exclusively with other Koreans? Eat food they're familiar with? Speak their own language as much as they can?

But it's not unusual for anyone to do this, seeing Chinese and Korean and Greek and Indian and Jewish and Arab areas and so on, exist in lots of big cities all over the world, don't they? Do what makes you comfortable. Most people do.

[Unposter]

I think the OP's question is a good one; it is not trolling; it is called being honest.

IMHO, I think a lot of people have Scorpion's experiences and feelings. It is pretty normal.

A lot of people come to Korea or a place similar to it, full of dreams and positive intentions, only to find that it is a lot harder than they expected. Only to realize how much of their own culture they really are. They cannot get past their own cultural values, and/or their own worldview, and/or their own cultural expectations. There is a language barrier but often it is not the language, but the culture that really gets in the way of communication and understanding.

And, there is nothing wrong with that; it is normal.

All of us integrate to varying degrees. Some people are happy living in an English/Ex-pat bubble - nothing wrong with that either. Some people attempt deeper integration - nothing wrong with that as well. We all make out of our experiences what we can.

And, yes, Fox, is right that Koreans (probably) feel the same way. They want to be closer to us but they find some of our values, worldview and expectations, well, foreign. It is not easy to make friends with people who you don't share something in common with and the more you hold to your culture and not let go in the other culture, the less you have in common, thus it is easier to make friends with those who have traveled more widely or have actually lived in English speaking countries because they understand more of your culture.

Whether you decide to make the most of what you can here or decide it isn't worth the effort and pack up your bags is your choice. But, understanding and appreciating another culture and finding ways to communicate (as in deeply) with the people in it is not as easy as it sounds.

Personally, I have gone through feelings like you myself when I first arrived here. At first, I found Koreans much to socially conservative, and well, a little boring. Over time, I came to understand and appreciate more and more how Koreans socialize, and in some ways, it is different (though in some ways similar), I found that I could integrate a little more than before. Today, I don't think I integrate as much as some I know, and over time in the English/Ex-pat bubble not just fun but important, too. But, over time, I have found Korea a much easier place to live and interacting with the locals easier, and it is not just do to Korean Westernization, though it certainly doesn't hurt.