Korean Job Discussion Forums

[duhweecher]

Anyone else pick up on the amazing level of pent up NEGATIVE ENERGY people seem to have here? (Yep, sounds like yoga material here..."negative energy"...no, I can't even define it really, but I think you know what I mean) Where is this stemming from? Is it sort of a conflict-oriented mentality or something?

I mean, today, for example, I went to a wine store where I usually purchase my Merlot. The owner is usually quite nice and friendly. Today, one of his acquaintances was there apparently paying a visit. The owner wasn't his usual happy self (understandable; I've read enough about emotional labour and really don't feel like he always has to be nice). But I was shocked that he actually said, "Oh, you were just here recently" in a mumbled voice but loud enough for his friend to hear.

I said, I haven't been here for nearly two months, with a laugh. No reply. In fact, he wouldn't even look me in the face and just ignored my reply with a smug little yeah-right look on his face. The whole situation had a really negative vibe to it.

This is just a small case of what I mean, but I think this sort of negativity is at a level that is by far on a more social level in Seoul (to say the least) than any other place I have ever been or lived. What's going on with people here? Is it really chic to be a jerk, rude, or simply negative about any and everything? To make even the most sterile (or even positive) of situations into a negative one?

I usually like pretty much everything in Korea (...I am Korean....American), but this negativity is really starting to get to me and I don't think it's just a personal problem.

Anyone else pick up on this feeling?

[greene]

i used to have a friend in korea. when we would walk down the street he would be getting hit by ajumas and ajushis left and right on the shoulder. taxi drivers would pull over the car to yell at him (i saw this in one of the few times i rode with him but he told me it happened often). he absolutely loathed korea

however i've hardly ever been barged into. and taxi drivers are very nice to me almost all the time

yesterday i was in a particularly bad mood. very very negative. an ajushi pushed me because i accidentally stepped on his foot. i apologized and then realized i was being negative at that time and i attracted negativity

i really think like attracts like. for instance, you were treated negatively and now you are complaining about it on a message board looking for others to validate the existence of this negativity

it exist but you can basically live without seeing it if you are positive yourself. the negativity just goes away

</new age speak>

[duhweecher]

[KimchiNinja]

[atwood]

Why be negative? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEx0mGat3bc

[Sector7G]

[Stain]

[Sector7G]

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[Sector7G]