Korean Job Discussion Forums

[3DR]

[jcd]

It's a talk show. If you don't like talk shows at home you wouldn't like this one either. Like talk shows from the US they have to speak up and be funny or witty or insightful. Some of the jokes are funny and some are not. They move on fast to the next joke or subject. It's entertainment, no different from the huge industry many other places. Kudos to anyone who learned enough of Korean to be on the show.
I was super skeptical before I watched it but after I read this forum, I watched it with the English subs, it's interesting. Even if I find some of their questions and ideas idiotic, it's still interesting. It's really hard to speak in general terms about your country and it's people and sound intelligent. It's an art form and people want it so bad. People in the US we love twinkies.

[Lucas]

[Captain Corea]

[Fox]

[postfundie]

[basic69isokay]

These guys are popular for one simple reason:

They validate Koreans by reinforcing what foreign people should be like--Koreans!!

Metrosexual, submissive, brainwashed, cheesy, etc...

Btw, Ive met a guy like them before. He came here as an exchange student and studied 6hrs/day for his first year. Plus taekwondo. Didn't work. So, of course he speaks Korean well. But viewers think, thats how a foreigner should be! Assimilation ohh yea

[Leon]

For most it probably doesn't make much sense to learn Korean, especially if you are here for just a year or two. I have learned it/learning it, and it has proven very helpful for my career field back home, but I am still only at the intermediate level. I would say though, there really is no excuse for not at least learning enough to order food in a restaurant or to go shopping. I knew people who had been there longer than I, and I still had to help them order at the kimbab place.

[Lionman]

I recently was interviewed at a top graduate school in Seoul. One of the professors seemed to be impressed with my Korean and said, 'Ah, you are like the abnormal summit (비정상회담) guys.' I had not heard of it at the time and asked if it was TV show. He said it was. I then said, 'Oh, I don't watch TV.'

When I later saw these guys on Youtube, I felt quite insulted that someone would put me in the same category as these clowns. They are obviously following a script. Granted they are good at conversational Korean (2 years of living while moderately studying in country to attain that sort of level). One of the guys pronunciation was pretty bad, and they don't seem to have a good handle on the culture. (hence the heavily scripted lines)

They do not seem to have any career aspirations or any goals, just goofing off on TV. The commercials with these guys are even worse.

I am glad to see that they have people from different countries though, not a preference for those of a European background.

I just feel that Korea needs to recognize foreigners for more than just being the token foreigner.

[basic69isokay]

[kingplaya4]

Learning Korean here as an English teacher is like trying to sled uphill. Sure you can grab two sticks and push yourself up, but it isn't easy. They speak English to me all day at work, when I go to the bank, the stationary store, many restaurants, sometimes even convenience stores. The grocery store is one place my Korean seems to be useful. I no longer care to bother with it.

[cj1976]

I've been here for almost 9 years, and my Korean is absolutely woeful. Saying that, it hasn't really been a hindrance to me. I know enough survival pidgin Korean to meet my needs, and I have managed to use English at other times.
There are no excuses. I never made a concerted effort to learn, and I had plenty of time. Definitely laziness on my behalf, will admit. However, another factor is that I'm simply not interested in devoting the time and effort into learning a bastard hard language in a society I have no interest in assimilating into.
Despite my long time here, I still feel like a temporary visitor. I don't know when I will leave, but I know that I can't stay forever.

[aq8knyus]

[Mix1]

[metalhead]