Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gomurr]

My mother and a friend of hers just finished a 10 day trip to Korea to visit her grandson, daughter-in-law and I. To be fair and to give them a wide variety I took them to 4 different places, Incheon (where I am), Seoul, Cheong-ju and Kyong-ju. It was definitely an eye opening experience for my mother.

First thing my mother noticed was how dirty the cities were. She wasn't to impressed with the majority of the mom and pop stores/ market areas. The badly built and designed apartments (as well as the sheer number of them) and the cramped living conditions I have.
The way taxi and bus drivers operate caused a fair share of curse words directed. How people park on the streets and motorcycles zooming down sidewalks caused some concern. The subways she thought were pretty cool although long for trips between Incheon and Seoul.
The sheer number of people in the cities and how people kept bumping into her without a word of apology. How everyone looks the same and how girlish the younger men look and act (touchy/feelly).
She loved the shopping areas around Pupyong and the Pottery Folk Village in Kyong-ju but she had trouble figuring out the money.

Korean food was a problem mainly because of how dirty looking most Korean restaurants are. It is a big turnoff for me even, I generally don't buy anything from street vendors. Bulgogi was fine and so was samgaetang, Kimchi wasn't particulary liked. The beer also recieved a thumbs up

Public toilets also provided some comments especially the squatter toilets which was a first for my Mom. The experience went well but the majority of Public toilets are dirty (especially at Hogwans).

What my mother really liked was the mountains and country side. Having never seen mountains close up (I'm from Belmont Ontario, flat farmland) my mother couldn't get enough of them. She loved Popchusa temple and the Royal tombs at Kyong-ju. Toksugung and Kyungbugung were also impressive to my mother.

All in all my mother had an enjoyable if hectic 11 day trip to Korea. She understands when I bitch about certain things on the phone to her or make certain requests. But seeing is believing, she will have lots to tell the family and neighbors back home.

I wonder how other family members of expats think of Korea. I know my mother would never want to live here especially after seeing it.

[Mankind]

[Swiss James]

My brother and his girlfriend came over for a week last month, they loved the food (although not kimbap surprisingly), enjoyed the scenery, were knocked over by the size of Seoul, especially in busy areas like Jong-no.

They couldn't believe how friendly people were to them- e.g. on the plane to Jeju, a little girl came up and handed us a big handful of peanute, gave a little bow and walked off again. Temples and palaces were a big hit, the squat toilets seemed a bit weird to them but not a problem, and they loved noraebang and the time bars stay open till.
All in all I think if their situations back home were different they might have been tempted to quit their jobs and come over here, they certainly mentioned it more than once.

[weatherman]

My mother and sister came over for a visit in June of 2000. She was here for 10 days. It was a long ten days. My mother couldn't really take to any of the food. Even Samgyae-tung was too spicy for here. Also it was in late june and the first real heat of the summer got to her, so it limited the time outdoors sightseeing. Even though she really didnt enjoy Korea that much, she didn't complian about it, excepting its differences for what they are.. (good northeast liberal she is) What was great is that she came to except why I love Korea so much and she hasn't really given my much talk about coming back since. On the other hand, my sister really enjoyed Korea.

[chiaa]

Interesting stories. When my mom came I can say over all she was not too fond of Korea. Knowing her, I know she was holding back on her comments for the sake of not upsetting my wife (then GF).

Things she did not like:

Housing--too small and old

How dirty everything is

Korean men--read more below on this

Food--she gave it her best, but after a few days we no longer went out to eat but she cooked at home yippie!!!

Noise--I live in the noisest neighborhood in Korea. So it was not a fair representation...


Things she did like:

Public transportation--How clean the subway is (she is from NYC). But she didnt like how the bus drivers drove.

Shopping--She still marvels at the quality of the stockings she got at Namdaemun.

The Chinese food restaurant at the Hamilton

My In-laws

She made many many comments on how Korean men acted while she was here. But all of that was saved on her plane trip back to the states. She met a man on the plane that was in his late thirties or so. She really enjoyed the conversation she had with him and thought his manners were great. it almost got to the point where she wanted to get rid of him because he was too nice. It actually changed her view of Korean men. She still laughs at how the guy left his carry on baggage with her while he went to find a place to smoke (knowing her for that short period of time).

She is coming here again. But, we are going to head out to Thailand for a nice Spa retreat for a little while.[/i]

[Derrek]

I'm so jealous!

I wish my family would come visit me here, but they have absolutely NO desire to come here. They would rather I come home.

[osangrl]

My mother came last summer and she is coming again this september. Last year she stayed in korea for 3 weeks and we went to guam for 5 days (she was scared of SARS ) This year she is staying with me in Osan for a month, and we are going to thailand for 10 days.

She liked it here. Didn't care about it being dirty and stuff. We are from the country, so she was excited to see a big city. I lived in Itaewon at the time, so while i was at work, she just went shopping, or went on a tour.... used that lil tourist booth alot. She had a great time. Hence coming back again.

She even liked Geckos (like mother like daughter) and even had a rockin nite one nite on hooker hill drinking soju. She's great. I hope im like her when i grow up.

[t bear]

My parents and younger sister (20), came over for 8 days last year. They found everyone really friendly and loved the food.
Spent a few days in Seoul, which the olds found difficult to navigate around and too many people(coming from NZ). My sister loved the shopping, especially Myeong Dong.
Enjoyed the trip down to Gyeong ju, especially seokoram grotto, buddhist statue.
Dont think they'd ever come back.
Went over to Japan for a few days, said it was cleaner, but the food not as good.

[Homer]

My mother came in 1999 and again in 2002.
Each time she stayed for a month. Each time she loved her stay here.
I took her all around (cheju, sorak san, Kyungju...).

The crowds did not bother her one bit. She loved the food and did not freak out over how "dirty" the place was. She took the place for what it is and not for what it "should" be.

She did not think "they" all looked the same.

She did mind the pollution in the big cities (noise and air) and was scared to death in most cab rides ( )

My wife's parents were super kind to her and took her shopping when we had to work.

She is not that much into shopping so she was not up for that.

My brother (in Japan) came 4 times and my sister 3 times.
They both lived and travelled extensively and both liked their stay here.

My brother liked the fact that things were moving at breakneck pace. He liked how the city (Busan) changed a lot between each of his visits.
He liked the food big time and enjoyed the fact that many restaurants and street stalls were a bit on the dirty side. He shares my opinion that back home things are just overly-sanitized.

My sister liked it too. She did mind the crowds a little and the pollution but overall took it in stride. She lived in the Middle East and in a couple of other asian nations (China) and said the bumping is par for the course in many crowded countries.
She also loved the food and the people.

Guess it depends on the person.

[maestro74]

My Mother came to Korea for a week in March. I took her around Seoul and down to Pusan so she could see the countryside. She was suprised at how small my apartment was even though I gave my family a webcam tour before, but I guess it was very different in person. She mainly liked the food. Kamjatang and Samgyeopsal being some of her favorites. She was very impressed with a lot of the sites, but she didn't like all the stairs she had to go up and down. My dad could never come here because he has to use crutches and a wheelchair, so he couldn't even visit my school. But it was great to share Korea with someone from home. After 2 years of just hearing stories, my Mom got to experience a little part of it herself. That was worth it right there.

[Squid]

The olds came out for our wedding last year. Both liked the subway and getting their own made-to-measure Hanboks, neither could eat the food, Pater quite enjoyed the Soju and Mater got along well with some of the in-laws.

They both recognized it for what it is- a resource raping, money grubbing "economic miracle".

Both wondered why there were no animals- even in the countryside.

[paperbag princess]

[Homer]

Squid,