Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lpcool]

Are whites treated preferentially in Korea? Do you know of any instances confirming/disconfirming this? What do you make of them?

The poll options are not thorough, obviously, because it'll of course "depend on the situation." I'm referring more to the tendency as a whole in this culture...

On a related note:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=4007&highlight=

Suggestions for more poll options will be appreciated...

[sillywilly]

Ive experienced both.. I have noticed favoritism though. Liek going into a crowded bank and being served first..

My son, on the other hand, gets free gifts and special services on a regular basis.

[The Donkey]

Yeah, being a white NA guy I have been treated well compared to Japanese, Midle Easterners, other SE Asianers and Blacks. Still get the short end of the stick though.
I never knew what racism felt like until I came to Korea. Overall, I feel it is a pretty racist society. There are some shinning stars in the bunch, as there are anywhere. But I'll be damned if I feel like I am welcomed in this country.

[whatthefunk]

I agree. Even the small 'favors' you get in resturants and stuff are done so in a racist way...they give you special treatment because you are different. Even though its not necessarily always negative racism, its still racism and it doesn't make me feel welcome anywhere.

[Alias]

Of course we get preferential treatment. I certainly do. Just this weekend while I was walking down the street , a Korean man came up to me and offered me a job at his English School. Christ he didn't talk to me more than 40 seconds. Just saw that I was white and could speak English. Back home I couldn't kill for a job.

[Dan]

sorry if i can't feel sympathetic to anyone complaining that they got preferential treatment, which is still racist, because they are white.

guess what, its WAAAAAAAAAY better than getting $hitty treatment because you aren't white anywhere else in the world.

[whatthefunk]

That is true, but it is still very annoying to be treated differently just becasue you aren't korean.

[FierceInvalid]

I agree with Dan, I can't in good conscience complain about getting preferential treatment as a white person, no matter the grounds...I can't imagine what an African American for example might think of that complaint. Besides, the good treatment being done condescendingly I think is probably in people's heads more than anything. When an ajumma at a restaurant asks if you want a fork or something she's just trying to help, but I can imagine lots of foreigners here freaking out about how she's assuming you're stupid or something.

It does go both ways, though...not that long ago a guy I met for five minutes literally invited me to move in with him as kind of a homestay kind of thing (he's got a couple of kids, learn English, blah, blah) but I can imagine his reaction if I tried to date his daughter (after she came of age of course...)

[bignate]

Why do you think they usually ask for pictures when they are accepting new teachers?

I have actually had a hagwon supervisor, go over names and ask me if they sounded white.

I have also seen the owner of said hagwon throw out resumes of those who even looked too tan, and choose non-graduate white teachers over qualified "non-white" teachers.

Sad, sad indeed

[William Beckerson]

Yes.

Take advantage of it while they're still figuring out how we're all using them.

[Butterfly]

[crazylemongirl]

Ok,

I'm with donkey on the whole 'I never knew what racism felt like until I came to Korea' thing... it's a lot more overt here ie. the whole 'members only' thing that you see in stores, the stares etc. which is something I don't like... Having your korean co-worker laugh at another new zealander because his grand parent was non-white wasn't cool... but I choose to politley explain why I didn't think that was cool and moved on.

But having said that I think we, as english speakers primarly of european descent, have it lot easier here than people who speak different languages/look different in our home countries... as most racism in this country tends to benefit us.

As far as day to day living goes I don't think it's something to worry about... For instance the subways have signs and maps in english, that to me is a welcoming part of korea. They realise that your unlikely to be able to string more than two words together and wanna cut you some slack. I think some of our home counties could learn a thing or two about that. New Zealands offically bilingual yet won't see many signs in english and maori unless it's a government or maori organisation. Yet the koreans cut me way more slack here.

Big stuff like people not getting hired for being 'dark' is a worry.... but there's little you can do about.

CLg

[indiercj]

There is no doubt in my mind that we Koreans are racists whether with ill-intention or without. The only time i experience this is when i walk my dog. He's half yorkshir terrier and half maltese. Every people on the streets regardless of age ask what breed he is. It makes me really uncomfortable to see the disapointment on their faces the moment after i tell them he is actually a mixed breed. They just can't appreciate one little cute dog without asking what he is, whether he is "pure".

[William Beckerson]

Like most things here, dogs, and children are status symbols.

"Mrs. Oh! What a cute puppy! How much did you pay for him?"

"He was more expensive than my son, but at least I didnt have to sleep with my husband to get him."

[jajdude]

Without question this is a very racist society. It is so ignorant and unfamilar with the rest of the planet, the people cannot help their ignorance when they spend their lives in this little closet of the world. I feel bad for them but then again I realize at least half the planet is in a similar deal.