Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jajdude]

Korea isn't doing too bad, is it? Yet there seems to be an inferiority complex and a lot of comparing with other countries. And a sensitivity towards criticism. And why do I also seems to hear comments based upon my presence, especially more so if with other foreigners? Guess I could be paranoid. The other night though another foreign friend and me went to a small spot to drink a beer. The other two tables with Koreans seemed to me to be abuzz with comments on foreigners and English. I just seemed to hear, "What are they talking about?" and "They can't speak Korean." And other similar-type comments a lot. And then yesterday just sitting talking with a Korean girl who had good English it seemed several Koreans were interested in what we were saying. One guy sat nearby and just watched for a good 20 minutes, apparently listening or else a bit mystified about the English, more likely by the expression on his face. I imagined he might have thought, boy I hate that language, in my country I want to hear Korean ALL the time. Don't know why it even bothers me. I'm sure there are many more examples where some insecurity seems to exist. Is it an easily offended nation?

[FierceInvalid]

Koreans are very touchy about their country. I think a lot of it comes as a result of being in between China and Japan, and also lets face it the 20th century didn't go so well for Korea...

Most of the time they probably just want to see how much English they can catch. I do this with Korean conversations, though I obviously have no shortage of options.

[sickboy]

Absolutely.

[posco's trumpet]

[crazylemongirl]

[hellofaniceguy]

Being surrounded by Russia, China, Japan, etc. has nothing to do with the behavior of koreans. Nor does the past. I mean, it's like the U.S. holding a grudge because of the civil war, or WW1, WW2, etc. it's over, done with and life goes on. If koreans hold grudges, it's their shorhcomings and ignorance then. I think it's all monkey see monkey do attutude. All is calm until someone starts to stir up some B.S. and then all jump on the bandwagon! Koreans will never change their ways to get along with the world or be leaders in the world. They will always be followers. I thought that perhaps that the younger generation would change but they are not. They still follow what the older ones say and want. Koreans don't not think independently; they don't know how. It's part of the culture. It's not good or bad, just korean. It's their country and its worked for them for centuries even though the rest of the world does not always agree. But even though it works for them does not mean it is right also.

[steroidmaximus]

This morning I'm a Korean apologist. Maybe cuz it's teacher's day

At this point I should mention that there are plenty of examples on this board alone of people who get offended when their country or elements of it are discussed negatively. . . I wouldn't limit your statement by labelling this behaviour as strictly a Korean phenomenon.

[Sliver]

Right on SM. CMG for example launched into a true defensive stance on New Zealand recently (quite rightly so I might add) which is totally a reasonable response from someone who loves their country .

Also, why do some people on this board have to carpet bomb all Koreans?

Is it so hard to type the word "some" or even "most" if you have to?

[gang ah jee]

looks like hellofaniceguy's trying to style himself as some kind of low-rent narsty dog. but without the humor or the insight. keep it up.

yeah, koreans are insecure about their country and culture. hundreds of years of china-worshipping yangban rule, colonisation by a neighboring country, quasi-colonisation by a superpower, being the smallest - and in some ways still - weakest country in the region.... is anyone surprised?

it's funny though. new zealanders aren't exactly the most secure nationality either. i can see how it does come from living in a backwater country. go to new zealand and you will hear a lot of the things you hear here - "how do you like it?", "have you tried pavlova?", "this is the cleanest country in the world", "oh, we don't have (fill in the blank) like you do in your dirty, smoggy country", "we HATE Australia", "we invented powered flight/atomic energy/meringue cake". Plus, ANY criticism of NZ is not kindly received at all, even if we'd say the same thing ourselves. Koreans don't seem much (if any) worse than kiwis to me in that respect.

[bignate]

[Butterfly]