Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fandeath]

When I first arrived in Korea years ago, I felt like a mini-celebrity. I noticed people looking at me. And many people, especially children would say "hello".

After a year, I came to dread this extra attention.

After many years, I came to be disgusted by it.

When I walk by a school and the teenagers or children say that "hello" or "hi-ee" that is usually followed by giggles. It really bothers me these days.

I recall when I was first off the boat, I used to say a sincere "hello" back. But I came to realize that these are not sincere "hellos", but rather a kind of mocking "hello". Usually, they say "hello", but they can equally say a swear word; they have the same goal to get my attention and make me respond. I used to just tell myself that these are kids and they are nervous around foreigners....but now I am not so forgiving anymore.

It is usually children, but the other day, the "security guard" at my building who usually ignores me, said the same "hello" that the kids say and he proceeded to laugh with his fellow "security guards".
I felt dirty

I am not saying every "hello" is like this, but from my experience, the younger the child, the more sincere the "hello" feels. Very young kids are a delight when they try to communicate with me.


Does anyone else feel like I do? I wonder how others respond to this...

[chronicpride]

The adults ham it up in front of their friends, just as much as the kids do, in my experience.

[vlcupper]

Do what I do. Only answer people if they say your name.

[uberscheisse]

or you could just not get all butt-hurt about people being nervous and giggly about being the first one to try to be friendly.

[Universalis]

I've also started to notice that goofy hand wave Koreans do instead of bowing like they do to other real people (ie Koreans). They kind of lower their head and pivot their hand back and forth.

Brian

[vlcupper]

[rapier]

I just wave it away, make a face..whout back "No hello" to the youngest offendors, ignore it..whatever. Its such a commonplace occurence, like many other irritations, that after a while you realise it really isn't worth getting annoyed about. That goes for a whole lot of things here. If you constantly try to correct dumb behavior here, you will have your work cut out. Just assert yourself with some gesture or whatever, and move on..

Poor attitudes towards foreigners are in their full unleashed prime here. We're different: that is enough to confuse the hell out of them. The less smart ones resent that confusion we present to their otherwise uniform lives.

[animalbirdfish]

I generally answer in Korean. A simple "anyong" shocks the hell out of the kids.

A friend of mine used to keep his Korean phrase book handy and, if he had the time, he would open the book at random - though just as often to the medical section - and reply with something like, "how long have you been pregnant?" In Korean, of course.

The problem isn't going to disappear. Figure out how to have some innocent fun with it.

I've never had too much trouble with adults. The ones who approach me are usually a friendly bunch, trying help me out.

[uberscheisse]

[quote="animalbirdfish"]
The problem isn't going to disappear. Figure out how to have some innocent fun with it.[quote]

exactly. sometimes i make up words.

"hello!"
"yugoslapticka!"

"hello!"
"forbiligature!"

other times i just answer back in really lame western slang:

"hello!"
"yo, wassup, my nigga?"

they're not going to stop. don't get butt-hurt.

[Randall Flagg]

[quote="animalbirdfish"]
The problem isn't going to disappear[./quote]

I fail to see the problem. So somebody says hello to you. Oh my F'ing god! Is it that hard to say hello back? Or just keep walking and forget about it 2 seconds later?

So what if someone is having a bit of fun at your expense. Its a pretty harmless way of doing it. Its not even like they are mocking you. They say hello and get a kick out of getting a response. You're not that special in their lives, I'm sure they forget about you sooner than you do them.

I'm sorry, but its complaints like these that make me question, "Why are you living in a culture where you stand out from the rest?"

[Corporal]

Replying in Korean works well.

[peppermint]

Now the only people that do it are my million and five students- so that's fine. I say Hello back and maybe ask them a question once in a while.

What does freak me out a little is when some guy is walking along with a bunch of his friends, and one of them speeds up and walks along with me- pretending like we know eachother( but never talking), to the great amusement of his friends. It's only happened once or twice but always wierds me out when it does

[teachingld2004]

So, what is wrong with just saying "hello" back? Yes, I also can't stand the giggles that follow. But then again, when I walk down the street and anyone catches my eye, I smile. I do that when i'm home, so why not do the same thing here? I even say "Hello" to kids when I see them. It's not like I stop walking and have conversations. I don't. But saying "hello" never killed anyone, so why not?

[matko]

[quote="Randall Flagg"]

[uberscheisse]