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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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 Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:32 am Post subject: |
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I got this a lot for a couple of months last year when the landlord was showing prospective tenants my apt.
Problem was he never made an appointment with me or even phoned my hagwon to let me know people were coming. All I would get would be a sharp knock and then the door handle would turn all at the same time!!! Usually I had remembered to lock the door but once I hadn't so the fucker came right on in with this young couple looking to rent my apt.
It was only a one room and I was in bed so it was pretty embarrassing.
I asked Korean friends is this normal and they said no way. I assume he made some kind of difference in the normal ettiquete because I was a foreigner. |
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Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:55 am Post subject: Re: People trying to open my apt. door. No knock. |
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| NateTeaches wrote: |
Is this a common occurance? Reminds me of some cheesy show I saw about how all the people in Canada leave their doors unlocked but just across the border in Michigan everyone locked their doors.
Anyways, it's happened to me 3 times and luckily my door has been locked each time.
My only thoughts are 1. It's some Korean person I know and they assume I'm not home because my door is locked.
2. Criminal.
3. The garbage / maintenance man. |
It's number 2.
Last year I was coming home from work around 12:30, just after lunch. As I was climbing the stairs to my apartment, my door slowly opened and this guy walked out, proud as punch, walking slowly like he owned the place, with my notebook computer in hand. I was dumbfounded. I didn't even think thief, I was just so surprised. "What are you doing in my apartment?", I just asked, slowly. He looked at me for a second, dropped the computer and ran down the stairs.
I would have grabbed him except I was more concerned about the computer and what he might have taken out of the apartment. Fortunately the only thing he got away with was the power cord. I called my boss - a nice, reliable supportive person who has always been there when I needed her - and she came right over with the cops. They filed a report but the lazy SOBs did nothing except tell me to be more careful locking my door. (Apparently I had left it unlocked accidentally in the morning, only way I could account for the guy getting in.) They could have fingerprinted the computer as I am the ONLY person who's ever touched it, and as a foreigner my fingerprints are on file.
Cost me $100 bucks to get a new power cord from Canada. The guy was one of these losers who works sticking ads for pizza shops, chicken shops, etc., on your door. Cops could have even figured out which restaurant he was working for, but they didn't even want to do that.
Lock your door. Even if you are home. Double check it before you leave. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:49 am Post subject: |
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| Lock your door. Even if you are home. Double check it before you leave. |
Good advice.
Korea may have less 'professional' housebreakers than other countries but there are many opportunists. Those food delivery guys for one. |
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Gollum
Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:41 am Post subject: |
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A couple of us teachers added extra locks to our doors for about 70,000 won. Mine has a round key, which is kind of cool and different than back home.
I also like the feeling of knowing that I can lock out my boss and at least make it more difficult to gain access to my place. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:06 am Post subject: |
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Happened to me once staying at a friend's apartu, big place, 4 of us living there. The lease was coming to an end and next thing I know there are 3 ajumas standing in the living room nattering like a bagfull of angry chipmunks. They didn't seem too phased by me and just seemed to be an estate agent and prospective tennants. Still, would have been nice to knock first as I was barely clad.
My old place in Hwajong was a first floor studio with a big window on the street. It became a running joke amongst my drunken friends to break in at all hours and crash there, or wake me up. Got the shock of my life tho when I was 'entertaining' a lady, but not as much of a shock as she did. It all stopped though one night when I waited by the window with a kitchen knife and scared the bejeezus out of my mate.
I'm lucky now though, the front gate of my complex has two guards with M16s and the whole place has double razor wire fencing. Makes me feel very safe indeed. |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:10 am Post subject: |
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Farm animals are never a threat.
"In this apartment, there is a foreigner. Do not worry he will not bite." |
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diver
Joined: 16 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:46 am Post subject: |
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I don't get the bathroom door knocking protocol here either.
See, *I* knock first, to see if anyone is there. When no one answers, I assume it's empty, but first try the door to see if it's unlocked. If it is, then I open it.
Koreans wrench on the door several times. Now they know it is locked. If it is locked, then they know someone is inside. THEN they knock. Why!? |
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hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:22 am Post subject: Re: People trying to open my apt. door. No knock. |
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| Manner of Speaking wrote: |
...The guy was one of these losers who works sticking ads for pizza shops, chicken shops, etc., on your door. Cops could have even figured out which restaurant he was working for, but they didn't even want to do that.
Lock your door. Even if you are home. Double check it before you leave. |
There have been occasions when those pizza ad hangers made alot of racket like they were trying the door knob etc. Maybe it wasn't paranoia... |
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Lizara
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:22 am Post subject: |
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| diver wrote: |
I don't get the bathroom door knocking protocol here either.
See, *I* knock first, to see if anyone is there. When no one answers, I assume it's empty, but first try the door to see if it's unlocked. If it is, then I open it.
Koreans wrench on the door several times. Now they know it is locked. If it is locked, then they know someone is inside. THEN they knock. Why!? |
What's also awesome is at school, when the kids want in the stall, they'll wrench on the door and then look through the little crack by the door to see who's in there. Who doesn't love using the bathroom with three pairs of eyes watching and commenting in Korean? |
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