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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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 Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 7:44 pm Post subject: Kidnapped by Koreans... |
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It seems everywhere I went in Korea I was kidnapped at treated to Korean hospitality. I enjoyed it very much. Of course as a westerner we are always suspicious of friendly people. 
I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday and one of the older men that kidnapped him was able to share his motivation for doing so. While I am sure each person as their own motivations, I thought his was worth sharing.
My friend biking from Japan to Soraksan. (camping along the way) Kidnapped many times to share lunch, etc.
This particular time kidnapped to an expensive restraurant. At some point in the meal he asked my friend "Do you know why I do this for you?" He went on to say that he is an old man, and my friend a young man. One day my friend will be old and he will see a young Korean man, perhaps in Canada. He hopes that my friend will remember this kindness and will do the same for another Korean. |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Location: Next to a River
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| I've done the same a few times. Try to be nice to someone from another culture and country, maybe one day they will do the same to someone from your country. You never know, at the very least do to others what you would want them to do for you or others in a good sense doesn't hurt. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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This is a bit weird though.
If I get it right his motivation for helping you was so that you might help a Korean sometime. Aren't nice people supposed to help just to be nice. No ulterior motive. |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
This is a bit weird though.
If I get it right his motivation for helping you was so that you might help a Korean sometime. Aren't nice people supposed to help just to be nice. No ulterior motive. |
Don't be absurd! What goes around comes around. Of course we do nice things because we hope nice things will happen to us. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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| On a related note, Koreans do, at times, have a hard time grasping why you might want to do things by yourself. "No really, I like to be alone." |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 12:36 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| On a related note, Koreans do, at times, have a hard time grasping why you might want to do things by yourself. "No really, I like to be alone." |
This is correct. And while it would be churlish and ungrateful of me to complain about hospitality shown by my in-laws, on more than one outing I've been thrown in the back of a Kia Pride and taken for 16 hour marathon tours of parks, restaurants and relatives homes from one side of Kyonggi-do to the other, never being told where we were going next, when we were going home, or anything else. I know they wanted me to enjoy myself so I kept my smile on but at times it sure FELT like I was kidnapped.
My wife explained to me later that it's Korean custom for families to do these non-stop tours, where one or two "leaders" decide what would happen next and the other 9 have to follow.
I'm happy to do things with families for an afternoon, but once we get past Hour Number Ten I start to get cranky. |
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animalbirdfish
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 5:42 am Post subject: |
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| joe_doufu wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
This is a bit weird though.
If I get it right his motivation for helping you was so that you might help a Korean sometime. Aren't nice people supposed to help just to be nice. No ulterior motive. |
Don't be absurd! What goes around comes around. Of course we do nice things because we hope nice things will happen to us. |
I agree. I had some car problems once in the States and an old farmer gave me a ride - out of his way - to the next town. I offered to pay him and he said, "I won't take your money. Just help someone else out sometime."
Seems a good way to live. Start a chain reaction, of sorts. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:11 am Post subject: |
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I gave rides to people all the time in Canada. Now I have no problem getting a taxi in two minutes or less.
No, I wasn't a taxi driver. But before my Uni days, I lived in a sattelite town. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:20 am Post subject: |
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I gave rides to people all the time in Canada. Now I have no problem getting a taxi in two minutes or less.
No, I wasn't a taxi driver. But before my Uni days, I lived in a sattelite town. |
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Derrek
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 7:11 am Post subject: |
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| The Lemon wrote: |
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| On a related note, Koreans do, at times, have a hard time grasping why you might want to do things by yourself. "No really, I like to be alone." |
This is correct. And while it would be churlish and ungrateful of me to complain about hospitality shown by my in-laws, on more than one outing I've been thrown in the back of a Kia Pride and taken for 16 hour marathon tours of parks, restaurants and relatives homes from one side of Kyonggi-do to the other, never being told where we were going next, when we were going home, or anything else. I know they wanted me to enjoy myself so I kept my smile on but at times it sure FELT like I was kidnapped.
My wife explained to me later that it's Korean custom for families to do these non-stop tours, where one or two "leaders" decide what would happen next and the other 9 have to follow.
I'm happy to do things with families for an afternoon, but once we get past Hour Number Ten I start to get cranky. |
I'd hit cranky after hour 2. |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Kidnapped by Koreans... |
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| turtlepi1 wrote: |
It seems everywhere I went in Korea I was kidnapped at treated to Korean hospitality. I enjoyed it very much. Of course as a westerner we are always suspicious of friendly people.
I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday and one of the older men that kidnapped him was able to share his motivation for doing so. While I am sure each person as their own motivations, I thought his was worth sharing.
My friend biking from Japan to Soraksan. (camping along the way) Kidnapped many times to share lunch, etc. |
Ulterior motives =
"Let's make conversation"
( i.e. there's no such thing as a free lunch ) |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| animalbirdfish wrote: |
| joe_doufu wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
This is a bit weird though.
If I get it right his motivation for helping you was so that you might help a Korean sometime. Aren't nice people supposed to help just to be nice. No ulterior motive. |
Don't be absurd! What goes around comes around. Of course we do nice things because we hope nice things will happen to us. |
I agree. I had some car problems once in the States and an old farmer gave me a ride - out of his way - to the next town. I offered to pay him and he said, "I won't take your money. Just help someone else out sometime."
Seems a good way to live. Start a chain reaction, of sorts. |
Yeah but, the old guy specifically said he hoped you would help a Korean sometime.......Seems very ethnocentric to me. |
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