Korean Job Discussion Forums

gatohorrible · Joined: 02 Jun 2003

Wow thank you other hand. A person who shows thought and wants to discuss something, and had something to say unlike some other less brainy mortals on here who seem to think this is a bar.

Well you make some good points. They are ones I share to a point as well. But we dont want them over here in Britain . Keep them in Korea. Thye are a rich country who believe in looking after their own , so let them do it- they 've no reason to move here.They will not change through learning English , nor exposure to others cultures, unless they are born in another country. Everyone who's met the korean students abroad or the korean communities know they dont mix, and they dont want to mix.
And then those children have to suffer the kyopo crap when they return to the motherland.

Why are you really teaching there?
And I mean REALLY??

William Beckerson · Guest

gatohorrible · Joined: 02 Jun 2003

thanks ajjossi

William Beckerson · Guest

No problem Mr. Lott.

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

Koreans are sure different. I remember reading an article in the newspapers a while back about some Koreans who were taken to Mexico as indentured servants. They had to work in menial jobs to support themselves, and at the time (this was about 100 yrs ago) conditions were pretty rough. A lot of them intermarried with the locals, but the funny thing about it is that their offspring are still Korean in their outlooks. They might not look so Korean now, and have rounder eyes and darker skins, but when they all get to-gether they put on hanbos, and eat kimchee.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Len 8: The fact that some of these Korean-Mexicans intermarried with locals would, I think, demonstrate that they didn't have that much trouble with assimilation. As for the hanbos and kimchee, my Scottish grandparents came to Canada roughly 90 years ago, but their chidren occasionally put on the kilts and throw back the Glenfiddich at family gatherings(actually, the Glenfiddich is more of a daily staple than a quaint custom for them).
Gato: Thanks for the compliments. In response to your question, I came here for my own financial enrichment, following a decidedly unspectacular employment history that I'll save for the "worst jobs you've ever had" thread. No, my goal in taking the job was neither to soak up Korean culture, nor to make this society more open and tolerant. My comments about helping Koreans to better appreciate the world were made in the context of your saying that teaching English here is merely facilitating the spread of racist ideas. Obviously, I am more optimistic about Korean assimilation than you are.

lpcool · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

lpcool · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

HardyandTiny · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

Things are changing. I have met Koreans who do not know how to use the in-floor squat toilet. I'm sure not all of them still believe that the HAN is a race, but it would be hard to get them to tell you that in front of some other Koreans.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Unlike many western countries. Nationalism has been around in Korea for about 1500 years, in Japan and Vietnam for 1000 years and in Han China for 2000+ years. On top of that, none of these countries have had wide spread immigration into their respective countries. This is a BIG reason why many Koreans say they are one people. This notion of 'one people' is more true in Asia than in other parts of the world.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

jvalmer and Gord:

You may very well be correct about the ethnic homogenity of Korea over the last few hundred years. I think the question, though, is why some Koreans consider to be important, ie. why racial purity is such a point of pride for them.

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

Was talking to a Korean school teacher about this, and she said a lot of it is pride. They the Koreans she said look down on the Japanese because they had to let other races into the country to improve their genetic stock so to speak. The original Japanese were kind of small and ugly, so their leaders encouraged immigrants so their race could improve. The Koreans never had to do this, because they didn't need to. They have some pretty strong terms for the pure not so good looking Japanese, and they aren't too complimentary.

Maybe they are hanging on to the supposed myth of Korean homogenity and purity (as some Korean intelectuals have called it) because it sets them apart, and gives them a sense of superiority over the rest of the people in this part of the world.