Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jimm]

I have spent a signifigiant amount of time in Japan and SE Asia. I have also spent a signifigant amount of time in Korea Town NYC. I was dating a Korean Woman for about six months. In Japan, people minded their own business like no place else on earth. In most of SE Asia, if people gave me looks it was generally out of curiosity. However, while I was in America dating a Korean girl in NYC (albeit Korea Town) it seemed like at every restaurant we went to we both received nasty looks and bitter comments. I have only been in two fights in my life and both of them were in Korea Town with Korean men who seemed to not have the testosterone to deal with the fact I was with a Korean girl. I suspect that if I go to teach in Korea my experience will be dominated by hateful looks, discrimination, fighting and excellent kimchi. I'm sure if I was willing to walk around with my tail between my legs I could avoid alot of this, but I know I'm not going to take any sh*t just for being a white male(i.e. tolerate racism). Am I off on this or is my experience living in Korea Town a good model for living in the real thing? I posted this on the Job-related discussion board, because it directly related to whether or not I teach in Korea.

[Horangi Munshin]

You're off.

[Grotto]

Yes there is racism in Korea
If you go looking for trouble you will find it.
If you are polite you will have little trouble in Korea.

That being said you may run into some stick in the mud adjoshhi who will give you crap for being with a Korean girl. Simply place yourself between the girl you are with and the ajoshhi and keep your back to him. Other Koreans may step in to tell him to back off. If nothing else you are letting him know how little his opinion means to you. Getting in a fight with him is what he wants.

[Homer]

[dulouz]

When I was younger I would eagerly assist the noble effort of ending racism but after reviewing your background, defending your demands for an inexhaustable supply of exotic fleshes is not worth my time nor is it worth anyone else's. The perception is two people in love. The reality is is that you are just a person with bad morals posing as something else. Go to Pattaya with the rest of the perverts. The Korean racists have the moral highground this time.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[chronicpride]

[Alias]

[Len8]

To the original poster. You said you have only gotten into a few fights and they happened to be in Korea Town. Me thinks you can pretty much hold your own should you have a confrontation. Koreans aren't dumb, and they usually pick on the ones who look to be pushovers.

Justy hold your ground when your over here. Having said that. If you should happen to get into a confrontation, you lose as a foreigener. Even if it's not your fault.

I don't think you would foolishly place yourself in harms, but throttling one of them who purposely goes out of his way to be insulting might not be amiss in the eyes of many Koreans. If that occasion should arise make sure you make your point and get out of the place as quickly as possible.

Learn some korean to dish back at them too (bad korean that is)

[Qinella]

There are a few Korean girls I hang out with, and we get plenty of looks in the small town where I live. One time as I was leaving a restaurant, I glanced behind us and the entire restaurant was staring at us. She didn't seem to notice. I thought it was funny.

Just don't get in a fight with someone if you come here unless you are fluent in Korean. They will lie to the police and you will be the one who is wrong. Plus, fighting is stupid, even if you didn't start it.

[Hater Depot]

[Derrek]

I find that giving my girl a kiss on the forehead and a wink to the angry racist goofball is quite fun.

[chronicpride]

[UncleAlex]

It isn't a question of hyper-sensitivity on the "waygook's" part when it comes
to noticing the hostile looks and facing the belligerent gestures of some Korean
chauvinists. The truth is that many Korean men resent foreigners dating and
even marrying Korean women. The prejudice is more acute in parochial towns
and rural areas. One reason why I stopped working in 'yellow neck' towns was
to avoid this ignorant and barbaric mentality. In Seoul I have had to observe
decorum when out with a Korean woman, but I have not had to suffer those
insolent stares or provocative acts as I had in hick towns. These Korean men
who are out to prove that they have a longer *beep* by casting a menacing glare
or yanking a Korean woman away from a foreign companion of hers simply
suffer from a malignant case of jealousy. They regard Korean women -even
those who are unrelated to them- as their personal property, and treat them
as such. I am surprised to learn that some Koreans in NYC hold a similar attitude
and behave in the same caveman-like manner. They must be first generation
Koreans who have just stepped off the boat. My advice to them is too back
off and forget about accosting an American citizen by demonstrating a front
snap kick. Unlike in the streets of Yosu, Hanam, or Daegu they mustn't expect
a band of brothers to come to their rescue if they're taking their lumps at an
American street corner after starting a fight. And they mustn't imagine that
one of New York's finest is going to side with them because of their ethnicity
by dragging the caucasian or negro to the nearest precinct for fighting a Korean
in self-defence. If that's what they think, they better board the next boat back
to Busan.

[UncleAlex]

By the way, the Japanese are more curious when a foreigner doesn't have
a Japanese girlfiend than when he has one. The ones I had met while teaching
in Japan expressed how flattered they would be if I took a Japanese woman
to be my lawfully wedded wife. Perhaps the best way to avoid these hostile
situations in Korea is to leave the peninsula and go to Japan.