Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cohiba]

Here is one:

Most people who live, or have lived in Korea, have a
definite "love-hate" relationship with this place. I can
understand this because Korea can be a challenging
or "challenged" place to live. There is one thing, however,
that is good about the "Land of the morning traffic", that is
that your neighbours will never call the cops on you no
matter how loud your music is. This is because before
democracy was fully entrenched here, dictators were the
"entre de jour". Therefore, when you called the police
people disappeared into the depths of the local police
dungeon. Soon after the lights surrounding the precinct would
flicker to the screams of your incarcerated neighbour.

Compare this to the corpulent, self-righteous, introverted
"neighbours" in western countries who would call the fuzz
because they think you put too much celantro in the sauce!

Food for thought.

PS: I'm very, very drunk.

[canadian_in_korea]

I think what I liked most about korea is the general overall safety of walking the streets...no matter what time it was I could run to the store or whatever. In canada...I wouldn't even think about going out (alone) after 10 pm....jeez people are getting swarmed here at 6 pm.

[chest rockwell]

hey man, you should post this under teh bigup thread

[tzechuk]

The one thing I REALLY like about Korea is how things can be done in an instant. For example, I lost my wallet last year and along with it was my alien card. Hubby and I went to immi to get a replacement and it was done in 10 minutes! Anywhere else you'd have to wait for a few days!

[Eunoia]

In Korea, a person can get rip-roaring drunk and pass out right at the bar - and nobody will kick them out into the street, where they can cause mayhem, or try to drive home.

One can also go to the nearest PC bang at any hour of the night and sober up while browsing (and posting on) this very message board for less than $2 per hour...

[winnie]

That for most of us, it isn't our homeland, and we can go back to our country anytime we want.

Sorry, having a bad day.

[captain kirk]

What Tzechuk said. Done bali bali tout suite.

A moving company needed only two days notice to go across the country.

Another thing. People take their roles seriously. Do their jobs conscientiously. Sense of duty and a job well done. Do things quickly and compentently. I'm thinking now about motorcycle repair shops I've known. If they like you there's a discount, because we all love motorbikes.

Got a rear tire flat on a highway. We went out, loaded it on a bongo, went back to the shop, they repaired the tire; 10,000 won altogether. Took twenty minutes; fetch the bike and fix the tire.

Or it needed a new clutch cable. It's an old Yamaha Virago. Realizing it would be a special order for that, he put on a Hyosung Exciv cable (same diameter) by drilling a bigger inset hole at the transmission end.

Another time (at band camp ) I was stuck out in the country. The guy fetched it, drove me to a good motel. The next day it was fixed at the little, small town autobike shop. And we did other things, like drill and bolt on some hooks to rope on a bag at the back. Liesurely, nice day, he ordered lunch, we ate. He paid for lunch and the repairs were free. Other folks from the neighbourhood stopped by, a policeman, some other guys, the mechanic's friendly and his shop is a hangout.

All done I asked how much? Free. I was stuck, he fixed me up for nothing to be friendly. The message; 'you're at home, welcome, be at home here'.

[Homer]

I agree with cpt kirk about movers.

They are awesome here!

What I like:

Cabs: They are fast, cheap and efficient

Public transit: hands down better then back home.

Low income tax: as a canadian it is very refreshing.

Public baths: Makes my home shower a useless piece of equipment

[Rock]

This insight is quite benign, but benumbing to my sense of understanding about this culture and what this post really constitutes as Korea's attributes.

No, I don't think you'd get the police called on you here, but this is a little stupid since MOST KOREANS WOULD'T PLAY THEIR MUSIC AT A HORRENDOUS VOLUME since it's part of their culture TO KEEP THE PEACE! Really has nothing to do with calling the police. The reason they don't do this, however, is because they don't want to create a rift between neighbors and are NON-CONFRONTATIONAL ABOUT OTHERS' WRONGS.

This is both a good point and a bad attribute. Think of Kim Jong-il's claim to fame and the lack of a bad name in this ballgame. Think of how many things are overlooked in the name of what you'd said is "good."

Indeed they won't call the police. They may just take things into their own hands, pound on your door and on your head, or maybe make you end up in the dungeons of duplicity because you'd decided to make a stand for what you'd thought was wrong about some drunk coming home at 4:00am and waking up the whole apartment complex.

Then think of yourself, your home country verses these good attributes of lawlessness here, and see if you'd like to be WITHOUT SUCH A LAW AS "DISTURBING THE PEACE."

As for the other comments here, I think they're hogwash. Ever hear of the Korean adage, "Can do?" Well indeed some of them can do things here, but are lacking in complete efficiency and skillfulness at times too. You're basically misconstruing the concept of CAN DO.

Handles fall off showers, doors don't close; screens are forgotten on windows, wallpaper hangs. I've lived in many an apartment, and experienced enough to realize what CAN DO is here.

[captain kirk]

Where's your nice thing to say about Korea, Rock?

[jajdude]

He makes a point. Noise and lots of it at any time at all is the norm. Early morning trucks, for example.

[Rock]

[captain kirk]

Maybe the OP's neighbours are afraid of him. You know that fake fear and shock as if the foreigner is from a sick culture. Maybe they think he's a dangerous rapper or something. Or a delinquent/drop out who fell off the other side of the world and ended up lucky working at a haggie .

The middle schooler who has RC model cars I have four hours of classes a week with. He brought a catalogue showing his cars (worth a million won each). He also gave me a Harley catalogue he picked up at a car show four years ago. I said some people fix their motorbike mufflers to be louder, more throbbing and impressive, and did any RC modeler's modify their car mufflers to be intimidating? He said that would bother other people, and no. I met another teen a few years back who showed a kind of public awareness about noise pollution and not bothering neighbours. These teens are well brought up, considerate, but then they spend most of their time quietly studying like budding Confucious scholars, don't they?

Unlike the noisy fish/fruit/vegetable bongos with their speakers who blare along the narrow streets and canyon-like byways between towering apartments. How else is an ajumma gonna hear of a great deal?

And yeah he may, some day, find an ajumma at the door looking stern and holding a petition signed by all the neighbours. Who know where he works and can vouch that he's a dangerous rapper

[xtchr]

Captain Kirk; I'm glad you've had good times with all your motorbike repairs. But don't you ever wonder that if perhaps things were done properly the first time, they wouldn't need so much 'fixing'?

[captain kirk]

Naah, that's not it. Lame try, though .