Korean Job Discussion Forums

kennedymj · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: Flagstaff, AZ

I'm writing an article about the Six-Party Talks. One of the issues I'm discussing pertains to the Korean cultural habit of waiting until the last minute to deal with a problem. Can someone tell me the Korean name of this aspect?

Sincerely,

Matthew Kennedy

OCOKA Dude · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Location: Seoul

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:34 am Post subject:

Why would they name something that just 'is', and is a normal part of the culture?

Canucksaram · Joined: 29 Apr 2003

Any expression that involves mixing the words "Korean" and "culture" is an oxymoron.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

I was hoping for a proper answer on this, because it is definitely a (bizarre) part of corporate culture in this country. Ah well.

kennedymj · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Hey thanks for your responses. Much of it is procrastination and it drives many Westerners nuts.

What can you guys tell me about "Kibum"? How does it work?

Sincerely,

Matthew Kennedy

Bo Peabody · Joined: 25 Aug 2005

[deleted]

kennedymj · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Hey thanks for the note.

I agree with you - I think much of Korean society is more image than substance based, and their Kibum attitude is a large part of it. It's like as a friend of mine pointed out during Thanksgiving a few years back. He sarcastically asked where the center of the world was, and he pointed to Korea. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He is an American who'd lived in Seoul for several years, and was very familiar with the Korean Psyche. I share his cynicism.

Matthew Kennedy

Intrepid · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: Yongin

I'll put in my two cents, even if the OP might have signed off.
I've had a tough time moving from teaching at a university to working for an ostensibly American company in Seoul.
I had some training in the US, and everyone there seemed very flexible--workspaces were large cubicles but with a lot of open space, people came and went, took long coffee breaks outside (during which business was discussed, if it wasn't lunchtime), came in around nine but usually a few minutes late, overtime if there was stuff to do, off a few minutes early if it was slow.
Found out about two months ago that my mimicking of that office culture, here in Korea, was alienating me from the Korean staff. It's very arrogant of me to arrive one or two minutes late because everyone else arrives ten minutes early. Granted, they only arrive early to tag their desks and head off to the 7/11 for ramen, but they're there!
Skipped out on an MT--I thought they wouldn't want to have to speak English on their outing, and I had just got back from a week overseas. Arrogant, the verdict came in once again.
Now the US office has realized that there's a problem and they're saying I have to become a good Korean cubicle dweller, bowing to the "president" (not my boss, but whatever) when he leaves, yucking it up on MT, tagging my desk dutifully at a few minutes before nine.
Needless to say I didn't sign up for a Korean office, and I'll be leaving!