Korean Job Discussion Forums

[davester13]

I would like to enjoy the Seoul experience like anyone else---arts & entertainment, the day-to-day living, the relationships----but I don't drink alcohol. Of course, I don't believe that drinking is a prerequisite for enjoying life in another country, yet I know how deeply ingrained it is in Korean culture. Do you think drinking is so pervasive in Seoul---and Korea---as to affect the quality of life of someone who doesn't drink? Would you live in Seoul----or even Korea---if you didn't drink?

In particular, I would like you to address relationships in regard to the above question. Is it significantly more challenging to meet women and form intimate relationships with them if you don't drink? Does Seoul have mutual interest or activity clubs/organizations that you find in the U.S., such as rollerblading, dancing, hiking, etc.? Thanks.

[kangnam mafioso]

I would say Korea is like anywhere else ... a lot of people drink, but a lot of people don't, or if they do, they drink responsibly. For every suit passed out in the subway, there are dozens of businessmen who don't do that. For every foreign English teacher that feels the need to get blacked-out drunk every other night in Itaewon, there are a lot of others who drink moderately or not at all. The pressure to drink by Korean society (bosses, coworkers, students, etc) is stronger in Korea than it is in the West and English teachers probably drink more than they would back home because of this and other factors. Nevertheless, if you make it clear that you don't drink, people will still accept you and I don't see why you couldn't develop friends who share your interests. Initially, you will probably get a lot of invites from Koreans at work who will take you to dinner and the norm is to order lots of soju and beer and they will make a lot of toasts and you are supposed to drink with each toast. If you're a non-drinker, the polite thing is to go through the rituals, etc, but just drink Sprite (or whatever) instead of soju. Pour their drinks, let them pour you Sprite, laugh at their jokes, go to the Noribang for a few songs and sing and clap while they sober up and go home as early as possible and watch old "Survivor" re-runs on AFN.

[itaewonguy]

does that mean no drinkers can live in canada or usa? or would you want to if you didnt drink? emmmm

there are plenty of churches around here, im sure you will find some lovely church girls who enjoy going to coffeeshops and talking about the lord!

[RACETRAITOR]

I think you could pull it off being a wacky foreigner with strange ideas.

On the other hand, don't kid yourself. I have a straight-edge friend who went through Korean university and said it sucked. He said getting a job sucked, and getting promoted sucked. I won't rant about this because I'm an alcoholic and I'm happy with that.

If I didn't drink I'd be able to tolerate life in Korea. However, the one that really gets me is when vegans come here. Even the vegetables have meat in them; you're gonna lose a lot of weight.

[SPINOZA]

Kangnam Mafioso,

why don't you drink? What, precisely, is your personal basis for not drinking? It baffles me. Surely you can have a sneeky beer or two without lapsing into unconsciousness? People who don't drink are like vegetarians - they do it not because they genuinely want to but because they think there's some moral superiority in doing so and the whole world should pat them on the back and say "good job" because you don't drink. I don't touch the stuff during the week, but at weekends I love nothing more than getting a stiff one down my throat. On Sunday night, me and my mate got completely legless with a bunch of K-hotties in a Hof. Need I elaborate? Lighten up and sink a few.

[crazylemongirl]

I rarely drink these days (maybe once every few months). Still plenty of clubs and stuff to do here that doesn't involve drinking till you don't have control of your functions.

[Snowmeow]

I had a laugh about Itaewon guy's comment. It is so true - numerous times I have been asked by girls or women to come to their church where I have no doubt I'd meet some nice girls if I could forget that I am an athiest for a while.

[Alias]

[kangnam mafioso]

[kangnam mafioso]

[Red]

[VC]

[tzechuk]

I don't drink - I did rarely before my daughter was conceived and stopped totally after she was born.

My husband drinks alone - he is Korean - and he is quite happy to announce to the world that I don't drink, so none of his friends asks me to drink whenever we have gatherings.

[Tiger Beer]

Seoul is a great place to live if you do enjoy drinking.. but if you don't, then its fine too.

Most people drink here because most bars/nightclubs are heavily loaded with young people as well as no closing time for bars/clubs.. the throngs that are drinking are immense.. its just one hell of a lot of fun.

If you don't drink.. it would leave you time to do all the other things - shopping, DVDs/movies, studying Korean, travelling around more, hiking/skiing, catching up on reading, whatever you really want to do really..

[SuperHero]