Korean Job Discussion Forums

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

I am not American , but I was wondering if some Americans experience problems in Korea. Have you had anything happen because your American?

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

Aside from some disappointed or annoyed looks on the faces of taxi drivers when I tell them I'm not Canadian.... no, not really.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I'm on my 11th year here and have never had any problems specifically because of my nationality. At least not from Koreans. Even during 2002 at the height of the anti-American thing, there was nothing.

krats' comment was interesting. The reverse of that used to happen when I was out with Canadians and a Korean would find out they were not American. I'm no longer in the same situation, so I can't say if it still happens or not.

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

Ah, it's gone both ways for me. I've had lots of drivers ask "Canada?" When I got in the car & look a bit annoyed when I say, "Aniyo, miguk saram i-ae-o."

On the other hand, some are delighted to have an American in the car. My first night in Gwangju, I grabbed a taxi to E-mart to stock up my house & the driver pulled up to a light and shouted to his buddy in the next taxi over that he had an American in the car, then leaned back so his buddy could get a good look. Rolling Eyes

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Once I was relaxing on a park bench when man in his 50s came up to me and asked if I was Russian or American. I told him I was American, he spoke in English for a bit about how he'd just come back from San Francisco. He started asking me if I'd heard of certain old Hollywood stars like Rock Hudson.

Then he leaned and said "George W. Bush?" I said, well of course I know who he is. Then he straightened up and started cussing me out in Korean and getting a bit worked up. After a couple minutes he walked away, only to come back, sit down on a nearby bench and start again. Eventually I left.

Everybody around us seemed pretty embarassed by his actions. It makes for a pretty funny story though, this guy was definitely not all there.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 5:45 pm Post subject:

You will find far more direct negativity on this board, and in person, coming from those in my own home country of Canada.

Some Koreans will be thrilled you are American, and very interested. The rest will simply ask you if you like Bushie or Iraq. Sure, there are demonstrations, but you most likely won't encounter crap on a personal basis.

When I mention I am from Canada, I am usually met with silence, much like I am when I visit the rest of the world. Unless they have a family member who visited there or studies there.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

This morning on the subway some guy came over and said "Are you American?" I shook my head and ignored him. He said "European?" and I shook my head again. Then he got off the subway. One of these days when someone asks me if I'm American, I'm going to say, "No, are you Japanese?"

There is not one big consensus here about which foreigners are best. Some people like me because I'm Canadian. Some people like my nazi friend because he's American.

Hobophobic · Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject:

I did the reverse "Are you Japanese" to a group of 5-6 adjjoshis during WorldCup 2002...but only after they insisted I was lying a dozen times, and must be an American..

...it got me some whacks in the noggin and some boots to the side...

...Sure glad I could run faster drunk and scared than they could drunk and angry Very Happy

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I think a lot of Koreans will say "oh, America very good" or "oh, Canada very good" or "oh, England very good" just to try to make you happy. I was at church and was approached by a group of curious teenage boys who were under the impression I was American and got "oh, America good". When some of my students who were with me corrected them I got "oh, Canada good. Handsome."

Really we're all freaks to them.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

periwinkle · Joined: 08 Feb 2003

At the beginning of the Iraq war, I told a taxi driver I was American. Surprisingly, he just LOVED Bush, and fully supported the war. I wonder how he feels now.

My family is Catholic, and my stepmom told me a story about how she went on a date with some guy while she was in college. Apparently there was some anti-Catholic sentiment in the U.S. back in the days (this was in the '70's). The guy was Protestant, and he freaked out and told her to get out of his car or his family would kill him for having a Catholic in the car. She managed to convince him to drive her home. Anyway, I think if anti-Bush sentiment gets any worse, I wouldn't be surprised in this sort of thing happens.

Hobophobic · Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

My male co-teacher said K-women/girls like Americans very much and would like to marry one so they can get a passport. Any truth in this? I might start saying I'm a Migook Saram and change my accent.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

rainyqueen · Joined: 14 Nov 2005

I've been here for five years plus, and haven't had much discrimination or dislike towards me - except for once.

I was chased by a man down a street while he yelled profanities about americans (in korean) and threw bottles. Then my husband got out of the car (i was running to the car) and the guy backed off. He was drunk (to put it mildly). Never had other scares though.

Heather