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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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 Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| hack wrote: |
Her: Don't get me started about Korean business ethics. We don't even use agents in Korea anymore because they were so corrupt. We only deal directly with the parents now and still we always seem to have billing and payment problems with them. If we never have to deal with another Korean, that would be just fine with me.
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I've heard a similar sentiment from a Korean-American woman working in NYC. "Ugg I swore to myself I'd never do work for a Korean again..." |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| hack wrote: |
Her: Don't get me started about Korean business ethics. We don't even use agents in Korea anymore because they were so corrupt. We only deal directly with the parents now and still we always seem to have billing and payment problems with them. If we never have to deal with another Korean, that would be just fine with me.
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I've heard a similar sentiment from a Korean-American woman working in NYC. "Ugg I swore to myself I'd never do work for a Korean again..." |
So, who does she work for?
There was a time, way back during the high-growth, high labour unrest era, when some Koreans working for major multinationals here formally demanded they be paid a "shame allowance" on top of their negotiated annual salary increases. As I recall, they said they needed it to deal with the psychological stress and disgrace in the eyes of family and friends for working for the big-noses. I don't believe it ever went any further than a cheap publicity stunt, but it was interesting and memorable. |
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The Cosmic Hum
Joined: 09 May 2003
Location: Sonic Space
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| Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Hack wrote:
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Conversation with the head of the business office of our private school in Vancouver
Me: Why don't we have more Korean students?
Her: Because we ask for a 70% deposit on all fees and housing from them before they can come here.
Me: So you're telling me that is a problem for Koreans? They seem to be pretty affluent. I'm surprised because we have so many Chinese and Japanese students -you mean they are wealthier?
Her: Well we only ask for a 20% deposit from students from most other countries before they come.
Me: What's the difference?
Her: I can't believe you asked me that question. I thought you lived and taught in Korea for a few years. Are you telling me that you never had any business dealings with Koreans?
Me: AAAHHHH!!
Her: Don't get me started about Korean business ethics. We don't even use agents in Korea anymore because they were so corrupt. We only deal directly with the parents now and still we always seem to have billing and payment problems with them. If we never have to deal with another Korean, that would be just fine with me.
Irony of the story? She's a 2nd generation Korean Canadian |
Hack...this is a great post.
And, since I am no big fan of soccer...great avatar, too! |
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Pusanpoe
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:23 am Post subject: Ph.D |
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| Are you sure she has a real accredited Ph.d. There are still a few in Korea doing academic work who are fakes. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| babtangee wrote: |
| Pyongshin Sangja wrote: |
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I took an under-the-table editing job. (Slang. Inappropriate.) I hate doing this sort of work. Not only do I not like it, I worry that they (Who?) will not pay me or something. (Please specify.) I also did it because my friend (Who? Assuming prior knowledge.) begged me and even bought me dinner. She guarenteed (Spelling.) me there would be no problems with pay, because it (What? Assuming prior knowledge.) is one of the largest publishing houses in Korea, etc... (Punctuation. Etc. is inappropriate.)
I took on (Dangling Preposition.) this editing job ONLY (Bold-face. Inappropriate.) because I am on vacation, it was to pay pretty well, and my friend begged me to do it.
She begged me -- twice -- (Hyphens. Inappropriate.) to please, please edit this book because her other friend was really in a dire situation. (Switching from first person to spoken voice.) I told her no. They needed it turned around (Slang.) fast, and agreed to pay me XXX (Inappropriate.) won per page. At that rate, I was to make just shy of a million won for what turned out to be about 12 hours of editing work. Not a bad deal. (Sentence fragment.) I noticed that the work had been started by some other foreigner, but not finished, so I called my friend to ask if I should finish the section he did not finish. I was concerned, because this would make the pay higher, and I wanted her to verify that I would indeed be payed (Spelling.) for the extra work. She called the people, (Who?) and they agreed, so I finished that (The work or the people?) too.
I finished it in four days, and turned it in on time. I was told by my friend that I would be payed (Spelling. First one is free. Second one means you just don't know what the simple past tense of "to pay" is.) the next day.
The next day, my friend mails me (E-mails? Mails you? In a box?) and asks if it is OK (Abbreviation. Inappropriate.) if they wait a few days to pay me because of some banking transfer excuse. (Unclear. Redundant.) Sure, no problem. (Switching from first person to spoken voice.) Then (,) last night, my friend calls me and says that that (the) guy (Slang.) in charge of the book wants to take out (Deduct.) tax, (Unclear.) because the money is going through my Korean friend (I will not accept illegal work money directly). (Brackets. Inappropriate. Not to mention unethical.) Fine. It is a very small amount. I just want my money ASAP. [b](Switching from first person to spoken voice. Abbreviations.)[/b]
Then she tells me that he seems to want to renegotiate the pay, and she implies that they might not pay her. Not because of the quality of work, but just because of no reason other than that the guy is (Unclear.)a cheating *beep*. (Inappropriate language.) So (Beginning a sentence with a coordinate conjunction.) I unloaded (Slang. Unclear. What did you unload?) on my friend. I am really, really angry. (Verb tense disagreement. Goes from past to present. )This has tarnished our friendship. I really yelled at her. I feel bad about that, but I also want to call her and unload on her again. I am livid.
I want my mistake to be a lesson to the newbies here. Koreans (I can speak only of Korean men, from my experience) (Brackets. Inappropriate.) are just like this. (Generalisation.) They will cheat you if given any inch (Inches are countable.) of an opportunity. (Mixed metaphors.) Not every Korean, but a great many WILL (Bold-face.) do just that. They have no scruples about it. (Mixed metaphors. They can have no qualms about doing something or no scruples at all. That's it. )They seem to consider it smart business (Unclear. Mixed metaphor. I think you want to say "good business practice.") to get away with cheating someone. Never, ever, ever (Redundant.) trust a Korean who is not your close friend. That is the absolute key. Even still, be cautious. (Sentence fragment.) Never, ever, ever do work for anyone without meeting the person, and sizing them up first, or (,) if possible, making some kind of contract. This work was not legal, so I have absolutely no recourse short of sending some really big male friends to this university and taking (Who is taking? You or your friends?) it out of (Mixed metaphors. You mean "taking it out on.") the guy personally. I should have met this guy first before agreeing to do it.
You have heard of how Kim Jong Il makes deals with governments, then two days later (Subordinate time clause should not come between conjunction and verb.) decides to change the deal. My friend who is a higher-up (Slang.) in the US (Abbr.) military here told me that the SK (Abbr.)government does this to the USA (Abbr.) all of the time, (No, they do it "all the time.") with certain agreements they make over different things. A lot of this stuff (Which stuff? Agreements or things? )will never reach the newspaper, but he said (Hearsay.) it happens often. (Adverbs of Frequency precede verbs other than "to be." It often happens.)
It is a Korean thing. This is how a great many Koreans try to cheat people. (Inappropriate. Generalisation.)
You have been warned. (Overly personal tone.)
The Korean Ph.D. guy (Slang. Redundant. Is he a guy or a doctor?) who is in charge of this mess is a professor at some Korean university. He was the one who wrote the book (I find that hard to believe, as the errors were extensive, and different areas of the book showed vastly different errors-- (Hyphens. Inappropriate.) I think his students wrote it and he is just submitting it in his name). (Brackets. Inappropriate.) At this point (,) I do not know which university this guy is from, [color=red](Dangling Preposition.) but I am going to find out, if I can.
_________________
Doing laundry is something I enjoy. Am I strange? |
Just for you, Canucksaram. Nothing personal, Kara, but I wouldn't want you editing my articles either. |
Some people need to get out more... a lot more... like, 'a little sunshine won't kill you, pasty-face,' a lot more. |
I think it's a cry for help, babtangee. |
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guangho
Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Location: a spot full of deception, stupidity, and public micturation and thus unfit for longterm residency
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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Me: So you know, my boss is not paying me.
K friend: Oh that is a shame. You know, we Koreans can be, uh, corrupt sometimes. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
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hack
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
ROTFLMAO at another twisting of facts by the apologizing little scumbag. Like a lot of Koreans would be able to provide the service she provided Read the op again. She did it because her Korean friend begged her to do a favour. I guess she should have told her to go to hell and then you could have whined about her flipping off a Korean. You are pathetic. You and Korea deserve each other. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| hack wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
ROTFLMAO at another twisting of facts by the apologizing little scumbag. Like a lot of Koreans would be able to provide the service she provided Read the op again. She did it because her Korean friend begged her to do a favour. I guess she should have told her to go to hell and then you could have whined about her flipping off a Korean. You are pathetic. You and Korea deserve each other. |
Twisting of facts? What she did was illegal. Period.
Aren't you back in Canada because you couldn't make it in Korea? Go find a job. Why are you posting here when you should be out pounding the streets? Yet another unemployable. See you back here in six months. |
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babtangee
Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
The difference is, in most our own countries there is a general consensus among the population that we should abide by its laws. Here there is not.
All Koreans I have had relevant conversations with have either laughed, rolled their eyes or not had a clue where I was coming from whenever I have said, "but it's illegal!"
Last edited by babtangee on Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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babtangee
Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Hollywoodaction wrote: |
| babtangee wrote: |
| Pyongshin Sangja wrote: |
Just for you, Canucksaram. Nothing personal, Kara, but I wouldn't want you editing my articles either. |
Some people need to get out more... a lot more... like, 'a little sunshine won't kill you, pasty-face,' a lot more. |
I think it's a cry for help, babtangee. |
Yes, I think you are right. Someone should invite him out so he may have some human contact. It's the samaratan thing to do.
Five Eagles...? Are you there? |
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Canucksaram
Joined: 29 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:20 pm Post subject: Level-up. Yeah, Konglish works sometimes. |
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For the record, and in hindsight, this is necessary:
Karabeara, I'm sorry for being nasty. You did the work and you do deserve to be paid.
A more constructive way of communicating the gist of my former point is this: If you are going to continue doing editing work, I heartily recommend that you read a bit about freelance copyediting and level-up (to use a good Konglish term) your game. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| babtangee wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
The difference is, in most our own countries there is a general consensus among the population that we should abide by its laws. Here there is not.
All Koreans I have had relevant conversations with have either laughed, rolled their eyes or not had a clue where I was coming from whenever I have said, "but it's illegal!" |
Funny but I've had the opposite experience. And unless you have personally interviewed all 45 million Koreans you can not possibly say that there is a general consensus among Koreans that they should not abide by the law. And speaking of back home, there are a lot of jaywalkers, a lot of people who do work under the table....and the list goes on. A Korean in our country who associated with these people might reasonably believe that there is a general consensus among the population that we only obey the laws when it is convienent. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| babtangee wrote: |
| Hollywoodaction wrote: |
| babtangee wrote: |
| Pyongshin Sangja wrote: |
Just for you, Canucksaram. Nothing personal, Kara, but I wouldn't want you editing my articles either. |
Some people need to get out more... a lot more... like, 'a little sunshine won't kill you, pasty-face,' a lot more. |
I think it's a cry for help, babtangee. |
Yes, I think you are right. Someone should invite him out so he may have some human contact. It's the samaratan thing to do.
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I would, but I don't have plastic covers on my couch. |
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antoniothegreat
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:41 am Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| babtangee wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
What I find amusing is that the OP is complaining about not being paid for doing ILLEGAL work.
"You pays your money and you takes your chances"
I wonder how many people would be supporting her if she was Korean and working illegally in THEIR home country? |
The difference is, in most our own countries there is a general consensus among the population that we should abide by its laws. Here there is not.
All Koreans I have had relevant conversations with have either laughed, rolled their eyes or not had a clue where I was coming from whenever I have said, "but it's illegal!" |
Funny but I've had the opposite experience. And unless you have personally interviewed all 45 million Koreans you can not possibly say that there is a general consensus among Koreans that they should not abide by the law. And speaking of back home, there are a lot of jaywalkers, a lot of people who do work under the table....and the list goes on. A Korean in our country who associated with these people might reasonably believe that there is a general consensus among the population that we only obey the laws when it is convienent. |
i dont think you really have to personally interview all 45 million koreans to get a feeling for their culture. it is basically sampling and applying simple observations. political polls back home sample sometimes only about 2000 people in order to represent all of a whole state. and these are scientifically proven to be accurate within a few percentage points.
sure, we are not talking to 2000 koreans, and dispersing the conversations with an appropriately balanced socio-economic diversity. but if babtangee knows a few hundred koreans, and gets similar looks, talks, and comments 80% of the time, i think we can all believe that is an accurate sampling of korean culture.
who reading this hasnt been given an illegal copy of Microsoft Word in English from their school? Who hasn't been asked by a teacher to teach a friend under the table? Who hasn't seen pirated copies of DVDs all over the subway? Who hasn't seen illegally parked cars literally everywhere? Who hasn't seen the abundance of prostitution? All of this is illegal... but yet it happens, a lot...
I believe for following laws, there are three types of people. those that follow lawas because they are supposed to, those that follow laws because they believe in them, and those that follow laws because they fear the potential penalty. I dont know or care about the balance of these people, but I think it is fair to say that Korea has a lot more the of the type that follow laws by fear of potential penalty. add to that a low competency level of the police, and a high rate of not being caught because so many people do it, and you have a culture of "law evasion." |
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