Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TOGirl]

Since I raised this thing about Brits I found it necessary to ask my parents about this. They are both british and lived there for 40 years or so before moving to Canada.

My Mom said they always wore their shoes in the house. When visiting other people it was considered improper to remove shoes and be in just socks as it was too informal.

I can assure you that my parents were neither farmers nor trailer dwellers, this was simply the norm.

Also, please consider that this was almost 20 years ago that they lived there, maybe the younger generation have changed their ways to a "more civilized" way of living.

And yes when I need answers to life's great questions I just run to Mommy.

[Css]

Im 26 and throughout my childhood I was always told to take my shoes off in the porch...I never did though..My parents didnt..they just told me to because i was a kid and i played outside a lot..but we always had to wipe our shoes before going in...when we remembered.

I dont know anyone in the UK who takes their shoes off as a matter of course...Maybe when theyve just had the carpets washed or if theyve just got new carpets...but after a couple of months its back to business as usual..Obviously if there was mud on your shoes then youd have the common sense to take them off and not trapse through the house in them.

Walking round in socks and slippers just seems odd..Or at least it did when i was in the UK..

Interestingly enough, about the snobbery thing...You will find that the upper classes in the UK are far less likely to take their shoes off inside. Id imagine its to do with having legions of cleaning staff or something.

[GirlGerms]

my background is cuban/italian and both sides always take their shoes off in the house. my students have commented how americans and canadians don't take their shoes off in the house and i told them not in my house, i have never known any other way.

[laogaiguk]

[jaderedux]

depends.

We had front room entrance and if the weather was bad you had to take off your shoes. But it wasn't a requirement especially for guests. We did not insist people remove their shoes. My parents had parties and nobody had to take off their shoes unless they wanted.

Mud room entrance. Lino flooring leading to kitchen with Lino flooring. We had heavy duty mats out side the door and I can still hear my Mom yelling. "DID YOU WIPE YOUR FEET?" That entrance led to the basement where our family/rec/all round room was located. On that floor was indoor/outdoor carpeting and so unless weather was bad and shoes were muddy you didn't have to take off shoes.

I don't think we had/have "dubious hygiene" or smelly feet. Chores were handed out every day and every room was vac'ed everday or so. And the Kitchen was wet mopped every night after dinner.

Guess we were just low class. We didn't have formal rooms that people just looked at. We were just regular people with lots of kids and gosh according to some "dubious hygiene". Mother will be thrilled to hear that.

Jade (from the home of "dubious hygiene")

[VanIslander]

[pest1]

[VanIslander]

No one here is making any general claims about Korea versus Britain or anywhere else regarding cleanliness in general or whatever. This thread is about ONE practice: the wearing of shoes all around town and then into and around the house.

[JongnoGuru]

[Demonicat]

My father was in construction and my moms is a stained glass artist, so we ALWAYS wore shoes or slippers at the penalty of ending up with glass or something in the foot.