Korean Job Discussion Forums

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

Since living in Korea, I always find it a bit funny that people talk about 'immersing themselves in the culture' particularly if they haven't been overseas. One of my friends (who claims a kiwi living abroad in London is living a 'foreign culture) was really disappointed that the characters in lost in translation never really immersed themselves in the culture.

I think in the end you can never really immerse yourself in the culture. You're always going to be a foreigner no matter how much kimchi you chow down or how much korean you speak (insert other food/languages). I do think in the end what is really important is that you can adapt and change in order to sanely exist within in your enviroment if your living/travelling abroad rather than just expecting the world to change to you.

Rant over.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject:

do you hang out with koreans?
do you do things with koreans and relate to them?
do you call some koreans your friends?

it's hard to immerse oneself in a culture one is constantly judging

(no one is talking about full 100% immersion)

even "appreciating" koreans can be just a form of tourism

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

VanIslander · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject:

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

immerse 1: to plunge into something that surrounds or covers; esp: to plunge or dip into a fluid

Of course you can immerse yourself in a culture. I think all of us, to varying degrees, are immersed in Korean culture. We work with Koreans all day. We're exposed to the media, food and people. Exactly how much is partly under our control. We can choose to watch only English TV, eat only Western food and hang out with only native English speakers, but still, we are immersed far more than someone studying the language in a school back home.

Being immersed doesn't have anything to do with accepting or changing--or being accepted. It really just means being exposed to.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

I would never want to immerse myself in Korean culture. I don't like it that much.

I'm very happy to be the outsider.

My MIL doesn't bother me. My boss at work doesn't try to walk all over me. I'm not subject to the mass consumerism that induces Koreans to spend like idiots.

I never worried about being accepted into Korean culture. I never wanted to be.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

IM A FOREIGNER IN KOREA whoooa ho IM an ALIEN IM a LEGAL ALIEN
IM A WAYGOOK IN HANGUK

I dont care about fitting in!
I dont care about immersing myself in the culture

I'm fine with being a resident tourist...

I dont need to try and be someone who will never be accepted anyway
doesnt matter how perfectly you speak Korean!
doesnt matter being married to a korean!
doesnt matter you know about Korean history or polictics!
end of the day in the eyes of Korean.. you will always be nothing more than a WAYGOOKSARAM!

just as we see the immigrated koreans back in our country as KOREANS!

so for me.. im happy just being a tourist!
I know what I know!

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Immerse yourself up to your nostrils in the local culture if you want. Just mind the keel of Guru's luxury yacht as he glides serenely across the water's surface.

What's with the singing, ITguy? Smile

Hmm..

Teacher Man, Teacher Man
Doing the things a teacher can
What's he like? It's not important
Teacher Man

Is he a dot, or is he a speck?
When he's in Korea, does he get wet?
Or does Korea get him instead?
Nobody knows, Teacher Man

Korea Man, Korea Man
Korea Man hates Teacher Man
They have a fight, Korea wins
Korea Man

Sperling Man, Sperling Man
Size of the entire Internet man
Usually kind to smaller posters
Sperling Man

He's got a watch with a minute hand
Millennium hand and an eon hand
And when he fixes the damned phpBB: critical error it's a happy land
Powerful man, Sperling Man

Guru Man, Guru Man
Hit on the head with a frying pan
Lives his life in a garbage can
Guru Man

Is he depressed or is he a mess?
Does he feel totally worthless?
Who came up with Guru Man?
Degraded man, Guru Man

Korea Man, Korea Man
Korea Man hates Guru Man
They have a fight, Korea wins
Korea Man

* I originally had "Teacher Man" for that bit and "Guru Man" for the first three verses, but figured some
poor soul would get all weepy, so once again I took the hits that were originally meant for the rest of you.

Hosub · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

Korea for the Koreans.
General sentiment.

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

I can see immersion in Korea but I can't see assimilation. Not like back home, anyway. We will always be outsiders here.

riley · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Location: where creditors can find me

Just wanted to say thanks for the They Might Be Giants parody, beautifully done.
Me, I'm slowly immersing myself in the culture. Right now, I've gotten to my knees.

Seriously, whenever I hear someone saying "I just want to immerse myself in the culture" I generally check their heads for softness or holes, or scars from the lobotomy. You can't help but sound like a total dorkish relativist moron,

and a tourist.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I think people who talk about 'immersing' themselves in the culture often confuse the traditional culture with the actual modern, lived culture. You can go to all the temples, palaces, museums, etc., you want but that is not Korean culture anymore. It is the past of Korean culture.

Korean culture as it is lived today is very difficult for a foreigner to enter, for a lot of reasons. I think that people who think otherwise are just fooling themselves.