Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lemonade]

I began my contract as a professor at a university the beginning of March. At the time, they were in the process of moving all the professors to more suitable quiter housing because everyone complained of the noise. We are surrounded by three construction projects that start up as early as six in the morning. Futhermore, all day and night there are extremely loud trucks going around broadcasting their "goods" as loud as they possibly can. At times, I have to turn up my TV, etc. just to hear and that's with my windows closed! There is a playground right across the street where there are always fairly large groups of kids playing loudly. Inside the building, I can hear anyone going in and out (everything echoes) along with their conversations. On a regular basis, I can hear a neighbor who's either taking a dump or I don't know but it sure sounds disgusting. There are other noises as well that deserve mentioning too but it would take too long....

One night a little child was locked in the hallway as she/he screamed as loud as possible, crying bloody murder and this was at 2 AM in the morning. It woke me up out of a sound sleep and this continued for about ten solid minutes. If I were at my real home, I could have called the police and reported child abuse/negect. Sometimes there are loud parties but that's the least of my concerns.

I've been patient hoping some of this noise (especially with construction) will go down. My sleep is being disturbed on a regular basis and my patience is starting to wear thin. I've started to drink at night just get to sleep or take sleeping pills which make be drowsy all day too. I'm noticing that at least one of my colleagues is drinking too while the others are rarely ever home. Now there's nothing wrong with drinking for fun but this is not for fun.

The staff are all fully aware of our protests concerning the noisy housing situation. They've agreed to have us moved but at the last minute they pull the rug out from under us and there's nothing but contention now that is so think you can cut it with a knife. It's such a problem that the foreign professors are not allowed to associate with Korean professors for their departmental outings etc. Quite a few of my collegues have got to the point that they pretty much hate Korea now and they were hoping to get fired or to pull a runner.

After over two months of this noise I've gone from patient, to hoping, to anger, to resentment to now feeling sorry for myself and breaking down in tears. I know my attitude isn't my best in the classroom because of the disturbances in my sleep. Morever, my colleagues are saying the exact same thing. I know my vacation is about to come soon (not soon enough). I can't wait to take that vacation outside of Korea! This thought is the only thing that gets me thru the day.

p.s. for all you Korean apologists out there and flame throwers, I have quite a few Korean friends here who empathize with me. They don't understand their fellow Koreans who treat us this way.

[SPINOZA]

Noise pollution: I agree. If it wasn;t for my earplugs, I'd be fooked. The building site near my house started hammering at 7.15am today. Women with high heels on the stone floors of the officetels are a bloody nuisance as well.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Thank-you for reminding me of the joys of living on residence at a small, rural high school where all the kids either go home at 5 or are locked up in the doksa-sil all evening long.

Actually I complained about Korean noise pollution incessantly when I first arrived but quickly got accustomed to it.

[Lemonade]

[krats1976]

[Ilsanman]

I have problems in my apartment too. Lack of sound proofing.

On average, 2-3 times a week, I can't sleep, or have difficulty sleeping due to my neighbours.

Last night, at 1:30 am, the 3 boys across the hallway opened their door and ran their vacuum. The 3rd one was by the hallway window, smoking.

This kind of thing...it's normal, and it's not normal.

[Real Reality]

[LETTERS to the editor] Silence the loudspeakers
... I once heard one on a Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. Once during the afternoon, I heard three of them in my neighborhood, all using loudspeakers at the same time. I feel sorry for anyone who has to work at night and try to sleep during the day. Isn't there a law against making so much noise in public? Is so, what would the police do if I called to report one of these street vendors?

The Seoul government has stated that it wants to make Seoul more livable for foreigners. I suggest that getting rid of the indiscriminate use of loudspeakers in public is a good place to start.
by Neal D. Williams, JoongAng Ilbo (December 1, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200512/01/200512012137366879900090109013.html

Seoul's new rules on pets in apartments spark debate
... The rules also say that if a pet causes a disruption, the owner is liable for fines that the other residents can set.... But others were critical of the policy. "The fine for the noise from a pet could be as high as 5 million won ($4,250)," said Ahn Jeong-hyeon, an apartment dweller in Seoul. "If we cannot afford the fine, do I have to move to a different place, or do I have to get rid of my pet?"
by Jung Hyung-mo and Lee Chul-jae, JoongAng Daily (February 29, 2004)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200402/29/200402292225510709900090409041.html

[kangnam mafioso]

professor lemonaid,

are you in seoul? sorry, but the noise pollution you describe sounds about average. every apartment i lived in had construction projects taking place around it. kids in playgrounds. vegetable trucks. neighbors coming and going. thin walls.

that's just the nature of the beast in korea. get some ear plugs. it sounds a bit asinine for the whole native english teacher contingent at your university to request immediate move to a different apartment complex because of some noise. do you know how much that would cost the university?

i know it sucks and it's hard to get used to, but it does get easier (at least it did for me). soju and ear plugs might be your best bet.

enjoy your vacation.

[Cedar]

Believe it or not, I can top this: try TWO jackhammers starting by 7:30 in the morning, tearing down your stairwell and taking the corner off your bedroom/office. It's about six weeks into the project now, but I still cannot sleep-- worst, since my bedtime is between 4 and 5 usually and they arrive by 7...

I seriously thought I was losing my mind.

[Lemonade]

[bijjy]

the noise u described sounds exactly like that outside my window. plus there's this guy, the bane of my existance, who comes shreiking outside my window at the top of his voice every morning before i wake up, selling something. and the neighbours.. all love to argue and hold family meetings below my window. and tie up shrieking dogs.

freaking third world country!

[kangnam mafioso]

[philipjames]

Sorry, I have to jump off topic a moment here. This whole 'professor' thing is hilarious. I've met guys with second-rate Baclelor's Degrees handing out their name cards with "Professor' written as their position. What a howl. Try telling someone back home that you were a 'Professor'. (Unless you actually have completed your PHD I'd ask the university to downgrade your title a bit. What a joke.

[jjurabong]

I use a fan on high as a kind of "white noise" machine - just turned away from me if I don't want to get too chilly. I also have an air cleaner which, when turned on high also creates a kind of masking noise. It's not perfect but it does help somewhat.

You have all my sympathy. In my old apartment, a musical theatre company moved into the old church next door - a stone's throw from my bedroom window. It was hell. My husband ( Korean) even called the gu office to come and do decibel testing. If the noise had been over a certain level, they would have had to move, but according to the gu office, the level was acceptable. Finally I kept sending messages to the director's cell phone whenever the noise got too loud, claiming I had a sleeping baby ( I don't ) . Finally, they put soundproofing in the rehearsal hall and installed air conditioning so that they wouldn't have the windows open in summer.

At least we had a recognizable culprit that we could try to reason with - I feel sorry that you have it coming from so many sources.

[Lemonade]