Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hollywoodaction]

You'll get more comments for being 'tall', actually...which is odd because many of the 1st year female students that I have this semester are about 5'9" or 5'10".

[Horangi Munshin]

My favourite was,

"You're very handsome. I think you'll be a good teacher"

Pretty much sums up those kind of comments!

[ajstew]

To the OP, it doesn't really matter what the height to weight ratio is and whether that is technically, 'big' or not, as some have been stating. If you look in the mirror and you see excess fat where it shouldn't be, meaning in the belly or on your hips or around the lower back and/or shoulders, be prepared to hear comments about your weight. In Korea if you are not slim... you are fat.

[Aussiekimchi]

I think it is funny when I hear so many Koreans saying that someone looks like a movie star. i.e He looks like Brad Pitt. Actually the guy usually only has blonde hair and white skin.
I get "you look like Robin Williams" or even " OOh Guss Hiddink!"
But the air of defeat comes when you go to a hairdresser. They give you a set of photos of movie stars so they can copy the hair style.
Finally I can break the mould! I think.
Eagerly, I point to the Brad Pitt or the Heath Ledger, but still come out with the same generic Korean style haircut and the cat calls of Guss! Guss! HIGH-TING!

[thebum]

[kiwigirl :O)]

i wouldnt worry to much about it
the most important thing is that you will look exotic to them
you may get the odd comment (that you wouldnt normally get back home) but dont take it too seriously

i am not as slim as a korean woman but i still get many favourable compliments (i think i am roughly the same as you but not as tall) it is sexy to be curvy!!

[Peter Jackson]

would women talk so cadidly about weight and height!

The title could be changed to "Big Korean girls in Korea" as Lord knows there's plently of those...

It always irks me when some Korean man says, "Korean girl very small!" Not all of em...makes me wonder where the heck do THEY buy clothes...even been to Mcdonalds on a Saturday morning?

Cheers,

[rawiri]

You must be lying about your nationality if you think your big at 150 pounds. Some advice, grow a thick skin if your planning on coming over here, the kids are merciless and adults aren't much better at commenting on your looks.

[PRagic]

Every (tall) western woman I have known in Seoul has had a tough time of it. I'm not pulling any punches, and you should be prepared. As a guy, we can get about without too many hastles. Western women that I've talked to here over the years, though, paint a different picture; glaring, touchy men on the street, not being able to walk about comfortably alone at night, terribly annoying and agressive teenaged boys on the subways and buses...you name it. Sounds like life in pretty much any other big city, though, if you ask me, but, like I said, the male perspective is different.

All I know is that most of the women I know here prefer to get around in their own car, and very few I know have been happy staying here past the first one or two years; the exceptions I know are those few married to Western men. The VERY rare exception is the woman married to a Korean guy, as even 99% of these that I know want to get out of dodge pretty bad.

Good luck to you. Be ready for the cultural differences, and you'll be OK. Get defensive and you'll have a tough time of it almost right off the bat.

[Snowkr]

I'm 5, 6 and about 120 pounds.
The Koreans say I'm too skinny.
These little tiny stick figure women actually say to me "you are so beautiful but so skinny. Are you hungry?"

I get the "Ruuussiaaa" thing from men here all the time. I usually just say "quido mei gook" (Christian and American) and that shuts them up right away.

I've also been told that I must be Italian because I have wavy hair and big brown eyes... because Italians all look exactly like that!

150 lbs at 5,10 is most certainly not big. If you are blonde and tall, you'll have people lining up to take photos with you!
Well... maybe not lining up, but they might snap your picture and then run off giggling...

I'm often reminded of high school when we used to look at the Asian exchange students as geeks or wimps because they looked, dressed and talked different from us. The stereotypes exist in our culture too.

[Qinella]

[jacl]

[crazylemongirl]

Oh yeah I forgot my standard, develop a don't f with me attuide rant.

When I first arrived, I was a freak magnet. Men would call me a hooker, the would grab my boobies, or just stare that horrible stare.

Then I developed a bit more of a don't f' with me thing. If someone stares, I stare them right back in the eye. I had a guy on the subway staring at my legs, so my friend and I glared him down until he eventually moved to another car. If they call you a hooker, you tell them the have a small gochu, and most importantly you carry yourself with an attuide that you aren't going to take any crap.

Also make at least one good western girl friend. I know my life is better when I can whinge to someone who knows where I am coming from.

[Hollywoodaction]

crazylemongirl, I sometimes wonder if these creeps harrass you ladies because they actually think you aren't Russian. Those Russian ladies could probably F-them up pretty bad. Russians are tough as nails. Fighting a stereotype with another one.

[periwinkle]