Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LL Moonmanhead]

I subscribe to the sta newsletter, this weeks contains some infomation on teaching out here.

Check it out.

http://statravel.i-to-i.com/Home.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=136&subtabindex=2&subtabid=1300

Teach during the week in bustling cities or quiet towns then at weekends travel in style on the new KTX bullet train. Within two hours you can switch between the dazzling colours of Seoul and vast stretches of unspoiled beaches.

LIE. Three hours to Busan last time i looked.


Accommodation:
Private bedroom in rent-free fully furnished shared accommodation

OK, not a lie. But private bedroom in shared accommodation, NO THANKS!!!

Salary:
$1700(USD) / �900 / €1300 per month.

Currently $1700 USD is worth 1,613,019 won!!!! 900 pounds works out at 1,587,063 won!!! Double

Requirements
Native English Speaker
TEFL qualification (60 hour Online TEFL course included in the project fee)
Have completed a full University degree

TEFL qualification, a requirement!?!?! Did i miss something?!?!?

God help anyone who goes about getting a job here that way!!!!!!

[ajuma]

vast stretches of unspoiled beaches


IN KOREA????? Ok...maybe one of the islands, but mainland????

[Real Reality]

Article Title: A Country of Liars
National Intelligence Service director-designate Kim Seung-kyu, in a lecture he gave late in May when he was justice minister, said: "The three representative crimes of our country are perjury, libel and fraud." In simple comparison, not taking into account population ratio, South Korea saw 16 times as many perjury cases in 2003 than Japan, 39 times as many libel cases and 26 times as many instances of fraud. That is extraordinarily high given Japan's population is three times our own.
The common denominator of the three crimes is lying; in short, we live in a country of liars. The prosecution devotes 70 percent of its work to handling the three crimes, the former justice minister said. And because suspects lie so much, the indictment rate in fraud cases is 19.5 percent, in perjury 29 percent and in libel 43.1 percent. "Internationally, too, there is a perception that South Korea's representative crime is fraud," Kim said, adding that recent major scandals show how rampant lying is in this country.
by Kim Dae-joong, Chosun Ilbo (July 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html

Article Title: Ex-pats Describe Korea's Culture of Corruption
"Koreans always seem prepared to give out bribes. I was shocked by the culture and attitude of Koreans who feel no guilt despite breaking the law."
by Kim Hong-jin, Chosun Ilbo (December 16, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200412/200412160027.html

[Cerriowen]

My biggest complaint I would say since I've arrived in Korea is the fact that lying is rampant.

Sure people lie back in the states, but it's usually something they're aware they're doing wrong, and it's to accomplish something (ie my dog ate it.) Here it just seems like it doesn't even register as dishonesty. Or rather that it's important to actually BE honest. They'll lie about anything, for any reason, and just stare at you when you try and call them out on it, like they don't get why you're surprised.

They change what they say, and will do, depending on the situation. Everything is fluid. Contracts are near meaningless. Promises are below meaningless. My Korean friends will drive me absolutely batty with their constant ... well not exactly lies, just not doing what they agree to. "I'll be there by 12:00"... and they'll show up some time between 2 and 10pm. Or maybe they won't show up at all.

Their sense of honor continues to baffle me. They'll lie their behinds off about everything from taxes to the weather... but then a shop attendant will chase you 2 blocks to return 10 won you over paid.

It reminds me of a video clip I saw once... a child with chocolate all over his face, hands and clothes. His mom asked him if he'd touched the cake, and he looked at her with wide innocent eyes, shaking his head and saying "uh uh! uh uh!"

I don't know... maybe it's the fact that in western culture, regardless of your background, the 10 commandments are burned in to you from every side. That lying is as wrong as stealing or cheating. Here... it's just not. You only get in trouble if your caught, and even then usually people just shrug it off.

Made it very hard for me to make Korean friends. I've had to start telling myself that they have their own sense of honesty, and while it may be a lie to me, it's not to them.

[VanIslander]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Aussiekimchi]

In Korea "lying" is a way to avoid confrontation and to "save face" usually for both parties concerned. Losing face is considered MUCH more serious than telling a little white lie. In the West people tell numberous little white lies ( "my dog ate it", "no honey, you don't look fat in those jeans", "your cooking is great" "Yes boss, that's a excellent idea".) We are just better at it so we don't get caught as often. Koreans on the other hand make up any excuse, and you are expected to know that they just don't want to do it. Therefore Westerners come here and claim that Koreans are more dishonest...from my experience I don't think so.

This is so true. I see examples of this everyday in every facet of Korean society.
Koreans will also tell you something that they hope will happen and we take it as a promise of things to come. When it doesn't eventually come to fruition we accuse the Koreans of lying, they however adopt the confusionism way of thinking by concluding that it was not meant to be.
They do not see it as a lie.

[jacl]

If you like lies, go to China.

[Junior]

hahaha....congratulations on such a funny and cool avatar aussikimchi!

[Ilsanman]

How about this one:

We have a building that's 63 floors!!

Truth: 60 floors, 3 are underground. At least in my book, it doesn't count.