Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ScottyG]

Got this forward, and couldn't help but think that "hey, this sounds like Korea NOW....nevermind 1955." I hate to say it, but if I could find a woman who thought this way, and who could kick it up a notch (use your imagination beyong just a cold beer and back rub), I think I'd be ok with this. A good reason to marry a Korean girl? Or will this be long gone by the time these young twenty something ladies become wives? Most girls I have dated can not explain to me how to make kimchee (even I know this).
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1955 was a good year:

The Good Wife's Guide (5/13/55 Houskeeping Monthly)
Housekeeping Monthly May 13, 1955 | May 13, 1955 | Un-Named

The Good Wife�s Guide

1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a
delicious meal ready, for his return. This is a way of letting him
know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about
his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect
of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm
welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you�ll be refreshed
when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair
and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary
people.

3. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring
day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part
of the house just before your husband arrives.

5. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc. and then run a dust cloth
over the tables.

6. Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a
fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a
haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all,
catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal
satisfaction.

7. Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children�s
hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if
necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he
would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the
time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or
vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

8. Be happy to see him.

9. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to
please him.

10. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell
him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk
first � remember, his topics of conversation are more important than
yours.

11. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or
goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you.
Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his
very real need to be at home and relax.

12. Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order
and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and
spirit.

13. Don�t greet him with complaints and problems.

14. Don�t complain if he�s late home for dinner or even if he stays
out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have
gone through that day.

15. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair
or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready
for him.

16. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a
low, soothing and pleasant voice.

17. Don�t ask him questions about his actions or question his
judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and
as such will always exercise his will with fairness and
truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

18. A good wife always knows her place

[Junior]

I don't think any real men would be interested in such a slave.

[cdninkorea]

I had a professor in university explain the role of a housewife as such: "a maid you get to have sex with"
I always thought he was being too harsh (he was a Marxist Feminist, after all), but I see now, after reading that hilariously awful garbage article, that he was right.

[matthews_world]

I've heard marriage explained as "legalized prostitution."

The movie "The Stepford Wives" comes to mind after reading this.

[Wangja]

[ttompatz]

[billybrobby]

[adventureman]

You spend too much time thinking....

[periwinkle]

You think Korean women fit this 1955 "model"? heh, heh- check out your average ajumma, and I bet you won't find them too similar to the points mentioned in the book. I used to teach a private, and every time I saw the kid's mom (she was quite nice), she was wearing an old Garfield nightgown (at 4pm). Who knows-maybe she changed for her husband, but if she didn't change when I came over with the kids in the group, I doubt she changed for her hubby.

Sometimes I think I'd like to be a housewife, but I'd miss the income- that would mean no more pedicures, trips to Hannam supermarket, taxis, or lunches at foreign restaurants...

[Real Reality]

Most Women Quit Work to Get Married
Chosun Ilbo (March 22, 2006)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603220029.html

More Women Hired, But Fewer Retained
Donga.com (August 2, 2006)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2006080297868

More Women Keep Secret Stash of Money
Chosun Ilbo (June 6,2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200506/200506060001.html

Wives Found Far Richer than their Spouses
A survey indicated married Korean women manage an average of W14.4 million (about US$12,000) of "secret funds" without the knowledge of their spouses, who in turn had only W3.4 million (about US$3,000) kept aside -- or a mere quarter of how much their wives have tucked aside.
Chosun Ilbo (March 21, 2001)
http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200102/200102150006.html

Sex Matters to Women Who Say It Doesn't: Study
It found that a mere 4.4 percent of women thought sex was important in marriage, compared with 77 percent of men -- almost as many as the 74.8 percent of women who said it was unimportant.
Chosun Ilbo (October 26, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200510/200510260017.html

Women taking lead in filing for divorce
Two thirds of divorces and separations among Korea's married couples are instigated by women according to a report issued yesterday by the National Statistical Office.
JoongAng Daily July 01, 2005
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200506/30/200506302309010009900090409041.html

Long-term marriages facing more divorce
JoongAng Daily (June 22, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200506/21/200506212252016509900090509051.html

Report Analyzes Remarriage Chances
Donga.com (August 19, 2006)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2006081927048

Korean Women Just Hate Their Looks
After the BBC reported that 50 percent of Korean women in their 20s have had some form of plastic surgery, a slimming business now claims Korean women are the least satisfied with their looks in six Asian countries.
Chosun Ilbo (March 7, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200503/200503070034.html

"What Korean Women Want?"
I have dated older men, younger men, Korean men, and foreign men. In fact, my last two boyfriends were foreigners. Its funny, I broke up with my last boyfriend, who was an English teacher from Canada so that I could go out with this French guy in my office.

My Canadian boyfriend was really upset, but I don't care that much. It�s not that he was a bad guy; it was just that he didn�t understand that in Korea, there are some things a boyfriend must do for his girlfriend.

One of these is paying "pocket money." Every one of my ex-boyfriends, except him, always paid me "pocket money." It wasn't that much, maybe only 200,000 won per week but it showed that they loved and really cared for me. My new French boyfriend is great; he pays for everything and gives me "pocket money." I think that French guys really understand what women want!"
From: Hee-jin, 26, Clerk
Seoul Classified (November 2002)

Schoolgirls Held for Brutal Bullying
Two freshmen girls at an Incheon high school have been arrested for a brutal campaign of bullying against a classmate that included burning her abdomen with a heated spoon and poking her vagina and anus with writing utensils.
Chosun Ilbo (April 21, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200504/200504210014.html

Where Are Old Asian Values?
By Tom Plate, Korea Times (February 10, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200502/kt2005021020051054240.htm

Woman Held in Twice-Attempted Murder of Husband
Chosun Ilbo (December 20, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200512/200512200037.html

Perhaps, the following article could be applied to women in Korea.
Women aspire to be housewives without any of the housework
By Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/05/11/nwife11.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/05/11/ixhome.html

[huffdaddy]

[Homer]

[Yo!Chingo]

Ok guys I'm gonna tell you that I do a majority of these things for my husband. We have no children but when he comes home 1. dinner is always ready, 2. I always try to look as good as I can for him, 3.) I let him unwind b/f he we need "to talk",and 4.) My house is extremely clean and he doesn't do anything around the house since he makes about 10X what I make, and I work less than 1/2 of the time he does. My friends call him "happy prince" b/c he's so well taken care of.
My advice for anyone looking to be taken care of...1.) marry a southern woman and 2.) make a s#it load more $$$ than they do so they'll have the time to take care of your butts!!!

[doggyji]

[TheFonz]