Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yeolchae]

1. When Koreans lift their glass to drink any alcoholic beverage with someone senior, they always turn to one side.

2. If a Korean�s glass is empty they pass the bottle to the person sitting with them. (In Korean culture it is frowned upon to pour yourself a glass; the proper etiquette is pouring for each other.)

3. Koreans are already putting the next bite of food in their mouths before they finished chewing the last bit.

4. Koreans use chopsticks for the side dishes but spoons for rice and soup.

5. If a Koreans suffer indigestion after meals, they treat it by pricking their fingers with needles. (This is an old folk remedy.)

6. Elderly Koreans often say, �Now that I�ve reached old age, I see every eyesore.� (read: �My goodness, times have changed,� �Where�s the world heading?� etc.)

7. Korean women often resort to hair-pulling when fighting.

8. When someone hits a subordinate, it is always on the head, and most often across the back of the head.

9. The wealthy have contempt for those without, and those on the lower rungs kiss the feet of their superiors. Korean society treats the wealthy and the poor completely differently.

10. If you go into a house you must take off your shoes.

11. After sleeping, the blankets and pillows go in the closet. If Koreans go into a room, they always shut the windows and doors.

12. Many marriages are arranged for expediency or convenience.

from http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200609/200609180026.html

[TheRecruiter]

wow, what stunning cultural insights. Marriages are often arranged for convenience, old people are often remarking about how things have changed, the poor are treated worse than the rich ...

I'll stay tuned for the next 12 ...

[Yeolchae]

The 12 above were the highlights.

There was 80 of them apparently.

Imagine how good the other 68 must have been.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I thought those were interesting. If I find a strange East Asian in my living room wearing shoes and stealing my TV, I'll know to say nee-how instead of anyanghasayo.

[lastat06513]

One thing I have noticed in the last few years I was in Korea that completely blew my mind- Koreans actually believe in "face"

I thought that was a completely Chinese feeling, but I have noticed that Koreans try to keep "face" also, sometimes alot more than Chinese in many ways.

There are some patterns that I have noticed that apparently never made the list....


HEY everyone.....why don't we "help out" and "finish" this list by adding some patterns we've noticed while staying in Korea.

[Qinella]

[lastat06513]

But, "face" is an individual thing here- it is not something that whole communities do, unlike in northeast Asia.

[Troll_Bait]

[bnrockin]

4. Well...we use forks for side dishes and spoons for soup...
7. Where do women not pull hair?
10. I have seen many people take off their shoes before going into someones house
12. Arranged marriages happen in many countries as well.


I would like to see the things that Koreans think are strange about the U.S.

[periwinkle]

If guys had long hair, guys would probably pull each other's hair, too. Painful~

[gang ah jee]

[rocklee]

[gang ah jee]

Remember, these observations are based on the experiences of Chinese people who watch Korean dramas on television.

Not that there's anything wrong with that - watching television is how I learned everything I know about the US.

[rocklee]

Do you know how big China is and how insignificant it is to take a poll from a pinch of the population to draw such conclusions?

I see a lot of similarities between Chinese and Koreans if my experiences help.

[Juregen]