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justaskdan

Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Location: Me in Pohang - Oct 20th
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:49 pm Post subject: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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[1] Japanese Cars - I find it odd that Japanese motorcycles are big sellers here even though Korea manufactures it's own for a quarter of the price. But Japanese cars are as rare as a Kennedy at a gun show.
[2] Stripers - Again, Irony prevails. I've never seen a country that treats women so poorly and exploits the sex trade so rampently yet has no stripers. I really think a Korean Strip Club would be a lot of fun.
[5] Tipping - This is the only country I have been in where the Taxi drivers tell me to keep the change. Perhaps if they had stripers they would learn to tip.
[4] Christmas - I'm happy that there is virtually no Christmas here. Just one day off and no exploited commercialisim. But I would have thought that a country that loves shopping as much as Koreans and that is 50% Christian would be a little more Christmasy.
[5] Good Crackers Like Wheat Thins - When I first moved here 52 weeks ago I tried every cracker in Korea in search for some salty grain cracker. Despite names like Harvest and pictures of what looked like salt, I ended up with sugar coated crap. The best Crackers in Korea are the Lotte Vegetables crackers, Ritz, and the boxes of Wheat Thins in my cupboards that were sent here from home.
[6] Pate - I can find good cheese now, actually a real good selection and I don't mind paying for it, and I can buy real good cavier, but try and find some pate. They have street venders with tables of intestines and endtrails. I have eaten pig stomach BBQ and chicken stomach on a stick but no Pate. At this point I would even try St. Bernard Liver Pate if they had it.
[7] Undercover Police Cars - I am loving this one. I think it is cute how the police drive around with their lights on and their Hello Kitty stickers on their gun belts. |
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Joe Thanks

Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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A sense of being humble and a realistic view of the nation's place in the world.
Realizing that what Japan did to China makes what Japan did to Korea look like a walk in the park - and a further de-monopolization of the 'evil done to us' mein kampfing penomena that Korea feeds its people.
Original and innovative pop music. Korea will never produce a talent on par with (psycho) Phill Spector. Not even close. Neigboring Japan, meanwhile has some of the best, most daring music producers on the planet.
Undertanding that big shoes are more detrimental than normal ones - and that they make you look like a leprechaun or clown.
I think those are the big ones. I like Korean quirkiness, for the most part - but the shoes break way over the line and it has some nationalism issues that need sorting out (they tend to be like a polar opposite to Canada - another place with identity issues regarding faux nationalism, but relatively harmless and deep under such a chip is a humanity and humility that is admirable. SK doesn't have the humility. It needs a 'lil humble pie).
I've missed Korea, but not the above!
Cheers,
Joe |
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Mashimaro

Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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clothing in any color other than beige |
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dogbert

Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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Mashimaro wrote: |
Excuse me... You're standing on my neck |
Hi Daria. |
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Seoultrader

Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Location: Ali's Insurgent Inn, Fallujah
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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I generally don't get on ppl's asses for spelling/grammar but in this case my love for the flesh trade is forcing me to point out that it's S-T-R-I-P-P-E-R-S.
Boobies 4eva  |
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matthewwoodford

Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Location, location, location.
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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Joe Thanks wrote: |
Realizing that what Japan did to China makes what Japan did to Korea look like a walk in the park - and a further de-monopolization of the 'evil done to us' mein kampfing penomena that Korea feeds its people. |
So it's ok to have been downtrodden as long as something worse happened to your neighbour?? Congratulations on having no sympathy. You should be ashamed of having none and of being ignorant.
Matt |
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FierceInvalid

Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Undertanding that big shoes are more detrimental than normal ones - and that they make you look like a leprechaun or clown.
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Joe you'll be happy to hear that as far as I can tell, these have pretty much faded into the sunset. I very rarely see them anymore, especially on guys (!). |
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Mashimaro

Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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kangnamdragon wrote: |
Honda will open a dealership here next year, but why should Koreans buy cars from a country which treated them so poorly? |
Because they are damn good cars! and besides, get the **** over it..
Australia got bombed by Japan in the war but we still by Camrys & landcruisers.. Ok I know we didn't get invaded like korea did.. but still.. |
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jaebea
Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Location: SYD
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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I guess distance makes a part of it.
Korea just have to pop across the Sea of Japan, and are constantly reminded of Japan in mass media.
Admittedly, Australia's war relations with Japan are in a rather different league compared to what Korea went through, and although I'm definitely not going to win any awards for "Korean Nationalist of the Year" by saying this, I think the past is only what you can learn from it, with hate and prejudice things best left unlearned.
In Australia, Darwin was bombed, and midget submarines attempted to infiltrate Sydney harbour, but I think everyone here is over it. I've read stories about Australian POW's from the South East Asian region, how they've set aside differences to meet their former captors and tormentors face to face. These people have had to live with their actions too, just like the POW's.
The best demonstration of that was the amazing support for the Japanese rugby team during their games in the World Cup this year. The entire city of Townsville and Gosford decked out in the red and white. In the game against the USA, there were a lot more local supporters barracking for Japan than the US, supposedly our closest ally.
As for Japanese cars, I never thought I'd see the day, but I've watche interviews with prominent Japanese aftermarket car companies (Veilside for an example), saying that the Korean scene was growing immensely and will be worth a lot of money.
Japanese import sport cars. In Korea. Well I'll be damned. :)
jae. |
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Joe Thanks

Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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matthewwoodford wrote: |
Joe Thanks wrote: |
Realizing that what Japan did to China makes what Japan did to Korea look like a walk in the park - and a further de-monopolization of the 'evil done to us' mein kampfing penomena that Korea feeds its people. |
So it's ok to have been downtrodden as long as something worse happened to your neighbour?? Congratulations on having no sympathy. You should be ashamed of having none and of being ignorant.
Matt |
You should be ashamed of supporting the trivilization of the whole issue by kow towing to veiled hate passing as "historical injustice." One does not discount the other and I said nothing of the like, jabroni, but you failed to see the point: Korean cultural gatekeepers monopolize their suffering and belittle the reality of others.
Kinda like what you did.
As some folks say, "enjoy your foot with a pinch of salt, your mouth will appreciate it."
So, Matty boy - read what I wrote again and leave your ASSumptions to yourself.
Jeers,
Joe
Last edited by Joe Thanks on Mon Oct 27, 2003 11:52 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Joe Thanks

Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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FierceInvalid wrote: |
Quote: |
Undertanding that big shoes are more detrimental than normal ones - and that they make you look like a leprechaun or clown.
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Joe you'll be happy to hear that as far as I can tell, these have pretty much faded into the sunset. I very rarely see them anymore, especially on guys (!). |
Sweet!
Progress may be slow but it's still progress!
Cheers,
Joe |
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Joe Thanks

Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Dudleyville
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Things that will never catch on in Korea |
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kangnamdragon wrote: |
justaskdan wrote: |
[1] Japanese Cars - I find it odd that Japanese motorcycles are big sellers here even though Korea manufactures it's own for a quarter of the price. But Japanese cars are as rare as a Kennedy at a gun show. |
Honda will open a dealership here next year, but why should Koreans buy cars from a country which treated them so poorly? |
You've been in Korea too long.
With that logic, why should most countries buy Korean products given the very racist, slavery-like tactics the cuntry uses on foreign labor?
How many expats teaching can honestly say they know how foreign laborers feel in South Korea?
I spent a year volunteering through the Pohang YMCA, helping Thai, Indonesian and Bagali factory workers and can tell you stories.
So, with such pedestrian logic, why do you buy anything Korean?
Here's one for the "You know you've been in South Korea too long when...":
You know you've been in South Korea too long when you tow their prop-antagonistic-ganda; hook line and sinker.
Things always get twisted into semantical "well look at what they did to them" bs there, but what about "look at how they treat them now."
In Japan it's very easy to find Korean culture and products. In Korea? Hmmm.
Rest my case.
Joe |
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justaskdan

Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Location: Me in Pohang - Oct 20th
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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K-Dragon wrote
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Honda will open a dealership here next year, but why should Koreans buy cars from a country which treated them so poorly? |
My point was they seem to like the motorcycles enough, why not the cars. |
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Ghostinthemachine
Joined: 22 Jun 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Great post jaebea.  |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2003 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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Chairs, wearing shoes indoors, shaking hands, to name a few.... |
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