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3DR
Joined: 24 May 2009
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 Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 6:38 am Post subject: Why do so many expats hate other expats who succeed here? |
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Not talking about businesses or anything of that nature, but expats who are on TV, famous bloggers, etc, basically anyone in the public spotlight in Korea.
It seems to be that many expats think they are "selling out" or something because they aren't constantly harping on the negatives about Korea. |
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Qonny
Joined: 28 Oct 2014
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:11 am Post subject: |
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Someone, maybe here or maybe in real life, cant remember, told me I was jealous of Simon and Martina becuase I said I didn't like them.
So I thought, yeah why do I dislike them? Those two personally just come across as knobends that I would find distasteful be it here, back home or on the moon. The girl's mannerisms make my skin crawl. But I really don't think it's jealousy. I really, really don't want to be them. I would suck at hosting a youtube video. And if i found myself having to talk about K-pop...I wouldn't be happy.
I couldn't give two shits or name any blogger other than marmotshole. No idea what his name is or what he looks like.
Who else? The fat dude on TV. Nothing against him.
Someone posted a video of some other youtube/Koreaboo hero. The British guy who did hot noodle eating displays. He seems like a pandering cock. And he seemed like he was a Korean female trapped inside a young Englishman's body.
I think part of the hate some have is that some of these "celebrities", though I don't think any of them beyond the fat gut are actually famous, household names in Korea, play upto Korean stereotypes about foreigners.
"Wow! Holy shit these noodles are hot. No one in London can handle this shit". Or they go on talk shows and bury a lot of the expats here by joining in the with negative shitbagging "Yes, they don't learn the langauge, losers, etc". A bit traitorous? No one uses their position to say "Actually, Korean companies shaft many teachers" etc.
To be honest I'd say 90% of expats have no opinion and no knowledge about any supposed famous expats. Certainly it's never a topic of conversation whenever I'm with other foreigners.
So, in conclusion, I dont know. |
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aq8knyus
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Location: London
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:30 am Post subject: Re: Why do so many expats hate other expats who succeed here |
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| 3DR wrote: |
Not talking about businesses or anything of that nature, but expats who are on TV, famous bloggers, etc, basically anyone in the public spotlight in Korea.
It seems to be that many expats think they are "selling out" or something because they aren't constantly harping on the negatives about Korea. |
A lot of the 'celebs' are basically celebs because they can speak Korean. They are not actually talented, they just happen to be one of the few (usually white) foreigners who can string a sentence together.
I mean would people like Sam Ham be famous back in Australia as a comedian? Probably not. He is famous here for the novelty and I guess a lot of expats can see through that nonsense.
I mean do any of the guys on abnormal summit have a talent that would garner them similar fame back home? Mostly their fame derives from being a Korean speaking foreigner.They don't deserve any hate and fair play to them, they seem to have a personality that works for the variety shows that are so popular here.
Also people like Simon and Martina found a niche, ran with it and built something very successful. They deserve respect for actually building something that lots of people like as opposed to just being well known for being a white person who speaks Korean fluently. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:25 am Post subject: |
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| Qonny wrote: |
Someone, maybe here or maybe in real life, cant remember, told me I was jealous of Simon and Martina becuase I said I didn't like them.
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Simon and Martina just suck. Saying you are jealous because you don't like them is like saying you're jealous because the dungeon master (and not the fun R. Talsorian kind) spends more time chaining other people to the rack instead of torturing you. |
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Died By Bear
Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Location: On the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:53 am Post subject: |
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Not everyone hates on these people. You seen ten posters all post negative comments about them, and you think that's everyone? There are 1000's of expats in and out of Korea that have lived here on and off at one time or another, not everyone feels that way.
Edit: Except Simon and Martha, they do suck.  |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't begrudge them their success at all. They put the time and effort into learning Korean, and they deserve credit for that. What I think annoys some people is the slightly sycophantic behaviour of some of these foreigners on TV. They seem to be pandering to the crowd bit too much sometimes. Also, some of them do act like complete buffoons, which is rather irritating. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Died By Bear wrote: |
Not everyone hates on these people. You seen ten posters all post negative comments about them, and you think that's everyone? There are 1000's of expats in and out of Korea that have lived here on and off at one time or another, not everyone feels that way.
Edit: Except Simon and Martha, they do suck. |
They're uniquely awful in that they're totally lame in the Western context while exoticizing Korean culture in a form of modern day orientalism. It's not like they have particularly good insight into Korean culture, seldom getting beyond its more bubblegum elements. They exist almost exclusively to provide culturally adrift Westerners something to latch on to. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
| I don't begrudge them their success at all. They put the time and effort into learning Korean, and they deserve credit for that. What I think annoys some people is the slightly sycophantic behaviour of some of these foreigners on TV. They seem to be pandering to the crowd bit too much sometimes. Also, some of them do act like complete buffoons, which is rather irritating. |
This is it, for me.
I don't see many ppl complaining about foreigners who succeed here in business. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting use of 'succeed' in the thread title, like if you become mildly famous or appear on TV a couple of times you've made it in life. I doubt, even in financial terms, the people you're talking about are set up for life.
In answer to the question, I agree with what others have said that we probably suspect these people are not completely honest about what they think of Korea and Koreans and wouldn't be allowed a platform if they were. |
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jcd
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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OPs title is a complete red herring.
You already wrote the answer in your title; because they succeed here.
And my answer to your answer:is it because the succeed here?, is no; I don't hate them. I don't know them and I am not interested enough in them. From what I have seen from some of them. They are not interesting. And like many others said on here; is that there trick is speaking Korean and not offending anyone. Many even take it one step further; actively kissing up to the public by telling them what they want to hear; no different than the day time talk show hosts at home. |
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3DR
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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Do you guys have any examples of them pandering to Koreans? Or acting like buffoons? I'm trying to figure out what you guys mean by that.
I understand a fair amount of Korean, so I rarely hear what you guys are talking about if I decide to watch a show. I think most of it it just made up conjecture based on pre conceived notions about what you heard from other expats. |
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3DR
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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Actually I just saw a clip of that Happy Together Show so I can see what some of you are saying sometimes.
But yeah, I think they are just looking out for their monetary well being. I have heard them talk about controversial things before, but in general it's probably not worth it to deliberately upset a nation full of nationalistic people and crazy netizens. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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Do you guys have any examples of them pandering to Koreans? Or acting like buffoons? I'm trying to figure out what you guys mean by that.
I understand a fair amount of Korean, so I rarely hear what you guys are talking about if I decide to watch a show. I think most of it it just made up conjecture based on pre conceived notions about what you heard from other expats. |
I remember hearing Simon and Martina talking on their vlog once about a time when they criticized something about k pop and got streams of abuse from their fan base. So I assume they only said nice or neutral things after that.
As for the ones on TV I assume they do and say exactly what the Korean producers/directors tell them to do and say and we can safely guess what kind
of stuff that'll be. Particularly the guy who's in the reality TV show, which are notorious for shaping characters' personalities through selective editing.
In the UK there's a German comedian Henning Wehn , who bases a lot of his routine on taking the piss out of Brits. I just don't think someone like that would go down too well in Korea. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:46 am Post subject: |
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| 3DR wrote: |
Do you guys have any examples of them pandering to Koreans? Or acting like buffoons? I'm trying to figure out what you guys mean by that.
I understand a fair amount of Korean, so I rarely hear what you guys are talking about if I decide to watch a show. I think most of it it just made up conjecture based on pre conceived notions about what you heard from other expats. |
I think Simon and Martina are pandering to a fan base of Westerners who have had little actual contact with Korean culture or Koreans. If you check out the comments on their videos, they're all in English. I've met these odd, Korea-obsessed individuals in the US. Sometimes you'll even see girls openly express a preference for Korean men on dating sites like OKCupid. This is Simon and Martina's target audience, and frankly, it's an attitude that is offensive towards Koreans while also having a bizarrely rosy view of Korean culture. |
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jazzmaster
Joined: 30 Sep 2013
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| Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:12 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| 3DR wrote: |
Do you guys have any examples of them pandering to Koreans? Or acting like buffoons? I'm trying to figure out what you guys mean by that.
I understand a fair amount of Korean, so I rarely hear what you guys are talking about if I decide to watch a show. I think most of it it just made up conjecture based on pre conceived notions about what you heard from other expats. |
I think Simon and Martina are pandering to a fan base of Westerners who have had little actual contact with Korean culture or Koreans. If you check out the comments on their videos, they're all in English. I've met these odd, Korea-obsessed individuals in the US. Sometimes you'll even see girls openly express a preference for Korean men on dating sites like OKCupid. This is Simon and Martina's target audience, and frankly, it's an attitude that is offensive towards Koreans while also having a bizarrely rosy view of Korean culture. |
Did they not incur the wrath of Korean internet users by making a video about how loud Koreans are when it comes to elections? I remember I used to see them around Bucheon because I lived in the building next to them.
Do I hate them? No. Do i feel they are sycophantic towards all aspects of Korea? Yes, but I guess that's their job.
The fat Australian was on a tv show that was pretty harsh on foreigners and he didn't stick up for us as much as I would have liked.
Do I hate him? No. Do i feel he is sycophantic towards all aspects of Korea? Yes, but I guess that keeps him in employment.
Koreans are generally thin skinned so for these guys to remain employed it's in their interest to avoid upsetting the apple cart, even if it means remaining silent when it would benefit the foreign community if they spoke up. |
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