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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:37 pm Post subject: A Foreigner's Experience in Korea |
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Giving foreigners here a hard time
... I have been turned away by galbi restaurant owners at the door. "No miguk (America)!" they say. Another time, ...I was refused the right to purchase an electronics item. Again, "No miguk!" was the reason. When I asked, in my broken Korean, to speak to the manager, I was laughed at by the young university-aged service clerk.
Aside from these issues, there's the one prevailing issue that no foreigner in Korea enjoys.... Everywhere I go I am stared at in shock as if I have green horns growing out of my head.
by Nathan Drescher
Korea Herald (October 13, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/10/13/200410130012.asp |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I have been turned away by galbi restaurant owners at the door. "No miguk (America)!" they say. |
Wow, I've never heard of this happening before, ever happened to anyone else? |
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peemil
Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Location: Koowoompa
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Yep... I've been turned away enough times.
I was got turned away three times in one night. Like I was some sort of mad person for wanting to eat.
No wayguk!
Or at clubs.
No wayguk!
Or bars.
No wayguk!
Yep... I love this fucking country. |
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casey's moon
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm not American but when the issue of those two girls who were killed by a U.S. military vehicle was huge in Korea, there were some "No Americans" signs around Jeonju, but it was all short-lived. Is anyone seeing these lately? I wonder if that Nathan guy is referring to lasty year? |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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kiwiboy_nz_99
Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Location: ...Enlightenment...
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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By the way, under pressure from such people, the city recently decided to get rid of the English signs on buses.
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Oh yeah baby, the Hub of Asia must be just around the corner now, almost there!  |
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| These changes may have to start with parents and schools. |
It would be great if Korea went in head first and started to emphasize a more pluristic world, a world in which the locals are secure in being Korean in front of foreigner and don't need to pull the shenanigans and buffoonery seen daily. This has to start with the educational system. The parents are corrupt and are more the problem than a source of hope. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: A Foreigner's Experience in Korea |
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| Real Reality wrote: |
| Another time, ...I was refused the right to purchase an electronics item. Again, "No miguk!" was the reason. When I asked, in my broken Korean, to speak to the manager, I was laughed at by the young university-aged service clerk. |
I know full well there is xenophobia and racism in korea BUT
there might be a logical explanation for the person being refused an 'electronics item' in the OP. If by chance the person was trying to buy a cell phone, then I believe a foreigner can't register for a phone on their own..
When he/she asked in 'broken korean' to see the manager the kid may have just been laughing in an awkward situation as many koreans are prone to do.
It's hardly koreans fault if they can't understand crappy 'broken' korean.
I am not an apologist I just don't believe what I read at face value. I'd say the admittedly vague situation in the OP was a matter of the korean speaking no english and the foreigner speaking no korean. Learn korean, and avoid supposed racism. |
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kiwiboy_nz_99
Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Location: ...Enlightenment...
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I know full well there is xenophobia and racism in korea BUT
there might be a logical explanation for the person being refused an 'electronics item' in the OP. If by chance the person was trying to buy a cell phone, then I believe a foreigner can't register for a phone on their own.. |
That's not the seller's business though. He's just selling a physical phone. How the guy chooses to hook it up is his own business. He could go one of several ways, pay as you go card, get a Korean to sign on it, or find a sane provider who will sign him up. Either way, it's not the sellers business. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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| kiwiboy_nz_99 wrote: |
| Quote: |
I know full well there is xenophobia and racism in korea BUT
there might be a logical explanation for the person being refused an 'electronics item' in the OP. If by chance the person was trying to buy a cell phone, then I believe a foreigner can't register for a phone on their own.. |
That's not the seller's business though. He's just selling a physical phone. How the guy chooses to hook it up is his own business. He could go one of several ways, pay as you go card, get a Korean to sign on it, or find a sane provider who will sign him up. Either way, it's not the sellers business. |
That may be so, but I know there were many places not interested in selling me a phone at technomart too. I took it as they were all contract based phones not available to foreigner without a korean friend in tow. Those who didn't have 'pay as you go' phones weren't interested in me. Was it racism that 50% of stores wouldn't sell me a phone? I don't think so |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know about Technomart, but in Yongsan a lot of those kids are arrogant knbs.
With my eternal optimistic stance I don't think it's racism, just that they don't think struggling by in broken english for 20 mins is worth the x thousand won comission they're likely to make from the sale. It's a crap attitude.
But I've seriously never been turned down from a restaurant for being a foreigner, and I eat in restaurants 7 days a week. I've been turned down from busy kalbi places for being on my own, (but not since I figured out it's considered pretty weird to eat kalbi on your own). |
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pecan
Joined: 01 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:21 pm Post subject: Good business... |
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Private businesses reserve the right to refuse service to any person.
I do not see what the issue is.
If you did not meet the requirements of the "face control" at the door of a club, you will not be admitted. Moreover, if people at a certain business do not speak English, better yet, if you do not speak Korean, and they do not wish to struggle with you when they could be serving multiple other customers; it is good business for them to refuse service to you.
Think about it. Most foreigners are here for a short stay. You are just one person to the countless number of Koreans they could be serving if they did not struggle with you.
How can you seriously condemn them for refusing you service?
Nut |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Pecan wrote: |
| How can you seriously condemn them for refusing you service? |
a hip nightclub turning you away because your face doesn't fit is one thing, but if there really are restaurants turning away food just because they think you're american- that's a whole new level. |
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pecan
Joined: 01 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:42 pm Post subject: How? |
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If one customer came into to a busy restaurant and wanted to occupy a table for four, what is wrong with turning that person away?
They have a right to refuse service.
If a group of foreigners were repeatedly coming into an "all-you-can-eat" kalbi restaurant and eating crazy amounts of food, compared to the Korean customers that typically just go up one time, it is good business to turn those foreigners away.
In the end, it really does not matter what thier reasons are. It is a private business. If they do not want to serve you, that should be the end of it.
Move on,
Nut |
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Swiss James
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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I used to go into one place that was sometimes ram packed and they'd still let me sit on my own at a table for 4- I wouldn't have minded at all if they'd have turned me away.
In fact yeah if the/bar/club or whatever is busy, then fine, pick and choose- I'm just wondering if people have been turned out when this isn't the case. |
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