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KimchiNinja

Joined: 01 May 2012 Location: Gangnam
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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Cave Dweller wrote: |
Because they have been painted a rosy picture. |
Okay got it! Agree, since I've not seen the tourism marketing and will take your word for it. I image people think it will be like Japan or something? Perhaps they will walk thru a wonderful rock garden and eat the finest sushi?
A friend of mine came to KR last month, after visiting JP, and wanted to do all the tourist crap. I asked him how he liked it compared to JP and he gave me a rosy answer. I told him he didn't need to lie to me, and he said the same rosy answer. So I assume he actually liked KR tourism, although Americans never tell the truth...so who knows.
KR is utilitarian which doesn't make for interesting tourism. |
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Beeyee

Joined: 29 May 2007
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Korea's problem is its close proximity to more illustrious neighbors. Anyone planning a short trip to Asia is hardly going to place Korea at the top of their list. On the contrary, it would probably be near the bottom. |
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jvalmer

Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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KimchiNinja wrote: |
Cave Dweller wrote: |
Because they have been painted a rosy picture. |
Okay got it! Agree, since I've not seen the tourism marketing and will take your word for it. I image people think it will be like Japan or something? Perhaps they will walk thru a wonderful rock garden and eat the finest sushi?
A friend of mine came to KR last month, after visiting JP, and wanted to do all the tourist crap. I asked him how he liked it compared to JP and he gave me a rosy answer. I told him he didn't need to lie to me, and he said the same rosy answer. So I assume he actually liked KR tourism, although Americans never tell the truth...so who knows.
KR is utilitarian which doesn't make for interesting tourism. |
It's kind of like Japanese tourists with Paris. A lot have a nice rosy picture of Paris. But when they get there, they see a big city that isn't as clean and wonderful, and a lot gritter than they were led to believe. |
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KimchiNinja

Joined: 01 May 2012 Location: Gangnam
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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jvalmer wrote: |
A lot have a nice rosy picture of Paris. But when they get there, they see a big city that isn't as clean and wonderful, and a lot gritter than they were led to believe. |
This I can relate to; as I found Paris to be a disgusting mud puddle filled with rude stinky fools. The reality conflicted with my expectations. |
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Nester Noodlemon
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:57 am Post subject: |
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It is a well documented fact that Korean cities are the favorite honeymoon destinations for young newlywed Parisian, European, Japanese, Oceanic, and American couples. The Dynamic Love Motels are in high demand for the deflowering of young brides. Then, a romantic barefoot romp through the streets in search of the ~ 2 fried thing-a-ma-jiggys ~ for 3000 won 5 STAR food carts. |
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Cave Dweller
Joined: 17 Aug 2014 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:55 am Post subject: |
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Haha stinky maybe. The city stunk and it was not nearly as clean as I had expected. The sites were great but a little overpriced but I didn't think the people were all that rude.
KimchiNinja wrote: |
jvalmer wrote: |
A lot have a nice rosy picture of Paris. But when they get there, they see a big city that isn't as clean and wonderful, and a lot gritter than they were led to believe. |
This I can relate to; as I found Paris to be a disgusting mud puddle filled with rude stinky fools. The reality conflicted with my expectations. |
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optik404

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:22 am Post subject: |
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This is a real thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome
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Paris syndrome (French: Syndrome de Paris, Japanese: パリ症候群, Pari shōkōgun) is a transient psychological disorder encountered by some individuals visiting or vacationing in Paris, France or elsewhere in Western Europe. It is characterized by a number of psychiatric symptoms such as acute delusional states, hallucinations, feelings of persecution (perceptions of being a victim of prejudice, aggression, or hostility from others), derealization, depersonalization, anxiety, and also psychosomatic manifestations such as dizziness, tachycardia, sweating, and others.[1] Similar syndromes include Jerusalem syndrome and Stendhal syndrome.
There is a 24 hour help line run by the Japanese embassy to help Japanese tourists suffering from this condition. The embassy reports that on average twelve people suffer from this disorder annually. [2] The condition is commonly viewed as a severe form of culture shock. |
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The authors of the article, in the 2012 French psychiatry journal Nervure, cite the following as contributory factors:
Language barrier – few Japanese speak French and vice versa. This is believed to be the principal cause and is thought to engender the remainder. Apart from the obvious differences between French and Japanese, many everyday phrases and idioms are short of meaning and substance when translated, adding to the confusion of some who have not previously encountered such.
Cultural difference – the large difference between not only the languages but the manner. The French can communicate on an informal level in comparison to the rigidly formal Japanese culture, which proves too great a difficulty for some Japanese visitors. It is thought that it is the rapid and frequent fluctuations in mood, tense and attitude, especially in the delivery of humour, which cause the most difficulty.
Idealised image of Paris – it is also speculated as manifesting from an individual's inability to reconcile a disparity between the Japanese popular image and the reality of Paris.
Exhaustion – the over-booking of one's time and energy, whether on a business trip or on holiday, in attempting to cram too much into every moment of a stay in Paris, along with the effects of jet lag, all contribute to the psychological destabilization of some visitors.
Contradiction – the Japanese always pictured Paris as the land of dream, the land of beauty, culture and romance. However, they soon find out the contrary when they visit Paris for the first time. They find it to be a very regular place, the facilities are disorganized, many areas are unclean, and life characterized by noise, not like what was in their imagination. |
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aq8knyus
Joined: 28 Jul 2010 Location: London
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:37 am Post subject: Re: The Shameful Reality of Tourism in Korea |
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cmxc wrote: |
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The number of tourists to Korea has risen exponentially in recent years, fueled by Hallyu, or the Korean Wave. However, 40% of all tourists choose to not return to Korea. This report investigates the issue, and searches for some solutions. |
But, but, don't all foreigners love K-po(o)p stars/idols and Korean world class cuisine?
The Shameful Reality of Tourism in Korea
http://www.koreabang.com/2014/stories/the-shameful-reality-of-tourism-in-korea.html |
I think that statistic is more to do with the fact that as a small country whose history was very nearly erased, it doesn't have that much to see and do.
Once you have been there you can cross it off the list, there is really nothing to make a casual traveller want to come back again.
It is not a bad thing and as long as they treat the Chinese well it won't hurt them much. |
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EastisEast
Joined: 29 May 2014 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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Korea's problem is its close proximity to more illustrious neighbors. Anyone planning a short trip to Asia is hardly going to place Korea at the top of their list. On the contrary, it would probably be near the bottom. |
I did a tour off All Asia years ago. Didn't know what to expect from Korea, in fact i thought it was 3rd world.
I was impressed by it coming from bustling, rip off China. I felt relaxed with real Western Food and lotsa English speakers.
Not much to see, but a clean and relaxing place with pretty, tall asian girls  |
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Chaparrastique
Joined: 01 Jan 2014
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Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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EastisEast wrote: |
I was impressed by it coming from bustling, rip off China. I felt relaxed with real Western Food and lotsa English speakers.
Not much to see, but a clean and relaxing place with pretty, tall asian girls  |
people visiting briefly are unlikely to notice any of the stuff that irritates long-termers. Korea still feels pleasant after a few days. |
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