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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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 Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
From a well dressed 30's guy after 3.5 years in Korea.
30's/40's
Very very weird in general. Basically misfits who swan around by themselves in Western bars, or smug, ugly bastards who give you a "look what I have!!" when they pass you with their Korean wife, the ladies seem very introverted and have given up on a romantic life, while the blokes are drunks who are often divorced or still acting like they are in their 20's, getting drunk and hitting on K ladies 15 years younger than them, also a swathe of weirdos thinking they are going to make it as a writer, plugging away at some prose by night, teaching "what's this? It's a chair" by day.
Let the flamming begin  |
Doesn't seem that flaming is necessary.
(bolding mine) |
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chellovek
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
From a well dressed 30's guy after 3.5 years in Korea.
20's age group.
Seem to travel in packs, bit of beach volleyball showing off the body (sometimes good, sometimes bad!), sit around drinking in large groups in front of 7-11 stores, act tough in foreigner bars when they are weak as piss by themselves I would imagine, dress like they haven't a cent to their name, seem to resent those who put some effort into how they look and want to knock them down (tall poppy syndrome) by inane comments, perhaps don't realize just because you have a shit job doesn't mean you have to look like shit, have an Asian fetish (haven't slept with a white girl in 2 years! several have told me), the females seem very weird and standoffish (not that I'm interested in them, but sometimes kind of seem desperate too which isn't my scene either), or loud as hell valley girls "like, this is like kimchi, and like, that's kalbi, like, why don't we like, like get some food now..." also many geeky and nerdy types who look like it's the first time out of their one horse hometown.
30's/40's
Very very weird in general. Basically misfits who swan around by themselves in Western bars, or smug, ugly bastards who give you a "look what I have!!" when they pass you with their Korean wife, the ladies seem very introverted and have given up on a romantic life, while the blokes are drunks who are often divorced or still acting like they are in their 20's, getting drunk and hitting on K ladies 15 years younger than them, also a swathe of weirdos thinking they are going to make it as a writer, plugging away at some prose by night, teaching "what's this? It's a chair" by day.
That's my massive generalizations, sorry if I offended anyone. That's just the general impression I have in my mind, I'm sure there are some very nice people here and a bunch of people will thwart this post by providing the opposite, that's fine, we all have our own impressions of the place. I have met the best people out doing something like hiking but in general I don't socialize much with foreigners, I know a handful of people and that's enough. Some hiking buddies, some kalbi buddies, that's really all I need.
This might sound sad, but one of the reasons I came here was to meet like minded, adventurous people but it seems people only travel in packs or are stuck in some bar. The amount of people who have said they have never left their city they work in, and the amount of times plans have been cancelled due to hangovers on their part isn't funny.
I'll agree with Patrick Batemen, it's made me a little pretentious too but I guess that's not too hard to do when comparing yourself with the lowest common denominator which is the general expat community.
Let the flamming begin |
 Not without a grain of truth, man. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| I've got single friends that can't seem to get a date (with good reason, reasons Bateman & NYC Gal already stated) and cocky friends that can't beat the attention off with a stick (both sexes). If you've got it, you've got it. If you don't then... don't expect anything new to happen in Korea |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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| dress like they haven't a cent to their name, seem to resent those who put some effort into how they look and want to knock them down (tall poppy syndrome) by inane comments |
Ugh. This. I was with a group standing outside a Family Mart (of course) and one dude basically had to insult every person that walked by in some way. One of the great ones was (talking about a K-Dude) "Dude if anyone walked around dressed like that back home they'd get their butt kicked. Korean people are so stupid and gay."  |
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murmanjake
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:44 am Post subject: |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| murmanjake wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| mcviking wrote: |
I can't stand smug foreigners that feel that they are too good to say hello or to nod in passing. Sorry to burst your bubbles, but most of us are making the same amount of money and doing the same types of jobs. |
No actually most foreigners aren't. Most foreign ENGLISH TEACHERS are.
But that aside so what? Just because someone may be making the same amount of money or the same job...so what?
Maybe he's having a bad day and wants to be alone (news that his grandfather has died or something)
Maybe he doesn't notice you.
Maybe he thinks that you are one of these stuck-up foreigners and doesn't want to make the first move?
There are lots of reasons...it's not always because they think they are too good.
I wouldn't say hello to a random stranger back home and I wouldn't do it here either. If they say "hello" though, I'll reply. But that does not give them an excuse to latch on to me and start griping about whatever.
If one must say "hello" then say "hello" and keep on walking.
Chances are when I'm on the street I'm going somewhere and do not wish to be engaged in a conversation. That's what bars, restaurants, bus stops...etc are for. There's a time and a place and the street is neither. |
So a few weeks back I was on the subway and a group of caucasian women got on. The seats on either side of me were empty. They looked to sit down, then quickly realized I too was a foreigner and shied away. As they giggled among themselves I heard something like, "oh hey white boy." It wasn't meant for me to hear, but seemed to be them acting out what would have been an obviously uncomfortable experience. I woulda moved over so they didn't have to surround me, you know.
Sure, it woulda been pretty obvious. I'm white, you girls are white, and look, everyone else in this subway car isn't. So you deliberately avoid me why? I was a feeling kinda down that day, and seriously wouldnt have minded a chat, or at least a hello. Or hell, even a glance followed by a look away. But such a inane, childish reaction? |
Because they're b*****s. Rhymes with peaches. |
Ugly "sandy waterfront areas" to boot! |
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murmanjake
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:49 am Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
From a well dressed 30's guy after 3.5 years in Korea.
20's age group.
Seem to travel in packs, bit of beach volleyball showing off the body (sometimes good, sometimes bad!), sit around drinking in large groups in front of 7-11 stores, act tough in foreigner bars when they are weak as piss by themselves I would imagine, dress like they haven't a cent to their name, seem to resent those who put some effort into how they look and want to knock them down (tall poppy syndrome) by inane comments, perhaps don't realize just because you have a shit job doesn't mean you have to look like shit, have an Asian fetish (haven't slept with a white girl in 2 years! several have told me), the females seem very weird and standoffish (not that I'm interested in them, but sometimes kind of seem desperate too which isn't my scene either), or loud as hell valley girls "like, this is like kimchi, and like, that's kalbi, like, why don't we like, like get some food now..." also many geeky and nerdy types who look like it's the first time out of their one horse hometown.
30's/40's
Very very weird in general. Basically misfits who swan around by themselves in Western bars, or smug, ugly bastards who give you a "look what I have!!" when they pass you with their Korean wife, the ladies seem very introverted and have given up on a romantic life, while the blokes are drunks who are often divorced or still acting like they are in their 20's, getting drunk and hitting on K ladies 15 years younger than them, also a swathe of weirdos thinking they are going to make it as a writer, plugging away at some prose by night, teaching "what's this? It's a chair" by day.
That's my massive generalizations, sorry if I offended anyone. That's just the general impression I have in my mind, I'm sure there are some very nice people here and a bunch of people will thwart this post by providing the opposite, that's fine, we all have our own impressions of the place. I have met the best people out doing something like hiking but in general I don't socialize much with foreigners, I know a handful of people and that's enough. Some hiking buddies, some kalbi buddies, that's really all I need.
This might sound sad, but one of the reasons I came here was to meet like minded, adventurous people but it seems people only travel in packs or are stuck in some bar. The amount of people who have said they have never left their city they work in, and the amount of times plans have been cancelled due to hangovers on their part isn't funny.
I'll agree with Patrick Batemen, it's made me a little pretentious too but I guess that's not too hard to do when comparing yourself with the lowest common denominator which is the general expat community.
Let the flamming begin |
If you weren't such a flammer, I might bother to respond.
oh wait.... |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 3:13 am Post subject: |
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in general I don't socialize much with foreigners
That's just the general impression I have in my mind,
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These two quotes say it all. General impressions of people you see drunk in bars but don't really know. Everybody looks bad when they're in a big crowd of their friends making a lot of drunken noise in a pub. It hardly needs saying but you have to get to know people as individuals before you start making judgements. But it obviously does need saying again as people still come on these boards and trot out the same cliches.
Deciding on the character of the majority of the expat community in their 30s and 40s from perceived looks you believe some people give you when out with their wives is pretty ludicrous when you analyse it and frankly, a bit undergraduate-like in its maturity. As is still calling people 'geeks' and 'nerds' . And what have you got against people wanting to write? Everybody had to start somewhere and a lot of people become successful novelists quite late in life. |
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sligo
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 3:35 am Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
From a well dressed 30's guy after 3.5 years in Korea.
20's age group.
Seem to travel in packs, bit of beach volleyball showing off the body (sometimes good, sometimes bad!), sit around drinking in large groups in front of 7-11 stores, act tough in foreigner bars when they are weak as piss by themselves I would imagine, dress like they haven't a cent to their name, seem to resent those who put some effort into how they look and want to knock them down (tall poppy syndrome) by inane comments, perhaps don't realize just because you have a shit job doesn't mean you have to look like shit, have an Asian fetish (haven't slept with a white girl in 2 years! several have told me), the females seem very weird and standoffish (not that I'm interested in them, but sometimes kind of seem desperate too which isn't my scene either), or loud as hell valley girls "like, this is like kimchi, and like, that's kalbi, like, why don't we like, like get some food now..." also many geeky and nerdy types who look like it's the first time out of their one horse hometown.
30's/40's
Very very weird in general. Basically misfits who swan around by themselves in Western bars, or smug, ugly bastards who give you a "look what I have!!" when they pass you with their Korean wife, the ladies seem very introverted and have given up on a romantic life, while the blokes are drunks who are often divorced or still acting like they are in their 20's, getting drunk and hitting on K ladies 15 years younger than them, also a swathe of weirdos thinking they are going to make it as a writer, plugging away at some prose by night, teaching "what's this? It's a chair" by day.
That's my massive generalizations, sorry if I offended anyone. That's just the general impression I have in my mind, I'm sure there are some very nice people here and a bunch of people will thwart this post by providing the opposite, that's fine, we all have our own impressions of the place. I have met the best people out doing something like hiking but in general I don't socialize much with foreigners, I know a handful of people and that's enough. Some hiking buddies, some kalbi buddies, that's really all I need.
This might sound sad, but one of the reasons I came here was to meet like minded, adventurous people but it seems people only travel in packs or are stuck in some bar. The amount of people who have said they have never left their city they work in, and the amount of times plans have been cancelled due to hangovers on their part isn't funny.
I'll agree with Patrick Batemen, it's made me a little pretentious too but I guess that's not too hard to do when comparing yourself with the lowest common denominator which is the general expat community.
Let the flamming begin |
One "M" in "FLAMING"! (and you were doing so well!) |
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tottenhamtaipeinick
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Good point on Americans being loud. In Taiwan it happened all the time But they arn't usually bad people! If I have a pet hate its those foreigners who seem to forget where they came from!....honestly saying we are immature??? think about it ofcourse why not, say if you are like me 23 and you are going to live overseas for a few years it is the time of yourlife! ((((I mean here all i do is work in court, design houses for dicks, prepare reports in a suit)))))) Going overseas you finally have the capacity to let your strings down and enjoy and laugh about everything! sure we take it to far but my god it is good to let go in a foreign Country.....I mean Koreans, Chinese do it here in Australia!! when you go over to another Country for a short period of time, you feel like reality is a thing of the past that you will eventually have to go back to! get off their back and loosen up! you stuck up *beep*! Big woop you think your what half korean now! I speak fluent Chinese yet I don't walk round in Taiwan like I am Taiwanese! I talk and help foreigners especially ones who are loud! cause the louds ones are usually on holiday and do like some guidence or tips on where to go! you just take notice of them cause their obviously isnt that many there! stop pretending you are the all mighty overlooker on how we should act in Korea!!! cant wait to annoy you when I am there! hope you see me out and about! oh and I will be loud yet not american so you can add another nationality to your list! also when I lived in Taiwan some aussie friends came to visit me! As exicited as I was (cause i dont ditch my own kind) I ran out to meet them with just a flag around my neck and aussie boxers on (Aussie style) (Taiwanese barely ever wear shorts let alone underwear showing haha)... I had no shoes and I was at living in the centre of Taipei! and we went to the pub and drank! yes people were like WTF! but honestly most people wish they had it in themselves to enjoy life! stop sucking up to your own EGO! you are not anything special!!! you teach english in Korea so you dont have any status to hold on to my friend! stop growing old! it doesnt keep you young! |
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murmanjake
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| tottenhamtaipeinick wrote: |
| stop growing old! it doesnt keep you young! |
Peter: Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again.
Wendy: Never is an awfully long time. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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The idea that any foriegner who goes to a foriegn country must have 'the time of their life' like another country is your own personal party is frankly absurd. It is also probably the reason young Brits are the most despised group of people in European resorts.
A lot of us have been here for years and we live and work here. The party ended usually in or after the 1st year when we develped these things called adult lives and realised the local people are not merely Disney Land workers there to facilitate our magical adventure. |
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tottenhamtaipeinick
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Hotwire wrote: |
The idea that any foriegner who goes to a foriegn country must have 'the time of their life' like another country is your own personal party is frankly absurd. It is also probably the reason young Brits are the most despised group of people in European resorts.
A lot of us have been here for years and we live and work here. The party ended usually in or after the 1st year when we develped these things called adult lives and realised the local people are not merely Disney Land workers there to facilitate our magical adventure. |
Good work hotwire. Like I said to many of us living in Asia teaching English isn�t a career choice. So yes old man you are right you have lived there for years and now live in reality. I am not saying I party everyday in Taiwan and will so in Korea. Though I will certainly let my hair down since I haven�t had a day off in a year from my job here. (So do I party here? Or go off at students or people who do? NO!) So saying you have an adult life? good on you, honestly I wouldn't be very proud of myself if I spent many years teaching a language I speak. Seems like I never took on a real challenge or career. Sure I bet I will find it difficult to control a class but teaching kids English doesn't seem to take much in Korea. I am going merely for the experience of living in Korea for my partner and I said I speak fluent 'Chinese'. I have Chinese friends here in Australia and I am also invited to the 'Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce' here in Australia to promote better cultural understanding. Yet I don�t pretend I am an expert on a whole culture and pull down people from enjoying cultural experiences like most Westerners I met in Taiwan seem to do (grumpy bastards that didn�t fit in westerner society and show how believe they fit in Asia better, yet they hardly ever have friends). Why can�t people have fun? And live? I love seeing people have fun in my Country. I don�t seem to have much fun because of work but it makes me proud and happy to see people here making the most of what this Country has. Stop trying to feel sorry for people who enjoy the high life just because you have a crappy life. So you are right after a year you set back into reality and lived out you're normal life but for many of us we don't want to experience everyday life like the norm. I mean why else would we consider poorly paid jobs, in dismal positions with a boss who will screw us over yet have qualifications better than most in our own countries?
People on this forum are way too old and stuck up on the notion they are Asian experts who know what is best for people they don�t know. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| It's been said before and it'll be said again. The stigma that some young waegs and the media attach to the foreign horde here in Korea is not uniformly embraced by every Korean. It is well within all of our grasps to prove our own worth to others, Korean and non-Korean. Koreans have been exposed to foreigners, good and bad, for long enough that they're more than capable of forming individual opinions. Worry about yourself, your loved ones, and your students. I see validity on both sides of the argument, but not enough for anyone to get too worked up. There were jackasses here before you came, and they'll sure as hell be here when you leave. Let's not take ourselves too seriously. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Multiverse
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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The only response I can legitimately form to that is -
rolly eyes. |
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tottenhamtaipeinick
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| haha |
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