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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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 Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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That LAN guy story is pretty hilarious. Maybe it was the guy's first day on the job haha
As far as waiters and food go, I don't particularly care if he or she knows all of the ingredients in the food. But you'd think asking if something like fried rice has any meat in it or not would be pretty easy for the waiter to answer since the waiter sees the food all the time. I'd give the benefit of the doubt at a place with an extensive menu (like the kimbap shops) but the average place doesn't have an extensive depth of dishes so it would seem fairly easy to figure out the basic ingredients in the food.
There seems to be this "ho-hum" mentality about food and service quality that pervades the general populace here. Like if service is bad then you shouldn't really dwell on it at all or complain. Or if you get the wrong order (and through no fault of your own, waiter's mistake) then staff act like you should just accept your incorrect order anyway. The lady and I were in a BBQ the other week and they stuffed up the order. The woman who brought it over tried to insist that we ordered the dish she brought several times. Just suck it up and take the damn order back, it's not what we asked for, and we're not going to eat it because you don't want to admit you messed up! |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:55 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I think in certain ways, customer service here is a different beast. I've been in a number of establishments that have INSISTED I eat the dish the way they like it. Heaven forbid that I want to add salt or anything to it. |
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Seoulman69
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:04 am Post subject: |
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I went to a restaurant with a group of people and ordered seolung tang the chicken broth. When I tried to break up the chicken there was a lot very pink bloody meat. When I complained the woman tried to pass it off as normal. Luckily one of the lovely ladies we were with was Korean and argued our case. The boss then came over and agreed that it was inedible.
It was a strange experience overall. |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| Gorf wrote: |
I wish I'd known how useless and inept 90% of Koreans are at their jobs. It seems that getting a job is the point of having a job, not problem solving or knowledge of what it is you do. I could name off coutless examples of times this has happened to me, but most recently, last night my Korean girlfriend and I went out for dinner, and we wondered whether or not a fried rice dish had meat in it. I audibly called it - "If we ask the waiter, he's going to apologize and then have to ask the chefs because he's won't know".
Guess what happened?
Yep, he had to ask someone. Pretty much any time you ask anyone any information other than "where is your store's ____", you're going to be met with either a bold-faced lie to save face ("We don't have this item because we are moving our departments tomorrow. Please understand.") or someone will stare at a screen, repeatedly try the same things over and over until they think they've looked like they tried long enough and tell you they can't do anything.
Then again, considering how often Koreans quit their jobs after 1 or 2 months, I'm not surprised. I've known people who had 6 of 7 jobs in one year because they had a minor lifestyle complaint or inconvenience. This of course flies in the face of almost all Korean mouthiness about how "loyal" they are to their bosses and jobs, which is true, but they certainly aren't afraid of either quitting or running away when they're asked to learn or expand their skillset.
This will come off as a Korea-bashing post, but anyone who has lived in Korea for long enough knows this. If there's a reason why there's no tips in restaurants or taxis or services, this is it. |
The general lack of expertise, the massive turnover of staff in every industry and the transient nature of everything is why they call the country "dynamic".
Its a sort of DIY country. Anyone can have a go at anything, even if they have no clue or experience how to run it.
| OP wrote: |
| I wish I knew "X" before I got off the plane. |
...that their table manners, 24/7 sound of hoking phlegm, and general public behaviour is absolutely disgusting. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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I'm curious about the grammar in the Op and subsequent posts. British English course books say use wish + past perfect for past regrets not past simple.
e.g. I wish I had known such and such before I got off the plane.
I've heard native speakers from several countries use wish plus simple past to talk about past events e.g.
"I wish I didn't miss that penalty on Saturday' and to me (and according to BRE coursebooks) it always sounds wrong.
Is this an example of American English or an example of 'incorrect' usage becoming so widespread that it's now virtually acceptable? Any thoughts? |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
Is this an example of American English or an example of 'incorrect' usage becoming so widespread that it's now virtually acceptable? Any thoughts? |
I dislike americanisms too, especially the korean perception that they must be correct.
By the way "chuck" is a verb, not a shortened version of charles. Chuck. It just sounds so dumb. |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
I'm curious about the grammar in the Op and subsequent posts. British English course books say use wish + past perfect for past regrets not past simple.
e.g. I wish I had known such and such before I got off the plane.
I've heard native speakers from several countries use wish plus simple past to talk about past events e.g.
"I wish I didn't miss that penalty on Saturday' and to me (and according to BRE coursebooks) it always sounds wrong.
Is this an example of American English or an example of 'incorrect' usage becoming so widespread that it's now virtually acceptable? Any thoughts? |
Yep, fair question.
To me, "I wish I knew" sounds like regret about something you presently don't know.
e.g.
What time are we leaving?
I wish I knew. No-one seems to have any idea.
I've noticed a lot of people using what sounded like the simple past to express a past regret but thought it possible that they were intending to use a past perfect, but that the contracted 'had' ('d) effectively disappeared in rapid speech.
As in
I wish I'd talked to him beforehand
which, when you say it quickly, doesn't sound very distinguishable from
I wish I talked to him beforehand |
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Flashcard_Queen
Joined: 17 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:06 am Post subject: Re: ha |
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| Ruthdes wrote: |
| creeper1 wrote: |
Take off your shoes before entering an apartment.  |
This one for sure. Simple but important. If you walk into your apartment in front of your landlord with shoes on, he/she will freak out. It's actually kind of funny. My visiting friend did this in a condo in Seokcho. The proprietor had a minor conniption fit, and my friend (who was still struggling with kamsamhamnida), had no idea what was going on. My bad for forgetting to warn her. |
Another comment I can definitely relate to.
When I first arrived in Korea, my boss picked me up from the airport and dropped me off at my apartment. Right away, I noticed the little inset rectangle, which was clearly for shoes, but I stepped above it, ever so lightly, with my boots still on, just so he could get in because he'd been kind enough to carry my luggage, and I didn't want to leave him standing there awkwardly while I unzipped and pulled them off. His immediate response was:
"In Korea, we take our shoes off before we enter the house."
Thanks, bud. I knew that already, but I thought tiptoeing on the edge of the shoe 'precipice' wasn't such a terrible thing to do. I was wrong. |
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Flashcard_Queen
Joined: 17 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:33 am Post subject: |
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Also, there's no doubt that "I wish I'd known 'X' before I got off the plane" is proper grammar compared to "I wish I knew 'X' before I got off the plane".
As far as I can tell, Kuval hasn't returned to this thread since he started it, and now I can't help but wonder if he's thinking, "I wish I'd known the folks on Dave's are the grammar police before I asked this question."
I don't know what kind of job Kuval has lined up, but chances are, it's at a hagwon or an elementary school. I could be wrong, but if I'm right, don't worry about this slight grammar mishap, Kuval. As long as you know beginning letter sounds and short vowels from long, you'll be okay.  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Serious question, was anyone really unaware that you remove footwear before entering someone's home?
I understand for restaurants and other places but in our house growing up, people would remove their shoes in the hallway before coming in. |
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giraffe
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:18 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
Serious question, was anyone really unaware that you remove footwear before entering someone's home?
I understand for restaurants and other places but in our house growing up, people would remove their shoes in the hallway before coming in. |
yeah no kidding..
I always thought it was a french Canadian thing .. taking off shoes at the entrance and wearing slippers in the house.. Thats how I grew up my whole life... so coming to korea and taking off shoes was no suprise to me...
Growing up, I was SHOCKED to see my english friends going back home with dirty shoes and jumping on their couch or beds.... never really understood the mentality.... |
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lemak
Joined: 02 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:21 am Post subject: |
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-Many Koreans don't like having their name written in red ink.
-You generally are expected to order food or a snack in a bar.
-Serious/Conscienceus teachers often get fired for being "boring".
-Conscienceus is a hard word to spell when you're too lazy to spell check it.
-Rough to find Dettol in Korea. Bring your own for those poopy and rotten drain smells. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:11 am Post subject: |
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I wish I had known (because it is a past perfect event now),
I wish I had known how much not having a B.Ed or equivalent
teaching certificate would be held against me when applying for
better jobs. |
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Kuval
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:55 am Post subject: |
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| Flashcard_Queen wrote: |
Also, there's no doubt that "I wish I'd known 'X' before I got off the plane" is proper grammar compared to "I wish I knew 'X' before I got off the plane".
As far as I can tell, Kuval hasn't returned to this thread since he started it, and now I can't help but wonder if he's thinking, "I wish I'd known the folks on Dave's are the grammar police before I asked this question."
I don't know what kind of job Kuval has lined up, but chances are, it's at a hagwon or an elementary school. I could be wrong, but if I'm right, don't worry about this slight grammar mishap, Kuval. As long as you know beginning letter sounds and short vowels from long, you'll be okay. |
Heheheh =D funny anddddd I have visited this thread nearly every day. Naw, I don't really care about people dissecting my English in an informal forum. I have a degree, and I've learned that the meaning of words is infinitely more valuable than the particulars of letters on a page. If someone writes, "He tell her to be quiet" in a police report, then the most important thing to note isn't that the witness speaks bad English in the third person- but rather that some guy told a girl to be quiet. Kinda like how the most important thing in this thread should be the sharing of experience, not the critique of English. Needless to say, it's bound to happen anyways.
I've always been of the opinion that English (and language in general for that matter) consists of much more than letters and punctuation. Some simple rules should not dictate the ideas you wish to paint on a page. For this post, my idea was to gain from the experience of others. Art cannot be judged, and so I make it a habit to write art- not English. That being said, there are building blocks that are needed to construct the said, "art." I'm of the opinion that if you're able to logically and coherently discuss the difference between, "I wish I knew" and "I wish I had known," then you probably also know that it doesn't matter what the difference is. He's probably just wondering inside of his own mind, because it's probably linked to some other thought which is just waiting to explode. Let's not begin to label the numerous dangling modifiers, comma splices, and other misuses of the language that find themselves within this very post; for to do so would be to miss the mark.
I don't believe the original writer meant any ill will by his post. He or she just wants to learn more.
In other news, I love all of the replies!!!!! They're all pretty stellar with a lot of good info for simple things I never would have thought of. This post is a huge success. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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Heheheh =D funny anddddd I have visited this thread nearly every day. Naw, I don't really care about people dissecting my English in an informal forum. I have a degree, and I've learned that the meaning of words is infinitely more valuable than the particulars of letters on a page. If someone writes, "He tell her to be quiet" in a police report, then the most important thing to note isn't that the witness speaks bad English in the third person- but rather that some guy told a girl to be quiet. Kinda like how the most important thing in this thread should be the sharing of experience, not the critique of English. Needless to say, it's bound to happen anyways.
I've always been of the opinion that English (and language in general for that matter) consists of much more than letters and punctuation. Some simple rules should not dictate the ideas you wish to paint on a page. For this post, my idea was to gain from the experience of others. Art cannot be judged, and so I make it a habit to write art- not English. That being said, there are building blocks that are needed to construct the said, "art." I'm of the opinion that if you're able to logically and coherently discuss the difference between, "I wish I knew" and "I wish I had known," then you probably also know that it doesn't matter what the difference is. He's probably just wondering inside of his own mind, because it's probably linked to some other thought which is just waiting to explode. Let's not begin to label the numerous dangling modifiers, comma splices, and other misuses of the language that find themselves within this very post; for to do so would be to miss the mark.
I don't believe the original writer meant any ill will by his post. He or she just wants to learn more.
In other news, I love all of the replies!!!!! They're all pretty stellar with a lot of good info for simple things I never would have thought of. This post is a huge success |
One of the things I wish I'd known before I came here was more about American English. I spent a lot of time 'correcting' students' mistakes before looking them up and realising they were acceptable in American English. I was actually just trying to find out if wish + simple past might be another example of this. Not being a grammar nazi. |
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