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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Koreadays
Joined: 20 May 2008
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 Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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it asll depends on your network , friends, job , hobbies etc.
you could be living anywhere in the world and having a blast if you are in the right company. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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Like most here, I have come to tire of the monotony, constant repetition, and lack of clarity that comes with speaking to Koreans. I prefer they speak to me in Korean and help me practice my weak 한국말 
In spite of that, life here is not hard. I don't have to worry about pickpockets or being stabbed for having an iPhone (when it seems over 40% of the pop has one) I can bank a good percentage of my salary while eating out for lunch 25 days of the month. Not exercising, but that is because I find myself to be busier meeting friends/working late.
Attitude is a big part of living here, so is knowing when to quit (as some apologists have even done) and before this country takes my sanity, I will return home in the hopes of building my skillset with an MA- to return once more for a greater, more enriching job.  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 3:58 am Post subject: |
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Pojogae, they are not interesting to YOU.
End of story really because everyone is different right? |
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Cedar
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Location: In front of my computer, again.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 5:54 am Post subject: |
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| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
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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: Fri Jun 03, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: |
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| cragesmure wrote: |
| Died By Bear wrote: |
| Stout wrote: |
| Died By Bear wrote: |
| I've been years in Korea, on the lamb and had a high price on my head. |
?? |
The jig is up the news is out they've finally found me. I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law |
Is it because of what you did to the poor lamb? |
Lawman said get him dead or alive
Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:10 am Post subject: |
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| Cedar wrote: |
| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
Cedar makes a GREAT point here. |
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Mr. BlackCat
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE
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| Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
The haters will tell you Korea is nothing but a dirty, corrupt festering cesspool full of rude and inconsiderate people. The apologists will counter that by telling you it's all your fault for feeling that way, and Korea is actually a great place to be.
As is normally the case in these situations, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Korea is certainly no paradise but if you make the most of it, it can be enjoyable. Also, knowing where you stand is important. As a foreigner, you will never be fully accepted here because Koreans are generally very xenophobic and ethnocentric. The mistrust of outsiders isn't generally visceral or aggressive, but you are definitely judged by a different standard over here.
Saying that, as long as you aren't a complete tool, most people will treat you with some degree of kindness. |
Very good post. Korea isn't great, it isn't bad. It's like everywhere else in the world: OK (even the best beach paradises are plagued with earthquakes and hurricanes). People will come here to vent, but most of the 'positive' reviews on this forum are in the form of, "I GET Korea...I'm soooo different.", so grain of salt. There's a difference between someone venting their bad day and someone out to prove a point about how great they are. If you can work your way into a good/decent job in Seoul then things can be nice. Better vacation, pay and sometimes lifestyle than other places. But there are negatives, just like everywhere else. The people, in general, aren't laugh out loud fun or as diverse as you might be used to, for example. The social and professional structures are rigid and most of the time you will feel like an outsider (no matter how hard people here will try to convince you they're 'accepted'. Yeah, yeah, you learned the language, try describing yourself as Korea to the adjoshi at the hof). It's not nearly as naturally beautiful as many from the West (esp. North America) will expect. But, for example, the public transport is by far the best I've encountered anywhere on this globe. Give and take.
There are no (or very, very little) 3mil 3hr jobs, but you can make decent coin here once you make connections. You will never just show up and walk into that type of situation. Some uni jobs are super-sweet, and they're still not that sweet (although 5 months vacation a year is nothing to sneeze at...but again you'll never get that as a 21 year old applying from his mom's basement).
I guess my point is, like the poster I quoted, it's in the middle. If you expect a utopia you will be disappointed. If you expect utter disgrace, then you will be pleasantly surprised. It's all about your needs and desires at a particular point in time. Korea can be good for recent grads as it allows you to carry on that party attitude while saving money, for example. It can be good for the traveller. It can be good for the 45 year old looking for a change. But it can rain alot, it can be 'cold', it can be professionally stunting. It can be alot of things, oftentimes all in one day.
But seriously, everyone, stop listening to these lunatics talking about coming over here for a 3mil 3 hour job. Not. Going. To. Happen. And here comes 5 posts about people who work negative months a year for gold watches per hour. You can be positive, you can be negative, you can be sarcastic, you can be hyperbolic, but he best thing you can be is realistic. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 1:42 am Post subject: |
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| Well put Blackcat, although I thought University jobs paying around 3 million a month for not many contact hours were fairly common |
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Pojogae
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:10 am Post subject: |
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| Cedar wrote: |
| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
Dude, 9 times out of ten the Korean guy will initiate the conversation! It may not be part of the culture, but you have been here long enough to know that when a foreigner is involved different rules apply.
I'm not surprised that you are glad you are out of your pojangmacha phase, considering you didn't apparently actually talk to anyone when you were in it, because it is not a part of the culture.
Look, I've admitted I was having a bad week when I wrote the previous posts, and I overdid it, as is very easy to do on Dave's. So give me a break. Perhaps you are upset about my Christian slur. Are you a part of the gang? Well, I won't apologise for that. Korean Christians really are a pain in the ass. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:14 am Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Cedar wrote: |
| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
Cedar makes a GREAT point here. |
How's things going with the Cedar Appreciation Society, Patrick? |
Great considering she deserves it as she is one of those people who knows a heck of a lot about Korean culture and the Korean language. so when she speaks up in here, it is kind of wise to pay attention because at least she took the time to undertsand the culture and learn the language.
Other questions? |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 3:54 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Cedar wrote: |
| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
Cedar makes a GREAT point here. |
How's things going with the Cedar Appreciation Society, Patrick? |
Great considering she deserves it as she is one of those people who knows a heck of a lot about Korean culture and the Korean language. so when she speaks up in here, it is kind of wise to pay attention because at least she took the time to undertsand the culture and learn the language.
Other questions? |
I respect the opinion of the posters here who sometimes applaud Korean culture and sometimes don't. Because that's how it is with all cultures. Some good and some bad. Those posters show that they still have all their powers of critical analysis intact. Every anti or pro Korea thread should be approached on a case-by-case basis.
But those who come on here and slavishly stand the pro-Korea line, or, indeed, those who slavishly take the anti-Korea line, well, those guys seem to have an agenda and don't care if they're right or wrong in this case or that case.
So someone could have learned Korean fluently and lived here many years, but that doesn't mean they come on Dave's with a balanced attitude.
A weather man has to report the good and the bad weather. If they decide to insist that the weather is only good or only bad then no one will take their opinion seriously after a while. |
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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 Jun 04, 2011 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Cedar wrote: |
| Pojogae wrote: |
Your depiction of me being some lonely drunk barging into other people's conversations is as unreasonable as if I depicted you as surly and unsociable because you claim to just crowd around a table with the same group of friends blocking the rest of the world out.
Drinking in random pojangmachas and bars is a good experience. I strongly recommend it. |
I'm not saying you're a lonely drunk or barging into conversations, I'm just saying you shouldn't assume you're so much fun to talk to and the rest of the --Koreans-- are not interesting. Maybe in some cultures random conversations over beers are fun and interesting, but it's not the norm in Korea, so you're asking people to behave not-very-Korean just to entertain you, which I don't think is fair.
I assure you, I've been through the pojangmacha stage of life-in-Korea and I'm very glad I'm beyond it. |
Cedar makes a GREAT point here. |
How's things going with the Cedar Appreciation Society, Patrick? |
Great considering she deserves it as she is one of those people who knows a heck of a lot about Korean culture and the Korean language. so when she speaks up in here, it is kind of wise to pay attention because at least she took the time to undertsand the culture and learn the language.
Other questions? |
I respect the opinion of the posters here who sometimes applaud Korean culture and sometimes don't. Because that's how it is with all cultures. Some good and some bad. Those posters show that they still have all their powers of critical analysis intact. Every anti or pro Korea thread should be approached on a case-by-case basis.
But those who come on here and slavishly stand the pro-Korea line, or, indeed, those who slavishly take the anti-Korea line, well, those guys seem to have an agenda and don't care if they're right or wrong in this case or that case.
So someone could have learned Korean fluently and lived here many years, but that doesn't mean they come on Dave's with a balanced attitude.
A weather man has to report the good and the bad weather. If they decide to insist that the weather is only good or only bad then no one will take their opinion seriously after a while. |
IT DOESN'T TAKE A WEATHER MAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Well put Blackcat, although I thought University jobs paying around 3 million a month for not many contact hours were fairly common |
Nope. And those that do tend not be advertised. If you doubt that spend some time trawling some ESL job boards. I'll be suprised if you find more than 1-2 that meet the requirements above. A lot of unis tend to pay even less than 2 million because they know someone will figure the long vacation is an equitable trade off. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:47 am Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
I respect the opinion of the posters here who sometimes applaud Korean culture and sometimes don't. Because that's how it is with all cultures. Some good and some bad. Those posters show that they still have all their powers of critical analysis intact. Every anti or pro Korea thread should be approached on a case-by-case basis.
But those who come on here and slavishly stand the pro-Korea line, or, indeed, those who slavishly take the anti-Korea line, well, those guys seem to have an agenda and don't care if they're right or wrong in this case or that case.
So someone could have learned Korean fluently and lived here many years, but that doesn't mean they come on Dave's with a balanced attitude.
A weather man has to report the good and the bad weather. If they decide to insist that the weather is only good or only bad then no one will take their opinion seriously after a while. |
This post is exactly the reason why eamo is one of the few long-termers worth reading on here. |
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marsavalanche
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Location: where pretty lies perish
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:33 am Post subject: |
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It's all about location/job.
If you agree on living in bumblefsck Korea, and/or signed a bad contract and then ended up ranting about it on Dave's, yea you got what you deserved.
But if you did your research, got a decent job and location and "aren't a complete tool" I think you'll enjoy it here.
Just do you research (i.e. read up on the Jobs forum which has been very helpful to me), sign the right contract, get out of your apartment once in a while and you'll be fine.
Korea has worked well for me. And I've been here a little over a year. |
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