Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Steelrails]

[sendittheemail]

I don't think that anyone is getting offended that Koreans don't skateboard, I just think the OP was pondering why it's not popular when nearly every other sport involving wheeled equipment has or is currently running it's popularity course in Korea. Valid question I think. He wasn't asking why kids in sub-saharan Africa don't all go out and buy skateboards.

Korea as a country has done and excellent job in cornering nearly every single other boring "white person" sport/activity (camping, hiking, figure skating, golf, road cycling, rollerblading, tennis, badminton, skiing, snowboarding etc.) and it actually makes the OP's original question even more valid considering that Koreans have flocked to these supposedly "white bread" activities, and yet not to others.

I've never had a black person ask me if I knew an obscure neo-soul artist, but I've had loads of Korean men ask me if I like golfing, which is the most repulsively boring and offensive Western export (aside from religion, and hiking) to have ever struck the peninsula.

[Steelrails]

[Maserial]

[Mix1]

[quote="Steelrails"][quote="sendittheemail"][quote]Reminds me of the "Why don't people here like rock?" stuff we always here. Might as well just put on a sign that says "White Bread".[/quote]

On the contrary, the list of top respected skateboarders includes more than a few non-whites. Kids in American ghettos don't skateboard for some of the same reasons Korean kids don't: The quality of streets and facilities in their towns are absolute garbage, plus in the good 'ol USA they run the risk of being shot at (by their peers) and harassed (by the police) even more than they already are, plus they are more likely to be criticized for "acting white" by their uneducated prison-bound half-wit peer group.[/quote]

Yes, that's true, but acting like rock music and skating are "normal" is a bit suburbia-centered. Sure everyone black, white, and brown knows Tony Hawk but when it comes to what you're going to do on a summer afternoon some kids choose skateboarding, some choose basketball. That doesn't mean they're strange or its the basis for some sort of cultural kink on rebelliousness or free time. And you definitely get people crossing over.

Seriously, the people here who get butt hurt that their favorite niche activity or obscure hipster band isn't loved by the people here is as silly as the Korean BiBimBap/Kimchi/KPop cheerleader crowd. Not everyone likes pop music, especially Korean pop. It sounds like a bunch of crappy noise and comes across as emotionally unstable. And guess what? Not everyone likes rock. It sounds like a bunch of crappy noise and comes across as emotionally unstable.

Kids play pick up soccer here. Kids in America generally don't. Does that mean something is wrong and we can start making cultural judgments and saying that one group or the other is weird?

And sorry, but if you look globally, skateboarding is weird. Kids playing soccer is normal.

You know what I don't ever come across? It's black folks asking me if I know some not so-famous neo-Soul singers or black gospel groups. Black folks aren't shocked if someone in Korea doesn't know how to play Tonk. They aren't offended and looking into bizarre cultural reasons for why pickup soccer is more popular than baseball.[/quote]
Wow. Where did you come up with all this? So many straw man arguments ,assumptions, and weird tangents going on here based on stuff nobody even said. Nobody is 'offended' or 'butt-hurt' about skateboarding, but someone sure is sensitive, that's for sure. You even brought race into it for some odd reason. Nice job.

Many of the reasons here for the relative lack of popularity of the sport are pretty spot on too. Can you refute any of the reasons? Didn't think so. Please read 'sendittheemail''s post again. He pretty much summed it up.

But if you're going to inject race into it, if you're going to say skateboarding is a 'white bread' sport, what would you call basketball? Just curious if there is a special racial label for that too...

If anything, skateboarding is one of the sports that does a great job at bridging racial and cultural divides. Because it is a relatively fringe sport, you know you share a unique common interest that not many other people do, and that makes a dynamic where you're a skater first, (whatever) second.
Also, especially in the western U.S., it's very much not a 'white' sport, especially lately, as more and more parks pop up all over, often in poorer neighborhoods where land is cheaper, and there's the inner city street skating aspect to it too. Where I'm from, it's well over half Latino and Native American skaters at the parks, and everyone is one big happy family.

And in Korea, it's all good too because you show up and you're a skater first, foreigner second. Everyone does their own thing, no major competition or points. Hmm....

[Steelrails]

[Mix1]

[quote="Steelrails"]But it crosses the line when you get the people who start to [b]hold against, perhaps subconsciously, against people for not being into the same things they are into.
[/b]
And yeah, you're in the rest of the world. Get used to it. Not everyone is going to like what everyone is into back home. Welcome to being in the minority culture.[/quote]
Uh... yeah, we're in a different part of the world! Thanks for that. Now you're throwing in some condescension along with the wrong assumptions, unrelated tangents, topic switches, and straw man arguments. All that and you never even replied to the racial term you'd call basketball if skateboarding is supposedly a 'white bread' sport. So, a dodge in there as well. That's ok though.

It's been explained before, but no one is actually holding anything against Koreans here, especially for the reasons you cited. You're stretching, and pulling all kinds of stuff out of...somewhere. This tread was about WHY it isn't more popular here, despite all kinds of other, so called 'white bread' sports being adopted. And no one is expecting them to adopt it or said anything like that. You just put your own spin on things. That's fine but don't drag the rest of us into it. Done.

Funny that almost ANY random topic can suddenly become a heated hotbed of controversy on here. But I guess if you put your own spin on things and stretch far enough, anything can happen...

Example: (random question)
A:"Why isn't cherry pie more common among desserts here?"

B: "Why should it be? You just crossed the line! Don't judge Koreans for not liking cherry pie! Anyway, I know one Korean who tried cherry pie once, so you're dead wrong: epic fail by you! By the way, how do you KNOW it isn't common? Do you have a link? Ah, you don't understand stats anyway! Take your western bias elsewhere; you're in a different part of the world now! You're the minority now! Why do Americans, particularly those ultra biased, inherently racist white ones, always force everyone to eat what they eat? It's cultural imperialism! There was even an oppressive song called "Cherry Pie" written by some evil white 80's rock band! So why would Koreans ever want to have cherry pie? Just to satisfy YOU?"

B: "Um...it tastes good, maybe they'd like it..."

A: "You said "THEY"!!! And you probably also say "THEM"! You're racist! I can see your inherent bias towards Korea and Koreans and everything Korean and everything non-white! Well why don't you just go back home and you can have your precious cherry pie there while you oppress the minorities you fat American white bread...blah blah...blah..."

B: "Actually, I'm black. And I'm from South Africa..."

A: "Huh? Oh... right on, man. So you know what I'm saying then, right yo? It's all good. I enjoy cherry pie too! I wonder why it's not more common here?"

B: "Yeah, that was my original question before you went on the useless rant..."

[TheUrbanMyth]

[fermentation]

[Steelrails]

[Mix1]

[quote="TheUrbanMyth"][quote="Mix1"][ Please read 'sendittheemail''s post again. He pretty much summed it up.

.[/quote]

You mean this one? The one where he made a bunch of unfounded claims about millions of people and how about the ONLY reason they don't skateboard here is because it isn't "trendy"?

[quote]Skareboarding isn't popular because there is no "trend" currently surrounding skateboarding.

1. If you see a drama star ride a skateboard (shaking, almost falling) on TV just ONCE, the streets will be packed with teenagers and 20-somethings trying to skateboard.

2. If you see a pop star ride a skateboard just ONCE in a music video, the streets will be packed with teenagers and 20-somethings trying to skateboard.

3. If a skateboard were prohibitively expensive, and thus could be considered some type of status symbol, the streets would be packed with teenagers and 20-somethings trying to skateboard. But they aren't because even if you buy a $500 skateboard, no one around you KNOWS it cost $500, so there's no point.

Unfortunately, a skateboard isn't a bicycle, and you can't brag to your friends about how much you paid for your skateboard, as you can with your new fixed-gear flaming pink bicycle with lime green wheels and white tires. Also, Louis Vuitton and Mercedes Benz don't make skateboards, but if they did, Koreans would buy them.

Skateboards meet all of the requirements of a status giving bobble that could very easily sell to the Korean masses, EXCEPT for the fact that they don't cost enough, and don't offer the kind of visibility that other Korean status symbols for adults and children do (ie: You can't see it from a mile away and instantly identify the brand and associated cost).

Bicycles do well because even though the streets and sidewalks are built to developing country standards, you can actually still ride a bicycle and be seen riding a bicycle down the street. With a skateboard on the other hand, you have to go to a skate park, or some abandoned place which eliminates the possibility of people witnessing you engaged in your hobby, which at the end of the day is what Korean hobbies are all about; being seen to be involved in something (look at my expensive hiking gear, look at my $2000 tent, look at my $3000 bicycle, look at my giant DSLR camera, look at my flaming red $450 Northface jacket, etc etc[/quote][/quote]
No, not that one, the one after in direct response to Steelrails. I recommend you read it again. However, this post above is very good too.

"Unfounded claims"? Yeah, Ok. NONE of his points have any merit at all. Koreans in general completely ignore trends and celebrities have no influence at all here, right? And they NEVER deck themselves out in the latest expensive gear when they engage in an activity, right? What was he thinking when he wrote that?

Please, by all means, disprove his 'unfounded claims' and show us the real reasons why skateboarding isn't more popular in Korea. If you disagree with us, fine. But don't act like this is some research paper and you are the professor.

[Steelrails]

Obviously celebrities move trends and if 2NE1 did a skateboarding video, skateboarding would jump in popularity.

But the reason for it not being popular is not because of the lack of celebrity endorsements. Stuff can be popular with or without Korean celebrities. It can also be popular without expensive gear.

Soccer was popular before Park Ji Sung. Baseball was popular before Chan Ho Park. Basketball is popular and there is no big name Korean star. Line fishing is popular here and I'll tell ya, no one here is rolling in fancy gear or doing it because IU is into line fishing.

So obviously celeb endorsements help, but it doesn't make or break you.

I ball regularly with Koreans who aren't sneakerheads and wear whatever shirt is the least funkiest. Everyone follows the NBA, but on the court, one's game does the talking. People aren't playing to show off their kicks and authentic Kevin Durant jersey.

I'm willing to bet that as for why people don't skateboard A) Most kids find it boring and would rather do something else B)The condition of the roads and traffic C)Pre-existing pastimes that have already claimed the niche for "outdoor activity, but I don't start on the soccer team" market that falls in between the kids playing sports and the kids playing games. And yes D) The lack of a movie or celeb video to drive up interest. And E)Not everything "suburban" people do is interesting to everyone else.

[Mix1]

[quote="Steelrails"]
But wondering why skateboarding isn't popular here and throwing out a bunch of unfounded cultural assumptions? Hey that's fine. And if you disagree you're an uber-defensive apologist.
[/quote]
I'd say that sums it up rather well.

Although... the idea that some of the reasons stated were 'unfounded cultural assumptions' is very subjective. Most were just circumstances and potential possibilities. Nobody is writing a research paper and you're free to disagree with any of the reasons thrown out there. And some of the reasons were not cultural at all, and they certainly weren't based on race as you tried to suggest.

Even the phrase 'unfounded cultural assumptions' itself is subjective and loaded. At what point can something become a common cultural trait? Obviously not everyone is going to agree on that, but I think we can agree that some traits and activities are more common to some cultures than others. Some have no problem mentioning these or contemplating them (be they right or wrong) while others rail (pun intended) against the very concept.

If one asked, 'Why isn't car bombing more popular in Korea?' I'm sure there'd be some interesting reasons stated too, most of which would outline mostly positive cultural traits or circumstances. In that case, we'd hear nothing from the usual suspects on here, because people choose what is an 'unfounded cultural assumption' or not. If they view something said as positive, they agree and say yeah, it's a cultural trait. If they view something said as negative, it's suddenly an 'unfounded cultural assumption' and they'll be offended. But that doesn't mean they are always correct about the nature of their own culture or the reasons stated.

If a Korean asked 'why isn't baduk popular in America?' and then a bunch of Koreans posted reasons why, I would be fine with it. I'm sure they'd have some good points and it would probably be very entertaining reading seeing their take on Americans. I figure I wouldn't agree with every comment and I'd take them case by case. Do you wanna bet that if a Korean actually did that, it would tend to get very racial though? I'm sure we'd see PLENTY of Asian superiority talk on there (higher IQ's, superior intellect, etc.) and I'd have a good laugh.

The OP's question was a fair one, and you are reading WAY too much into it. I'm not even responding to the racial spin you've put on it as it's completely off base and ridiculous. (For one thing, skateboarding is not an inherently 'white' sport, nor do we even know if the OP is white.)

It's not that big of a deal if skateboarding is popular in Korea or not, or WHY it isn't. Yet almost every thread becomes posters having to defend themselves because you and a couple others pitch a fit at almost anything. And then you've got the nerve to call others 'butt-hurt'. Irony. Just seeing where the tread has gone proves my point. Done.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Mix1]

[quote="TheUrbanMyth"][quote="Mix1"][
Please, by all means, disprove his 'unfounded claims' and show us the real reasons why skateboarding isn't more popular in Korea. If you disagree with us, fine. But don't act like this is some research paper and you are the professor.[/quote]

I don't have to disprove anything. HE was the one who made the claims in the first place and thus the burden of proof falls on him not me.

In the second place he may or may not be right. My point (which you missed completely) was that his claims were completely unsupported by any underlying data whatsoever.

By all means agree with him...just be aware that neither you or he have a shred of proof for what you are claiming and that attempting to claim it as undisputed fact does not help your credibility.[/quote]

Oh no!

Burden of proof? Undisputed fact? Credibility? Hilarious. Ok, just for you, I'll do some credible research on all the claims outlined previously and get right back to you on that...

I didn't miss your point, I intentionally bypassed it completely.

And I was kidding about you disproving anything. Although, go ahead and try if you want. It could be entertaining.

Again, professor, we aren't doing a research paper here.
Truly unreal.