Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ginormousaurus]

[gforce645]

The purpose of this link i.qkme.me/3ud5r7.jpg was for some minor amusement and I'm sure it made a few people smile.

It was intended for some folks with a sense of humor. Seconds after I posted it, I knew one particular person would have to take issue with it and dissect it.

Just like when people are disregarding the connection to the Big Bang Theory by the author, you can hold my comment in the same esteem for referring to another well known comedy show. Only difference is that of course I'm not an SNU professor.

[cabeza]

[Steelrails]

That's why I mentioned the Korean part. They do it too these days. Off to the service room and getting bombed with the buddies instead of giving mom a call and all.

[Who's Your Daddy?]

^ I've never watch Arrested Development, but from the picture I think of a weirdo in university. Basically he thought he was handsome and great because his mother had told him so (he actually said that).

It's not that I think a relationship with a mother (or father) is wrong, but a life that revolves around your mother is weird.

[Steelrails]

Well full disclosure, I don't watch Arrested Development either (although I probably should). I did a search to find the line so I could get its context before I posted. Seems its more talking about people who think mom's great, but once the leave they just start to ignore/badmouth her. Obviously kids in both cultures do this these days, which is what I was trying to get at in the first part.

The second part was more based on an argument a couple of friends and I got into with another friend who repeatedly badmouths her parents for spoiled reasons. Everyone had kinda had it with her and told her to respect her parents some more and that she should call them. The answer was a bunch of "I don't need my parents" and "I'm independent" crap. I kinda brought that personal take in because the whole thing went down not too long ago. I think I let that take over...

[NohopeSeriously]

Most Korean mothers I know work full time. They don't even care whether their kids starve or not in their hagweon. As long as the mothers pay their kids' smartphone bills, they don't even want to know about their well-being. To me Korean mothers are fake.

[misher]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

http://www.asiapundits.com/regions/korea/korea-worlds-best-mothers/

[Ginormousaurus]

[hiamnotcool]

I don't know where to start with this. What....

Ok so he is jealous that the West has accepted some Asian cultural icons from China and Japan (Samurai, Kung fu). His solution is to insult my mom? What? And this is somehow going to convince me to praise all Korean mothers? The whole article is like a veiled "Yo Momma joke".

Then just take the apples to oranges thing...
Samurai - Warrior Culture
Kung Fu - Warrior Culture
Korean Mother - Momma's Boy Culture?

Then there is the fact that he is a man putting undue pressure on Korean mothers to fulfill a specific role. And by invoking the samurai and kungu fu master he is pretty much acting like when the ignorant white teenager comes to korea looking for the epitome of chauvinism the korean man is just going to shrug and point at his mom.

All that aside, comparing the mothering techniques is just stupid. A Korean mom that used Korean child rearing techniques in the USA would be setting that child up to get teased and possibly beaten up. Avoiding eye contact and wearing bow ties are a recipe for disaster. An American mother would be raising their child to be a failure in Korea by teaching them to be free wheeling and individual. Before anyone jumps on me I know there are exceptions to every rule, I'm just trying to make the point that the mothers are raising their children to survive and succeed in different environments and that is why their techniques differ, it has nothing to do with one being better than the other.

[Steelrails]

I know plenty of Korean kids who had Korean mothers for parents back home. And while some did experience some racism at least once in their lives, the majority had fine social lives, and then went on to do well in college and land good jobs, ones they kept even during the economic downturn. They are able to continue enjoying a middle/upper-middle class lifestyle. Many are happily married, engage in civic events, get to do the hobbies they love, and maintain a healthy relationship with their parents. If disaster strikes, the parents can rely on the kids and vice-versa.

However a lot of the people who existed in another mindset and would tease them are now at best really polite and made amends long ago and grew up and are friends with them in the office.

At worst? Those kids are working for them/serving them french fries/incarcerated/despairing over their financial future. They sold their birthrights for 4 years of being cool in H.S.

I don't consider their results indicative of any parental failure. And sorry, but teaching your kid to be responsible, following a schedule, and exerting discipline in their life is not going to be bad for their long-term well-being.

[Scorpion]

It should be remembered that every obnoxious ajoshie we encounter in Korea, and every pushy gum-smacking ajumma, is the product of a Korean mother. Every individual who fails to let you cross the road, spits, litters, bumps into you, eats their food loudly, shoots snot rockets onto the sidewalk, cuts in line, parks on the crosswalk, and laughs at black people is the product of a Korean mother.

[Captain Corea]

[Scorpion]