Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kentucker4]

Before I go all negative here...let me say there are more friendly people in the small city which I live in than non friendly people. But.....why do some Korean people feel that it is not rude to come up to you when you are in a resturaunt trying to be all by yourself and sit in front of you and tell you how to eat your Korean meal while making fun of you??? A resturaunt worker did this to me this morning and then jibbered in Korean to her co workers while she took food out of my soup demonstrating how to seperate the meat (crawfish) while talking with a dirty look on her face to her co workers making them laugh like I am some caveman or something. Not to mention, the co-workers were all snearing like what in the world was wrong with me for having to have this lady demonstrate how to eat my food even though I never asker her too.

I like a lot of things about South Korea. But this small city that I live in is already irritating me. A lot of people give me dirty looks for no reasons as well as a look of disregard...I'll just say the Korean look.

Also, a resturaunt owner refused to serve me one night. I wasn't drunk or even drinking and I have never been to the place before and I know no other westerners go there because I am the only freakin one in this town. To top it off, I wanted to buy a cat one day and walked around for over an hour before finally finding a pet store. When I tried to buy...the lady said, "No sale to you."

On a positive note, though, I went to Pusan last weekend and met a ton of very friendly Koreans...so of course I don't think everyone here is like this. Just the ones who aren't crazy about westerners I guess.

[pest2]

Sounds like some pretty typical experiences for a newbie to Korea... the "no sale to you" thing sounds slightly unusual.. Not because it's surprising they wouldnt sell to you or do business with you, but because of the words, "no sale to you". Usually, they just say, "sorry" and look the other way, assuming you'll take the hint.

Hmmm I dont think its a small town thing, either... Its just Korea.

And, though, having traveled around Korea quite a bit, now, I have come to the conclusion that certain towns and areas are better or worse than others.. I live in a small town right now and the people are much nicer than people in any other place in Korea I've traveled... Never had a problem like "no sale" except for a few taxi drivers who refused to pick me up (solved that by getting my Korean-looking wife to walk on one side of the road and I on the other pretending not to know her... when she got a cab to stop, I run over and jump in with her).....

[Masta_Don]

My very first night out in Korea, my first time to attempt to explore anywhere, I was denied entrance to three restaurants. I couldn't believe it! I ended up eating fried chicken (yay, for experiencing another culture) and was incredibly pissed. Was this how I was going to spend my next year, a complete outcast? From then on I went with Koreans, or kyopos, to eat, figuring they'd give me leverage. It was only after being here for a month or so I realized something. I had been trying to go to hofs, and a hof won't serve a person, foreign or Korean, by themself. I figured since they had pictures of food outside, they must be restaurants. I was wrong and quick to judge, but the reasoning wasn't racist at all.

And I've heard similar experiences from FOB's who try to go to a kalbi place by themself. Ain't gonna happen unless you're willing to cough up enough money for two servings.

[kentucker4]

[pest2]

I went to "Kimcheon," not too far from Daegu, for a bike race a few months ago. I was going to go into a restaurant to get some bi bim bap to go for my wife and I. The restaurant was on one side of the street and I on the other. The light was red. I decided to cross since there was not a car in sight and afterall, its korea; who obeys traffic laws here? Some annoying old ajoshi took it upon himself to follow me into the restaurant. Before he had a chance to say anything, I was ordering the bi bim bap... but the old hick couple that worked there wouldnt make it and sell it to me, no matter how nicely I said, with a big smile on my face, "bee bim bap doogae juseo".... Next, the ajoshi came over and ordered a single kim chi jigae and donkasseu and they had no problem serving him at all Then, the ajoshi walked over to me and proceeded to tell me in Korean something like, 'in Korea, we dont cross on the red light"... as if Koreans are like the angels of traffic law obeying virtue!... I was pissed at this point, so I snatched his phone, which he had set down next to him, pushed it half in his face, and shouted, "Kyung Chal!" (police), meaning that he should call the police on me... then I proceeded to call him and the restaurant owners a few select words including, racist piece of *beep*, bastard mudder puckr etc etc.. then I just walked out with a big grin on my face and it was over.

Anyway, that's being a foreigner in Korea. But I cant see that happening in my town up here in Gangwon do.. people here just arent like that.... I definitely think it depends on where you are....

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Why'd you let the serving wench mess with your soup for?

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

[kentucker4]

[esetters21]

I was just seeing my gf off at the bus station, and some ajosshi babbled something like "you need to get out of the way" while he parks this car on the the sidewalk where we were waiting for the bus. I had my back turned and a hoody over my head so he could not see my ethnicity. He could clearly see my Korean gf, however. It sounded rude to me, even though I don't know much Korean, and my gf confirmed that it was rude. I politely went to his parking shed after she caught the bus and told him to go f*ck himself and learn some manners.

[sojourner1]

Right, it's too out of place to eat in most restaurants by yourself. I caught the gist early on that I might run into confusing situations of being refused service if I tried to go to sit down restaurants in real Korean places by myself. Sure, not everyone are going to like you and accept you as anywhere else. I have been turned away in America a few times and too many times in Germany too, but it's the expected norm to be with someone. I too want to drink in hofs and eat Korean food more often, but I rarely eat it or go out Korean style due to being by myself most nights and only do these sorts of Korean lifestyle things about 2 to 4 nights a month. You don't go out by yourself in Korea, because you are a foreigner or in danger, but because it's only proper to be with someone. Doesn't need to be a women, a dude is fine as it is very common men go out to hofs, samgyeopsal, and kalbi places together every evening everywhere in Korea.

It's too bad that you can't just go by yourself, mingle into the scene, and be accepted and talked to, but you have to have Korean friends or at least experienced foreigners just to be couple or a group. Even in western countries, it's best to be with at least one person when going out to eat, drink, and be merry, because you get better service than going alone, but you can go out alone if need be and be served.

Can anyone elaborate why you can't go out Korean style alone and meet Koreans in hofs, restaurants, and other public places? It seems to be quite a close society, not because your a foreigner, but because it seems to be that in Asian countries it requires a 3rd party to introduce 2 people into talking with each other though there are a few curious exceptions.

[Scotticus]

All I'll say is:

You took a job in a small town. Get used to it. I only hear two kinds of stories about small towns in Korea. 1) it's adorable and everyone is really nice or 2) it's filled with racist assholes who get off on ostracizing you. Seems you got yourself a number 2.

[Qinella]

[bejarano-korea]

[Desiree]

[pest2]