Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OBXman7]

I am used to experiencing racism in Korea, but never like today. The source was a fellow American. I have heard rumors for quite a while about the taco bell in Korea. There is only one (so I was told at the time), about 2 � hours away, on a US Airforce Base. Not only is that pretty far, but there are only two days a year that civilians are permitted on the base - today (there was an air show) and 4th of July.

So I checked the website, wrote down the show hours, directions, phone numbers, etc. After nearly 3 hours and roughly a $20 journey(one way), I arrived at the gate. I read on the website that entrance was free, and it appeared quite easy to pass through the gate based on the swarms of Koreans that were effortlessly entering the air show.

As I got close to the gate, a very large man approached me and asked for my military ID. I explained I am a civilian and showed him my US driver's license. He told me that I will not be allowed to enter without a US military ID. I was not convinced. I then showed him my pilot's license and explained that I came for two things that I miss from home which make me very happy, taco bell and airplanes. He didn't budge.

He then told me that the event was invite only, and that those whom have been invited are wearing yellow wrist bands. So I walked away from the gate and asked the first Korean family I saw if they might by any chance have an extra yellow armband. They did, a whole bundle of them. I put one on and proceeded back to the gate. Before reaching the gate I made a quick call to one of my Korean friends, filled him in on the situation, and asked him to pose as a Korean press agent when I call back. The plan was to tell US Sergeant Douchebag that I spoke with a press agent who gave me a personal invite. He was on his way to a meeting and therefore gave me his contact info. Desperate times call for desperate measures, this is taco bell we are talking about, and I was soooo close.

This time, one of the other guards saw me approach, and blew a whistle. The big angry guy from earlier came right up to me and asked me where I got the band, took out his pocket knife, and cut it off before I could even get a sentence out. He told me that the only thing that I need to do is turn 180 degrees, start walking, and not even think about coming back. He took out handcuffs and told me I have 3 seconds before I am wearing them. Some of you know me well, and can probably guess what I did�. Well, I'll tell you first what I was thinking and then tell you what I did. I was very close to asking if I can see the planes better from the jail or outside of the gate and follow that up with a question regarding the possibility of having Taco Bell delivered to my cell. What I did, is stand my ground. I am hard-headed (or irrational like some of you might be thinking right now) like that.

I then went to plan B. I took out my Pilot's License again and explained I am a pilot (which is true) and I am just in town on business (which is true, just not the aviation business). He then told me that he is in charge of every civilian that enters through the gates and that he does not, and will never bend the rules for anyone. He then told me that I am again 3 seconds away from being arrested and detained in the military prison. According to the website, the entrance gate was set to close at 3pm sharp. At exactly 3:00pm the gate was in fact shut. However, I saw a Korean family approaching, 3 young children who were extremely excited to be there, and all of which were wearing the yellow armbands. Sure enough, the angry GI Joe let them in. This pissed me off. I was pretty close when I yelled, "Dude, are you f'ing kidding me?! You are going to bend the rules for Koreans but you are not going to allow a fellow American onto American soil? Is this really happening?" The idea of his gloved finger in my poop-chute doing a cavity search did not sit well with me. He ignored me. It was obvious at this point that if I wanted to sink my teeth into a soft tortilla that I would have to go through someone else.

There were no other entrances, but there were ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers. My Korean is nowhere close to fluent, but I can pretty much carry a conversation about anything I need to. So I went up to the ROK and asked him in Korean, and in front of the stupid-a** US soldiers who I can guarantee have never left the base to actually enjoy Korean culture, "Do you really enjoy working around these *bleeping* Americans? I am one, but right now I am embarrassed. Do they, and especially the big one, treat you with the same disrespect they do me? That guy (pointing) is a real **dog-baby** (sounds funny when typing it in English, but **dog-baby** in Korean is a harsh thing to call someone, more-so than in the US)." He asked what the problem was, so I explained he cut off my yellow armband and told me I have to have an invitation. The ROK reached in his pocket, gave me a yellow band, and told me I was his personal guest. He started to lead me to the Holy Land, but then one of the US pricks blew his whistle. He was physical with me this time. As he was about to cuff me, I demanded to know the charges. I also told him that if he can just back off, I will buy him and everyone at the post Taco Bell. I was fully prepared to do that too.

I was then informed that I was being arrested for trespassing and now bribery. Can you believe this bs? I have a witness who will go on record and attest that every detail of this is true. Un-f'ing-believable!? I never made it on the base, not even into the actual prison cell. I was read a bunch of bs and told that there can be serious repercussions if I make this a bigger deal than it is by�oh, telling people. I'm writing about this now because I think it is funny. It is amazing what a person will do for some Taco Bell, or anything else from home, after being out of the US for so long. If you have never experienced a craving for something (not necessarily Taco Bell) like this due to being overseas, then you are lucky.

The way I see it, this *** is going to be telling everyone in the mess hall about how he pushed me around for the next month. I am sure he went to sleep last night felling a bit better about himself. I could never imagine treating another American that way, especially since we are both in a foreign country.

p.s. I just heard a rumor that Taco Bell added some new items�..This story will sound stupid and maybe even feel like a waste of time for 95% of you. I wrote it for the 5% that can relate with what I went through (the craving and determination, not the whole almost getting arrested thing).

[faster]

Wait, Taco Bell?!?

Seriously?!?


Try as I might to find reasons to be optimistic about the future of our species...

[OBXman7]

There's a lot of history there...all those late nights in undergrad. My determination knows no boundaries when it comes to those crunchy little slices of heaven.

(And yes, I know I'll be looking back on that story and wonder what I was thinking the first morning after a TB feast back in the States....sitting on the white bowl on the verge of blowing an O-ring)

[CentralCali]

Wow. It's bad enough people pulling stupid stunts while drunk. And you did this idiocy while sober?

Where do you get the idea that it's racism? I'm retired military and have access to the US bases here but I have to prove that every single time I enter the gates. The only bigotry I see in your posting is from you. You have no idea what you're talking about.

A pilot's license doesn't grant you access to military bases, not even in the US. A driver license doesn't cut it either. For restricted bases, like every military base in South Korea, you must have either a military identification card or be escorted by someone with, you guessed it, a military identification card.

Oh, and the US bases in South Korea are not American territory ("American soil").

Plus, your story is beyond dubious. It's complete malarkey. The ROK soldiers working with US soldiers are KATUSAs. The KATUSA program is tough one to get into and there's not a single one of them who's going to jeopardize his cushy position (compared to where he would be slaving away his mandatory military service otherwise) for a single free meal from a total stranger. He's certainly not going to abandon his assigned post for said total stranger.

Also, had you actually been arrested, you'd've gotten a tad more familiar with Korean police procedures than you probably wish to be. You would've been turned over to the local police officers for them to determine what charges to level with the prosecutor's office.

[endofthewor1d]

yeah, really dude.
that was kind of a fun story to read, but you are one dumb son of a b****.
i can't believe you pushed the envelope that far for fast food. but again, the comment above wasn't meant to be insulting. i did enjoy your post, and i hope to read more. i'll be sad when you finally do get arrested or have the crap knocked out of you to the point where you're unable to type.
until then, welcome to dave's. it's good to have you here.

[matthews_world]

You're lucky your stupid stunt didn't land you in a military brig. You must be fresh out of college to try something that stupid.

[CentralCali]

[normalcyispasse]

Isn't there one in Yongsan, or is that the one that (famously) closed?

Taco Bell, mehh. . . but I'd crawl over my mother to get a Subway sandwich!

[CentralCali]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[normalcyispasse]

[OBXman7]

*see below*

[OBXman7]

[mindmetoo]

Wow. You would think the guard would be friendly not only to a fellow American but a pilot. You're a foreigner in a foreign land, you're happy to see a bit of America. Assuming you were polite to the guard and you weren't copping some kind of attitude like "I pay your taxes, I want access!", he sure could have been a lot more decent to you.

[crash bang]

i believe your story. because i believe people are that stupid.

jesus christ. you dont *beep* around with the military. if some jarhead is assigned a post to guard, you damn well better not try to get past him. he wasnt being a dick. he was doing his job. you were the jerk for acting so entitled and being an ugly american.

that said, im not saying you are a jerk. ive acted a fool many times in my life, and i still like myself. but this time, you were pwnd