Korean Job Discussion Forums

[htrain]

The other foreign teacher at my school absolutely hates those yellow radish things. Just the smell makes him gag. We are constantly harrassing each other. Today I was at lunch and they gave me the plastic bag of them so when I got back to school I said "Hey, I got you a present" and dropped them on his desk. He laughed. A Korean teacher says "He hates those!" I said "I know." She says "So why did you do that?" I said "Because it's funny?" She says "No, it's not, that's CRUEL."

So later that day I walk into a class... it's my last one with this particular group of kids... I noticed one girl had a heap of snacks on her desk. So I smiled and said "HEY, are you guys throwing a party because you're happy I'm leaving?"

The looks on their faces was like I insulted their mothers. Apparently this is in NO WAY FUNNY and I am "very rude" in Korean culture... this is a line that you do not cross in the student/teacher hierarchy (as I was later told.)

So I talked to several Koreans for a few hours over the course of the night and I asked for tips. There are basically three things that are considered "funny" and will always get a laugh:

1.) Mock someone or do impersonations of him (always a show stopper)

2.) Make fun of someone's face and/or deformity

3.) Laugh at someone for being stupid or clumsy; exaggerate the situation if possible

...I don't get it. I give up.

[jajdude]

Indeed. What passes for humor here seems lame. Yet what is offensive is common in western culture. Jay Leno made a joke about eating dogs once. Then I hear, "We don't like him." Meanwhile Leno and all parody everybody, western or not. Goes to show humor varies a lot across cultures.

I think, as all should, humor at its best is the ability to laugh at yourself.

[Kashmir]

[mnhnhyouh]

Any camp stuff from a male seems to send my students and co-teachers into fits. I was reading a dialogue between a male and female the other day and did the first line of female dialogue in a higher pitched voice with the palm of my hand on my face and the students took ages to quieten down so I could read more.

This sort of thing has happened many times.

h

[lucas_p]

Gag humor -- it's all the rage on the weekend evening shows.

Dress in drag, and sing like Madonna. Or

Just hit your friends in the head with the plastic mallet. My university students would do that endlessly at the game room. The laughter never stopped. I didn't find it particularly amusing, well not after the 60th time, but eh...

[Ruraljuror]

Well it can be argued they are showing excellent taste in the case of the previously mentioned example. Jay Leno is as funny as cancer.

Ball cancer.

[Greekfreak]

Your delivery was off.

[michael5799042]

Yup, a man in a dress with a plastic hammer seems to be the gist of it.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

They just like physical humour. Lame

[Whistleblower]

Most of the time, they take the piss out of us using English:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4UQnC94xus

[mithridates]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=121468&sid=ecf7bd1b142d81879477eb7d6e2ffd31

[doggyji]

Can't blame them, mithridates. I tried to watch 개그야 lately. Then it was a painful experience. I guess 개그콘서트 is the only stage comedy show worth watching currently. Maybe they need to check skits like 리플중계석 or 박대박 with caption to abandon the eternal mantra "They just like physical humour�". Wait, their judgement on Korean humor was already made when they were born and nothing will get through the thick-headedness.

[caniff]

So when will the Korean Comedy Wave be sweeping the globe?

[doggyji]

[Dome Vans]