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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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 Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:31 pm Post subject: A few thoughts on the ajeossis |
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| I never thought i'd have such a visceral hatred for working class men in their fifties. They're my favorite demographic back home. And yet... |
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samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Out in the country the adjoshis are better than most of the young guys. Seriously, Ive never hated young men so much. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| samcheokguy wrote: |
| Out in the country the adjoshis are better than most of the young guys. Seriously, Ive never hated young men so much. |
Interesting.
In Seoul, I've found that young Korean men (18-24) tend to behave much better than their Western counterparts, whereas the old men behave much worse. Maybe it's switched outside of Seoul. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| jkelly80 wrote: |
Interesting.
In Seoul, I've found that young Korean men (18-24) tend to behave much better than their Western counterparts, whereas the old men behave much worse. Maybe it's switched outside of Seoul. |
I think it's the opposite in most places. Korea is an exception.
In Tokyo, old people will do anything to help out a foreigner. I had a 90-year old guy insisting that I take their seat on the subway! It was so nice. Then I heard a story from a friend of mine who was eight months pregnant and two Japanese teenagers making out in the handicapped seat refused to let her sit down until she literally stuck her preggo belly in their face.
So yeah. Western societies and most Eastern societies have the opposite problem (because of Westernization, most likely). I find that in Korea, the terms Ajosshi and Ajumma are used as a negative caricature by foreigners and young Koreans to describe a certain kind of Ajosshi/Ajumma that characterize the rest.
A caricature of an Ajosshi is usually a person who spits, swears, and drinks to excess. They're known for racism, ignorance, frugality and arrogance. Everyone bumps into these kind of Ajosshi from time to time. Ajumma are the feminine versions of the same.
I find the closer middle age Koreans are to these archetypes, the more apt they fit into the Ajosshi/Ajumma category. I don't call my middle-aged Korean friends by these terms because they're generally far from the stereotype. I'd never call them Ajosshi/Ajumma.
A few months ago an Ajosshi came into my classroom and wheeled my TV off while I was using it for a PPT. I said 실례지만, 하지마세요... and he just took it anyway, incoherently mumbling at me in an angry tone. Then a repairman brought the TV back and apologized for the inconvenience. Keep in mind who I thought of as an Ajosshi and who I thought of as a repairman.
A month ago, an Ajumma drove through a crosswalk full of Middle School students making their way to school. I witnessed the whole thing. Ajumma drives into two kids and both end up on her windshield as she hit the brakes (neither were hurt). The kids had a green light and she had a red, but she still cursed them out for being in her way and tried to make them feel ashamed of themselves.
Later that week, my landlady gave me some rice cakes because she didn't like me bringing home so much Ramen noodles... then she congratulated me on studying Korean. Again, keep in mind who was an Ajumma and who wasn't.
The bigger question is... why are Ajumma and Ajosshi the way they are? I've been scratching my head over this one since I've been here.
Just be careful who you label with what.
...and yes, I agree with whoever said that young Koreans are generally a lot nicer than their older counterparts. I've had relatively few negative encounters with Koreans my age or younger. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: A few thoughts on the ajeossis |
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| jkelly80 wrote: |
| They're my favorite demographic back home. |
This is the part that really had me wondering. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:55 pm Post subject: Re: A few thoughts on the ajeossis |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| jkelly80 wrote: |
| They're my favorite demographic back home. |
This is the part that really had me wondering. |
I used to bartend near the convention center in Chicago and all the union guys would come in and buy drinks and take us out afterward carousing after their shifts. Good guys.
In terms of a demographic I'd like to hang out with outside my own. Fun guys to drink with, less macho, have good stories, not usually such immature dipshits, will introduce you to women they know (if they know any), etc. |
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NoExplode
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: Re: A few thoughts on the ajeossis |
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| jkelly80 wrote: |
| They're my favorite demographic back home. And yet... |
Totally agree. |
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Dharma_Blue
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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The biggest reason they act like jerks is becasue Korean culture dictates that they CAN.
Cue the defenders... |
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Dharma_Blue
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Anyone want to place bets before we get the "You can't understand. It's not your culture" or the "You sound miserable. Why don't you just leave Korea?" as a way to justify the idiotic behavoirs in the country arguements come forth? |
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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:12 am Post subject: |
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I want to know if anyone knows an ajosshi they get along with.
I work with a guy that is an obnoxious, deep voiced, alcoholic, spitting, philandering, caricature. He wants me to call him "older brother" and leads me around by the elbow.
Beyond that stuff he's a decent guy, he cares about the kids, he wants to improve his English, he buys me stuff, has lent me money, and I could be wrong but I believe he wants me to start porkin his daughter.
He's not my best friend or anything, but I don't hate the guy. |
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Mr-Dokdo
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:51 am Post subject: |
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| Gimpokid wrote: |
I could be wrong but I believe he wants me to start porkin his daughter.
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And that bothers you because? |
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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:58 am Post subject: |
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| Mr-Dokdo wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
I could be wrong but I believe he wants me to start porkin his daughter.
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And that bothers you because? |
It doesn't bother me in the least. That trait was under the "decent guy" column. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:03 am Post subject: |
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You guys have issues.
Ajeossis can be awesome, but you have to get to know them first.
Eg. At the several gyms I have been a member at here, it takes a few months, but the ajeossi regulars warm to you and literally treat you better than their own sons.
Get to know them slowly, treat them with respect, and they'll turn into uncles. This has been true for me, and for other friends I have here. As usual, it's only freaks on Dave's that have problems. |
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Roving_gypsy_gurl
Joined: 29 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:08 am Post subject: |
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The security guy at my place seems like the typical ajosshi. He smokes, spits, grumbles about everything, and is generally grumpy.
But against all odds, we seem to have built up an odd kind of friendship. We joke together, as well as we can considering the language barrier, he brings me cups of coffee and shares his smokes with me.
He'll still get pissed off and scold me if I make a mistake with bizarre time reporting system, but he's all smiles next time I see him.
I guess because of him I have a tendency to see ajosshis as teddy bears in wolf's clothing. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| samd wrote: |
You guys have issues.
Ajeossis can be awesome, but you have to get to know them first.
Eg. At the several gyms I have been a member at here, it takes a few months, but the ajeossi regulars warm to you and literally treat you better than their own sons.
Get to know them slowly, treat them with respect, and they'll turn into uncles. This has been true for me, and for other friends I have here. As usual, it's only freaks on Dave's that have problems. |
That's really heartwarming. Can you explain the difference between 'respect' and 'grovelling' to other 99% of them who can't seem to understand that the known universe does not shine out of the redneck 항문s just because they've reached middle age?
Would you mind telling me why they call my Korean female friends "whores"? Is it that i haven't give them enough respect while minding my own business? Or the ones that try to grope my female western friends whilst they drunkenly gallivant along the Jongno 3? I'm sure, like everything that involves Korean men acting like spoiled adolescents, it's just a question of my (our) own maladaptive social skills, but just indulge me, just this once. |
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