Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

I study Korean, but I haven't studied all the "Konglishee" and wasn't aware that the English loanword (Japlish?) "Karaoke" implied a whorehouse of some variety. I've been using it as a sentence starter for all my classes this week and the students always seem to be shocked whenever I say it.

At first they asked me, "Teacher, you like Karaoke?" and I'd say: "Yes, but I'm a terrible singer" much to their bewilderment. Yesterday, one of my teachers told me that in Korean, Karaoke refers to a brand of 노레방 where you sing with whores.

Also, two of my four co-teachers thought I was being openly perverted and downplayed the word as much as they could in class.

I wish I would've known this before. Now I explain to all my classes that a Karaoke machine is a singing machine people have in their homes in Canada, because we don't have 노레방s.

Anyone else encountered this, and what other English words are dirty here that aren't dirty back home?

[Ramen]

They know so well.....Your co-teachers are perverts, but not you.

[Juregen]

[EricaSmile84]

Man I had no idea. I've used Karaoke before too! I didn't notice anyone being shocked though.

Something kinda similar happened to me a couple weeks ago when I was teaching, "Don't go!" To my students, it sounded like I was saying "dong-oh" which is something like butthole. Haha!

[Underwaterbob]

I've never heard this before. I know of the noraebangs that have said whores, but I've never heard that those are specifically referred to as Karaoke.

There are a few English words that come close to swear words in Korean. Be careful with the word "shiver" it sounds very much like a swear word to Koreans. "Salsa" is nearly the same as Korean for diarrhea, which is more humorous than offensive.

[akiakiaki]

Wow, I used this in one of my third grade classes but neither the students or my coteacher seemed surprised/ offended. Thanks for the comment though, I'll be sticking with noraebang in the future.

[IncognitoHFX]

[wylies99]

Some noraebongs are thinly-disguised whorehouses, so if the shoe fits...

[yingwenlaoshi]

I think your co-teachers are FOS.

[Xuanzang]

They`re probably just hating on the word because it`s Japanese or indramas they call say kareoke for wh0rehouses. Like they say sashimi for gangsters cutting up bodies

[jvalmer]

[D.D.]

Doesn't shock the class when I say that word.

[samcheokguy]

I've seen it both ways...it seems hyper-regional. The thing is if you DO see a sign in Japanese...and a pciture of a girl...in Korea...be very careful.

[I'm no Picasso]

I teach at an all boys middle school and got into some trouble yesterday while trying to explain how sometimes native speakers add "ish" onto a time to mean "around". "Six" on its own isn't funny, but apparently "sixish" sounds like "sexish", which is hilarious.

Karaoke came up in class yesterday as well, from one of the students. There wasn't the hubbub that usually indicates I'm missing something naughty, so who knows.

[Return Jones]

The OP is slowly becoming that Derrek character from years ago - or possibly a watered-down version of The Great Toad.