Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gimpokid]

When I tell Koreans that I'm from California I usually expect to get questions about Hollywood, Disneyland, gangs or beachs. However many times the focus is on fruit. "Califonia has very good orangies!" (orgies? no oranges) and "there is very good pineapple there?" No, not really..."ooooh" "Strawberries are prety good, the ones in Oregon and Washinton are better though." "AHHHH, Where is Washington, close to LA?"....real scintillating....

Fruit? Wtf? I didn't come to Korea to expand my knowledge of daikons or ginsing. Why the interest in produce?

Please share any other strange topics of Korean interest.

[Starla]

When they hear I'm from New York, the women usually want to talk about Sex and the City. It drives me up the wall because I never watched one full episode of the show and don't intend to. Korean women's obsession with this show is disturbing.

And no matter what topic I'm on, they always see it fit to ask me if I cook. Last time, I was commenting on my co-worker's jacket and she asked me out of the blue if I cook. Well, I do but let's stay on topic here.

And they always love to talk about how healthy every dish we eat at lunch is. They start the conversation with "Do you know what this is?" Then they launch into an explanation even though I didn't ask for one. Oftentimes, I know what it is or I ate it before. Then they conclude that it's good for me because it contains blah blah blah.

Also if I buy something made in China as opposed to Korea, they always comment that they wouldn't trust the quality of it. I joke back that there are a lot of things in Korea that are made in China.

I'm not bitching BTW. Just saying that certain conversations occur over and over again.

[I'm no Picasso]

The cooking/food thing, yeah. Except it extends beyond what we are eating for lunch and meshes with the other thing that isn't so much strange as it is banal, which is....

"What did you do last night?"

Subcategory being, "What did you eat for dinner last night?"


What did I do last night? The same thing I told you yesterday when you asked me what I did the night before last. Cleaned my apartment. Went to the grocery store. Made dinner. Did some laundry. Drank a cup of coffee. Checked my email. I.... what? Nothing. I didn't do one single damn thing of interest last night. And the answer will be the same when you ask me again tomorrow.

The biggest "What did you do last night?" culprit has a sense of humor at least and last week said, "I think you are annoyed with same question every day."

Not annoyed. Just wondering how long it will take you to figure out that my weeknights aren't exactly riveting.

[Oreovictim]

Sometimes, when I tell Koreans that I'm from around Chicago, they go, "Ah, Prison Break!" Actually, I'm from a hick town two hours away, but it's so much easier to say, "Chicago."

[English Matt]

If I ask my coteachers how their weekend was, rather than just say they had a good time and briefly say what they did, they launch into a detailed blow by blow account of everything they did - I find out what they ate, what kind of drink they ordered at Starbucks, which stores they went into, everything, ad nauseam.

I'm dreading tomorrow morning for this very reason.

[jajdude]

[Chet Wautlands]

I tell people I'm from Toronto. This isn't true, I'm four hours away, but no one will recognize my town. Proof of this is that they ask me if Toronto is near Vancouver.

Then again, honestly, how many of you knew anything about Korea before coming here? A few years ago if someone had said they lived in Busan I would have asked "are you Japanese or Chinese?"

[crossmr]

[I'm no Picasso]

[Perceptioncheck]

Every single morning I get "What did you have for breakfast". And I mean EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING. They know by now what I have for breakfast; it hasn't changed and it's not about to. At first I found it really annoying but now it's quite comforting and just another part of my morning routine. Plus, if I don't get asked what I had for breakfast, I know I've really fucked up somewhere along the line.

[Trevor]

Once, not so long ago, Koreans didn't have enough food to go around and when they greeted each other, it was polite to ask 'have you eaten?' It still carries over to this day.

[nomad-ish]

every other day at least... "did you have breakfast?"

once or twice a week in the staff lunchroom... "isn't it too spicy?"

i used to get the cooking one, but since i've told them no, somewhat strongly, not anymore. it's good for them- gives them something to talk about

[crossmr]

my biggest repeated question is "Aren't you cold?" its -5 and I spent last winter in -40 in Canada..so no..
its still Tshirt weather..

[T-J]

I'm assuming these conversations are taking place in English. At the risk of getting flamed here, you're ranting about what exactly?

If they completely ignore you and carry on in Korean, which is much easier for them to do, is that better?

Is the complaint that their English is restricting their conversations to small talk?

I'm amused that the same people that decry Korean's ignorance of things not Korean turn around and rant about Koreans trying to engage you in conversation about your home town or your interests.

Sorry, I don't get it.

[EzeWong]

OP:

Generalizing here, but from my personal experience seems like fruit is common small talk here. I get questions all the time regarding the name for permissions. Also, I've heard quite a few stories about where particular fruit comes from, why they buy non-fumigated fruit, and why fruit is so healthy... etc etc.

I guess it's because fruit is a VERY neutral subject and I'm assuming that they don't know much about Californa to know about Hollywood, San-Fran, etc etc. Can't really blame them though.

If someone asked about the Okinawa perfecture in Japan the only thing I could really tell them is Mr. Miyagi trained Daniel-san in a dojo in Okinawa.
I know it's known for a lot of other things.... Like bonsai's or something but I'm not really sure and rather not make assumptions to things I'm not sure on. She's probably in the same situtation. She may have heard of Hollywood, but she might be wondering in her head "Is Hollywood in Californa? or in Nevada... Foreget it, I know oranges are good there let's talk about that."