Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Daechidong Waygookin]

Lets see. When I lived in Toronto, I was a huge basketball (Raptors and Lakers), baseball (Jays), hockey (Penguins) and football (NY Giants) fan. Now, I couldnt tell you who plays for the Raptors (where does Vince Carther play anyway?), I couldnt name a single Jay, I have no clue who the top scorer in the NHL was last year and I dont know who is in the NFL playoffs. I have lost all interest in sports back home. Same for music. I have no idea who the new faces are in music back home. I watched some of the music awards shows (the Grammies and something else), I swear I had no clue who half the people were.

Have you also lost interest in life back home or do you follow sports/music etc?

[Harpeau]

Yes, you hit the nail right on. I try to keep up with traditional and folk music, but mostly I'm clued out. I guess I truly am an ex-pat.

[katydid]

I haven't. I am looking forward to the day I can frolick in American supermarket aisles and watch horrible American TV. I have a theory that the Red Sox and Patriots, notorious for their mediocrity (and that is being nice) when I lived near Boston, won everything in the past 3 years because I have been away. So I expect when I come home, all the sports teams to suck wind, and Mayor Thomas Menino will present me with a check and a one way ticket to anywhere far from Boston, hopefully somewhere warm.

[dharma bum]

Yeah, I used to be a huge Titans fan. Watched every single game they played, etc. Now I know nothing about them. It's strange how the distance can make things that were once so important (things other than sports and music) seem totally irrelevant.

[eamo]

It's been many a year since I cared who the new names in music were. The good new music from the West seems to filter through to me eventually.

I follow the British soccer on the internet. And on Dave's Fantastic Fantasy Football League!!!

[Chillin' Villain]

I too have lost interest in every single other thing that you mentioned. Names of new music groups and movies that my brother talks about in emails escape me. I couldn't give a rat's posterior about whatever is popular for clothing over there (I wonder if the girls are wearing those eskimo boots?). And I have basically been living in my own little Korealand bubble over here for the last 2 years (my first year doesn't count, cuz I always thought about home then)...

But! Daechi!

[Badmojo]

I have totally kept up with sports. I'd follow the Jays on a day to day basis. I'd keep track of the Habs and Raptors. I still go everyday to 49erswebzone.com to keep tabs on what has become the worst team in the NFL.

Music and movies, however, are a different story. I don't know who or what is out there. For some reason, I think I know I'm not missing much.

Friends, too, tend to fall by the wayside. And why not? My idiot friends are doing the same things they've been doing the past five years and probably will be doing for the next five more. What? Still working at Masterlock and the City and you're going out whoring tonight? Gonna get drunk and stupid? Nah, never would have guessed it......

Ah, but I love them anyway.
In fact, we're all out doing that tonight!

[J.B. Clamence]

I used to be a huge soccer fan. I used to follow European soccer very closely back in my uni days. Now, my favorite team are on top of their table and having their best season in recent memory, and I'm not even paying attention. I kind of feel guilty about it. I've been more interested in martial arts since I came to Korea. I guess it's for the best. I'm not getting any younger, and after so many years, I doubt I can even play soccer nearly as well as I could (not that I was ever that good to begin with).

[itaewonguy]

BADMOJO!!
Love your avatar man!



yeah I have lost all interest but then again I was never a real sports fan
I care more about whats happening in my city.. like what new bars, clubs, buildings, whats closed down whats opening..
just like that,.. but im pretty much living in between worlds..
IM not korean never will be...
and im not from where I came from..
Im just here! from no where..

[bucheon bum]

I could never, no matter how long overseas, lose my interest in the Oakland A's, or baseball for that matter. Last year I would wake up at 5 am just to watch the a's play-off games.

as for other sports, I no longer know a thing about college b-ball. Still follow football, but not with the same passion as before. perhaps that's because the Niners and Raiders suck really bad right now.

And pretty easy to keep up with movies in Korea; not so much with music.

[just because]

I have no idea what is what back home now days but living overseas for a number of years will do that.

However. I have substituted that for popular culture here, especially sports and some music.

I love the Korean basketball league(I know the standard sucks but it is good fun) and keep track of soccer and baseball as well.

the only thing I really miss is cricket. I would give a lot for cricket to be on here.

[Harin]

I haven't lost interest in Korea or Korean stuff. I am a news junkie, so I read Korean newspaper everyday on line. I don't watch god-awful Korean soap operas, but have gradually become to develop a taste for Korean movies.

However, I can definietly say that I am slowing losing touch with Korea and Korean stuff. I came here at the age of 20 (almost 8 years ago) and learned everything that I know about adult life; i.e. paying rent for your apt, buying/selling a house, saving $$ for retirement, finding a real job, buying insurance, paying tax etc.

If I go back to Korea right now, I think I'd have lots of difficulty making the transition from the states to Korea.....for example, I have no clue as to how/where I could find junse or wulse.

[mithridates]

What? I can't read what you're saying, Just Because. Are you talking about Lee Hyori? Oh wait, when I hit reply to post she disappears and I can see the letters again. That's good.
Now back to the topic. I find that after the first year away most people look forward to going back, go back for a bit, find that it's not as good as they remembered, and then selectively prune away a large majority of what they used to be interested in. Right now the only things I pay attention to in Canada are the news plus politics. No sports, no music scene, no girls...
wait a second, when I came back in the summer I noticed that I had developed a prejudice towards Canadian girls. A week being back cured that.
and sometimes I look at the weather back home and smile, at least when I'm in Pusan for a weekend.

[desultude]

[quote="Chillin' Villain"]I too have lost interest in every single other thing that you mentioned. Names of new music groups and movies that my brother talks about in emails escape me. I couldn't give a rat's posterior about whatever is popular for clothing over there (I wonder if the girls are wearing those eskimo boots?). And I have basically been living in my own little Korealand bubble over here for the last 2 years (my first year doesn't count, cuz I always thought about home then)...


I'm over here for Christmas with my family, and none of it interests me. I used to watch too much television, and be interested in the latest movie releases. I look at most of what is at the multiplex theaters, with 12-20 movies all in English, and I can barely find one to watch. (Johnny Depp in Neverland is the one I chose- and it is mostly really good, but somewhat too predictable). The only pop music that has moved me on the radio is rap and R and B, the rest is top forty crap. The clothes get tackier and more poorly made every year.

And, yes, in L.A. every other girl and woman has on those Australian sheepherders boots- Uggs. With the airconditioning blasting.

On the bright side, I had a grilled hamburger with real pickles, avacado and melted blue cheese, with baby artichokes, and a really good beer at my sister's. WOW! It was so damned good. I know I can dummy up the burger in Korea, but its not the same. That and my father's homemade peanut butter cookies.

[PolyChronic Time Girl]

Well, I have kept my "before-Korea" interests going on here in Korea so I don't think I'll have a problem (reading, music). Actually, I'm kinda looking forward to going home so I can escape the crap pop-music here and get back with my friends listening to The Cure and Depeche Mode!! I especially miss good movies. I also really miss grad school and can't wait to get back to that...to be reading, discussing, debating...can't wait. Also, since I live in So. California it will be easier to practice my Spanish and I miss that as well. I think your old interests will come back to you...I can't imagine going home and listening to BOA or collecting those stupid stuft hamsters that Koreans like to tack up in their cars.