Korean Job Discussion Forums

[michaelambling]

There's a guy above me in my apartment building who sounds like he is strangling a cat every morning. He hacks and coughs up so much phlegm that sometimes I wonder if he'll shrivel up.

Of course, we've all seen adjosshis going to town. My question is this: is this behavior unhealthy? I would think that the violent hacking would do damage to one's throat and lungs over the long term, but is there any medical evidence to support this intuition?

[Robot_Teacher]

Somethings wrong with him either from breaking down due to age, or COPD, or his smoking is killing him. I too noticed the older 45+ year old men every where are coughing and making distress noises a lot.

[RACETRAITOR]

It's healthier than not doing it. Just don't lick the ground.

[pidgin]

http://maxhealthwealth.blogspot.com/2008/07/if-you-hack-it-up-spit-it-out.html

[harlowethrombey]

It's only unhealthy/unsanitary for everyone else.

[loggerhead007]

dude, if the goo isn't landing on your sh^t don't worry about it. Try woman, they're cool.

[pidgin]

[Goku]

My father does it (in the privacy of home)
but it's mostly because smoking creates a thicker mucous build-up.

Being a smoker myself I can understand it, i don't think hacking and spitting is really unhealthy unless it's done to an extreme. It's not like you're going to be missing that extra saliva and mucous adhereing togethether with smoke debris...

I'd akin it to a cat hairball

[ekul]

I have nothing against hocking up a greenie on a sports field or coughing into a hanky/tissue. However there is far too much "gobbing" going on when other people are around. It's very unhygenic and I can't believe how often it happens indoors. Go to the toilet if you need to hock up a greenie. Most people in Korea do not spit because they need to, it's either a habit or some kind of statement.

[RACETRAITOR]

[ekul]

Or breath it in.

[RACETRAITOR]

[ekul]

Or try the air.

[Jane]

I just found out a very interesting fact that may help explain why old men like to cough and clear their throat so loud.

During the Joseon dynasty, the yangban would never knock on a door, but would clear their throat when they wanted to pass through a door. The sound had to be loud enough so the servants could hear them.

The really old people in Korea now grew up during a time when the Yangban were still around, and so, they still adhere to this symbol of elitism.

The louder the hack, the more important it makes them feel.

So, next time you are waiting on a subway platform, look around. You will probably find young men playing on their phones while old men are spitting. It's something to do when they are bored.

[freshking]

I like trying out hack the especially obnoxious ones for fun sometimes.