Korean Job Discussion Forums

ilovespaghetti · Joined: 01 Jul 2009

Hi.
If you've worked in Korea for more than a year do Koreans expect you to be alot like them and adjust? Do they expect you to behave much more like them?

Do they expect you to bow and never complain and never buck the system?

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject:

They expect me to be like someone from Roma.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

gregtheman100 · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Location: Busan

It really depends where you are in Korea and who you are working for. Some bosses understand that you're not Korean and will understand that you have different customs. I think it helps to try and adapt to their customs, but lots of things you might not be able to do (eat certain Korean foods, have perfect Korean manners, etc).

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Ah the classic waegook dilema: about half of Koreans want us to act Korean and half want us to act like a foreigner, whatever they think that means. Generally at a PS they want you more Korean and at a hagwon more foreign. The same goes for rural versus urban.

dmbfan · Joined: 09 Mar 2006

For fun, you could tell them how Koreans act in other countries.

1. Don't mix in the population.
2. Isolate themselves.
3. Don't eat anything but Korean food.
4. Don't adapt to the host culture
5. Koreans take their culture with them and don't let go.

Seiously, they can't have it both ways. Korea is not that important.

dmbfan

iammac2002 · Joined: 12 Jun 2009 Location: 'n Beter plek.

And they expect all girls to have long long hair. If you have a shaved or even just plain boyish haircut, you have to wear a wig to school every day until you look like a girl again. It doesn't matter if you have the hips, bum, breasts of an African, if you have short hair they think you're a man.

In restaurants they show you how to eat. How to cut the kimchi with scissors and how to dip it in the sauce. I am old enough to know how to eat, as long as it goes into my stomach, does it matter how it gets there? I'll use an enema if that would work, lol!

Don't you just love how they don't want us to be us, but they so want to be like America? They want to be the new world power!

Kurtz · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Location: ples bilong me

Well this quickly turned into a Korea bashing thread.
From my travels, Asians in general only like to eat their own food, and if they can't speak English well, they tend to congregate in mobs, much like ESL teachers who can't speak Korean and like greasy food who also hang out in mobs to feel secure (not all, but those 23 year old noobs.....).

At least Koreans have a culture that is theirs, and is something which they can identify themselves with. Can't say the same from back home as it's such a melting pot.

In response to the question OP, can't say there is one particular answer that can be given. From working in a public school though I haven't seemed to have rocked the boat as I eat their food, bow when it's appropriate, dress well, act "kind" and don't complain.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:40 pm Post subject:

While standing in Lee Sun-shin's barracks, I had fun listening to Mr. Kim explain how the Korean invention of iron allowed general/adimiral Lee to win the battle of Hansan-Do. One of my smart-ass comments cracked up a fellow FT (who I haven't seen since)... and the others just sailed over everone's head.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

newinseoul · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Location: Busan

MissLady717 · Joined: 04 Jun 2009

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:41 pm Post subject: Re: korean expectations

WendyRose · Joined: 10 Dec 2008 Location: hanam-si, seoul

phoneboothface · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Korea

No, no and no.

Be yourself. Please.