Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Corea]

Ok, anyone who has been here for any amount of time will undoubtedly encounter things that they don't understand. Most of the time though, you ask a local, and they'll proceed to 'explain' it to you as best they can. Sometimes, these things make sense to us, sometimes they don't. Most of the time, I find myself understanding their explanation, but, more often than not, still disagreeing with them. For example, I understand why many Koreans dislike the Japanese, I just disagree with them.

That being said though, there are still a number of things I don't think I'll ever 'get'. And the winter weather made me think of one...

-Locking one door and marking it 'fixed', while leaving the other one unlocked. - I have yet to hear an explanation that makes even the slightest bit of sense.

[ThingsComeAround]

I don't understand the need for a pretty image over efficiency.
The Japanese and Europeans can at least enjoy both.
In Korea it seems that efficiency is not that important.

[aishiii]

[waynehead]

The heat full blast and the windows wide open, whilst people complain about the cold and their heating bills in the same breath.

[Rusty Shackleford]

[crossmr]

[eIn07912]

[redaxe]

haha, yeah I've wondered myself, "why don't they just have one door instead of having two and keeping one permanently locked shut?"

[Silk]

I've asked countless Koreans why one door is fixed and no one has known the answer, pretty ridiculous. (my best guess is some superstition about impeding evil spirits or something)

I don't understand why most flourescent lights don't have any sort of cover, everywhere are just naked bulbs.

I don't understand why the food collecting screen in kitchen sinks are built to be the hardest things to clean while being the the most hospitable to building up funk.

I dont' understand why I'm working christmas eve when my failing hagwon only has 2 students.

[dbmctague]

I don't understand why people wait at crosswalks when there are no cars around.

I know that's jaywalking but since when did Koreans enforce the pettier of traffic laws?

[Rusty Shackleford]

[bluelake]

About the door thing--at my last university, students were always pushing all the doors open to where they stayed open, as they did not have automatic closers on them (and not only did it let the weather in, it also let in rats, snakes, cats, and even a chicken ). We asked for automatic closers and the school would only put them on one door, as they cost something like 300,000 won each. Because of that, we had to lock all the other doors. So, what did some people do? They put things under that one door to block it open...

[sarahsiobhan]

[crossmr]

[sarahsiobhan]

I was told that was a myth.

I also heard from someone that it's actually a left-over fear from decades ago when a bunch of people died in their sleep from some chemical that leached out from faulty heaters, or something like that.