Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sigmundsmith]

I assume this has been done to death but I thought I would put my experience here.

I have traveled to most South East countries and just recently returned from another trip to this region.

While talking to people in these countries the usual question: Where do you come from? is asked. And what do you do?

Then get down to it saying that I live in Korea. I mention that Korea seems to be everywhere. Koreans living in these respective countries, Korean restaurants, Korean schools, Korean businesses and Korean tourists.

Inevitably, the local that I am talking to will say they don't like Koreans. This was a very common statement whether I was speaking to a street vendor, hotel employee, someone in a bar etc. It was a universal opinion. They see them as rude, demanding (overly so then any other cultural group) and in some cases they were referred to as a*rse holes.

Instead of flaming the fire I would try to explain to them that Koreans act the same way in Korea and outside Korea. It is their mannerism, their culture and where you stand in their social network that dictates the way they treat you.

Yes, many of our fellow brethren travel overseas and act like complete twits (just go out to any of the foreign hotspots in Seoul and you will see it). But to be disliked by so many different countries in one region is a different level.

I wonder if Koreans know what opinions people have of them and if they do, do they even care?

[samcheokguy]

Nobody likes Korea. This thread will soon die. But ever notice they don't pay for airline tickets TO Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, etc?

[BoholDiver]

In Bohol, some Philippine guys said they wanted to live in Korea, and others were somewhat positive about Korea.

I'd like to say our family was well-behaved, but from another perspective, maybe we were viewed slightly bad. I dunno.

Who knows their true feelings. But they never said anything to us directly.

[sigmundsmith]

[redaxe]

Maybe this wouldn't happen if Koreans would just stop calling all other Asians (except Japanese) "dirty" all the time.

[Some of the Mothers Said]

I've heard this said about Korean's on my travels as well. I've also heard bad things about loud American's, drunken Aussies, smug Canadian's (the ones who have the Canadian flag sewn on to their backpacks) deviant British, and Germans, confused Kiwi's etc etc etc. Nobody likes the smell of another's fart.
When I travel with my Korean wife, she's always mistaken for a Japanese woman. I put this down to her having a small cranium, but maybe it's for other reasons.

[cj1976]

I don't know where this perception of travelling Koreans comes from. I've encountered many Koreans in SE Asia and Europe and I have never seen any of them behave badly. To be honest, if I hadn't recognised them as Koreans, I wouldn't have even noticed they were there.
However, there are bad feelings towards Korean men in the Phillipines because of the abandoned 'Korpino' kids. Some K guys went over, got some local girls in the family way, then bailed on them. In a country as poor as the Phillipines, bringing up a kid by yourself can't be too easy.

[Aelric]

Well, honestly, there is general animosity by most Asian countries against all other Asian countries in the popular conception, at least to a mild degree. I don't think that Korea stands out quite as much as you are making it out to.

You may also want to consider that some places might think of the two Koreas as not being as seperate as they truly are, so hearing of North Korean hi-jinx might paint another per-conception about the southerners.

I'll admit that there could be something to it, though. I mean, refusing to eat the food of the country you visit, as some do, is a sure way to offend your host. Emotional standoffishness and segregating themselves may have cause problems as well, however I think these are things that show far more in older Korean tourists who still think the world is out to get them and Korea is somehow superior. Thy not to forget that they have a lifetime of propaganda to convince them of this.

[shinramyun]

Go to Singapore or Indonesia. Especially Indonesia. They LOATHE chinese people, I ain't kidding.

This confirms my theory that asians in general has animosity towards each other.

[Ukon]

I asked about these and have friends who are koreans who lived in South East asia....

They love koreans and have fantasies about korea thanks to Korean drama's....some are A-hole tourists so I suppose your average hotel employee may not like them...

I'd say korea has a pretty positive reputation...In China, I heard mostly indifference and some positive views from locals. Noting negative....

In maynmar koreans are viewed like gods....they only sell 3 types of posters...ugly Myanmar celebrities, Buddha, and korean celebrities...especially Lee Min Ho....

[shinramyun]

I guess it depends on wherever you go.

I was in Saigon for few weeks with my vietnamese friend and he told me that locals didn't like taiwanese and people from hong kong.

[cj1976]

I think Koreans are fairly ethnocentric, and a lot of them find it difficult to adapt to other cultures. This might explain the disdain they show at foreign food and culture, and why they take ramyeon with them on vacation.
There is a stereotype of Koreans perpetuated by some other Asian nations; While I was in Singapore, I learned Koreans are 'rough', hot-headed, uncouth people lacking in sophistication or class.
But on the plus side, Korean music and TV shows are hugely popular there.

[yesman]

[mayorgc]

[shinramyun]