Korean Job Discussion Forums

[stoopidfan14]

It always seems that way for me. Although I can never prove it, I always have this feeling that they are talking badly about me and wishing bad things to happen to me. Does anyone else get this feeling?

I wish I could set up an audio-recording device somewhere right before I walk out of the office. I wonder what kinds of things I would discover that they are saying about me.

[andrewchon]

Yes, they are trash talking. Same goes every where in this world.
Once they know you're powerless, i.e. don't know what they're talking about,
they'll tease and torture you mercilessly.
Didn't you play that game of speaking in code when you were a child?

[PaperTiger]

If it sounds like they are, they probably are. The more they smile or feign embarrassment, the more insidious the rumors are. People do this everywhere, not just Korea...ask any Latino in LA...they assume that since you don't understand what they're saying, you have no idea they're tearing you down like no one's business.

My advice, don't learn Korean. Seriously, it just confirms all your suspicions about what you thought people say about you when they think you don't understand. Students aren't much better.

The only bright side of learning Korean, every once in a while you run into some oldster on the subway who can remember how the Yanks and Cannucks came to rescue their asses from the Red Menace, laden with chocalate bars, cigarettes, and rations to spare.

[PaperTiger]

oops, this server is a tired old dog

[djsmnc]

You guys are paranoid. Or, if they are indeed talking trash, perhaps you could be the type of person worthy of being such a target?

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Kurtz]

How old are you OP?

I remember at an EPIK meeting, where the topic was how to improve the EPIK program, and some 20-something American girl stands up and says "like, I don't like how the teachers talk in front of me, like, I can hear them saying my name and it's like, so rude" and then some others jumped up and started saying with an angry face "yeah yeah!"....I just hung my head in shame.

Do you expect them to translate everything they say to you in English? If you hear them talking and you're concerned about what they are saying, ask! get someone to help you find out what they were saying if it bothers you. Confront them and get some pleasure from the worried looks on their faces "oh no, we were just saying how handsome you look today"

As someone else mentioned, this happens around the world, it's not just in Korea. Yes, Koreans can be nasty bastards and talk crap about you in your face, banking on the fact you can't speak Korean, but so what!?

Even if they are talking about you, who cares! do you give them Christmas cards? will you invite them to your wedding? Can't say my co-workers are high on my list of people I want to hang out with.

[hockeyguy109]

I think there is a general paranoia felt in situations where a person has no idea what is being said about them, especially if they're staring at you with an angry face while talking to another person beside you. Don't worry about it too much. They're probably saying much worse things about you after you leave the room.

[nautilus]

If you know even a bit of Korean then its enough to scare them into silence.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

The subject is much more likely to come up when you're sitting there and they know you can't speak Korean-- but it's not really fair to assume they're all like that, or that someone isn't defending you at the same time. But given it's the old people who are most likely to say stuff, there's not likely to be much argument... though the younger teachers do sometimes agree with everything the older ones are saying and then when they're not around, express themselves honestly... sort of like kids.

Some people in this world are just nasty. And unfortunately, sometimes they become teachers.

On the other hand, anyone who is happy in their life really has no reason to pick on you... but I also don't see so many people in Korea who are really happy in their lives.

[Fishead soup]

Not likely to influence any chances of renewing your contract unless the rumours are drug or sexually related. Most likely they are talking about.

Fitting your classes into the weekly Schedule.
He must be lonely.
You sweat too much must be becouse you're overweight.
Why doesn't he eat at the cafeteria.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

Once I got an ear for the language, I understood what they were saying. And it was boring crap about the price of meat. My name came up the other day when they were talking about the price of meat because I mentioned that you could get pig knuckle at the street market in the next town over cheaper than you can get it here, and it has more meat on it.

They might be talking about you, but in reality, they don't care.

[onlyinkorea87]

Seems like paranoia to me. If you do hear your name, it's probably related to school stuff or something you just said they thought was interesting. If you keep feeling that way it seems like you'd be pretty depressed. So think positive. If you really do feel like that they are, talk to them about it or better yet leave the room.

[cheolsu]

[djsmnc]

The worst case I believe does happen is when you hear them saying "(Your name)-ee..." or "(Your name)-eun..." and you find out after a bit of discomfort and uncertainty that what they were discussing is (indeed) what kind of extra responsibilities they can tack onto your position.