Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lorenchristopher]

....anyone else experience this?

I've lived in this particular building for over a year now. Not every morning, but about 3-4 times a week at 8:30am, some local dry cleaning business man will walk down the hallway and yell very loudly, "Saaeeeeee ttaaaaaaakk" (drryyyyyyy cleeeeeeanniiiiinnng).

He yells it not once, not twice, but thrice....occasionally even quadrice (not a word I know). Not just down my hallway, but every level....so I can hear him in the hallway above before he comes to mine...then I hear him below after.

My questions:
1) Anyone else experience this? Is it normal in Korea?
2) Any idea of how I can stop this from happening?
3) Wtf?

[Hyeon Een]

It's normal, but I don't understand why he is coming so late. He should be there about 7 before most people go to work.

I suggest you start getting up earlier and enjoy the spring weather.

[brento1138]

Personally I think I would be able to fall right back asleep after that, but I know some people, when woken up, cannot fall back asleep. Perhaps you could get your co-worker to write a note in Korean, that says something like this:

"Excuse me kind sir, although I understand you wish to conduct your business in the most peaceful manner possible, I have a problem sleeping and have found that I am waking up and unable to fall back asleep. My health depends on my sleep. I have a condition where I need more sleep, and if you could please either skip my hallway or come at a later time, that would be very much appreciated. My doctor recommended me to speak with you."

Step 1: give him the note along with one of those ginseng products. appear smiley, happy, and bow lots. appear humble. not a note of negativity in either you or the note.

99% chance he will stop after that...

Step 2: if problem persists, open the door, and remind him kindly that you need sleep.

Step 3: show an angry face to him

Step 4... get considerably more angry... look at him like you want to kill him (pound your fist in your hand angrily) and dont say a thing. just watch him intently. maybe he'll leave after that.

Step 5 is totally up to you

Koreans like peaceful resolutions... but there is a certain 'style' unlike in the west to going about these problems. Whatever you do, don't allow him to 'lose face' because he probably doesn't make a whole lot of money, is doing this cuz he wants to earn money for his kids education or something... just be careful and considerate.

(Damn, listen to me! Been in Korea a loooong time)

[lorenchristopher]

[toadkillerdog]

Damn that guy gets around. He has been doing the same thing in every apartment I have ever lived in in Korea. Same with the fruit/vegetable/scrap metal/electronics truck. guy has been following me around for the last 12 years.

[Goon-Yang]

lol...giving him a note. He's not going to care what one person, a foreigner at that, thinks about him and his mode of business.


Earplugs

[Janny]

'tis true...if 97% of the other tenants (ie. Koreans) don't do anything about morning noise, it's highly unlikely YOU can do anything about it....

Maybe enlist the help of a Korean tenant who also hates it..? Strength in numbers with this one.

[matthews_world]

The guy is trying to make a living just like you and he's providing a valuable service to the neighborhood. That's how it is in Korea. Find a new place and just let him be.

[lorenchristopher]

[ajuma]

Earplugs are your friend!!

[Jane]

It's unlikely he will heed your complaint even if you make one.

Koreans are highly dogmatic, and the Setak! cry is just the way it is done. It's done in almost every building in the country in the morning. Koreans have a hard time making exceptions, or seeing out of the box, when it comes to their dogmatic ways.

Bus drivers must wear white gloves.
A hamburger must be eaten while holding it in it's wrapper.
Fruit must be peeled and eaten with little forks.

If you start messin' with their dogmatic ways, they get offended easily.

Solution: Earplugs, my friend.

[Kryten]

Solution: Water gun. May I suggest a Super Soaker with pump action?
Spray him as he walks by. What? He was yelling "Dry Cleaning" so you thought you'd help him out. This only works though if you can muster up the energy to get up early enough to prepare. Spray him a few times and I'm sure he won't be walking by your hallway again. But he still might be an ass and yell from the stairwell door.

I had this problem last year but I was too lazy/groggy from being woken up early in the morning to do anything about it. I usually did dream about the water gun solution and it kind of lulled me back to sleep. An angry sleep. When I told my gf I was going to complain to the building manager, she told me that because I lived in an officetel, it was considered a place of business rather than a residential zone so I was pretty much SOL and the sae-tek guy could do as he pleased.

I often wonder how Korean nurses, paramedics, or any other shift-worker who must occasionally sleep during the day deal with sae-tek guys or the load-speaker trucks. Earplugs I guess. That, or they live in a true residential building where they don't have to put up with this crap.

[shinbowl]

quit crying.
it's no big deal.

[lorenchristopher]

[shinbowl]