Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pikachun1]

Today, I was trying to ask someone if there was a baskin robbins nearby. I attempted to ask one girl, who was walking towards my direction in a hurried fashion towards the exit, but she didn't even stop to answer me that she didn't know, but just answered while walking. I guess I found it a bit rude, I don't know. I sort of got the feeling that she thought I was maybe trying to pick her up. Do you think people are just rude or just busy or...what?

[samd]

1) Sample size too small.

2) It's a city. People are busy, and rude.

[optik404]

some people are rude or in a hurry or they cant understand you

welcome to life

[Chambertin]

I would suggest you try to ask people lounging about or those who work in the station.

Asking someone in a hurry is kinda ridiculous and "don�t be ridiculous."

I would carry a notebook and walk fast with a serious look on my face when I didn�t want to be bothered by the rank and file back in the military. Worked like a charm for 90% of the people, the others, well we had a name for them: The 10 percenters.

So I would be a little off kilt if someone tried to stop me for directions when I obviously look as if I�m in a rush.


Just an opinoin...

[metalhead]

Why would you ask someone that's walking as if they're in a hurry? I hope she was hot (to trot).

See what awesomeness I did there? Awesomes

[naturegirl321]

I ask HS aged kids. I go up to them, look confused and say English? I've had no problems when I ask kids. I've even had some offer to let me use their phones. Adults, those older than uni age, tend not to be helpful in my experience.

Last week, while looking at a subway map and looking very confused, I had a guy come up to me and ask if he could help me.

My advice. Use VERy simple English. Don't say, "Excuse me, do you happen to speak English?" or"Could you tell me where X is?"

Say, "English?" "Where is X?"

[Slowmotion]

Are you asking in English?

[Steve_Rogers2008]

[English Matt]

If people are in a hurry they generally won't acknowledge you in Korea. It's a bit rude, but then so is shoving people out of the way and not waiting for people to step off an elevator / train / bus before boarding yourself.....but tons of people in Korea do that as well. You are a stranger and so what do they care if you think they are rude.

My girlfriend just couldn't understand why I would stop for a couple of seconds when asked for directions in London by a passerby, when we were in a rush to meet some friends for dinner.....I said that it was only polite to acknowledge them and say "Sorry, I'm in a rush". Different cultures, different values I guess......what I did must have seemed as silly as I would have considered her non-acknowledgement to be rude.

I would say this though....ask in Korean and try to pick somebody younger than you to ask.

[cj1976]

Sometimes it can be frustrating for the newb in Korea. There has been a few occasions when I've had the big 'X' sign and a shake of the head before they scuttle off, alarmed at the idea of speaking English. However, when I ask in Korean, they tend to be a bit more helpful.

[AsiaESLbound]

Stranger usually doesn't care to talk on any level unless it's a kid you are interacting with. I was with a Korean in Seoul I met through a co-teacher and he had to try many times to ask where he might find a gamjatang restaurant before he was able to pin one down.

[mcviking]

Unless you understand Korean I can't imagine that the directions they would give would be very helpful.

"Place you want) Odi sea oh?" works pretty well.

[pikachun1]

i was asking in korean. im gyopo

[Janny]