Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brento1138]

Well, today I just got back from a camera-buying "adventure" from Yongsan. Lucky enough, I am a very calm and patient person, easygoing when someone gets up in my face. And I also know the consequences of hitting a Korean, ie, getting deported. But man can I see how someone could get pissed off enough at those camera salesmen to actually hit them.

So, here goes my wonderful story, fit for general forum, but I decided the technology forum needs a good story or two.

So, today I went camera shopping for a new DSLR. I brought along a computer printout of the price I found for the camera model I wanted. The first guy I talked to invited me into his sales booth and we started talking about the camera. His English wasn't the best, but he was able to communicate clearly enough. He seemed to understand everything I said. I wanted to buy a new DSLR, not a used one, I told him. And I'd like to buy it today. He gave me a price, I said it's good, but never gave him a clear indication that I wanted it yet. He said to wait, and I sat down... he came back with a box and took everything out of the box. There was also a display model there too. I was considering the price he offered, and he asked if I would like to try the camera out. I said "sure" and he took out the new lens, screwed it onto the body of the new camera, and took a picture of me. Then he handed it over to me, and when I tried to take a photo with it, it didn't work. I handed it back to him, and he said it has a low battery now... so we cannot take any more pictures with it. Satisfied enough with his price, I figured alright, I may buy it from him, but before that, I'd like to look around a bit more.

Oh, well he was NOT impressed! Not at all!

At first, he just said "No..." and I said "I'm just going to leave for a moment, and then come back." We had that exact same conversation approximately 5 times. But he kept saying that I couldn't leave, and in broken English I believe that he told me he was angry because he had taken the new lens out and had screwed it onto the new body, which leaves scratches, so I must buy it now. I said I wasn't sure, and said I don't like it when people try to pressure me into buying things. So I'm about to go, and he's very upset, calling me "gayseki" and grabs my arm. At this point, I looked at my arm, and his hand on it, and calmly said "Please don't touch me." After that he wouldn't let go, so I freed it myself and said "That's not cool man, don't touch me." He grabbed me again very forcefully (nothing I can't take, I'm a man, hehe) digging his nails into my arm. And then he said he'll call the police on me. I then reply saying that the police are not going to force me to buy the camera from him!! Are you crazy, I said? I free myself and walk out of his little area, pretty pissed off. I've had people grab my arm before, no big deal, but he was actually quite forceful and was making my day rather unpleasant!

So he's saying a mixture of stuff in Korean and English and insulting my nationality. He really looks agitated. All of his co-workers are worriedly looking at him and myself. They are absolutely not backing him up at all. So I tell him "look, there is absolutely no way I'm buying the camera from you." At one point it looked like he wanted to hit me in the face. But he noticed my cool, I just stand there, unprovoked, and tell him I really disapprove of his tactics, and that he is very rude.

So, I walk away. I browse some other vendors and pull up my sleeve to look at my arm. There's a nail mark and some blood. I don't really care at all, but notice up my arm further, that my bruise from 4 days ago was still there (I had a huge bruise from going to the hospital to get blood drawn from me.. it was unusually a large bruise this time). So I kind of smiled, kind of laughing how my arm looked way worse than it actually was, and decided to head back about 5 minutes later to that vendor. He appeared to have cooled down. So I show his two mouse-like co-workers my arm, the bruise, and the drawn blood. I said to them "Look at that. I should be the one calling the police" and then said "Gyung Chol" in Korean for them... and they were begging me to come talk to them more. I refused, and asked if I could take a photo of their store with my camera phone. They kind of looked at the floor, and didn't say "no" so I took out my camera phone, took a photo of their shop number, and haha, you should have seen their faces. They actually looked really worried, as if I was actually going to do something. Could I actually do something? I dunno, I doubt a police man would ever care I got mildly harassed. Maybe a woman could do something about it. But I even doubt that. But still... they looked worried enough.

I'm not going to post the information about the place because that's against the law in Korea (defamation) but I will say it was one of the shops closer to the escalator... on the 3rd floor of course, just inside the electronics / camera section. I just wonder how often he pulls this tactic of "oh, it's new, so you have to buy it NOW because it's ruined from me screwing the lens onto the body" bullshit. Don't ever fall for that crap. Glad I didn't.

So yeah, not such a cool experience. Had a similar thing happen in China when I was a tourist there, but this is a first for me in Korea after years of living here! Generally Koreans (even salesmen) are never this rude, pushy, threatening, and annoying, but this one guy sure does make Yongsan look bad!

[eamo]

This is one reason why, despite being totally into my electronics, especially computers, that I've been to Yongsan like, twice in the last 5 years. The salesmen there are often a**holes. They're often totally clueless too. Many are actually both........... Clueless a**holes.

As well as there being just exactly the same stuff in each unit.

As well as not being able to find anything high-end or newly released (if you do it's stupid expensive).

Returning broken stuff under warranty to a Yongsan vendor?? Good luck!!

Key advice, avoid any electronics store which doesn't put any prices on the goods. Those are the sharks who spend all day waiting for a sucker who hasn't done their research and doesn't know the real value of whatever.

Basically, avoid Yongsan.............it developed over the years into the totally unpleasant shopping experience it is now.

I do my electronics shopping online only. Through one of the larger online malls like Enuri, Gmarket, CJ Mall, etc.....you might pay a tiny bit more but at least you can see a price!! And they will take returns.

If I couldn't shop online for whatever reason then I'd just go to Costco, Hi-Mart or a supermarket.

Never Yongsan.

[vDroop]

Interesting story, props to you for holding back. When someone aggressively grabs my arm, they've crossed the line.

Agree with eamo, Yongsan is terrible. I don't understand why people keep recommending it. The stuff is old, the vendors are dicks. If I need to supply an office with 40 PCs from 2002 then I might consider it.

[Meow?]

Dear Diary,

Years ago, my father and I went to Yongsan for a day-long stroll and ended up with me looking for something... anything to buy. Since there are no prices, and I never researched for anything specific to buy (impulse, what can I say?) we just tried to stare at some products I might consider buying. And since I'm not really sure I want to buy any, I tried not to have one brought up for me to check out. Despite of that, one the vendors of the earlier booths we checked out, immediately shooed us off. Upset, my father and I went downstairs and got a me an MD for a bit lower price than the other ones upstairs... same model. I went back to the vendor who shooed us just to show him, I was a buying customer. I will never forget his reaction when he saw me. But I assumed, he regret what he did to us.

That gave me a very bad impression of Yongsan. Now, I was stuck living in Musan, and never had any reason to travel as far as Seoul for many years. So when I finally happen to take a look at Yongsan (not planned, just happened to be there for some reason), I followed the same route my father and I did the best way I can. I was readying myself for those staring, shooing, and whatever bad experience I had. Yongsan has changed a lot. I finally arrived at the electronics section (assuming it was the E-Market... I was wrong. Much much later on, I found out it was I'Park's electronic section) and boy I almost got scared of the overwhelming, "Anyeong hasseryo! Mwo deurilkkayo? Murabayo!" I had mixed feeling with the change (too much extreme change from my past experience to that time) but most of them are relief. I can walk in and start window shopping or indulge on my impulse again.

Again, some years after, I intended to go back and get myself a GPS. About 4-5 inch screen would do for me. Good for my motorcycle and good for hand carry. It was tough looking for one since either they have 7 inch ones, or if they have smaller ones (most are a little too small), it doesn't have an English map. A nice vendor in I'Park told me to look for one with Mappy. I went to customer center to ask if there are any other vendors selling a unit with the size I prefer. That's when I was told that I was only in I'Park and there's a huge world of more electronics store outside. I went out to check it and guess what? The reactions I got from vendors way back when first came to Yongsan? It was still there. First 3 hours entertained me thingking, "Now this is the familiar atmosphere I've been missing". Yeah, I got sick of it after that.

So I went back to I'Park surrendering and thinking, "Maybe I could live with a non-English map as long as it's handy". The nice vendor was very busy packing their things (it was 8 o'clock pm already) so I moved on to another booth. With that other booth, one young vendor received me and showed me the perfect unit I've been looking for. It was has a mappy map, and it was the perfect size. With all the tiring and frustrating events that happened that day, I didn't care about the price anymore... until I got home.

It had an option for an English map. But the rest is Korean (including the manual). Thought maybe there's an English manual somewhere online. That's when I stumbled on checking the price from GMarket and ruined my already tiring day. I was charged more than double the price.

Day after, I called I'Park. A lot of talk and 3 days after, the vendor finally admit that he did overcharge me. Refunding me half of the price I payed.

I learned my lesson.

[pkang0202]

Gmarket is everyone's friend.

[Gideon]

[K-Dog]

Many times I've been to Yongsan and tried to buy something but always fail either because what I want is too expensive or they are too rude to get any business from me.

Last year I was looking for some PC components. I approach one vendor to enquire about specs, asked him how much and started to walk away. I showed no interest in buying, simply wanting more details and a price check. As I walk away he shouts "wait" in Korean, and then when I try to go into the next booth, he runs over, says something to the vendor who then tells me "No, We don't have." At that point I got a bit annoyed and ask him "what do you mean, you don't have any, you don't know what I want?!" He just shakes his head and shoos me off. The previous vendor still staring at me the whole time.

Not worth the effort.

[geldedgoat]

I've learned that success in Yongsan requires a very specific strategy.

When I went there shopping for a new DSLR, I went with a list of three or four different cameras I was interested in. Next to each camera's name was written an acceptable price that I found after quite a bit of online research. Each time I approached a vendor, the first thing I did was put the list on the counter and point on my list to the camera (and price) that I wanted. Some immediately shooed me away, and some tried to negotiate from my price (instead of me negotiating from their inflated prices). Each time I heard their final price, I wrote it down on the list, thanked them, and walked away. Eventually I found a vendor that had a good camera at a good price.

But to the OP, I honestly can't believe you let one of those guys physically harm you without responding with either an actual police call (rather than just the threat of one) or a smack in the face.

[jhicks99]

I actually had a great experience in Yongsan (for the first time ever!) in the spring. I wanted to buy the new Samsung YP R1 mp3 player. It was fairly expensive back then for the 8gb model, about 190,000 at Hi Mart and 210,000 at Kyobo (why would anyone ever shop there?). I found it for 172,000 on Gmarket and was willing to give anyone who matched that my business. I skipped I'Park and went straight for the market. Vendors would simply not budge under 180,000... many quoting me 200,000. I was simply asking them to give me 170,000 and then when they came back higher I'd leave, no point talking to those guys about anything.

I was a bit tired but felt 180,000 might be fair, an extra 8,000 to have it in my hands that day wasn't so bad compared to having to order it online. As I was contemplating my decision I headed into I'Park mall, stopped by at the first vendor. Simply asked him how much, he said 160,000 and pulled out a sealed box. I paid him and off I was.


I once went with a friend (Korean-Canadian) who wanted to buy a point and shoot camera (we went to technomart, a spitting image of I'Park mall). The salesman were showing her pictures taken with different cameras on their computers comparing them side by side. If you know anything about cameras you know you simply cannot do this! My friend seemed to be leaning towards the cameras that looked better. I explained how important it was to consider the factory settings of the cameras, display calibration of the monitor etc etc... so many factors which could bias you into choosing one over the other. It's clearly better to do some research online by people who know a whole lot more about cameras (there's some great unbiased camera review sites) than to go in there and let some guy take pictures of you with different cameras and put the pictures on his monitor for you to choose which is best.

Bottom line, do your research before you go and know your price point. If they really want to sell it to you they can come close to the prices listed online (or in my case beat it).

[lalartu]

NOTE about yongsan: there's an excellent guide on the forum about what to buy and not to buy. definitely avoid cameras because they are more pricey and harder to exchange if they break. also camera salesman are notorious assholes!
great for computer parts though. most of my computer systems came from there and usually the shops inside Sunin plaza are professional enough to give a good deal. there's one store in particular i like and usually buy stuff from. they offer non nego but very good deals.

FYI There's a central office in Yongsan camera building somehwere on the first floor or in the basement that deals with these assholes. you can find out more about where it is from the yonsan website. i remember seeing it there.

Basically a few years ago they started a kind of a complaint department because things like said were a common occurrence. If you complain to them, they might do something.

Also, I too had the same problem, althouh he never even took out the camera. I was looking for a lens model that they didnt have and instead of saying something, they started to show me lenses that I didnt like or want and the guy got really pissed.

He screamed at me saying the model doesnt exist and Im a clueless camera guy and he's a professional who has been dealing with these things for years. he went as far as saying 'dont come back to my store' and i pretty much smiled and left.


so generally speaking. avoid buying cameras there.

I would even go as far as they buy cameras from US and ask an army friend to use his cheap shipping to the base connections to get it from there.

[Hotwire]

Wowzers.

Cue steelrails to say it happens in the US too and then madoka to say it was your fault lol.

You are a better man than I - I wouldn't have hit him but maybe a nice
swift heel strike to his easy to damge bones in the top of his foot.

Why the hell would he do that to you? A-hole. Do you look unintimidating? I find Korea very law of the jungle if you look weak they will try intimidate you, both men and women.

I find at Yongsan best to go to the vendors away from the entrances for some reason, they seem to be on crack or something.

Man I've had super insistant salemen there but never anything that bad.

Though my best experiences have been in the non i-park parts of yongsan or the dudes in the i-park basement that sell older stuff.

That is weird though, I guess he just didn't like the look of you or maybe a previous foriegner was rude to him and ruined his day or something.

Yeah worst after service ever. Took my camera to the panasonic as store still under warranty and they kept charging me 33,000 to fix the same problem they kept charging me 33,000 to fix.. The 3rd time I was like 'look you were supposed to fix this, if you can't I want a new camera or to not pay for the repairs I already paid for.

[asylum seeker]

It pisses me off the way they will never put prices on any of the items, so each time you want to get a price to do comparisons, you have to go through a hard-sell routine.
In some ways it's actually worse for Koreans. After a minute or so of me saying 'no' I could move on but when my Korean GF was there each time we wanted a price they would talk rubbish to her for about 10 minutes before she could get away.
That's not to say you can't get decent prices there. You can, but it's almost not worth the rigmarole.

[carleverson]

[pkang0202]

I remember a buddy of mine got the bait and switch.

He wanted a Canon 30D (y. 2007) and instead was sold a Canon D30 (y. 2000) for the 30D price.

The camera he looked at and agreed to purchase was the newer 30D. When he got home it was the D30 in his possession. When he went back to the vendor, they pretended like they didn't know him. He called the cops and the cops did nothing.

[Meow?]