Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gladiator · Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: Seoul

I know running a knew topic with the question 'Does Korea have racsim?' is about as redundant as a British Leyland factory shop steward but I sincerely hope the following material can generate some discussion on the topics of anti-Japanism, how deeply rooted it seems to be in the Korean psyche, the extent to which it is fostered and kept fertile by adult role models (parents, elder siblings, 'seniors', teachers?) and xenophobia in general.

It's just that I came across this website (no, don't ask me how I find them, they just seem to find me). In it some young fellow who's sick to the back teeth of studying for TOEIC/TOEFL at his university decides to vent his frustration by writing a TEOFL parody designed for foreigners. "Can you imagine seeing this test for foreigners if Korean became a dominant world language?" he sniggers.

Anyway, he creates a series of fictional TOEIC style dialogues (the rest are written in extremely slang Korean I suppose he assumes foreigners are too 'dim' to understand) with the mandatory no brainer multiple choicers tagged on at the end. Anyway, I guessed all good, clean harmless fun at the expense of us foreign monolingual thickies (devil's advocate folks, don't lash out!) until I came to the sixth item which I'll translate loosely and highlight the item I believe is worthy of attention. The setting is a Seoul subway station.

�߸��~~~
�� ֽ��ϴ�. �°��
�� Ѱ�� ֽñ� �ٶ��ϴ�. �̹� ��
�°�� ��̿�� Ͻñ� �ٶ��ϴ�.

Ladies and gentlemen the train is now arriving, please stay behind the safety line on the platform! This is Sunggangjang station. Please mind the gap when boarding the train.

�� 4. �� ΰ�?

Where is this announcement taking place?

(��) ��ö�� (��) �� (��) �� (��) �߱��

1.) Subway station 2.) Bus stop 3.) Construction site 4.) Baseball stadium

�� 5. �� ؾ� �� ?

What should one do upon hearing this announcement?

(��) �� Ѱ�� ɾ��. Step in front of safety line
(��) �� ִ� �Ϻ�� ߷� ��. Kick the Japanese person next to you
(��) ��� ã�´�. Board train while avoiding the gap
(��) �ڷ� �Ѱ�� . Step back behind safety line

Well, you can call me a knee jerker (or worse if you like!) and say the British have been making cheap gags at the expense of the Irish for years. You also have the option of telling me Political Correctness has over sensitized my radar to the most minute of racial slurs but isn't this downright malicious? Not representative of all Koreans you say? But the answer we need is HOW representative is it? Can't the bitterness and hate mongering cease after 59 years for God's sake? Or am I making a storm in a teacup?

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Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

I hear you, but remember the Japanese gov. has never apologised for the attrocities that it committed during WW2.

dogbert · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Political Correctness has over sensitized your radar to the most minute of racial slurs.

Is it racism or remembering history?

Gladiator · Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: Seoul

Harpeau and KD, valid enough points.

Harpeau, what you said about the J. government's stance and revisionism is true but neither has England, France and a host of other colonial culprits apologised for their past conquests and material rapes of nations. It doesn't detract from the awfulness of Japan's occupation and the Korean trauma but Korea is simply not alone on that front.

Dogbert, the URL is the fellow's homepage. You'll have to scroll down:

http://bbs4u.nate.com/Board/Basic/board.asp?bcode=fm174601&page=4

It's not my place to tell Koreans to forgive and forget. But I think an amnesty on the hatred would go wonders to building better bridges.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

No I don't think you have been over-sensitized by PC or anything else. It is a frustrating phenomena here. You can be going along in a perfectly fine conversation with an otherwise interesting and decent Korean and all of a sudden get ambushed by some blatant bigoted remark. It's depressing.

Years ago, I ran across a reference to how much the Japanese loaned (gave) to Korea in the '60's and '70's in compensation. The article said 'many' Koreans didn't think it was enough. So I asked my advanced class how much would be enough. The most articulate student said there is no amount of money that would be sufficient. The others agreed. I asked about an apology. They said they wanted to hear an apology because it would humiliate the Japanese. I asked if their feelings would change after that. They said, no.

I have long since decided to avoid any topic that I think will bring up anti-Japanese comments. It is not entirely possible. Just as SOME Canadians are not Canadians but are very vociferous NotAmericans, many Koreans are AntiJapanese, not Koreans.

JackSarang · Joined: 28 Jan 2003

If it was terribly racist he would have referred to them as wei nom not ilbonin.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Alyallen · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 6:43 am Post subject:

Would I call it racism? No...

I would call it a real deep seated hatred...

It's not right but to be fair, it's only been 50+ years and Japan is RIGHT THERE....

Other countries can afford to deal with the past because the instigators are far away....

If they want to be pissed off, I don't really blame them but I'm certainly not going like Korea or Koreans less for their dislike....I think the perception of the Japanese is changing, but it will take time especially since it is so passive-aggressive.....

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

The answer to the question is (1) and (��).

If you see Koreans kicking random Japanese in subway stations you will know why.

BTW...it is a bit stupid.

komtengi · Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Location: Slummin it up in Haebangchon

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Don't try to be pedantic when you don't know what you're talking about. Wae nom is another well-known anti-Japanese slur.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Except for the odd Irishman or South African, I doubt that there are any ESL teachers in Korea from nations that have undergone armed colonization by a foreign power in the last 100 years. So, its pretty easy for us to sit back and wonder why the Koreans can't just let bygones be bygones, when neither we nor our parents have experienced anything remotely similar to what the Koreans have.

I agree, Korean nationalism is generally silly and counterproductive. But I don't think that people who have never lived under the colonial thumb are in much of a position to be preaching the virtues of forgiveness to those who have.

And, let's face it: if you are someone who cannot handle hearing anti-Japanese sentiment, you probably shouldn't have come to Korea in the first place.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Oh, and in regards to the joke on the test:

I'd just write it off as a bit of hostile but harmless ethnic humour. I've heard similar jokes about different groups back home(Quebeckers, for example). Obviously, it would be inappropriate for a test given to a multicultural audience, but then again I doubt too many Japanese people will see it.