Korean Job Discussion Forums

[morrison]

I'm looking at heading over to Korea fairly shortly to teach English - just wanting to know whether any piercings are acceptable or whether I should take them out straight away?
Cheers.

[gang ah jee]

There is a strong negative correlation between the number of visible piercings you have and the quality of your working conditions.

Although if you can take your piercings out at work, it's fine to wear them in public... just expect more stares than usual.

[william beckerson]

Pluck them out. Koreans can be incredable busy-bodies and if a mom catches you and your chin-spike around town, she's gonna complain to your boss.

[Ya-ta Boy]

This is a free world, but it might help to know that (generally speaking) Koreans are not into 'expressions of individualism'. What is liked and respected here, are the fashion model types. Koreans are openly 'success oriented' in terms of money and status.

Conformity at home has a kind of negative connotation, but here it does not. Things outside the norm are considered odd, selfish and untrustworthy.

Use your own best judgement.

[Corporal]

[Cabbit]

I have seen many pierced bodies in Korea but most of them tend to have jobs in fashion or computers. Generally teachers in any country are advised not to have facial piercings. I know that teaching in Oz the only piercings that are acceptable are nose studs on women.
I think that you could get away with a tongue piercing in a hagwon (a friend of mine has one) or even a nose stud on a lady. Anything else and I advise you to take it out if you want to be seen as professional.

I love peircings and tatoos but I understand that they are not really things you want to see on someone teaching your child.

what kind of piercing do you have?

oh and earings and belly rings are ok...heh

[Magog]

If your a handsome devil then they wont give a monkeys although you had better take that 3 inch thick bar out of your cheek grow a beard and dont chew your food in public

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I had an eyebrow ring for a while, and to be honest...

When I took and out and went back to Korea, people treated me better.

Just something I noticed.

[morrison]

thanks for the advice - guess I'll just hve to put up with having strangly located holes in my face rather than metal.....
there seems to be some disagreement over whether it's acceptable to wear peircings outside working hours?
Cabbit - labret, lip, eyebrow, tongue

[Weigookin74]

[SeoulNate]

[uhnothanks]

I have a nose stud. The only comments I've ever gotten were from my kindergartners.

[No_hite_pls]

Just like home, people with lots of piercings are not treated professionally.

[sadguy]

i have two gauges. i always take them out the first few weeks of school. then i slowly test the school by wearing them. they never say anything, so i keep 'em in. however, i'm getting old (29) and have recently been keeping them off.

[wishfullthinkng]