Korean Job Discussion Forums

[v88]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/01/117_102925.html

[pkang0202]

I've met a few Korean girls who tell me that they don't like "foreign guys".

Then later that night after a few drinks they go home with "foreign guys" that they said they weren't into just a few hours before.

[Mix1]

[pkang0202]

[Yaya]

I bet to differ on the "Once you go black..." schtick. I've known Korean women who dated a foreign guy or two but ended up with Korean guys (maybe because the girls themselves were too "Korean").

[pkang0202]

[sirius black]

There's different definitoins of foreigners I've found. Its one thing if you're from SE Asia and its another if you're a white guy from America.

Also, its a generational thing. Older Koreans especially ajoshis and ajumas have more of a fear of foreigners. They grew up in a different era. The younger folks, espcially 25 and under have watched far more western tv show, have western celebs as their idols and have been exposed to more westerners via hogwons and public schools. They see foreigners and are excited and nervous but nervous in a way one would be around a C list celeb.

As for blacks, college girls and younger are very curious about blacks. They grew up with Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Obama, Will Smith, Oprah as their heroes. Korean music is replete with black oriented music from rap to r&b. When I did camps it was the black guy that got most excitement from the kids. Everyone wanted to be in his class. They all say 'wassup' but not in a condescending way to him but a fascination way because they are into that.

The girls., especially college age girls are very curious to see what its like to date a foreigner, even a black foreigner. There's a niche of them who like nothng but black guys at certan bars in Itaewon. Peeped into one of those bars with friends one evening and you'd be surprised. They won't marry one because of family and social issues but they will have a one night stand or see one for a few months.

The drawback for many girls is language. They worry about their english. They worry about communication. They worry the foreigner teacher will get frustrated with their lack of english skills.

The foreigner issue is multifacted. They worry about too many SE Asians but not nearly as much as oo many white westerners.

[Steelrails]

I wonder what percentage of Koreans viewed this as a personal question or a policy question. Answers for anyone of any nationality can vary depending on how they view that question.

A Korean (or any other person) might not have a problem with individual foreigners, but might view such a question as a policy one, look at the news from around the world, and conclude that no matter the best of intentions it seems that mass immigration can have problems that come with it.

I mean anyone would have to have had their head in the sand to believe that mass immigration doesn't have accompanying social issues, even those who are pro-immigration.

And lets not forget that for Koreans the one time Koreans who emigrated to another country were involved in a major issue it was the LA Riots, so that might color their perceptions.

"Koreans have been fine overseas"
"Well, in LA there was a riot and Korean people had to fight running gun battles as a bunch of people tried to burn and loot their stores and the cops stood by and did nothing and some people even blamed the Koreans for the whole thing."

I mean, what do you expect if that is the history.

[sirius black]

Maybe its because its not discussed with foreigners, or in 'polite' company as the saying goes or maybe its just me but I've NEVER heard a Korean mention the riots.
I've had conversation classes with adults more than old enough to remember it. I've had classes that were free and open we talked about all manner of taboo topics like relgion, N. Korea, marrying foreigners/interracial and interethnic dating, racism, China. Japan. Etc. and I've never heard it brought up. Not saying it hasn't for others but from my, possibly limited, exposure, they don't think about it or use it as some defining moment.

The riots were reported as largely a Korean v. Black thing in the states (not sure about here) and the young folks I know of have never mentioned and seem to have a fascination with hip hop and urban culture (urban obviously a code word for black). More so than rock and heavy metal.

I think we place too much importance on that event as a reasoning for some native Korean viewpoints.

[v88]

The problem with using the LA riots as an example is the fact that Koreans were either targeted because they had been racist toward black people or simply caught in the middle of a local dispute. It wasn't immigrants against locals, it was locals who had a long history of extremely poor treatment at the hands of a bigoted majority that were acting out against authority and by extension a local immigrant minority group which happened to also be racist against them.

[Julius]

I only have to wear a hood as I enter the lift and the ladies inside shriek and jump backwards.

So yeah...to say Koreans are skittish would be an understatement.

[v88]

[v88]

[fosterman]

[pkang0202]