Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hatcher]

Some stats have Koreans as the 3rd heaviest drinkers in the world.

I think there are several reasons.

[yodanole]

These guys could probably explain why ...

http://cdn.coresites.factorymedia.com/outsidetimes/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Hillary_and_tenzing-620x370.jpg

[Who's Your Daddy?]

Bad marriages.

Why is this Off Topic?

[Bongotruck]

I bet if the whole 'mandatory' drinking parties were stopped, Koreans' drinking levels would be about the world's average.

[joelove]

Yeah, seemed to be a lot of forced drinking going on. Not good for everybody. Some don't mind. That soju swill and lousy beer didn't make it much fun.

[Sector7G]

Why do they drink so much? Probably for the same reason many of us do...to ease the pain of a cold, harsh world....or just to keep an even keel...either one works.

[Underwaterbob]

Hmm, let's see. They have some of the longest working hours in the world here. Alcoholism has become institutionalized. If you want to move upwards in your company, gotta drink with the boss. And the competition to move upwards is fierce. Mandatory military service gets a lot of men hooked on booze and cigarettes because they're their only outlet and everybody else is doing it. Ciggies have finally caught the public's ire, but the soju companies are too entrenched in the local economy to let that happen to their products. Crony capitalism.

[cj1976]

Let's be honest, getting drunk can be a whole lot of fun. And when you can do it for less than 5,000 it becomes all the more tempting. Plus, Korea is a depressing and soulless worker bee hive with prescribed lifestyles. Of course they are going to get shitfaced.

[catman]

Do they have Alcoholics Anonymous in Korea?

[yodanole]

Difficult to be an anonymous alcoholic, if you're any good at it ...

[Smithington]

And yet if a foreigner is caught in possession of a single joint it causes a national outrage, page after page of editorials about tightening up the E-2 visa requirements, and the depiction of English teachers as complete and utter retrobates.

As for the salaryman lying on the street in his on vomit, why he's a standup citizen who just drank a little too much because of the pressure of his job and providing for his family.

[Bongotruck]

Big difference. The guy lying in the puke. He has jung.

Please understand our situation.

[Hatcher]

I will go a step farther.

Koreans are too introverted and alcohol helps them out their shell.

PS. There is NO AA in korea but you can go on base if you need help.

[Plain Meaning]

[yodanole]

There is the small matter of alcohol being legal, as opposed to marijuana, which is not. You like the law, that's good. You don't like the law, they still are not required to take that into account. A simple, if inconvenient, fact of life.