Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bits]

Maybe I am too sensitive. But, do you believe that Korean hagwon owners sometime push things on you (gifts, free food), because they know you will feel obligated to repay them?

[Ya-ta Boy]

My first response was, "Wow! Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!"

I do think that is too cynical a way to look at it. IMO Korea is a more gift-giving society than most Western countries. It does set up obligations, but I don't think it's fair to look at it that way. It can and should be seen as a gesture of good will.

[kangnam mafioso]

This is a gift-giving culture. Get used to it. When in Rome...
Why don't you give them something for once? Bring in some donuts or bagels for the wangjamnim and all the office agashis.

[weatherman]

I know somebody had this up before, but it goes well here. Check out this little sample and be sure to read the whole thing.

http://www.popmatters.com/columns/smith/050302.shtml

[rapier]

[manlyboy]

There was a huge turnover of staff at my school this term, so my wife insisted that I bring gifts to break the ice with the new people. I wasn't comfortable with it at all. It felt like a cheap, ingratiating tactic. But my wife insisted, so I did it. When I laid a fancy tray of biscuits out in front of the 6th grade teachers (feeling like a brown-nosed gnome), to my utter surprise their faces lit up like children and they started squealing with delight. Then, they all looked at me with beaming approval .

Lesson learned on my part.

[Mashimaro]

All the korean staff at the hagwon work harder and longer than you and get paid less. Show them your appreciate that now and again.

[AJRimmer]

[bits]

[peppermint]

I think the sense of obligation that does come with recieving a gift does take some of the joy out of it. I like giving gifts just because, not because I have to.

[Homer]

[Reflections]

Yeah, Rimmer I concur, I to would work a Sunday in return for a night in a booking club. But at the bottom of the contract where the little dotted line is located, I would also include a clause:

"The Booking Club has to be located in the Gangnam District".

The reason for this is simple, the times that I have been shouted a night out in those places, the quality of the girls is soooo much better on the south side.

[I_Am_Wrong]

[Reflections]

Actually I tend to side with Rapier there.

After travelling and living in quite a few different countries and comparing them to Korea; I've learnt that Korea is one of the few places that inane generalisations stick like mud.

'The gift giving culture' in Korea or whatever people care to label it, does carry with it the burden of reciprocation. The times that I received sizeable gifts from Koreans, there was some expecation of giving something back, that I learnt a little later on.

HOWEVER, I'm not saying its a bad thing or good thing; but I found it to be a fact of life here.

I don't think that its some foreigners inane imagination/generalisation.

On occassions when I have given 'sizeable' gifts to work staff or friends for Christmas/New Year, I always get the same response, why?

So if I receive a sizeable gift from a Korean, I will immediately ask why? So as there is no confusion later on. So, I now give small gifts more often and everyone seems to be more comfortable with that, my wallet included>

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[bits]