Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiger Beer]

Just a thought today.. I went to look for some shirts and shorts for the summer weather.. everywhere I went, you get the greeting, and then the people in the store follow you around and point at stuff telling you what it is.. pointing at stuff and saying 'shirts'.. 'shorts'.. 'pants'.. etc.. or they'll just follow you around.. and you make a few quick maneuvers trying to lose them, but they seem stuck on your trail unfortunately..

Pretty annoying stuff indeed. Actually, just thinking that its pretty much across the board. When I go into a small mom-and-pop corner store, a worker will also often follow me around looking at what I look at, and volunteering random stuff that they think I might be looking for..

Very annoying stuff. Anyhow, it made me think for a moment. For example, many Koreans are very well-known to move to Los Angeles.. (700,000 in that city alone now).. most are immigrants without much English either. Anyhow, back during the L.A. riots (1992 I think). I was just thinking the Rodney King incident was about alot of things, and when the rioting happened, one of the people most hurt by it was all the many Korean stores. This also did serious damage to relations between the Korean and African-American community.. (most hurt by the riots were the many many Korean-owned stores that were burned down as a protest against the verdict of Rodney King).. also there was a feeling that Koreans were coming to the country owning stores and doing well.. while their community was being neglected, etc.

Anyhow, just thinking back to that time, and one of the things the African-Americans in those communities hated most about Koreans was that they would follow them around the store whenever they were in the store, and they'd say the Koreans were racist because they assumed the Koreans followed them around because of their skin color.. and that they were convinced anyone of black skin might steal from them..

So today, I just thought about that..... and how.. well.. you can see the point I'm thinking of.. and why it was on my mind... just a thought.. and just thinking about how everytime I get so annoyed in Korea when I go shopping.. (when I dare do it).. and how they stick to you like glue as you try to browse and get all riled up.. when you really just want to relax and take a look..

[Corporal]

ohhhh...the workers at the department stores honestly remind me of vultures...the way they move to stand in front of something you just pause for a second to look at...and the way they watch you like you're gonna try steal that diamond ring right from under their noses. I want to tell them I'd be a lot more likely to buy something if they would back off, but my Korean isn't that good yet.

[The Lemon]

I understand that they're watching for shoplifters, but when I'm out with my wife and we're trying to discuss the merits of X microwave or Z pair of jeans, why won't the salespeople let me get a word in? I despise shopping in department stores here partially because of the absurdly inflated prices, but mostly because of the repellant clerks.

[Tancred]

i never really got the impression that they were following me around because they were afraid that i'd steal something. I always just figured they were trying to offer their assistance if it's required. A noble sentiment perhaps, but it really is a pain when they try to recommend stuff, like the OP said, at random.

I remember once in Hanwha mart, doing my grocery shopping, and as i passed by the frozen section one of the salesgirls was trying to push the chicken fingers on me, and seemed quite perplexed that i wasn't accepting them (this isn't the only time this has happened and it's made me wonder whether koreans think us westerners just sit on our back porches all the time in canada or wherever, chugging back beers and gnawing on chicken fingers). To amuse myself i always consider going up to one of these salesgirls near the frozen section and shouting, "Where 'dem chicken fingaz at?", but i never do.

Anyway, i usually mumble something about "Window shopping" and they usually flee after that...it seems those are the magic words. They usually leave me alone after i say that, so for what it's worth, that's my advice.

T.

[Tiger Beer]

[Gwangjuboy]

I agree with most of you here.I find that shopping in Korea is a real pain. I am someone that likes to think about what I am about to buy especially in Korea where refunding is not common practice. When the "clingers" just follow me around I feel more uncomfortable and just flee rather than buy something! It doesn't help that there is a distinct lack of variety in Korea! Why are all jeans etc about 10 inches too long!

[little mixed girl]

.....

[gang ah jee]

i haven't been followed for a long time, but haven't been shopping for a long time either. Department stores are the worst, but in Seoul it's not that bad.


In the underground shopping mall in Seongnam the sales staff were so intrusive that I had a 10 second browse method - 10 seconds to decide if there was anything I wanted to buy before the sales assistant came over and started shadowing me. One of the places I used to buy clothes from was so bad that if the woman saw me walk past with a bad from another shop she would waylay me and rifle through my bag. If she found anything similar to something in her stock she would berate me for disloyalty. She was only half serious but still I started avoiding walking past that place if i'd bought anything elsewhere.

[ulsanchris]

I talked about this last year with some of my classes and some koreans, about how in department stores there is always some one right beside you looking over your shoulder. In the department stores this happens to everyone. Even the small clothing stores. I asked my students did they like this, and they answered no. They said most people don't like this. Then why do they do this? asked I. because a few people like it. they answered. crazy.
On the flip side of this I hate it back home when you go into a store and the salesclerks just sit around talking to eachother and dont' pay any attention to you.

[schwa]

I'm no expert on these matters (in fact I dislike shopping on general principle) but heres a couple phrases get salesclerks off my back:

Gu-kyeong hal-su issoyo? (OK if I look around?)
Gu-kyeong hal-kah-yeyo. (I'm just looking.)

You can throw in 'chom' after 'gu-kyeong' to make it a little nicer.

[pardon the romanization]

'Eye-shopping' is Konglish for window-shopping -- might work too.

[gang ah jee]

[rawiri]

just a comment on tiger beer's thoughts regarding the african american community and koreans. i met a korean back home when i was doing a fruit picking lag and he showed me his english book. as well as teaching english this book also gave pointers to koreans that were heading to the u.s. many of these pointers consisted of gross caricatures of negroes ( sloping foreheads, big noses, big lips) and what to do when approached by them, for example there was a picture of a negro asking a korean girl the time, and the book clearly pointed out that if in this situation you should avoid eye contact and walk away as quickly as possible.

i asked my friend what he thought of this, as he is a pretty intelligent fella and had travelled around a bit, and he said that he agrees with the books messages and stated something along the lines of negroes being lazy, dangerous, untrustworthy etc. i tried to explain to him the historical context which has resulted in the state that many af. am are in today, but he refused to listen.

so tiger beer, i know that this book is just one teaching resource and that obviously not all koreans are going to be reading it, and also i would hate to think that the majority of koreans have the sorts of attitudes regarding af. am as my friend does, but i'm guessing that a lot do and that a lot of koreans have preconceived notions of af. am. before they emigrate to korea, like just look at the way af. am are portrayed in the movies (menace 2 society for example, when the dude off's a korean shop owner and his wife).

so it was a fairly logical link between your exp. of korean store owners and the af. am community in regards to the confusion of wether it is racism or not when a korean follows an af. am around a store, and i dont really know because it's a topic that i havent queried many koreans on but being a member of a minority group myself it is a question that i am interested in.

[Tiger Beer]

[The Lemon]

[Homer]

The service people are annoying in those department stores that is true.
The reason they follow you around is because they have too. My wife's friends worked for a couple of department stores and they were told to follow the customers to ensure good service. Whatever the reason is it is annoying.
Not much you can do about it except walk away or shop in smaller places.
Then again, went to The Bay and a couple of other big department stores on my visit backhome this spring and there its the opposite. You will be hard pressed to find a clerk or salesperson anywhere on your floor....