Korean Job Discussion Forums

sistersarah · Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Location: hiding out

I don't vent on here too much, but I just have to right now....tell me if you think I'm too sensitive....

you know in noksapyeong station, the escalators are huge....I usually walk up to save time. anyway, tonight the station was dead, but there was a group of foreigners standing on the escalator chatting. I thought the woman standing still on the left side would notice me and move over (there were hardly any people on the escalator). anyway, she didn't, so i said very politely "excuse me..." she looked very annoyed, moved over and said "you know, there are other stairs right over there," pointing to the concrete stairs. i could not believe her rudeness! as if i'm not entitled to use the escalator! and it's not like there wasn't room for her to get over!

anyway, i turned around and said "you know, the left side is for walking." I was pissed, so I said under my breath, "$#@@%" she didn't hear me, but an older foreign couple did and chuckled because I think they understood where I was coming from....

what is this world coming to when people are that rude to others!? i mean, it's not as if i pushed her, or said "get out of my way!".....is an apologetic "excuse me" not still courteous these days?
you know, koreans are often rude.......but NOT deliberately!!! they bump into you because the country is overpopulated and because that's the way it is here! they slurp their noodles because it's too hot! they stare at foreigners because they're curious/ignorant/shocked, whatever! but no korean has ever been rude like that to my face.......uuuggghh..

would you be ticked too?

Canucksaram · Joined: 29 Apr 2003

Yes, sistersarah, I'd be ticked.

The woman to whom you spoke was a pissy *&^%.

You've every right to walk on the left side of an escalator. She should have moved aside and let you pass without trouble.

Low class is all she was, so forget about her.

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

sounds like one of the under 25 group. Fresh out of college/uni and all the breeding/manners of a sow.

Canucksaram · Joined: 29 Apr 2003

Yes, sistersarah, I'd be ticked.

The woman to whom you spoke was a pissy &^%*.

You've every right to walk on the left side of an escalator. She should have moved aside and let you pass without trouble.

Low class is all she was, so forget about her.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

sistersarah · Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Location: hiding out

Blind Willie · Joined: 05 May 2004

People bumping into you, that's something you need to learn to accept.

People giving you attitude like that, you shoulda went "Ricki Lake Guest" on her.

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

Post 9/11 I found people here became very rude, angry and confrontational. I don't go out much any more due to that, maybe I am just too old now and I am only 33.

paperbag princess · Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Location: veggie hell

some people are just plain rude, that's how it goes sometimes. her parents prolly never taught her how to behave in public. either that or she's just been in korea for too long Wink

Cedar · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 8:27 am Post subject:

Actually Sarah, I think I generally see MUCH ruder behaviour from foreigners than from Koreans here. Maybe I'm sensitive because I get embarassed... but, by association I AM them. I may be assertive (well, you know that), but I do it in a sort of "Korean Ajumma" way... I tell people off, but I never say "You (*&^&(*) Korean...", in decent Korean I tell them why I think they are wrong. Foreigners, however... the other day I went to Starbucks... as you know, I always go to Starbucks... and the barista spoke to me in English (this was NOT Itaewon) and I said (with joking manners) "Why did I learn Korean if you speak to me in English?" and she said "The other foreigners tell me to speak in English if I don't!" She even had specific examples. I mean, hello, this is KOREA. Who the f--- has the right to tell a Korean to speak in English? In Starbucks you just say the exact same thing you'd say in America... add a "yo" at the end to be polite... look at the register to see the price if you are that new to Korea. But NO, someone had even made her feel humiliated that she didn't say "That will be... XXXX won". It's good for Koreans to know we are human... we don't have to be on our "best behaviour" every freaking day... but when I hear three hagwon teachers complaining about the little brats they teach on the subway I can't help but wonder, "How many Koreans here can understand them?". When I see some FAT (nothing else to be said about it) person get annoyed when a Korean pushes by them and get all angry... well, you know what, if they didn't take up TWO PEOPLES worth of room they wouldn't have been pushed at all!

And I agree with you on the pushing... it's crowded country, plus a lack of a big "cooty" concept. Koreans are NOT worried you'll pollute them if you touch! I think that's good! Refreshing even! What is wrong with human contact?

dogbert · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210

"Human contact" includes acknowledging that you co-exist with other humans and that you are not such a VIP that you cannot yield to others occasionally, as when allowing people in a subway car or elevator to exit before you push your way through as though they did not exist.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I agree with Cedar. I notice general rudeness in spades amongst foreigners, as opposed to us getting it from Koreans. Foreigners seem to be so hard on themselves and each other over here and because we are so conditioned to dealing with rudeness, bad attitudes and condescending sarcasm, back home, that we come here and inadvertantly project all of that social conditioning and expectation onto unsuspecting Koreans. And then they blame Koreans for possessing that assumed disposition, regardless that the foreigner probably has limited local language skills, intimate cultural understanding, or much talent in simply being considerate of the big differences that they have with the people of this country.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

The pushing and shoving is a Korean thing. It is not a crowded place thing, as has been pointed out already. There are numerous places just as crowded where it is much rarer. The rush to get on and off subways, a Korean thing. Airplanes, same deal. Seeing Koreans travelling, and in other countries, they often look like morons. No apologies here.

burnin rubber · Joined: 16 Feb 2005

Ditto to that jajdude. I just got back from Fukuoka for two days. I never really got bumped by any of the Japanese and if they did, I received an instant apology. The streets were clean, the people friendly. A stark contrast. While a friend and I were looking around trying to find the capsule hotel, a Japanese woman came up and offered to help us. She called the hotel, got directions and told us how to get there. That's never happened here. The Japanese seem to have more consideration of those around them and less of the me-first sydrome.