Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jajdude]

I'm just another white guy, so I don't know the experience of overseas Koreans coming back to Korea to teach, or whatever they do. But I'm curious about it. I have been lately hanging out with an American whose parents are Korean, so he looks totally Korean but speaks and thinks American, though his Korean ability is good too. He seems a bit bitter about the razz. He gets looked at just as much when he speaks that American English. Most Koreans do not seem to grasp why a Korean face speaks American! So I wonder how it is for kyopos here. It seems like a whole breed of experience few would understand.

[cheem]

I can't speak for other gyopos but my experience has been mostly cool. I've never enjoyed stares or overt attention so it's nice to be able to cloak and de-cloak at will here. Koreans tend to think of gyopos as "Koreans" so there's some comfort in knowing that I can infiltrate and assimilate into this closed society if I choose to do so. With regards to Korean women, it appears to me there is a sizeable demographic who want to escape the iron-fisted tyranny of the Korean Man, or just want to try something different, but aren't ready to make the enormous cultural leap to dating white dudes. Gyopos, it would appear, are the perfect means to sample the exotic delights of the West while raising minimum fuss amongst their family and peers. As staggeringly handsome as I am, I'm man enough to admit that I've been able to move up from the Canadian yeti territory to the Korean harpy territory on a consistent basis. I also have the rare privilege of receiving compliments on my Korean AND my native English -- which I suppose is more of an insult than a compliment, but I tend to take these comments in the spirit they were given.

With all that heady luscious university-aged goodness, there are also drawbacks. Koreans tend to have higher expectations of gyopos, especially in respect to speaking the language and following the customs. Back when I was teaching, I got shafted out of a few leads for being gyopo which sucked -- I much prefer discrimination of the visible-minority variety. Finally, there is a small group of people who just don't like gyopos for whatever reason. This is more a minor annoyance than a drawback, like, "Yes okay, you hate me, c'mon, get on with it... ". I'm not the first, nor the last, person to get labeled that easily so I can't complain.

[Koreabound2004]

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know where the term kyopo/gyopo came from? I know what it means, but I wonder about its' origins.

[mithridates]

From the Korea wiki:

[mithridates]

One interesting thing to note is that Gyopos in China aren't called Gyopos. They're Hwagyos. (ȭ�� - ����) Same thing except the 'hwa' means flower, or China.

[dogbert]

I believe "hwagyo" are ethnic Chinese living in Korea.

Ethnic Koreans living in China are usually called "Joseonjok".

[tzechuk]

[mithridates]

Dogbert's right.

[tzechuk]

[tzechuk]

[thorin]

I think most gyopo cry themselves to sleep for a year and then go back to Koreatown and talk about how great it was here.

[dogbert]

[tzechuk]

[shakuhachi]

[Yaya]

There are a variety of experiences, but for the most part, Los Angeles gyopos visit Korea but wouldn't want to settle down here (a plus for Korea). On the other hand, gyopos from other regions in the US like Korea a lot more, mainly because it's more fun and easier to meet people in Seoul than in say, Hoboken.

Another plus for gyopos is that many who are talented come to Korea to study or work for a few years.

Gyopos from Brazil also visit Korea, but find life in Brazil better though a lot more dangerous.