Korean Job Discussion Forums

dulcineadeltoboso · Joined: 01 Oct 2003

For those who don't know, there are a couple tourist information office in Itaewon that have a bilingual person to answer questions, translate, and find information.

Thursday morning I went to the office in the Itaewon subway station. I was the only customer there. There were two girls working there, and I stood in front of them forever, politely clearing my throat and saying hello, but they ignored me until I got right in their faces and flapped my hand in front of them, yelling "chogiyo!" like a Korean. Finally they sighed and looked at me, and I asked them some questions about the post office (where is it, what are their hours, do they speak English, etc). They told me where it was, but only gave me a guess about their hours and said the post office clerks probably couldn't speak English. I asked them if they could call them and ask how long it takes for a package to be mailed by surface from Korea to the US, and they sighed, looked at each other and told me they didn't have the post office's phone number. I said, "Could you look it up?"

As they have phone books and computers for just such tasks, I figured it wouldn't be a problem, but they just sat there looking at me. I repeated myself a few times, until finally they sighed again, and one of the girls slowly lifted her hand off a binder that was in front of her and opened it exactly to the page with the post office phone number. The binder was right in front of her and she even knew what page it was on! Then they gave me the number.

I asked them to call the post office for me, but the other girl, a scary-looking butch type with a purple tank top and huge gaps in her teeth, said, "It's on this street. Just go there." I said I didn't have time, as I was on my way to the subway to go to work (it was at least a 15-minute walk to the post office, then 15 minutes back, plus the girls said they might not speak English) and she just kept arguing, sighing, rolling her eyes, jabbing the map with her finger, and saying, "It's right there. Just go." At this point I was still being polite because I needed them to help me, but as calling the post office is exactly the kind of service they're supposed to provide, I was getting more annoyed by the second.

After about 10 minutes of arguing, they finally called the post office, asked my questions, and gave me the answer. I gave them a curt thank you and left without saying goodbye.

The phone call took less than 5 minutes, but the total ordeal in the office took forever. If they were lazy, busy, or otherwise unwilling to make an effort, it would have saved them time and effort to stop arguing and call, so I still can't imagine why they'd be so loathe to do a simple task that they probably have to do all the time.

I've used the service several times before, and usually the people are very willing to help. If they don't have the answer, they try to find it. They're usually quite nice about it, too. I don't know what the hell was going on that day, though.

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

I don't believe you. I've been there an the people were quite nice. Were you wearing your "I hate Korea" tee shirt that day, or something? You must have done something.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

becuase they dont want to work for their money!!!
youth of today I tell ya!!!

they think there job is to just sit there and do nothing!!
you did good.. MAKE THEM WORK!!!
thats why they are there.. if they dont want to work.. they can leave!!

dulcineadeltoboso · Joined: 01 Oct 2003

When the thread got enough views and replies, I planned on printing it and giving it to the supervisor there, but I can imagine how they'd misunderstand the irony in the replies. Oh well, it was worth a try.

Roch · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

Me and my buddy were treated exactly the way you were treated even though we were incredibly polite to both of them. In our case, the butch one refused to look up the number of the Yongsan-gu police station. My friend asked for the manager's number to make a complaint about them and was told that the guy does not speak English. I pressed fpor it anyway and the butch one told me to go away. This happened last Friday.

A couple of Germans I know told me that the females at the center were quite hostile to them, too.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Why not report them? Just call (02) 1330 and tell them your story. Even if you don't know their names, if you remember the date and time of the incident it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who they were.

chiaa · Joined: 23 Aug 2003

One time I asked them for something, they were not very nice to me at all.

Another time I was giving them some promotional material for my store they were really nice to me--as soon as they noticed I was a business owner.

uberscheisse · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Location: japan is better than korea.

i've had both rude and very polite, speedy and enthusiastic service from the itaewon tourist kiosk.

the only place where i've encountered rude and indifferent service is one time at the kiosk at namdaemun.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Sometimes kind and helpful, sometimes rude and unfriendly? Then I'd say they're putting a very honest and proper face on Korea and the ambivalence here towards foreigners. I sincerely hope they keep up the good/rude work and I'll be rooting for them. Too many tourists in Korea anyway.

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

Once I was at a tourist information booth in D'Avignion, France, and the lady behind the counter was snobby & as useless as tites on a bull. The Parisians on the other hand were most friendly & helpful.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

Come on guys! We all have bad days! Perhaps you caught these two on a bad month.

dulcineadeltoboso · Joined: 01 Oct 2003

It's one thing to have a bad attitude. It's another to have to beg someone to do their jobs. Usually, rude service people do their jobs, but they're just not too friendly about it. These two girls wouldn't even perform the most basic tasks.

What would you do if you went to a restaurant and asked the waitress for food, and she said no for no apparent reason, or if you went to work one day and decided to ignore students when they asked you for help during class (for no apparent reason)?

These two girls are the only ones in this office who are like that, and I've been there at least two dozen times. Now I just appreciate the helpful ones even more.