| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Egypt
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:05 am Post subject: FAT GIRL WALKING.... |
 |
|
Hey folks,
I'm seriously considering returning to S. Korea in the fall. I taught there seven years ago and I've been told it's grown a lot and is quite a bit more westernized.
Being over 230 lbs, I found I was treated pretty much like an attraction let loose from the circus last time around. Staring (from the polite ones), pointing, taunting, and poking from the less polite. Questions like "Are you pregnant? Why are you so fat? etc, etc were fairly common place.
I was warned and got fairly thick skinned within a month or two. I'm just curious if I should expect the same thing this time around or if the Koreans (in general) or more accepting of big women/men now that there are more westerners around. Or is it just as bad?
I also noticed seven years ago that the 18- 25 year olds were tiny, little women, but the upcoming generation ( 6 - 12 yrst olfds) were much larger - in both height and weight. Is that continuing?
Thanks for any imput!
Last edited by Egypt on Fri Jul 29, 2005 10:35 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bellum99
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: don't need to know
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:26 am Post subject: depends |
|
|
| I have found that the further you get from Seoul, the more rude and insulting the Koreans get. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I would say that Korea has seen many changes over the last 7 years, but making very direct, negative comments about a person's appearance is still very much in fashion. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think it's like Latin America, calling it as they see it.
If you're a gorda, people will call you gorda.
Rude from our perspective, but they don't see it that way and they're not about to change.
Thick skin and the ability to push back are always plusses.
Besides, no matter how much weight you lose you'll still have a big nose, kojangi!
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: depends |
|
|
| bellum99 wrote: |
| I have found that the further you get from Seoul, the more rude and insulting the Koreans get. |
Perhaps. But with exceptions certainly.
On Geoje Island the locals are very respectful of foreigners because there are over a thousand of them around at the local shipyards and every other fortysomething European engineer or shipworker has a gut and love handles, many built the size of two Koreans.
I'm sure a similar level of respect can be found in other small cities were export industries with foreign workers are found, and maybe even in bigger cities like Busan, where everyone except cabbies has been nice enough. (Stay away from Masan though. They act like they've never seen a foreigner before.)
You are well aware of the locals' values, so you should be able to take a degree of commentary. Koreans are much like Californians when it comes to body obsession: thin is not only in, it's some sort of cultural mandate, except on statues of this guy:
Even then, most statues of Buddha in Korea show a surprisingly thinned-down version. It must be the gimchi:
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: FAT GIRL WALKING.... |
|
|
| Egypt wrote: |
| I'm just curious if I should expect the same thing this time around or if the Koreans (in general) or more accepting of big women/men now that there are more westerners around. Or is it just as bad? |
I don't know about 7 years ago, but in the 2 years I've been here I haven't noticed any improvement in how people react to me. I'm very heavy as well and I get plenty of comments from Koreans of all ages.
Like you, I've developed a pretty thick skin about it. It doesn't bother me unless it's Friday (everything bothers me on Friday).
| Quote: |
| I also noticed seven years ago that the 18- 25 year olds were tiny, little women, but the upcoming generation ( 6 - 12 yrst olfds) were much larger - in both height and weight. Is that continuing? |
Koreans are getting taller, but there are still very few overweight people here. When I see a young woman who is heavy here, I really feel bad for her--not because of being heavy in and of itself, but because I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to buy clothes!! I send for mine from the States. 
| bellum99 wrote: |
I have found that the further you get from Seoul, the more rude and insulting the Koreans get.
|
You know, I hear/read comments like this all the time from Seoul-ites... yet, I get stared at and laughed at way more in Seoul than I do anywhere else. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
animalbirdfish
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:02 pm Post subject: Re: depends |
|
|
| VanIslander wrote: |
Even then, most statues of Buddha in Korea show a surprisingly thinned-down version. It must be the gimchi:
|
Even the "thinned down" version needs a bra for his man-boobs (assuming that's supposed to be a male).
As for the locals...I always figure that if I need someone to point out my shortcomings, I can't do any better than the folks in Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JacktheCat
Joined: 08 May 2004
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: depends |
|
|
| bellum99 wrote: |
I have found that the further you get from Seoul, the more rude and insulting the Koreans get.
|
Actually, it's been my experience that the opposite is true.
The rudest people are in Seoul. while the friendliest and most accommodating are out in the country side. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hellofaniceguy
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: On your computer screen!
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Overweight women in any country are not looked at kindly....fatter women get more stares and remarks....excessively overweight women....250 lbs. is ridiculously overweight and no doubt��.way open to snide remarks, etc.
Being overweight is a choice��sometimes it��s a medical condition��but mostly it��s a choice��.
Coming to korea��knowing that you��ll be stared at, remarks made, etc��.you��re bringing it on yourself��.just have thick skin! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
well just learn to fire back..
simple if they say to you why are you so fat!? you answer something..
then ask them.. WHY ARE YOU SO UGLY? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
happeningthang
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The explanation I've heard for Korean "rudeness" (according to Western standards anyway) is that they feel they're doing you a favour by calling attention to your flaws. All the better for you to do something about it.
They're still at it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| hellofaniceguy wrote: |
Overweight women in any country are not looked at kindly....fatter women get more stares and remarks....excessively overweight women....250 lbs. is ridiculously overweight and no doubt��.way open to snide remarks, etc.
Being overweight is a choice��sometimes it��s a medical condition��but mostly it��s a choice��.
Coming to korea��knowing that you��ll be stared at, remarks made, etc��.you��re bringing it on yourself��.just have thick skin! |
Not exactly a hellofanicecomment there!
I have a couple of rather heavy female friends who seem to get along really well with the kids at their hogwans and don't get stared at much more rhan most westerners. Having long, attractive, western hair also seems to help with image.
Korea should also be a great place to lose weight. I have trouble putting it on, myself. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Demonicat
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Location: Suwon
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| In my 3rd world journeys (primarily West Africa), I found the locals highly respecting fat women. Its just how it was. Women in Africa aspire to be fat- it means wealth, influence, and that their kids will probably live- all good things. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NearlyKorean
Joined: 15 Mar 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am a fat male, no doubt about it. Being in Korea 6 years, I thought I had heard it all until one day....
A 30 something Korean female was standing near me on the bus. She said in fairly good English, where are you from? We had the usual chit chat. Then out of the blue but, like she has been dying to say this, "Why are you so fat, it almost like you are pregnant?" I said "Yep, that true! and when is your baby due?" she replies "Me?, I am not pregnant." I said "oh? Ok...." She fornatuely found a seat and sat down. As I got off the bus, I could see her crying. I hope it wasn't anything I said.... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| NearlyKorean wrote: |
| "Why are you so fat, it almost like you are pregnant?" |
She is sincerely puzzled because in her culture there's no concept of "Why not?", of it being alright to be different from the norm.
And when it comes to issues of health, the heavy smoking and drinking and spicy food and late nights with little sleep and high stress at work with little vacation should come up, it sure explains why Koreans die much sooner than do Westerners. But she won't question such things, because they are the accepted norm of her culture, and conformity is an absolute value to her.
| Quote: |
| As I got off the bus, I could see her crying. I hope it wasn't anything I said.... |
Of course it was something you said! She MUST NOT be seen as fat. It's about her value as a human being. Pity her. She needs it ten times more than you do. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
