Korean Job Discussion Forums

beekeeper3000 · Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Been in Seoul for about 5 months. Can't fight my hankering for Japanese food and sake kicks soju's a$$. Haven't been to Japan though.

I feel like I know the supposed "pitfalls" of teaching in Korea and we don't really need to discuss them in this thread.

How does Japan compare? I understand it's harder to save money there. I mean how does Japan compare to Korea culturally in specific regard to one's teaching experience?

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

You know what I realized on my trip to Japan? I understand Japanese people. I don't mean that I have some insight on their ancient historical sensibilities or whatever, I just mean that I can read their body language and understand why they do the things they do. In Korea, I just don't get people. There seems to be no logical explanation for their actions, or I can't read the body language. I can't understand why I see babies crying in the streets with no parents in their line of sight, and the few adults around (taxi drivers or whatever) seem amused at the sight. When somebody laughs at me I can't tell if it's a mocking laugh or a shy embarrassed laugh. I just can't read the emotions of Koreans... sometimes they seem rude when they're being friendly, and vice versa. I just felt so much more comfortable dealing with Japanese people.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

Beekeeper, how about doing a complete google or yahoo search on Japan's social problems and culture before asking this question. I am currently using world social problems as a topic for my conversation classes that I teach. Geez, Japan! Talk about social problems Shocked

! Keep Japan... I'll stay in S. Korea ... til hell freezes over Laughing

!

Here's some Japanese food for thought:

Get use to these images of overworked tired business people: http://masamania.com/archives/2004/09/japanese_busine.html

See this site for a glimpse of the culture:

http://masamania.com Don't forget to click on #120 "for non Japanese people visitor"and #29 Tokoyo homeless realtime life"

Don't forget to read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

This is an important read:
http://library2.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/ppv.php?id=cqresrre2002072600

What do you think about this?
http://japanfocus.org/article.asp?id=217

Here's some more food:

http://towakudai.blogs.com/my_weblog/social_theory/

Still want to go to Japan do you? Laughing

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

coming from seoul, the biggest thing that struck me about japan was no staring. you walk into a restaurant with 3 foreigners and there is no staring or weird histrionics. nobody looks at you. nobody cares. also, cleaner, more ordered. kyoto almost feels european. of course, more expensive ... everything. i wouldn't work in japan though. fun to visit, but too expensive and the salary differential doesn't really add up. the food is awesome, but too expensive. you have to try sushi in japan at least once. aside from that, your wallet will appreciate you sticking with the ramen noodle shops. lodging? try the capsule hotels. if you're real curious, take a visa run for a few days or a long weekend trip.

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

Seriously no one's stared at me in Seoul for the last 2 years, I thought it was something the capital has moved on from, maybe it's the 'newb' vibe you give out or possibly your fresh-faced good looks? Smile

If you've been here 8 years please don't take offence at being called a 'newb'!

So is it only me who doesn't get stared at?

Oh yeah I agree it was a pleasant relief the first time I went to Japan that people just ignored me, but that was over 2 years ago.

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

I don't live anywhere near Seoul and people here never stare. I've been here for a few months and the closest I got to being stared at was at a restaurant where a woman turned around real quick to see me. That's it. However, when I went to Seoul I found it was much much different. People actually walk right up and bravely start conversations with me and my friends and they speak English to us! I noticed that they stared at my friend who is overweight, but not me very much.

In my city, it's almost impossible to find a soul who speaks a word of English on the street. If I am in places of business, sometimes the workers stare a little but I'm not sure if it's just a sales tactic because most of the time they want to talk on and on in Korean if I get within a earshot. I just nod politely and agree with everything they say because I don't understand a word of Korean other than to say thank you or how much. So that's all I can say at this point Laughing

.

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

Where I live, people don't interact unless they know each other. So if or whenever you need some help with packages that are heavy etc. you can never count on anyone for assistance even when they are just standing around with nothing to do. You can't count on anyone to hold open an elevator door or any door no matter what your circumstances are. People are more likely to run over the top of you than to help you where I live. That's the culture here.

Only three times have I been approached on the street by strangers who spoke to me in English. I remember them well. The first time was a young Japanese student trying to collect money for African children. The second time happened to be two Canadians who just flew in and wanted a restaurant. The third time was a young Japanese student .... Geez, even the other expats here don't speak with each other on the street... I noticed that. It's NOT NOT NOT that way in Seoul. I spoke with more people in Seoul in one weekend than months of living in my city... with the exception of my workplace of course. I can't wait to go back to Seoul and talk with more strangers on the street.... they speak English whoooo hoooo!!!

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Satori · Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: Above it all

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Really depends where a person lives in Korea, Seoul, Japan, etc.

I never get stared at where I live, work, and walk around in and around Seoul.

People that do tourist things in Japan with a bunch of other tourists aren't going to get stared at either by locals accustomed to tourists.

But when I'm not in my area of Seoul.. I occassionally notice more attention being given my way.. like out on the outskirts of the city or times I've been to Daegu or Andong, etc. I've even been to the outskirts of Tokyo and noticed the cars slowing down and people noticing.. really depends on where you are and if its a high foreigner traffic area or not regardless of city or country.

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

beekeeper3000 · Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I'm the OP and, to clarify, I wasn't asking (Lemonade) about the social and cultural issues. I have done plenty of reading on Japan AND Korea. However, at no point in my reading did I find anything saying "Korean people have a different sense of personal space than do foreigners."

Actually, that's not true. In "Culture Shock! Seoul" they do mention it. What my question was intended for was to get more of a handle on the little social mannerisms that STAND OUT. For instance, in "Culture Shock! Japan" the author mentions gift-wrapping as something one should really strive to do well. Now you tell me: is that a really important factor? Should I take a gift-wrapping class?

Joe_Doufu's first response was exactly the kind of honest opinion I was looking for. Keep it simple. No one's looking to do a research paper here.