Korean Job Discussion Forums

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

So, I don't want to start a fight or anything, but in another thread pest1 said that MOST people wear shoes indoors in the West, and also suggested that a poll be done...probably been done many times already, but why not once more? I think it's best if we limit the argument to indoors at home, as the crux of the issue in the noted thread was about the problems of Korean bathrooms and inability to wear shoes in them. Also, I have been to many restaurants, hakwons, stores, offices, department stores, etc in Korea where shoes are worn by all inside. Granted, there are public schools, many restaurants, some offices, and nearly all homes where nearly everyone has designated indoor footwear to wear. Being from snow-ridden Canada, I never wore anything past the entryway, especially not in my mom's house. Most of the people I know are the same even though I have been in some homes where outdoor shoes were allowed(usually a detriment to cleanliness). What do you think? Have fun and please vote...

Newbie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Never

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

Only in the summer and only if I had to run in and get something quickly (in and out). But damn near close to never.

peppermint · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject:

One of the great mysteries of our time- solved!
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=46668

TOGirl · Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

I read Peppermints link which pretty much says it all, but I will add that when I grew up in England (0-12 years old) we always wore our shoes in the house.

After I moved to Canada I found that it was custom to take off shoes at the door and yes I think weather is a big factor.

So now I never wear my shoes in the house, and my British relatives think I'm strange.

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

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:37 pm Post subject:

Most people in England wear their shoes in the house?

Shocked

I thought only farmers and trailer dwellers did so in developed countries.

I much appreciate the Korean practice of keeping floors clean.

Tiny_Tibbo · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Location: In My Skin

Winter time= I was the boot police. If you didn't take em off right at the door I would freak. One drop of water on my socks and I was one cranky kid, who wants wets socks?

Summer Time= I could run in and out of the house with them on but the running had to stop when I hit the carpet. But mom never said anythin about bare feet....now that i think of it...they were trackin dirt everywhere... Laughing

I guess it depnds on how much of a clean freak the person who mops the floor is........

But at anyone elses home...u take em off unless instructed otherwise. I guess you hit a delemma when you wear sandels...cuz u gotta take em off but don't wanna be there barefoot.....

Cedar · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:58 pm Post subject:

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:39 pm Post subject:

On second thought, my dad as well as many friends back in Canada have a split rule: shoes on the lino in the kitchen through the back door is okay, but no shoes on the carpet. So, part of the house was okay for shoes. (I shouldn't have voted for "no, never")

Whatever the past practices were, hopefully most people don't wear shoes inside any more.

pest2 · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Just to set the record straight so no future problems come up, I am pest2, not pest1.

Anyway, I put something in another thread (see the one about which place would be better to raise kids: Canada or Korea) about how Canada and Korea are quite similar in some interesting ways and maybe thats why there are so many patriotic(nationalistic almost?) Canadians who seem to like Korea. And low and behold, here is yet another way in which the places are similar. Probably because both places that have bad weather more often than not, they are both places in which people regularaly take off thier shoes.

Bad weather means wet weather. And of course, if your shoes were covered in mud most of the time, you'd wanna have a rule about taking them off.

Anyway, Im from the western US, and I can remember that for awhile my mom was making us take off our shoes but then she gave up. We always had carpet and a vacuum so it was alot easier to clean than these wood floors we have here. Most of my friends who were of middle and upper middle class families usually had no rules about removing thier shoes, either... Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming -- all dry places! Who wants to ruin that with the removal of shoes?

I know of some people from Australia who had carpets in their houses and used to wear shoes inside as well.

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

Before living in Korea, we wore shoes in the house, unless they were muddy--those went by the back door. Otherwise, shoes are kept in the closet rather than piled up by a doorway. So naturally, they were worn around the house. Another side note is that my parents live in the country, and the rural mind-set is quite different. No white carpets to worry about and more "down-to-earth."

Now, having our own apartment, my husband and I are more comfortable having our shoes off in the house. However, it's not a taboo to put on my Sunday dress shoes in the bedroom to walk outdoors. I do find myself taking my shoes off as soon as we get up the stairs to our living area. We pretty much wear them on the stairs, but not anywhere else.

pest1 · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Location: Korea

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 12:10 am Post subject:

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Before, I came to Korea I would always wear shoes or slippers in my house. However, when I came back from Korea the first time, I found myself stopping on my front door mat to take off my shoes before I ventured further into the house. LOL Laughing

It will probably be the same when I go home again.