Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SPINOZA]

It's a clothes shop. I went in yesterday and bought some pants. The girl who served me was the rudest Korean EVER! I was asking how much is this, how much is that etc and she started being incredibly rude and impatient for no reason. She assumed I didn't know any Korean and started saying all numbers in Korean - which of course is a piece of cake to understand, the daft, stupid cow. I lost it. I shouted "don't be rude to me! I'm a customer, NEVER be rude to a customer, understand?". I have a loud, authoritative voice at the best of times, but this time my growls induced sheer terror in all present. She absolutely turded them. Was nice as pie after that. I bought the 2 pairs of pants - 50k. As I was paying, she said "not rude. Very sorry. My mistake" smiling, hoping never to cross my path again. I smiled and said "that's okay, goodbye". It wasn't okay at all, but I didn't think there was much point carrying it on (even though it would've been rather fun) when she apologized and seemed genuinely sorry.

That'll teach her.

So go along and browse some pants, mess with this unconscionably ill-mannered rapscallion, this grievously decadent parasite.

[Captain Corea]

Why even shop there then?

Seriously, if a clerk is rude, they lose my business.

[SPINOZA]

That was my former policy. Yesterday I had that "just walk out" feeling. But I just lost my temper. I have a rather short fuse when it comes to rudeness. If I was back home, I would've had my men soundly thrash her. It would've been the very least she deserved.

Anyway, I really liked these two pair of pants - good and cheap. Couldn't be bothered looking elsewhere.

[kangnam mafioso]

i think if i were her i would have grabbed the merchandise out of your hands and told you to get the heck out of my shop, rude waegook weirdo.

[SPINOZA]

well she obviously has a shred of decency, realized she was being wildly out of order, realized the boss might not take kindly to that.

I'd be reluctant to invest in your business if you think being rude to customers and then getting rid of them is a-ok.

[kangnam mafioso]

[SPINOZA]

Kangnam Mafioso,

You can read English, right?

Korean numbers are no problem for me, as I said in the OP. I've been here nearly 9 months. Doing the whole calculator thing is pathetic. Koreans quote prices in the Korean language in Korea do they? Even in Itaewon? Heavens.

Name: Kangnam Mafioso.
Specialist subject: Stating the bleeding obvious.

Speaking in Korean, in Seoul, is not inherently rude, I quite agree. But there was something funny about the way the transaction began in English (she started it) and then ended up with very rude-sounding Korean numbers, plus other very eccentric, rude things.

She's a rude, truly stupid individual. Maybe she had a bad, long, hard day. That's not my problem. I want pants, not an argument.

[inkoreaforgood]

[kangnam mafioso]

[Qinella]

Damn, two pairs of pants for 50k? That's a good deal, depending.

Did they have cool shirts, too? I might have to check it out.

[SPINOZA]

A look at my posting history will reveal I'm not like that at all, KM.

I said in my OP that she started being incredibly rude and impatient for no reason. What more detail do you need, folks? Do you really want it spelt out what constitutes inappropriate behaviour to a customer? I don;t wanna go into all the petty details for God's sake! It's just obvious that this bird was a complete loon. Me mentioning that she went from normal behaviour one minute to being incredibly irrational the next (which just happened to include going from use of English to Korean) is part of a wider scenario.

For heaven's sodding sake...this is not a KOREA thread. This is me telling a lame-ass story about an individual in a particular establishment.

I've not got 3 months left. I've agreed to re-new. That's because I'm not unhappy....AT ALL. This is just a single incident. Customer service generally is very good. So someone posts something about a single incident of crap customer service and Kangnam Mafioso exceeds his previous brilliance in this thread with:

1. A totally irrelevant reference to the saving face cliche. Quite how that's applicable I've no idea, but my hopes aren't high of a totally convincing argument.
2. I should go home.

Wowzers, what a half-wit.

[SPINOZA]

[djsmnc]

I think that's around the Rodeo area....there are a couple of stores like that which are usually staffed by the wannabe gangsta Koreans, or the "I'm so westernized that I can be rude like a westerner, even though I'm scared of and hate westerners"

I think they all sell Chinese made imitations anyway.

FORTUNATELY, at the stores I'm thinking of, they don't breathe down your neck the whole time you are browsing. It's kind of a trade off.

[Lemonade]

Koreans = rudeness. The worst of all is the shameless humilation they so often exude (especially while shopping) that is so common-place here. They sure get a kick out of it... I know that's right. You know it's always while you are alone and never if you are with another Korean - Then they are on their best behavior. If they did a lot of what they do over in my country, they'd get their arse kicked and hard... that's for sure. I've experienced enough of it that I don't bother to speak in Korean anymore. I'm tired of them making fun of me when I try, so why bother. When they rattle off Korean numbers I look puzzled and either ask for fingers or a calculator. Then I start saying the number in English and sometimes they learn from me. Next time I go back in to see them, they can speak the prices in English for me and they smile. After hearing your story, I'm glad I don't understand Korean language.... it's just not worth the trouble. I buy from Koreans who speak to me in English... not afraid to say I'm biased... not ashamed of it either.

If I were that angry with someone, I would be in a real big hurry to get out of that place even if it meant that I had to do without and buy at another place. Also, I do remember clerks being extremely rude to me back home too, but not to the extent or frequency as what happens here in Korea.

[JongnoGuru]

Okay, here's an example of -- no, two examples of rude Korean shop clerks that I've encountered, and I hope to clarify exactly why I say they were rude.

1. I was off to meet a girl and was running late. I knew I'd be a bit late, so I dashed into this little girly-gifty shop along the way with the idea of getting her a surprise "sorry I'm late" thingy. Fake flowers & candy or a stuffed toy, whatever -- just something cheap, cute and FAST.

I see something she might smile at, don't see any price indicated, bring it to the ajuma behind the counter and ask how much it is. 12,000 won she tells me. I grimace a bit, because I've only got 10,000 won in cash, don't have time to run to an ATM and I don't like using my credit card for such small purchases. As I walk back to replace the item on the shelf, the ajuma is giving me all sorts of lip ("damn foreigners are always trying to cut the price, always begging for a discount") at that "I'm-muttering-under-my-breath-but-purposely-loud-enough-for-everyone-to-hear-me" speaking volume.

I just left without buying anything. Strangely, this is in an area of Seoul where foreigners are an extremely rare sight, and if one or two did somehow happen to wind up around there, I hardly think they'd be going to her shop. So where the *beep* does she get that attitude, I don't know.

2. I saw an item that caught my eye at an antique shop in Itaewon. This shop hadn't been open very long... less than a year. So the dealer -- the youngish, smiling, English-speaking ajuma behind the counter -- she didn't know me (unlike probably half of all the major antique shops in the city then). I asked the price of the item, she told me. Then I asked for a pen & paper to write it down. The sum was considerably more than I carry around on me, and anyway I wasn't looking to purchase so large an item that particular day. I was just browsing, as one does at antique shops. Smiling, she turned around to get the pad & pen... and then she stopped... turned back around toward me.... her smile had transformed into an evil glare... and she said to me (in English).... "No. I won't do it. I know what you're doing. You're just going to go somewhere else and make us (Korean antique dealers? not sure) reduce our prices! "

I was staggered, to put it mildly. "Holy Sh*t, are YOU in the wrong business, Ma'am".