Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

What work do you do for free? What work do you do for really low pay?

Editing, proofreading, writing, or any other free (reduced cost) service.

[kylehawkins2000]

yep, I've done at least three for 'free'.....but actually I am on a salary, as is just about everyone. So I guess it's not really 'free'.

[The Bobster]

If helping out a friend counts as voluntary slavery, consider me accused, tried and convicted. My Korean friends help me in skads of ways, so it's hard to say when "working for free" applies - what goes around comes around and I'm nearly always satisfied by what comes around.

By the way, this is also one aspect of the local culture that not everyone latches on to immediately. You may sometimes notice while hanging out with Koreans that if another acquaintance of theirs drops by while you're hanging out, said friend might or might not introduce you to the new person. If they don't they are not being rude in any way, and in fact they are being considerate towards you : once people are introduced to each other, a new relationship exists, and this casual person who dropped by now has the ability to come to and ask for a favor of some kind should they need it, and you will have the same right. Introductions are much more casual back where we come from and not so fraught with meaning and potential obligation.

Same is true for your boss, um, sometimes. If he or she is a Korean with a sense of honor and duty he or she will in small and appropriate ways to reward you for extra work that you do - might not turn out to be the way you wanted to be rewarded, but it will be what is considered appropriate.

However, as has been said elsewhere, not all Korean businesspeople have this sense of honor with regard to foreigners - we are clearly outside of Korean society, so some feel they can violate their own cultural strictures in our case. Your job is to decide which kind of boss you have.

[mokpochica]

I've done a lot of editing and a little writing. Also I have typed up things in English for people. Most of it has been for teachers at my school that are taking grad school courses. A few of them who can't speak a word of English have brought me translated copies of their class papers (in one case an art teacher) and asked me to fix it up. I don't mind doing it once in a while, but some of the teachers asked me again and again and would never sit down with me and help me through the editing--which was difficult because I'm sure I sometimes changed things to have a different meaning since I couldn't understand what they were trying to say.

[William Beckerson]

The only thing you should focus on in this job is the money.

But I'm a pimp daddy, so my mind is always on my keys and gees

[thorin]

Is it for free if they pay for the whiskey?

[humanuspneumos]

Being the social creatures that we are- is anything really for free?

I've done editing, proof-reading, and writing. However, I usually got a smile, a warm thanks, the pleasure of seeing my creativity in action (students placing highly in speech contests) or some other social bonus.

Also- on the double negative- I avoided pressure, a frown, and future revenge for saying, "No- I won't do it- unless you pay me."