Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Do people in Seoul have better manners than people in, say, Daegu or Incheon? I have to say that I had so many pleasant experiences of Koreans actually being kind and courteous in Seoul this past weekend that I was really left wondering. Some examples:

- I was on the subway and some relatives were bidding each other farewell. A young adjosshi was backing away from his mother, bowing, and he bumped into me. He turned around and said excuse me in Korean and then 'I'm sorry' in English. I nodded and said 'that's OK' and then stood there kind of stunned. A Korean man or a Korean subway in Korea actually apologised for bumping into a foriegner? I never in 4,000 years thought that could happen.

- Pretty well the same thing happened in a PC-bang when the manager bumped my chair with a chair from the stall behind me that he was cleaning.

- I took a former student of mine who's living in Seoul out for pizza and no one starred or came up to ask her what a first-year uni student was doing with a waegook who looked a decade older than her.

- I was at the Yongsan electronics market and I was W10,000 short what I wanted to buy. I asked where the nearest bank machine was and the manager had his assistant take me there. However, he told me just to take the battery and memory card I wanted to buy with me and pay his assitant at the bank machine. Back home no one would just hand over the goods to a stranger until they were paid in full.

I could go on about some of the common courtesies I'd take for granted in most places that were such a treat to experience in Korea. Of course there was the usual pushing and bumping in the subway and idiot drivers but when comparing Seoul to other areas, I really think this country is slowly becoming civilised.

[doggyji]

They know what's not good and try to change it all the time. It won't be the same after another decade.

No country has had its common manners like today from the beginning. In fact, I see many peoples in the most aggressive war nations once in the past have good public manners now. You be rude. Chop! or Bang! Die.

[Dev]

I agree. People in Seoul have the best manners of any one city in Korea. I was surprised when I moved here from Daegu and actually saw people lining up at bus stops.

People here also abide by the lines painted on subway platforms which tell boarding passengers to keep to the left and right sides of the subway doors. Subway riders in Daegu don't follow this at all. They just crowd in front of the doors making it difficult for people to get off of the trains.

People in Seoul are also more helpful. On several occasions I have had people go out of their way at subway stations to help me find the way to my destination with the subway map. They're very kind.

I also see a lot fewer cars running red lights here compared with Daegu.

Yes. I have to say. People in Seoul are pretty good.

[laogaiguk]

[Dev]

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

I've been known to badmouth Seoul as live in Suncheon, in the deep south of Jeolla. But, I just came back from a weekend in Seoul and was pleasantly surprised at the level of manners from the locals. People are mostly kind down here but their manners don't seem to be as high as those in Seoul. I always noticed that foreigners don't seem to elicit as much attention in Seoul as down here, which is good and bad. I kinda like people turning their heads and staring when I walk by.

[venus]

Didn't spend much time there, but when I once stayed in Daegu for a weekend I was surprised and how rude and cold the people seemed. anyone esle notice it or just me? Never felt it in Seoul/Ilsan/Pusan...

I live in Hannam now and haven;t felt it much either, only the adjoishi's here have a tendancy to tell me and my friends to 'shut up' / 'be quiet' when we are talking on busses here. When we point out that we're not talking loudly they usually complain that our voices 'are more distinct' because we are foriegners.

We all know they don't like to hear foriegners talking in their languages in public. Same for cheola saram's too.

I just reply now with 'no YOU shut up.' If they keep waffling on I shout out 'hangul mal mowoyo. Hangul mal an chowoyo.'

Hate it and makes me cringe when some of my friends actually apologise.... ugh....

[ajgeddes]

I have been surprised a lot lately as well. I live near COEX and use the entrance to the Hyundai department store a lot. Lately, some people have been holding the door open for me instead of just letting it slam in my face. The first time I was shocked and didn't even say thank you, but I have been on the ball lately making sure I say it.

I started riding the subway lately though and physical had to grab an ajumma and stop her because as she pushed by me she ripped the earphones out of my ears (the earphones were actually caught on her and she was pulling my I-Station out of my hand) and then pushed her way onto a busy train while people were trying to get off. However, the others that saw what happened gave me that smile of embarrassment, so it was all good.

[doggyji]

It's actually funny to hear how some snobby Koreans around or in Seoul diss other Koreans in some other parts of the country for being crass and ill-mannered. Inter-Korean stereotyping..

[laogaiguk]

[brento1138]

Having lived in Daegu for one year and a half, and then coming to greater Seoul, yes, I've noticed a difference. Small, subtle, but after a while, it seems big if you add it all up.

So yes, I think Seoulites do have better manners than Daegu folk. Not gonna list everything, but some small things I've noticed are: more bowing, less staring, less loudness in their voices, less spitting, etc. Once, a guy even let me take a taxi when he noticed I was there first!!

[okokok]

Hmmmmmmmm..........

Let's see...... it's not April 1st ....................

I don't get it!!! Come on... let me in on the joke!

[OiGirl]

In Gwangju, people often apologize to me in English if they step on my foot or such.

[ajgeddes]