Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Canada: 'Friends don't let friends drink and drive'. You probably don't go out drinking with your work-mates, and drinking during the week usually means drinking at home alone, but if you did, and your co-worker was staggering towards his car, you'd wrestle the keys out of his hands. The next day at work you'd deposit them on his desk as he sheepishly said 'oh, thank-you'. It probably wouldn't be necessary, however, as before going to the bar you'd count off and every fifth person would be 'DD', consigned to a night of watching 80% of their co-workers act like drunken fools.

Korea: After a night of pouring shot after shot of soju and glass after glass of beer for friends you know will be driving home, and getting shit-faced to the point where you'll still be slightly tipsy when you stroll merrily into work nine hours later, it's finally time for a weekday evening of galbi-bar-noraebang to come to an end. You follow your one co-worker who isn't pissed out of her tree to her car, help Miss Pissed into the back seat and hope she isn't going to puke, jump in the front seat and try to put on your seat belt before the car's in first gear. What happened between then and when your handphone alarm went off at 7AM is a bit of a blur. The next morning upon entering the staff room you think well, I'm sure glad to see so-and-so and so-and-so here.

Anyone else experienced similar conversions?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Most of the Koreans I know won't drink, or won't drink more than one drink, if they are driving a car. I miss my car, but find having to take buses, subways and taxis is quite fun during a discombobulation.

red dog · Joined: 31 Oct 2004

In Japan it's illegal to drink with any amount of alcohol in your blood, and passengers can go to jail along with drivers. I was out with some people a while ago, and I was worried because they were drinking and I was counting on them for a ride home. But the woman who'd picked me up hired someone to drive her car home and drop me off along the way.

In Korea, I relied mainly on cabs for transportation, and I'm sure at least one or two of the drivers had been drinking. It was scary. Shocked

(But I still miss Korea.)

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Next time you're in that situation, why not call a substitute driver (대리운전) service? They'll drive you and your car home, and it's not terribly expensive, either (around W10,000 if I remember right). It's a hell of a lot safer for all concerned than letting yourself be the slightly less drunk driver.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

If you drink drive, you're a fucking imbecile. End of story.

aldershot · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

after 9pm on any given night in my town (a factory town), i assume that most drivers on the road are driving drunk. korean + factory work = huge drinker.

the reason i think they're all driving drunk is because the lots of all the apartments are empty before 9pm, while the bbq's and soju bangs are full.

in my town, it's a normal practice. with a little practice, anyone can become a pretty good drunk-driver.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

aldershot · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

i agree, man. i stay off the roads during factory-worker-drunk-driving-binge-sessions.

Boodleheimer · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject:

lots of my coworkers drink-drive. i think it's scary. but apparently there are regulations in place that if a teacher is caught drink-driving, he gets a suspension from teaching for a while. not sure how long... months or years. but that doesn't stop them!

happeningthang · Joined: 26 Apr 2003

All of my Korean colleagues or students are mortified at the thought of me driving home after a single beer. I'm a big guy, and Korean beer isn't that strong so a single drink does not affect my driving. It's also legal back home, to drive after a drink, with a 0.8 limit, so it's normal practice for me.

Here, however, everyone tut tuts and insist on calling me taxis and proxy drivers. I get the impression none of the would EVER drink and drive.

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

kermo · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

I'm from a place where drinking and driving is very trashy, shameful behaviour. I know that in areas where there are few taxis, buses, and well-lit public roads, drinking and driving is far more accepted.

The only time I've gone out with my boss, everyone started out saying "Oh, I'll only have one or two..." and then drinking the rest of the night. My boss had had the least, but she was nervous, so another guy took the wheel. We drove straight into a police check, where he set off the first breathalyzer, was carted away, but came back grinning (either the second test was faulty or he paid them off.)

I still can't get comfortable with it. I used to drink in my Korean town with a group of friends, and one guy (English) would always bring his car and drive home drunk (and sometimes stoned besides.) I tried a couple times to talk him out of it, but finally (privately) told people I wouldn't sit there with them and watch everyone pour him beers, because I felt responsible. Nobody I talked to felt that his behaviour was a big deal, so I just don't drink with them when he's around. Sad

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

Do not think that your English chum is typical.

All my circle in England do not drink and drive, and no serious person would do.

The Hierophant · Joined: 13 Sep 2005

A foreign teacher here in Jeonju recently died in a drunk-driving accident. He was one week away from finishing his contract and going home. His family and friends are devastated.

I really don't care what Korean drinking culture claims to be acceptable; I'll never drink and drive, and get really, really angry when people do.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject:

I've had a few friends die on the road. All motorcycle accidents. Two were drunk, one was hit by a drunk. One mate in the Philippines is reduced to drooling to "haallloooo" when I see him. I think it's partly because his head is a funny shape now. That's what laying it down and sliding into a curb will do.
My co-workers do not drink and drive and are very critical of those who do. The first time I went out with them, the all drove to the restaurant in their own vehicles, and got pretty bombed. I was worried and asked if they were planning on driving home. They were surprised at even the suggestion. They had arranged for a coworker to come and pick them up and drop them all (four of them) at their homes. Same person picked them all up in the morning and brought them back to the restaurant tp pick up their vehicles. With the amount of public intoxication I see here, I was a little surprised to read in this thread the number of people who report that their co-workers do not drink and drive. Much better than I thought it would be.