Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poet13]

Sorry for my poor phonetic spelling up there, but I just realized this morning that for the past week or so, the other teachers have been addressing me as XXXXX sangsengnim. Previously they addressed me as Mr. (first name), or XXXXX teacher. Have I reached some new level of acceptance, or are they just realizing that I understand what it means and they feel comfortable using it? Either way, I'm quite, if unduly, pleased about it.
So how do adults at your work address you?

[zappadelta]

It depends on the situation at my public elementary school. The other teachers usually just call me by my first name, unless it's at a ceremony or something. The students call me either teacher or 선생님.

[chronicpride]

You'll know that they are really comfortable around you when they start calling you 쌤 ('ssaem' or 'XXXX-ssaem'). More informal and a casual derivative of seonsaengnim. Often you'll hear Korean teachers refer to each other by XXX-ssaem.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I've also noticed an increased use of it, especially when teachers are talking to students about me.

[aldershot]

my kids call me 샘.

[Matilda]

Ahhh this is such a touchy topic with me now.... when out of earshot, I am referred to as the 'waegook' to fellow staff, parents and children. However, when they want something, just 'Matilda'.

I am slowly learning to not be so sensitive

[ella]

Isn't it disrespectful for someone to call you by your first name? Do they address other Koreans by their first names?

[xox]

everyone refers to me by my first name.
even the students do too.

[crazy_arcade]

Yeah, they're being disrespectful if they call you be your first name without 선생님. But, it's not really a reason to get your panties in a bunch cuz they're not doing it to be purposely disrespectful. It's more about being outside of their "box." It's not like they're keeping you up at 1:30 am yelling your first name...

[crazylemongirl]

Since my last name is Thompson instead of calling me 톰슨쌤 or 톰슨선썡님 They call me 톰쌤

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[crazylemongirl]

also many family names are difficult for Koreans to pronounce.

[RACETRAITOR]

Koreans have trouble understanding our names. My name is three syllables and the first one is Jon, so they assume it's my family name.

I found out my in-laws call me 케소방 when I'm not around, with the 케 being an abbreviation for Canada.

[Gwangjuboy]

They should really call you 선생님. Even if you aren't a qualified teacher it doesn't matter. Koreans who work in hagwons are called 선생님 despite only having an undergraduate degree. In a public school dance teachers (선생님) who visit the school once a week and the busdrivers are invaribley refered to honorifically even by their superiors. (기사님) They shouldn't really call you by your first name in my opinion. At my school I am addressed as 선생님 by almost everyone except 2 teachers and the deputy headmistress. I once took one teacher aside and had a word with her for calling me by my first name infront of students. It's hard to say whether or not they are deliberately refering to you by your name because they look down on you or because they genuinely don't know how to address you because they haven't had much interaction with foreigners. In my opinion there is probably a bit of both.


It's worth noting that even hairdressers are called 선생님.

[VanIslander]

My students add 'teacher' after my first name and that of another foreign teacher in town.

"Bob teacher, do you talk to Steve teacher?"

That kind of thing. Sounds absurd in English.

(Don't know any Bobs or Steves, but provided an example.)