Korean Job Discussion Forums

[goodgood]

Where have you been turned away from?

So far, I've been given the no-go by 3 nightclubs, one bar, two love motels, two restaurants, and had a couple of cabs pull up then pull away.

How 'bout you?

[Ginormousaurus]

I was turned away from a nightclub in Shinchon once. It's right across the street from Hyundai Dept. Store. I was furious, but soon got over it as I met a really good looking lady at the next place I met.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Only a couple of business clubs. Quite a while back. Better off for it, I suppose. I live in the country.

[jajdude]

One hotel in Fukuoka that an American friend suggested, an outside eating area in Gangnam, don't remember much else, other than some cabs slow down, then speed off (used to happen more in the past).

[mindmetoo]

My best Korean friend here in Korea had to dis-invite me from her son's 1st year birthday party because her parents felt it would seem inappropriate to have a Canadian present.

[yingwenlaoshi]

The most popular invite-later-to-be-rejected it seems, is the oh so popular, "Do you want to go skiing with me and my family?"

Total BS.

Or, "Let's go fishing". Oh yeah. Right. Let's go.

It seems they just don't want to do those things with us. You have to force their hand or maybe be overly excited about it, "Yeah, yeah!! Let's go!! Let's go!! When!!! When!!! I really want to go!! When!!!"

[nobbyken]

[yingwenlaoshi]

"LET ME IN!!! LET ME IN!!! WHY DO YOU REJECT ME!?!!!? HOW DARE YOU?!!?"

[bixlerscott]

Got turned away once by a cab and a couple times on buying fruit at a street market, but sometimes, it's impossible to buy something, like at old style street markets, because the seller gives up over the language barrier. Sometimes this can be fixed by passing a pen and paper to write numbers. Haven't been to a non-foreigner bar or club yet nor an orange soju tent. Some things are best left alone as they are.

I think a taxi driving off might simply be avoiding the uncomfortable situation of English speaking. As you might know there is a huge stigma surrounding this English speaking thing due to mentally associating it with affluence (pretentious) which makes many Koreans feel insecure. Some embrace dealing with you, others escape the situation of you there speaking English and some broken Korean. I think it is personal insecurities more so than racism though it's inevitable that some are racist which exists everywhere in all countries.

I know that many Koreans look down on us for being dressed too casually or even, grungy(not saying you are), which could play a huge part in what quality of service, if any, you receive from a Korean as image plays a huge part in the level of respect you get. I noticed that a shopping trip is easier if I am wearing a blazer vs. my casual outfits.

Best that you were turned away from business motels as a visit to one of these might cost millions of won or get you in big hot water, according to a well to do Korean professional I met at a Toastmasters group.

[goodgood]

Ha!

Well, without the facepaint, and without the perm, I look pretty normal.

No really, I'm a normal looking guy. No beard, no mohawk, nothin. I'm unerringly polite- maybe not so much on this board, but in real life I'm a nice guy.

Maybe I just have especially bad luck- or maybe I just try to go too many places... I dunno.

[RACETRAITOR]

I've only ever been turned away by taxis, and usually it's because they're too lazy to do a u-turn or want to find someone going farther away.

[ChuckECheese]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[crazy_arcade]

Hardly been turned away by anything. A club in Anyang, however, apparently it's a heavy gang club (Anyang Tigers) and they will funk up anyone that looks at them funny.

A nightclub in Suwon...but it was a booking club so I don't really care that much. Apparently we got turned away because it was the night that they were doing their strip dance for cash show.

One taxi that I can remember. He actually said, "I'm sorry but I can't understand English so I don't know where you want to go." That was really perplexing.

I've been invited and attended many Korean functions. Chuseok and Seollal with my ex co-teachers extended family was fabulous. They were fantastic hosts and had no qualms about letting a foreigner celebrate with their family.

Oh yeah, learn some Korean and reap the rewards. Life really is much easier when you can simply tell someone exaclty what you want in their native tongue.

[Ginormousaurus]