Korean Job Discussion Forums

Kimchi Cha Cha · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: was Suncheon, now Brisbane

I'm at the unfortunate point in language acquistion where I can understand a lot of what is said around me but usually can't eloquently retort remarks made about me for fear of sounding like a jabbering fool. So, usually I just ignore insulting or derogatory remarks made by adults.

Though, I increasingly believe that this is actually a disservice to non-Koreans in general if people who understand bad remarks made in front of them do not take a stand against it as it seems many Koreans will continue to make such remarks unabated unless confronted and given a short dose of reality that what they're saying is rude and uncalled for.

A case in point was last night I was a bar which usually during the week caters to mainly Korean clientele but on the weekend often becomes a foreigner bar. I was chatting to the barmaid, who's a nice girl and who I've known for a couple of years. In comes a couple of younger Korean guys who firstly speak quite rudely to the barmaid, who they seem to know, and then make a derogatory remark about my appearance. She tells them off saying I know Korean and understand what they're saying, to which the main culprit bows his head, looks apologetically towards me and remains sullen for the rest of the time he's there.

What I can't understand though is why does it make a difference that I understand for them to change their behavior?

Numerous times when I've been with Koreans who've found out I know some Korean, the first thing they say is 'oh, I better watch what I say around you then'. That always leaves me thinking why can't you just keep ill remarks to yourself regardless of whether the person knows Korean or not.

I'm not really looking for answers, this is just something that frustrates me and I needed to vent. Razz

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

Are you fat?

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

Sigh. I've been thinking about this for a long time myself. I don't know if they will ever change their behavior. I don't think it's possible.

Alyallen

Kimchi Cha Cha · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: was Suncheon, now Brisbane

Alyallen · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:42 pm Post subject:

Kimchi Cha Cha · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: was Suncheon, now Brisbane

Yeah, I find the good people down here are really good, it's just there's a whole lot of ignorant fools in the way a lot of the time. I like it here but I think this will be my last year here, and if I come back to Korea it will be to somewhere slightly more urbane. Cool

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

I usually don't care what they think about me. I know they don't know much or respect much out of their country and wouldn't be able to function or understand a lot outside of their country.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Alyallen

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Oh and like we never do that? I can remember going up an escalator with my friend, making comments about the legs of the woman in front of us, when he said 'You know one of these times we're going to be doing this and get slapped by some bird who understands English perfectly well'.

When I lived in America I had a French girlfriend and we used to make rude remarks about Americans in French all the time. What was even funnier is when Americans would assume I was French and knew little or no English and mutter remarks about us. I can remember being in a restaurant during the invasion of Iraq with some blue collar types sitting across from us. For all I knew they thought we were Spanish but they had been muttering some unpleasant things about us. I loved the look on their faces when it came time to pay the bill and I began talking to the waitress in accentless, standard North American English.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

In the rain storm a few days ago, i was rushing home with some groceries. I passed a couple of high school girls who were taking shelter under a pojang-macha tarp.
I was too much in a hurry, and getting wet, to return their sassy, teasing 'hellooooow", and after i passed by i heard one of them say "Ship-secky!".

I turned around, walked back, and read them the riot act in korean.
It was like a lightning bolt zapped them.

It's quite simple. We are not people here. We are an amusement, often an oddity.
I hear crap all around me. Every day, from all ages... and I have a few one liners I rely on in certain situations.

Won't change anything, but it makes me feel better in the moment.

Masta_Don · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul

Luna · Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Location: seoul suburbs

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

In my experience when Koreans see me on the subway, bus, or in a bar they rarely say anything bad about me. I speak Korean very well but of course they don't know that. In my opinion when Koreans say something bad to you they usually want you to know it. I will say this much though; when Koreans see a whiteman they will often break into a conversation about western culture or English. Invariabley it's the guy who will start enlightening his girlfriend about the English language or how thing things are done in the west. It's not necessarily negative stuff but it's pretty cringe inducing at times.