Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Murph]

I've recently had a rather sour experience as business in Seoul. I usually let these things pass, however this was just beyond the limits of being acceptable. So I want to write a letter of complaint to the manager, and perhaps even forward it to the head office (It's a franchise business). I am just wondering about any potential backlash. This being Korea I think it's fair to say that all bets are off when justice is at hand. I am a little apprehensive because I've heard that in Korea you can be sued for saying something bad about a business even if it's the truth. In my letter I want to tell the manager exactly what happened, express my feelings that what happened was unprofessional, and that there is no excuse for it, mention that I will no longer be a customer there, and finally mention that I will be forwarding a copy of that letter to the main office. I am not going to run the business into the ground, I am not going to suggest that anyone be fired, nor will I say that I am going to tell anybody not to go there in the future.

Does anybody see any major problems or issues with that? I certainly don't want to start something that could end up with me being accused of slander, but I really do want to assert myself.

So the question is should I just let it go because this is Korea and the foreigner is always the one in the wrong no matter what, or should I make an assertive stand?

[Typhoon]

I've sent letter of complaints to TGIF and Outback Steakhouse. The response was always positive and I also got gift certificates for those restaurants following the complaints. I would say making a customer complaint is different than slander/libel. You are complaining to the company, not doing it in public.

[Alan Partidge]

It'd be libel if it's written.

Is it a foreign franchise? If it is, it could be better just writing straight to the home head office.

Have you got proof and or witnesses?

Maybe you could leave it a few days and cool off for a while. You might not even feel like pursuing it by then.

[CentralCali]

A letter of complaint to the manager or the owner is one thing, a letter for public view is another. By writing a letter to the manager, the owner, of (if there is such a thing) the complaint department, you are not trying to tarnish a company's reputation--you're actually trying to help them.