Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Snowmeow]

For a short period of time last year I worked out with an amateur sports federation in Busan. The members, boys and girls mostly middle school age, would train very heavily, 3 hours per session, 4 days a week. They also had to spent time getting to and from the facility.

It was pretty interesting to train with these kids because they were different from the usual sort that I taught at school. For one thing, they had no interest in English.

I often wondered if their parents had decided early on that their child was not intelligent enough to make it to university, because obviously they could have been studying all those hours instead of lifting a barbell. I'm not saying that they were not smart, it's just that they were so different from the kids I was used to seeing in the classroom. They didn't walk around in uniforms or carry heavy bookbags.

I'd be interested in reading about the life of Korean youth that are following a different path in life - whether it be in sport, military, skilled trades, or in the family business.

Does anyone have a story to share, or know of some resources online?

[pest2]

I've sorta befriended some of the teenage-will-be-pro high school student cycle racers here. They dont study much but they train hard; about 3-4 hours per day. Since it's a high school team, they get to graduate with pretty low scores and STILL go to a non-technical university. One guy that I am sorta chummy with graduated last year but he just wasnt ready, academically, for uni.. even though he'd already been accepted. The Uni wants cycle racers for the Uni cycle racer team, so they gave him some extra help and whatnot to catch up.

Almost all of these kids are pretty poor... their families couldnt afford to send them to hakwon. They passed the cycling-ability test and in addition to the prospects for being a famous cyclist and going to the olympics, it might also be a way into uni and then a better job....

on the team, I'd say they are very very very "group oriented" compared to bike racers I knew in the usa. The team does everything together... Sometimes i believe it is good for these kids because it gives them some real guidance they wouldnt otherwise get, but sometimes its a detriment to some of them because the "we must all be the same" mentality certainly holds some of them back. Also, they dont seem to learn to think for themselves about training and tactics, either...

Final difference between korea and usa is that whereas in the latter, student athletes are well liked and respected by almost all, this is not the case in Korea... they are not good dating prospects for the girls because they will probably not become rich businessmen who work for a major Korean corporation...

And, of all the people I've met here, these kids are some of the coolest because for some reason, they dont seem to care about "going with the flow" of what everyone else in Korea is thinking and doing.

[Len8]

I live near the Gwangju sports middle and highschool, and I sometimes use their gym for free. Iit's always open, and nobody ever kicks you out. I have gotten to know some of the students at the academy, and they are a cool bunch of kids. Something about them that sets them apart from the run of the mill Korean sterotype that we are all used too. They are friendly, not interested in English and very healthy looking. Comes from all of the exercise I guess. They walk around town with a different type of swagger too. It's a different kind of confidence, and not an arrogant one either.

The Gwangju school trains students for track, gymnastics, wrestling and shooting. I think maybe badminton too. The wrestlers are an impressive sight to see. Imagine a bunch of young middle school kids walking around built like young linebackers and pleasant to boot. Funny as hell.

A director told me parents of the kids (particularly the girls) get financial assistance to move near the school. Their regime is quite intense. Training eight hours a day

The university I was at before had an all girls soccer team. I used to work out in the gym when they were exercising, and they were the funnest bunch of Korean girls as a group that I had ever met. They were paid to play soccer only. Free tuition and all, but studying wasn't required. I talked about this with some of the Korean staff, and they said that the opportunity to study was there for them, but that most of them weren't interested. Of all of them only one took advantage of the free tuition and was studying social welfare.

[Snowmeow]

Thanks guys, they were interesting reads.

The World Championships in my sport are being held this year in Thailand starting this weekend, and the Koreans look to have a very strong team. I will post a bit later about if I can get some good info specifically about the Koreans. The Worlds in 2009 are being held in Korea (Goyang City) so I am really tempted to be in Korea for these.

[Len8]

Snowmeow what is your sport?

[Snowmeow]

It's weightlifting
http://weightlifting.sports.or.kr/weight/index.jsp

Thailand Worlds web site
http://www.royalwwc2007.com/main.php

for example:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gTdkhAl1B2w

The strongest woman in the world right now is Korean, her name is Jang Mi-Ran

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200610/200610090009.html