Korean Job Discussion Forums

Fresh Prince · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: The glorious nation of Korea

Lately, I've been really under the microscope. The neighbors where I live in a small town, watch everything I do, and gossip about it. I've caught them snooping through my garbage, I even caught one guy following me in a car.

Several months ago, I went to the bank to withdraw some money, and I noticed a guy that was dressed like a construction worker watching me. I walked down the street and saw a new store that I hadn't noticed before and decided to go into it. I walked in noticed the guy had followed me into the store. I quickly checked walked around the store but realized that it had no western-food and basically nothing I would be interested in, so I walked out. As I was leaving, the guy that was following me, was still there. He had entered the store and watched me as I walked the aisles then he left behind me without buying anything, or even entering the shopping area. As I was walking up the staircase to leave the store, the man continued to follow me out the door and followed me further as I walked away.

Recently, I've been craving tuna sandwhiches and have been buying tuna from my local neighborhood store every couple of days. As I was walking home the other day, one of my neighbors stopped me and asked me if I have a cat.

Has anyone else experienced this? I don't think that they mean any harm but are just curious, it's a little un-nerving to say the least though.

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Learn to growl at them and you will be ok.

seoulsucker · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject:

Approach those following or staring in a friendly manner, speak quickly and use as many colloquialisms as possible. I scared off a town of about 10,000 people using that method. I went from the town freakshow to the town leper in about 2 weeks, and it was lovely.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

It's just curiosity, but it can be pretty freaking annoying. I just put on my best don't F with me face everywhre I go. It works pretty well.

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Walk up to them and lick them from their chint to their forehead. Right up the middle of their face.

They don't like it much and normally leave you alone after that.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Do you have a cat because you buy tuna? haha!!!

I guess they imagine that tuna must be a Korean thing. Americans don't eat tuna--only hambogo!

articulate_ink · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:08 pm Post subject:

It's funny, I had thought about posting something about this, because I'm going through one of those phases where I don't want to leave my apartment. It's not exactly like running the gauntlet, but I'm the only Westerner in the immediate area and I hate it.

The shopkeepers who own the convenience store across the street from my building sit outside during warm weather. Several of the other local ajummas and ajosshis congregate out there as well. My comings and goings are definitely the subject of neighborhood gossip. The lady who owns the beauty shop down the street evidently took an instant dislike to me; I tried to smile and nod but she'd pull this ghastly exaggerated smile-like grimace face in response, so I gave up on her. The ajosshi from the boshintang restaurant next door (I think he butchers a dog every day around 10.30) completely ignores me, so I've given up on him. One time, one of the older men drinking in front of their shop summoned me over with the palm-up gesture that's considered rude here. (I kept walking.)

The shopkeepers themselves are pleasant enough most of the time, but in the last couple of days they've got themselves all worked up about how I dispose of my garbage and recyclables. For a year, I've been putting everything where the building's facilities guy told me to put it. As of two days ago, Mr Ajosshi and Mrs Ajumma are in a tizzy because of... something involving the trash. I have no idea. But after a summer of scrutiny as I enter and leave my building, constantly being noticed is getting on my last nerve.

Bleh.

mj roach · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

It's not only a 'small town' thing...happens everywhere. Anyone who thinks they can do anything and go un-noticed here..hasn't got a clue as to where they are.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Have a spank on your front porch... Very Happy

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

This particular troll needs to be harpooned.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

It's community style cock blocking. You will never get laid if the locals are scrutinizing you like that. If a girl ever got seen going into your place, they'd likely make her life so awful, he'd have to relocate or kill herself.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Wait until you find a GF. Prepare for a) complaints to your school (they'll find out where you work) b) torch lit parades.

I remember one guy posting here about him merely making friends with the lady cashier at his local mart. She was basically asked to quit her job and move out of town. His boss asked him to stop seeing the woman. They weren't doing anything beyond coffee.

And those idjits down in Taejong or whatever with the "you're being watched" posters wonder why we'd all be so sensitive. Oish.

That said, a Korean friend moved down to Suwon. Not a small town, per se. She's pretty westernized, 30s, single. Anyway, yeah she's the talk of the neighborhood. People even discuss what she's buying at the grocery store.

Charitably one might look at it like you're akin to finding your daughter's bed partner at the breakfast table. You're kind of this odd house guest that's shown up. No one recalls inviting you. Always pass everything through the notion this is one huge family. Koreans aren't pushy any more than you're pushy when your loud, boisterous family is crammed into a small house to celebrate christmas. You'd think nothing about giving your aunt a little nudge out of the way to get to the bathroom.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Why not just introduce yourself as _________-seonsaengnim from ______________________ hakyo? Once they find out who you are, whom you're connected with, and why you live there they'll likely stop bothering you. Walking or hanging around with middle-class Korean friends or co-workers helps, too. Obnoxious peasants usually don't enjoy their company. I live in a hick town and since almost everyone knows who I am I rarely get any of that crap. If some peasant followed me into Paris Baguette or Sukbong Toast or Hick Mart they'd see me exchanging greetings and pleasantries with the owner or staff, know that I'm familiar to people, and could get informed / told off by the owner if they wanted to know more about me or be rude to me.

A case in point - this summer I took my small, intensive 'camp' class out for galbi on Friday after our last class. At the other end of the side-seating area we where we sat down was a fairly boarish-looking couple in their 50s, giving us a look like 'what on earth is that young white guy doing with a bunch of middle school girls?'. The ajuma came out and greeted me 'ah seonsaengnim oso oseyo!' and the next time I looked over the old farts by the other wall had a look like gee, isn't that ever nice that their teacher is taking them out for lunch. Of course it helped that the ajuma knew me from many previous visits and probably heard a bit about me from my vocational students who've worked there.

Once you build relationships with people everything changes.