Things I don’t understand about Korea

Posted by Jimmy on Aug 2, 2010 in korea | 14 comments

I really like Korea but there are many things I still don’t understand about the place – for example…

Why people, especially market sellers, are so friendly to us. We get free stuff or ‘service’ on a regular basis and people always want to chat.
Why kimchi has really grown on me, to the point of craving it sometimes (in small amounts).
Why many Korean drivers can’t wait at a red light.
Why it’s so good to have a small face.
Why this woman is doing this.

6. Why bus drivers are in such a hurry.
7. Why old ladies punch me in the back when they want to get past.
8. Why my co-teacher laughed when I got my hair cut.
9. Why my students keep saying ‘nice to meet you’.
10. Why anyone likes Wonder Girls.
11. Why men have shoulder bags.
12. Why the government pays so much to have us here.
13. Why people drink hot water.
14. Why kimbap is just so delicious yet it hasn’t caught on in The West.

Anon

15. Why people spit everywhere.
16. Why people stare.
17. Why people can’t mind their own business.
18. Why parents put so much pressure on their children.
Berry

19. Why some people are covered from head to toe in clothing even on the hottest days.
20. Why I’m not allowed to turn the AC on at work despite it being 32 degrees.
mr.pharmacist

15K GBP plus airfare, housing (they get the deposit back)for any public school position is pretty ordinary. I believe the government budgets for more but it would be impossible to see any figures (eg how much do you think they actually claim for those “English Rooms”? )
Jimmy

Let’s not forget the price for orientation (hosting over 1000 people a year for ten days), completion bonus, resigning bonus, trainings, free Korean courses at local universities, and things like the 2-day workshop I attended recently which almost 200 people were involved in at a Boesong beach ‘resort’ (and that was just Gwangju!). Oh, and all the people who work for EPIK who aren’t teachers.

I still think the Korean government spends a hell of a lot in order to have us here when it seems to me that with the exception of after-school programs the majority of students don’t spend enough time with us to benefit greatly.
John from Daejeon

“with the exception of after-school programs the majority of students don’t spend enough time with us to benefit greatly.”

That’s why I’ve been with the same really good hagwon for four years, and it’s really going to be hard when the kids find out I won’t be renewing my contract in a couple of months. Especially, those kids that I’ve taught for all four years, and that I can actually see astonishing improvement. I especially enjoy tormenting my best students by pulling out their old phonics texts that they started out when I/they first started and comparing it to where they are now in their English evolution.
mr.pharmacist

I included completion “bonus”. As for orientation, never had any in 2 years of public school. “Trainings” sounds mysterious. Going to resorts is just Koreans version of PD.
Obviously, yes, they do spend some money. But at the rate of 1 per school it’s ultimately (TESCO) peanuts. If they had to actually show results for it maybe they’d go about it differently.
Jimmy

That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about return on investment and I don’t think the EPIK programme is worth the money.

I’m surprised you haven’t had any training. We’ve had a co-teacher training session and an online training course in only 4 months. I’d happily live without them, though.

I forgot to mention recruitment charges, as well.
http://theseroads.com Amy

21. Matching couples (my favourite oddity in Korea)
22. 6 year old boys with permed hair
23. Fan Death
24. Beondegi (for the love of God, why?)

Also, can we address the lady and the tree now?
WTF? I saw this in Korea too! What’s with that? Surely they must know what it looks like? What do we think the supposed health benefits of this exercise are? Or is she actually getting her rocks off like it appears?
Jimmy

21 is a reall oddity to me, too. Especially matching underwear!

I’m not sure if she was doing the dance of love with the tree or if she was just doing some very cool bouncy thing. Either way, she was doing it in style. I’d like to say I kept a straight face when I saw it but I didn’t. That’s why I removed the audio from the vid.
http://theseroads.com Amy

It’s soooo funny! My yoga teacher in Korea made me do a similar exercise – only minus the tree and horizontal on the floor (geeze that sounds dodgy).
I think it must have some perceived health benefit – like those painful hula hoops with the bumps.

I always liked the people who punch/pummel their muscles during a brisk walk too… Korea is such a funny place through Western eyes
Oldfart

Not to sound overly cynical, but you two really remind me of American teenagers two weeks into their four-week backpack trek across Europe – you’d think you were the first people who ever did this before.
Jimmy

Okay, Oldfart…thanks.

I don’t remember ever saying we were the first people who ‘ever did this before’ and I didn’t realise every blogger had to write original stuff.

We’ll try and sound more miserable and whiny in the future.

Please feel free not to stop by again.
Andrea

25. Why some ESL teachers are so negative.
26. Why they don’t leave.

Thanks for your blog, it is very entertaining. I’m neither young nor new, but I find your observations very amusing.

Cheers!!!

PS your spam protection is really not very friendly – one last try
Jimmy

Thanks Andrea.

I’ve often wondered why so many people who seem to hate it here don’t just leave. I know I would.

Anyhoo, thanks for letting me know about the spam protection. I’ll see if I can do something about it.