How is the life in Korea?

[kobe23]

So if you don't know any Korean, asking young women has the highest success rate. At least, it has had for me (kobe will like this ).

Wow, that's fantastic news! At least now I know I won't have to resort to cheesy pickup lines to start a conversation with these lovely young Korean women

Anyway...yeah, on a serious note, I personally feel the Westernization (or Americanization) of Korea is a good thing. In fact, this is the very reason why I started to get into Korean entertainment in the first place. Even though I am Asian myself I had never previously been interested in any form of Asian entertainment simply because it's not westernized enough for me (read: too fob-ish). It is also the reason why I don't like movies or dramas in a period setting. I don't choose to feel this way, but perhaps living much of my life in Australia has something to do with it. And then.....I discovered K-pop, K-movies and K-dramas. I haven't looked back since.

I'm all for Westernization, just as long as Korea maintains its own identity and style in their entertainment and I believe they have done that well.

[namilussah]

Hey there first of all thanks a lot for replying to my question.

My wish to go to korea has become an obsession . i love there language and i actually started to learn it. i guess its easy to learn something when u want to and who knows, maybe its going to become handy when i finally visit the country ...... eh~~

OMG ur soo like me..ahaha i joined this korean club that teaches us free korean at skool.. just coz i wanna go to korea too so am lookin at like teach english jobs there..seems to be the best idea..well have to finish skool first..ahaha

Lucky you!! you have clubs that teaches you korean, thats really cool, i wish we had such clubs too for me i depend totally on what i can learn from dramas. I read this tip from someone here that watching the drama without sub then again with the sub helps, i think am going to try that with old dramas that i've already watched so i don't ruin the new dramas that am currently watching

[namilussah]

Thank you very much all you guys who added really valuable information about life in korea. i really appreciate it coz am actually new here and this is my first thread.

well it has been 3 days since i last checked the thread (been really busy lately ) and i was happy with the contents of my first thread. however, i must say that i was shocked when i checked it today, 3 days and the thread went from 2 to 6 pages mostly containing stuff that i would never thought would appear in such topic.

Again, i really appreciate all the members who contributed with their experiences on living in korea and helped make this thread really useful.

HOWEVER, (Sorry, but i have to say this), anyone who feels like discussing subjects that are off topic or fight or anything that takes the fun out of this thread to do that somewhere else, PLZ, you can open new threads and discuss whatever u feel like discussing there.

[Néa Vanille]

I don't think watching dramas without subs is that helpful for total beginners. It sure is a great tool for people who already have an understanding of grammar and syntax, but I can't imagine you'll learn much as a beginner (I assume you are one).

For learning Korean conveniently, I recommend the Let's Speak Korean TV Show. Season 2 had over 200 10-minute episodes, Season 3 is up to over 100 now.

Season 2 goes at a faster pace than Season 3. Season 3 is very slow, too slow for me overall, so I watch only the old episodes of Season 2 (Season 2 is the one with Lisa and Steven as hosts, Season 3 is with Lisa and Kim Young). If you can use Clubbox, all of Season 2 and Season 3 up to the newest eps is available for download on http://clubbox.co.kr/seirin . If you can't use Clubbox, Season 2 is available on youtube last time I checked and there should still be a torrent around somewhere too.

[cjgohan2003]

People need to see the true light. It's a race war in the real world for dominance over others!

I heard that from a Crazy KKK-like Nazi from the Tyra Banks show

I really hope that was an exageration.

[namilussah]

Thanks Néa Vanille for the tip, i just finished watching the first episode of Let's Speak Korean on Youtube. You were right it's really helpful and fun at the same time.

[AboutDrama]

After watched "sicko," I'm just curious. Do anyone know about the health care system in Korea? If so, can anyone share the info?

[Bigjmaster14]

How do koreans treat foreigners? I would love to go there and i am Indian and i must say i will stick out like a sore thumb because i am of the "darker" pigment

[Enki]

I've been in Korea for 6 months so far, and I think the best advice is

Don't believe what others say about Korea

No, to be more reasonable....half believe and half disbelieve. Keep the advice of others in mind, but don't think of it as solid rules set in stone. Use the advice and opinions of others as a "temporary" idea and disregard them when your experience contradicts it. Regard them as other people's points of view, interesting and informative, but might not apply to everyone. Avoid too much exoticism ("The Koreans do this...the Koreans do that...") and focus more on getting to know individual people.

Somehow I think that's the way to go (for any country), but others might disagree

[Amber111]

What I want to know is if they have those big screen tvs in those busy cities hanging from like the sky so you can watch while walking down the street , I think in Japan they have that.

[djrepeat]

Like many of you guys, i´m too a korean "fanatic" . So i´ve decided too leaving out the dream .....(Yeah i´m hardcore like dat...), Anyway my university offer one year or 6 months study abroad. Will one year be too long? I´m a twentyish asian male. And from what i have read and heard(from this thread and other), i´m on the impression that korean youth or people are hard to get to know. Is that true? And for you guys who have or live in Korea. Where did you guys stay? Were you staying in some kind of a dorm or just rent a room? Is it expensive?Any recommendation?( that´s right i´m desperate...) Well last but not least, i would like to experience Korea, by experience i mean clubbin. Does that come cheap, or am i askin a stupid question? (you now like how much for a drink, entering fees, etc)

[Néa Vanille]

6 months is not long enough to learn Korean (unless you already know Japanese, in which case you could get a solid foundation in the language much faster), so I'd say you'd probably get more out of a year.

Meeting Koreans isn't hard, however you must know that in Korea meeting people through friends seems to be far more common than meeting strangers in bars or wherever (although it does happen too of course in the right kind of club) so if you manage to make friends with just one person that will likely open the door to many others for you. Use Skype to chat up some Koreans your age and to make some fast early friends.

Clubbing is rather expensive - Seoul is currently ranked as the world's 3rd most expensive city after Moscow and London.

[djrepeat]

thx for the replies. And can´t wait to the departure date p.o

[ixdnL]

ahh. I went to Korea on the Yonsei program for 5 weeks. The only thing cheap there is the food and little trinkets =X
I heard living there is crazy expensive. Pretty much everyone drinks and most people smoke. But still it's a great place to be =]

[Enki]

I should add a little warning

If you're one of those touch-phobic North Americans who freak out at physical contact with members of the same sex..........be prepared for a little shock in Korea

Bigjmaster14 I'm in Korea now and half-Arab. I'm not very very dark skinned, but I don't look like a "typical" (white skin, fair hair, light eyes) either....in my experience you won't get as much attention as the typical white visitor. I'm not saying you fit in, just you'll stick out less. Also, I met a lot of people from the Indian subcontinent region living in Seoul, especially near Itaewon where the mosque is. Indian food is also popular in Seoul

[xproud2bapnayx]

out of curiosity...... i c alot of ppl drink soju in kdramas..... jus wondering ... in korea.. is there like age limits for alcohol.. if so.. wat age is right?

[Néa Vanille]

I'm not totally sure, but I believe the drinking and clubbing age in Korea is 20 (Korean age), which corresponds to 18 or 19 Western age. It's not really my field of expertise, though.

[kobe23]

So....are Taxis and Soju really free of charge in Korea?

[Sonaa]

So if you don't know any Korean, asking young women has the highest success rate. At least, it has had for me (kobe will like this ).

Wow, that's fantastic news! At least now I know I won't have to resort to cheesy pickup lines to start a conversation with these lovely young Korean women

Anyway...yeah, on a serious note, I personally feel the Westernization (or Americanization) of Korea is a good thing. In fact, this is the very reason why I started to get into Korean entertainment in the first place. Even though I am Asian myself I had never previously been interested in any form of Asian entertainment simply because it's not westernized enough for me (read: too fob-ish). It is also the reason why I don't like movies or dramas in a period setting. I don't choose to feel this way, but perhaps living much of my life in Australia has something to do with it. And then.....I discovered K-pop, K-movies and K-dramas. I haven't looked back since.

I'm all for Westernization, just as long as Korea maintains its own identity and style in their entertainment and I believe they have done that well.

That's kind of a shame! I love period drama. I guess it's like young people hating westerns or judy garland movies. Some people don't like old stuff more than the whole fob-ish thing. I will always love old/period shows whatever the culture I especially find it neat in Korean drama because it brings history back to the young people who are caught up in only becoming westernized. In a way it makes it stylish so they can enjoy it and learn something too!

[YaGaMi82]

I've got nothing to ask at the moment but I'd like to thank Néa Vanille and everyone else about the insight into life in Korea. Keep posting info that may interest us.

[Jung-won]

Life in Korea is good, but it is not how you see it in the drama's. Sorry to burst some bubbles.

[dokidoki.00021]

We`ll I wasn`t born in Korea, but I spent 19 years of my life there and yes I am Korean. My parents are Zainichi Koreans (born in Japan) and so was I but I moved to Korea at age 3. Everything is pretty normal there...I don`t really know what people would expect, unless you are addicted to the life of Korean drama heros and heroines, to be honest, it`s not like that. School was the biggest priority for students at my school so there was no time for the "prince" of the school to sweep me of my feet...but then again, there was no prince, I went to an international school and then a regular Korean school. Foreginers in Korea werent anything special, yes we would look but I didn't stare much because there were so many foreigners at my school....who needed to? Because my parents still have Japanese mentality and their parents too, we usually do things different from "born and bred in Korea" Koreans so we got stared alot or wrongly judged but no one ever said anything to our face so...I didn't care.
I just say go to Korea if you really want to find out, it`s not a bad place, and it`s not extremely amazing...I guess you get that feeling when you are in the same place for so many years and it still doesn`t feel like home, but it is my home and I love Korea.
Maybe because even though I was born in Japan I don't speak the language and in Korea, I speak the language it's closer to me but yet far away. Get it? Probably not.
Please don`t hesitate, book your tickets now.^^
I`m in America right now, so I`m feeling a little homesick myself and I can`t find a place for pulkogi. TT.TT

[bodychariot]

I just came back after studying 6 months in Korea. The country has many pro's and cons and depending on your personality it may or may not be the country for you. I had a blast while I was there and I plan to go back and work there for an extended period of time starting next year however others I knew didn't have as great of a time. I would say Korea is the most superficial society I have seen, I mean America is bad in many ways but I have seen Koreans make comments that I have never heard in America. For example my ex-girlfriends mother made her get surgery and said she couldn;t get a decent job in seoul unless she fixed her nose, which in my opinion was fine before the surgery! In addition Koreans can be quite exclusive and hard to understand in the workplace but I suppose that is the case for any international work. Overall I love Korea, its very alive at night and everything is very accessible unlike America. The service is excellent and presentation is great (although it has to do with superficiality). I agree that some Koreans can be quite dull but so are many americans who are only open to america...I think the same is for any country. I recommend travel to Korea and luckily its not totally overrun with foreigners yet like Thailand or Japan!
BTW I have recently made a blog bodychariot.blogspot.com for those interested!

[ayshaella]

hi. anyong..

i just wanted to know HOW DO YOU SAY 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' in korean language..

thanks!

i'll appreciate your help.

[Néa Vanille]

생일 축하합니다 (sangil jukahamnida), but this isn't really the place to ask this. We are open to translation requests in the Korean D-Addicts thread in the International section.

[ayshaella]

생일 축하합니다 (sangil jukahamnida), but this isn't really the place to ask this. We are open to translation requests in the Korean D-Addicts thread in the International section.

thank u nea. and sorry if i asked on the wrong thread.

[namilussah]

We are open to translation requests in the Korean D-Addicts thread in the International section.

me too am looking for a thread where i can find someone to help me with translation to korean, but i couldn't find the thread could you post a link for it Plz ?? Thanks in advance

[Néa Vanille]

http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic_24833.htm

[Angye]

yupppp its true, they are really really very friendly, and very kind, thats why im inlove hehehehe , i really wanna go back there

you dont need a car, seoul its a really safe city, im a girl, and i couldnt believe that i was walking on the streets over night wow by myself, and nothing happened thats awesome, even when you a lot of people drinking soju hehehehe , but is nice and the food, oh my gosh i really miss noodles, ramen, kimchi,bugogi...wow ....korean are always ready for helping specially if you dont speak korean heheheh the always have a smile for you........

[wujou_mao]

1) First, the service over there is light years ahead of what we have here in the States. As a side note, you don't have to tip over there because apparently, it's taboo. Now someone please explain that one to me.

who tips? i certainly dont, and if i went to your country, [which is unlikely] i certainly won't tip. i'm all for giving small change out in the collection box's for 'save the children', but tipping a taxi driver? . maybe just round up the fare to the nearest total fare.

6) Young women there are always traveling in pairs. Can anyone from over there please provide some insight as to why? I'm curious.

you have to be pretty boring to walk around on your todd right? besides, women always walk around in paris anywhere in asia. for instance, if you're in a remote moutain village in somewhere like Laos or Thailand, the people would asume you need looking after and follow you as walking aroud on your own isn't part of their culture. or going to Malaysia and walking around a strict Muslim town on your own will just get you stares if you're a woman.

The air quality there is brutal. Also, in some places, you can actually smell the sewage from below.

are you sure you're not getting mixed up with stinky tofu and raw sewage? i have been to korea and i found it clean. if you want smelly toliets, go to china in the summer males take a leak outside in an oil drum. the stench will make you gags, as well as the stench of stinky tofu

[Néa Vanille]

Korea's not clean at all. Koreans seem to have no qualms whatsoever with throwing **** onto the street and letting it pile up, so of course there's some smell. I've been to Japan and whoa! - while the air pollution is comparable, Japan definitely is a lot cleanier and classier, even Tokyo. No wonder my Japanese classmates always complain about the garbage here. Japanese people seem to feel a lot more responsible about taking care of their own garbage.

The dirt doesn't really bother me though, it's just one of those things about Seoul. You get used to it, and I still love the city more than Tokyo even if it's dirtier. One of the perks of a "dirty" city is that there's food stalls on every corner in Seoul selling street food for ridiculously cheap prices. Those are painfully missing in Tokyo.

[Sonaa]

We`ll I wasn`t born in Korea, but I spent 19 years of my life there and yes I am Korean. My parents are Zainichi Koreans (born in Japan) and so was I but I moved to Korea at age 3. Everything is pretty normal there...I don`t really know what people would expect, unless you are addicted to the life of Korean drama heros and heroines, to be honest, it`s not like that. School was the biggest priority for students at my school so there was no time for the "prince" of the school to sweep me of my feet...but then again, there was no prince, I went to an international school and then a regular Korean school. Foreginers in Korea werent anything special, yes we would look but I didn't stare much because there were so many foreigners at my school....who needed to? Because my parents still have Japanese mentality and their parents too, we usually do things different from "born and bred in Korea" Koreans so we got stared alot or wrongly judged but no one ever said anything to our face so...I didn't care.
I just say go to Korea if you really want to find out, it`s not a bad place, and it`s not extremely amazing...I guess you get that feeling when you are in the same place for so many years and it still doesn`t feel like home, but it is my home and I love Korea.
Maybe because even though I was born in Japan I don't speak the language and in Korea, I speak the language it's closer to me but yet far away. Get it? Probably not.
Please don`t hesitate, book your tickets now.^^
I`m in America right now, so I`m feeling a little homesick myself and I can`t find a place for pulkogi. TT.TT

I'm sorry that's happening to you, but realize what's behind it. It's the occupation of Korea by Japan for 30yrs. Koreans were made to do things against their will at the point of guns. they couldn't speak Korean or have Korean names. The country's flower, the rose of Sharon was dug up and replaced with cherry blossoms... It was a long hard time. Every time Korean turned to an ally, it was backstabbed and again placed under occupation. So many old Korean people remember and still harbor hard feelings.
Fortunately my mom isn't so much like that. My aunt married a Japanese man and after years really found she liked Japan. She still lives there now and owns a very nice restuarant. I like both Japan and Korea. I think the cultures and history we share speak a lot about us.

I do ask you to read this before say so-what-get-over-it:
Koreans vs. Japan history
Also I encourage you to look up the people called Ainu ( or they prefer to be called Utari). Their discrimination by Japanese are even older than that.

It's funny and sad human beings are this way.

PS. I just want to say QUEEN MIN!!!

[Sonaa]

I just came back after studying 6 months in Korea. The country has many pro's and cons and depending on your personality it may or may not be the country for you. I had a blast while I was there and I plan to go back and work there for an extended period of time starting next year however others I knew didn't have as great of a time. I would say Korea is the most superficial society I have seen, I mean America is bad in many ways but I have seen Koreans make comments that I have never heard in America. For example my ex-girlfriends mother made her get surgery and said she couldn;t get a decent job in seoul unless she fixed her nose, which in my opinion was fine before the surgery! In addition Koreans can be quite exclusive and hard to understand in the workplace but I suppose that is the case for any international work. Overall I love Korea, its very alive at night and everything is very accessible unlike America. The service is excellent and presentation is great (although it has to do with superficiality). I agree that some Koreans can be quite dull but so are many americans who are only open to america...I think the same is for any country. I recommend travel to Korea and luckily its not totally overrun with foreigners yet like Thailand or Japan!
BTW I have recently made a blog bodychariot.blogspot.com for those interested!

Nice Blog!

[Sonaa]

Korea's not clean at all. Koreans seem to have no qualms whatsoever with throwing **** onto the street and letting it pile up, so of course there's some smell. I've been to Japan and whoa! - while the air pollution is comparable, Japan definitely is a lot cleanier and classier, even Tokyo. No wonder my Japanese classmates always complain about the garbage here. Japanese people seem to feel a lot more responsible about taking care of their own garbage.

The dirt doesn't really bother me though, it's just one of those things about Seoul. You get used to it, and I still love the city more than Tokyo even if it's dirtier. One of the perks of a "dirty" city is that there's food stalls on every corner in Seoul selling street food for ridiculously cheap prices. Those are painfully missing in Tokyo.

I learned through sociology it's because Japan no longer has a choice. It's actually been buying quality farm land in the united states, because they are getting infinitely too crowded. That's why there has been advancement in space management for homes and for technology such a trash biodegrader in homes. I'm not sure if Korea will reach that point.. but I guess we'll see? That's why the some areas in the west in the usa are looking toward more land conservation and defeating urban sprawl. They don't want to see wide open land disappear..

Ooo I love food stalls! And cheap too *drools*

[masterwower]

korea is one of the fun country in the world.
lots of everything.
lots of good food.
lots of good friends you can make.
lots bad situations if you don't speak the language too, so to have a friend to help you by would be nice.
i travel alot around the world but i would have to say that Korea is one of the exciting country in the world both during the day and the night.
btw, lots of places to visit too. don't forget jaeju island.

[Dior^aDDicT]

i'll definitely go to Korea and Japan one day. i always love Japan and Korea. thanks for all the infos. they are very2 useful

[MsDeath]

Hi all

Since i discovered korean dramas i got addicted to them , am starting to like everything about korea. My dream now is to travel to korea and experience the life there, meeting some celebrities would be greate too . what do u guys think , is it worth it, i mean is korea as greate as i think it is?

Geez when you are going there don't forget to come by Abu Dhabi and take me with you ^^

[jotdess]

I haven't been there in so long, I barely remember anything. Plus, when I went there, I was still pretty young and my cousins didn't really know where to go and what to do. I did all the tourist stuff which I didn't really care for. I wanted to party lol.

Ok, so I'm seriously considering moving to Korea for a year or two. Only problem is I have no idea what type of visas or documents I need to work there during that time period. Also, how hard is it to find a place to live around Seoul? In the US most places have lease agreements for 6 months to 1 year depending. How does it work in Korea? Thanks in advance. I have other questions, but I guess I can ask later.

[jotdess]

Anyone?

[Néa Vanille]

As what? As an English teacher or at a Korean company or as a student? Visa requirements are different depending on what you do there (of course).

They recently made the requirements for an E-2 (teaching ) visa a lot stricter (which has resulted in even more illegal teaching going on, but that's another topic). Whereas you didn't need these things before, you know need to turn in a medical certificate (including an HIV test) and a criminal background check (which I heard is a pain in the butt to get). Other things you need are a 4-year degree or higher and a passport from an English-speaking country.

Requirements for other types of work visas you'll have to research yourself, but I know a degree is the base requirement for almost every type of work in Korea (only athletes and celebrities seem to be exempt from this).

If you're an English teacher, you won't have to worry about accomodation because it is usually provided. But if for some reason you need to find accomodation yourself....

Housing works either under the 월세 or 전세 systems. The first rents you an apartment on a monthly fee and the second on a huge deposit and key money. Typically most housing is expensive in Korea but if you're willing to put up with meager living standards you can get by cheaply enough. I have a friend who lives in a tiny one-room apartment for $350 a month. Myself I stay at a homestay (no deposit or key-money required, whoo!) with shared bathroom and no kitchen but 2 meals a day provided for $350 as well. But we're both very lucky to have found such cheap accomodations.

Another friend of mine stays at a guest house permamently and it's really cheap (something like $200 a month) with a TINY room. It really depends on what you want and what your budget is.... if you want a nice snazzy big apartment in Kangnam, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg.

Just decide on your price-range, the area you want to live in on on your type of accomonation. Koreans typically find housing either on the internet or from a 부동산 (a real-estate agency). Because the former is free and the latter costs a fee, start with the internet. If you don't know Korean, it's best to ask a Korean friend to search the net for you. If you're not happy with whatever your friend digged up, come to Korea, stay at a guest house for a couple of days and go to an agency. It's not that hard to find accomodation here.

[ttoo66]

it's a nice topic. it answered many of Qs i' had after knowing korean culture but still there r one question.
almost every korean drama has a sceen where a woman beats a man usualy in tha street where everybody watch. is it normal to beat a man whether he's son or forigener in korea?

[Néa Vanille]

I saw girls beating their boyriends a lot in Korea.

BTW, people, did you know that this thread has been translated to Korean and posted in a Korean blog? O.O

http://gesomoon.com/zboard/zboard.php?i ... sc&no=1716

Amazing.

[dabogy]

i am also interested to know hows life in south korea..

[NoRefund]

i'm actually in the process of setting up a trip of at least 2 months to korea to teach english which supposedly isn't very hard to get at all since they're always looking for english speaking recent college grads (no i'm not a teacher or anything). From what I've read, this kind of opportunity is great to take if you're interested in going over there for a somewhat extended period of time

[watersoflethe]

I saw girls beating their boyriends a lot in Korea.

BTW, people, did you know that this thread has been translated to Korean and posted in a Korean blog? O.O

http://gesomoon.com/zboard/zboard.php?i ... sc&no=1716

Amazing.

ahaah
thanks for the link..i actually read through all the comments..
some (really racists ones) were quite annoying..
but yet some were quite funny
as i was reading the comments i kept thinking that korea still has a lot to work on on their openness to other cultures...sigh..

Korea's not clean at all. Koreans seem to have no qualms whatsoever with throwing **** onto the street and letting it pile up, so of course there's some smell. I've been to Japan and whoa! - while the air pollution is comparable, Japan definitely is a lot cleanier and classier, even Tokyo. No wonder my Japanese classmates always complain about the garbage here. Japanese people seem to feel a lot more responsible about taking care of their own garbage.

The dirt doesn't really bother me though, it's just one of those things about Seoul. You get used to it, and I still love the city more than Tokyo even if it's dirtier. One of the perks of a "dirty" city is that there's food stalls on every corner in Seoul selling street food for ridiculously cheap prices. Those are painfully missing in Tokyo.

you know i was thinking the exact same thing as you when i first went to tokyo...
i was born in seoul and spent my childhood there and i was used to its dirtyness..
people used to tell me that you can't help it when you have too many people living in such a small area together...
but then i went to tokyo and i was like...DAMN!! its CLEAN...WTHECK and so...
from what i concluded its because of korea's government's stupid way of dealing with the trash....
you pay for your trash being taken out by each plastic bag.
so the plastic bag you buy is expensive and it includes the price of trashing it....
there's different sizes and different ones that can hold different trash....they can get sort of expensive if you are building up a lot of trash...but unless you put your trash in those specific bags they wont be taken...
i think the point is that it was to get people to reduce their amount of trash and recycle and such...but then what happened is people started to dump their trash whereever they can to save money..
also they don't have trash cans on the streets since people would just trash their trash there then...
so when you are walking around the streets there's no place to trash any trash you build up like water bottles and such. i used to just end up carrying around until i get home but there are a lot of people who wouldn't do that and just trash them on the streets.
in tokyo they actually have trash cans on the streets so it was easy to get rid of my trash.
seriously though the trash thing is freaking annoying. my aunt was moving so we needed a lot of trash bags. i bought this one trash bag which was really big and it was like around ~$15 and we filled it and put it outside for it to be taken. the next morning we came out and all the trash was spilled everywhere in front of the apartment and the trash bag was gone. someone had jacked our TRASH BAG. i was like OMG give me a break....trash bag thief.....-_-; only in seoul would that happen sigh..

sorry i started ranting...

[Danger Ghost]

Hi all

Since i discovered korean dramas i got addicted to them , am starting to like everything about korea. My dream now is to travel to korea and experience the life there, meeting some celebrities would be greate too . what do u guys think , is it worth it, i mean is korea as greate as i think it is?

Geez when you are going there don't forget to come by Abu Dhabi and take me with you ^^

aaaaaah.. gurls gurls me 2 i wanna go with u i wanna go...
just come 2 Abu Dhabi ..and i'll be in ur bag don't worry

[memorii no memorii]

how is the life in Korea ?
(askin back the question since no1 update it)

[R K e 1 C A]

great posts...for the most part...informative but most posts were 2007

pretty sure some things have changed?

anyone care to contribute it would be greatly appreciated for someone planning on going back to Korea after 8-10 yrs

[namilussah]

from what i concluded its because of korea's government's stupid way of dealing with the trash....
you pay for your trash being taken out by each plastic bag.
so the plastic bag you buy is expensive and it includes the price of trashing it....
there's different sizes and different ones that can hold different trash....they can get sort of expensive if you are building up a lot of trash...but unless you put your trash in those specific bags they wont be taken...
i think the point is that it was to get people to reduce their amount of trash and recycle and such...but then what happened is people started to dump their trash whereever they can to save money..
also they don't have trash cans on the streets since people would just trash their trash there then...
so when you are walking around the streets there's no place to trash any trash you build up like water bottles and such. i used to just end up carrying around until i get home but there are a lot of people who wouldn't do that and just trash them on the streets.
in tokyo they actually have trash cans on the streets so it was easy to get rid of my trash.
seriously though the trash thing is freaking annoying. my aunt was moving so we needed a lot of trash bags. i bought this one trash bag which was really big and it was like around ~$15 and we filled it and put it outside for it to be taken. the next morning we came out and all the trash was spilled everywhere in front of the apartment and the trash bag was gone. someone had jacked our TRASH BAG. i was like OMG give me a break....trash bag thief.....-_-; only in seoul would that happen sigh..

sorry i started ranting...

watersoflethe i have to say that was the most hillarious story i've ever heard about Korea ... a trash bag thief !!

[namilussah]

Hi all

Since i discovered korean dramas i got addicted to them , am starting to like everything about korea. My dream now is to travel to korea and experience the life there, meeting some celebrities would be greate too . what do u guys think , is it worth it, i mean is korea as greate as i think it is?

Geez when you are going there don't forget to come by Abu Dhabi and take me with you ^^

aaaaaah.. gurls gurls me 2 i wanna go with u i wanna go...
just come 2 Abu Dhabi ..and i'll be in ur bag don't worry

hahaha OK OK girls... although i have to tell you that i'm such a hopeless dreamer.. coz until now i haven't gone to korea..

[namilussah]

BTW, people, did you know that this thread has been translated to Korean and posted in a Korean blog? O.O

http://gesomoon.com/zboard/zboard.php?i ... sc&no=1716

Amazing.

OMG!!! really?!?!?!? waah that's soo cool .. i wish i could read korean to read it again
thanx Néa Vanille for the tip

[ephesus]

Well, it's Korea so if anybody said anything bad they certainly won't translate those posts for the blog, too.
I spent 15 months in Korea, and it was miserable. I recommend Korea only to people who haven't been to many other countries. Before you jump down my throat, I speak Japanese and English, i'm half Korean and was born in Korea.
It's just a dirty, rude, highly group-oriented, uncouth country. You have to be mentally prepared for that.

[Néa Vanille]

They translated the more critical posts, too.

Everybody has their own experiences, man. I'm on my 16th or 17th month in Korea (with a one-year break during which I went back home), and while I'm not blind to its faults, I'm still enjoying the experience. I think Korea has a lot to offer if you're a young college student looking for fun -- good and cheap food, cheap alcohol, many bars and clubs, many good-looking people...

But yeah, I'm not sure how fun it would be to live and work here permanently. Presently, the only Korean people I deal with on a regular basis are my friends, my teachers, and my students. Thankfully, I don't deal with drunk or crouchy people, unfair bosses, or rude taxi drivers very often, so my life is pretty good.

Generally, I think life in Korea is just like anywhere else. Your enjoyment of the place depends in large part on what you make of it.

Being fluent in Korean helps a lot.

[ephesus]

I'm on my 16th or 17th month in Korea (with a one-year break during which I went back home), and while I'm not blind to its faults, I'm still enjoying the experience

....

Being fluent in Korean helps a lot.

I'm guessing that the year being back home was extremely helpful. Novelty can overcome many faults. I didn't mind Korea the first 3 or 4 months I was there, but by month 13 when my boss held my severance pay ransom unless I would "help out" by staying a couple more weeks I wanted to just sit every person I met down and show them an introductory video to manners. They're a rich country, I can't figure out why it's so callow.
Walking on the sidewalk in Korea is one of the most frustrating things i've ever done. People bumping into you for no reason, cutting you off, sneezing on you, talking about you, staring, spitting and driving on the sidewalk.
I still can't figure out why they drive on the sidewalk.
All those things were fine. Other than the driving on the sidewalk, it was the same in the Philippines, Brazil, Nicaragua even Italy but people are just so xenophobic, racist, inexplicably nonsensical and plain violent in Korea. If I weren't half Korean and feeling like I owed it to myself to try Korea out for a while, I never would have stayed.
I had friends who loved it there though. The drinking culture is awesome, especially if you like drinking and eating bbq like me. But many countries have great food.

I imagine being fluent in Korean is helpful, but I don't think most of my problems with Korea have anything to do with me only knowing a few phrases and cognates that translate from Japanese. Speaking Korean isn't going to change million man marches in Seoul about mad cow from American beef (even though not a single Korean has EVER died from mad cow from American beef) or believing in fan death, or an obsession with brand names and self photography (or any of their other plentiful affectations), or the blatant plagiarizing of foreign brands, art and design. Obviously everybody doesn't fit this description but you would be surprised at what percentage does. It's a result of the crazy group think and "han."
Although it's far from unbiased, you should try reading the "Korean Rum Diary" because that's a much more accurate portrayal of Korea if you ask me ;-)

Wow, that just turned into a huge rant. I apologize, I guess I needed to vent.

[nokchan]

I find this topic very interesting. I really want to visit Korea (I really want to visit a lot of places ).

I started to read at the beginning but some... lets say childish remarks made me jump to the end.

I'd really like to enquire about the rascim topic. I'm an Afro-german (which means I'm german and black but if I say it like that there is usually one persona complaining about me being not politically correct) and the last thing I need during vacations is people shunning me because I'm black (given what NéaVanille wrote they would probably shun me for my looks already because I truly think there is no way I will appeal to an asian person. Blacks adore me though .D).

What do you say?

[ephesus]

I'm black and I hated Korea, but I had a lot of african american/candanian friends that liked hanging out.
I don't know if you're into hip hop, but being dark gives you instant "street cred" in Korea. It's like the positive side of racism.
If you're not a huge fan, like myself, it might cause some problems though when people expect you to be able to dance. ;-)

[Neliets]

Oh my ... god! Topic that I was searching for!

So, I have some questions.

I know that in dramas you can`t see how really it is there. I`m very fascinated about their habits and food, I`ve tasted some asian food and I just loved it. And many other things.

To be honest, I want to make my life interesting ever since I was young so I`m determined to move and live for a while somewhere else but after high school. At the beginning, I was thinking about USA but it really isn`t too interesting. But then I watched my first kdrama and then second - then I started to love Korea. Ever since then my dream is to live in Korea(maybe just for a while) and live normally(that`s why it`s dream, cause I`m not asian and I don`t know Korean). But still I want to try. So there goes some questions -

1. Koreans like foreigners(not tourists but those who moved there) or they are just like Japanese?
2. Can you get a job if you don`t know Korean?
3. Are studies there very expensive?

Sht, I had so much questions in my head but can`t remember them now. Have anyone here moved to Korea and live there? If there is, can you tell me how it was for you? How you started?

[Ayulyn]

From my friends experiences, I've heard it's not so wonderful. Some of the people are especially rude to you if you're a foreigner. But I imagine it's this way wherever you go. Still, don't expect too much. =/ My friend lives there and says the people there are odd. One guy tried to LIFT him out of nowhere and he didn't even know the guy.

[kazu123]

Life there is no different then in UK, only difference is the culture itself, which is being westernized as we speak.

[Kirachi]

I was wondering if anyone could answer this question for me.
Are people quite prudish in Korea? It seems they hardly ever show a real kiss unless it's in a rated movie etc

[manu0livares]

Recently I began to see KDrama. I've read several topics in this forum and other forums. I'm not too much knowledge about life in this country, nor about the customs of Asia. I would like to ask some questions and I apologize if my question will seem childish or silly, but I'ma rookie at this, please be patient with me...

1. Atitude about children/adolescents education

In KDrama, Korean children are listed as subjects totally submissive to parents. I realized there are no comments on the decisions of parents and stoically endure the criticisms and comments, even when it is unjust. It is also true in real life?
Several kdrama, show scenes with physically abused adolescents (eg, My Lovely Sam Soon, My Girl, Only You, etc.). Almost always the mothers ... and not just the teenagers, adults also frequently bear same treatment.
This is a local custom, or what is the explanation? The Korean woman, or rather the Korean mother is a sort of Cruella de Vil? I can not say that in my country are only mothers milk and honey. There are also mothers who physically abuse children, but the way these scenes are presented in kdrama, makes me think that corporal punishment (especially head injuries, which occur frequently), are a common way to solve a conflict or enforcement action.
If, indeed, the methods of correcting the inappropriate behavior of young people are these, there is no civil society's views on physical aggression ... or this form of behavior the civil society does not consider non-teaching approach!?

2. Atitude about situations of domestic violence

The same question about the relations between spouses. There are several scenes that are presented as the husband, almost always in a conflict situation supports beatings from his wife without saying anything and almost seems to say, OK .. hit me because I deserve and more.

3. About behavioral attitude

In conflicts between two people of opposite sex, the female character most of the time is screaming (when the male character's voice rises) immediately condemned the stance taken by the male characters, demanding respect ... is somehow a purely matriarchal atitude on relations between the sexes and... if so, how they came to the matriarchal rule seems valid ... only in the Far East, because in Europe the attitude of the presentation is completely opposite. The respect that women is calling to the man, does not apply in her case?

4. Social attitudes

Most of the characters when they are under stress and tensions of any kind, always choose to defuse tensions by excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. There are some scenes where one character consumed so much alcohol that needs help to go home and are in most cases the person suffering from digestive disorders (is vomiting). It's just an image issue of alcohol (to highlight the manhood against the vicissitudes of life) or alcohol abuse is common? How does this attitude of Korean society?

5. Attitudes to inter-relate

What is it touching the other's hands?
Why in the case of couples involved in relationships, the maximum emotional expressiveness moment, is considered the kiss ... but the kiss that is described in KDrama is very in appetitive! Because, as I have seen so far (about 25 kdrama), kissing wobble, no spark, only an approximation of the lips and unfortunately, it seems forced, unnatural and does not transmit any kind of emotion ... that make me feel that I've missed an important moment in the display and therefore did not understand the interaction of the two characters. True, shamelessly kisses belong to XXX movies, but I find it hard to believe that in real life in intimate relationships, the kisses are so ... shy (and not even talk about chastity here).

The actors, are defined as people with extensive knowledge of chameleon, for conveying feelings and emotions on screen, what ordinary people can not externalize giving a visual expression. Or, if an actor does not convey the message as a true performance, its performance falls into ridicule.

Still have questions about Korean life and society, but for now await comments.

[JaJe]

I don´t know nothing about Korea, but I have dream of living in other country too.
Because I have a dream of living in the other side of the world most people around me think I´m crazy and such-a-dreamer!
I know that life there won´t be a paradise nor it won´t be so much better than at the current country I´m living. I have heard many people saying that they hated their trip to my dream-country as many times as I have heard the opposite. In the end I found out that I don´t care what other people say about the life there - I still want to go! I still want to experience it on my own skin!

So I tell you, that no matter what other people say - go there and see it yourself! Make your dream come true! Even tough you may fail and see that Korea isn´t so beautiful as you hoped - You can tell it by your own experience and say that you made your dream come true - that´s much better than giving up without trying just because someone else said that it isn´t worth it.

[Ethlenn]

There are few uestions you have raised, and all of them are immersed in the way of traditions.
First of all, we cannot forget that movies/dramas just depict the real life and stress some points. It is not 'like in the real life' but rather our (screenwriters) take on the real life. Some situations are exaggerated, some are wishful thinking.
First:
1. Children education: although Far East (Korea, China, Japan) was for a long time under Confucianistic thinking, where woman position in the society was relatively low, the real power of the woman was in the motherhood. The woman had the main effect on her children. Why? Because she was at home, while her husband didn't. Bond between mother and child was very strong. In some Japanese book I read, there were histories of some illustrous men inspired and ecouraged by their mothers. The same goes in Korea. Mother is not cruel, she has just some ways to "educate" the stubborn kid.
2. Some say that wise man stays submissive to his wife. But I don't think it is like this in the real life. In every country domestic violence is mostly on the men's side. They tend to solve their every problem with the fist (sorry guys).
4.Korean are known to be a quite good drinkers (lately, I don't want to insult anyone, but reports show it clearly). But still, compared to an average European, all Asian people are weak-headed. The problem you described is rather a movie-type. It is like: someone has drunk too much, hence is defenceless, and cute in some way. He/she needs to be taken care of, and therefore drunken people triggers some feelings in the other people. (like compassion, wanting to help, etc.). Not mine conclusion, but some experts on Asian film industry, really.
5. Is the hardest. The conception of closeness and body in Western countries and Eastern is totally different. Remember that showing no(or as little as could) emotions was always praiseworthy in Confucian society. It has still an impact, though lessening from year to year. Emotions were not only delivered by body contact, but by rational behavior (well, if I can speak frankly, it appeals more to me, than the situation here in Europe, when I get into the bar and I see sometimes a fore-play at the lounge). When touching, it meant that somebody allowing to be touched trusts the other party. Also, there is a personal space around every individual. So, touching is a tresspassing of that invisible border, and can be sometimes offensive.
Well, sorry for such a long post, but you have come across not a fan, but just me, my workfield is Asian (especially Japan and Korea) culture.

To be honest, if I make a mistake, correct me, some facts I know only from other specialists.

[toto rain]

I want to visit Korea