Venting Disgusting S.Korea

[lovingjoo]

This country where I am at this moment really sucks ass. I am S.Korean myself and from my experience (I had lived in other countries for some years), compared to others these people here are so much judgmental. If you're LGBTQ+ they immediately think of AIDS. They literally hate the concept of 'difference'. The Suicide rates is one of the highest and I can easily understand why it is so. There is a strong social pressure with whatever you do. There's a word called 'nunchi' here. It's somewhat simillar to a 'wits' but the big difference is, you are considered morally bad if you don't have this. You have to walk on eggshells and by doing so you are considered to be on a successful career.

Here's a small example. I was watching some youtube videos some minutes ago and when I scrolled down to check comments, I had to frown cause all the comments were about fucking hair style of the guy in the vid. Koreans were having a serious debate on how he had to take care of his hair saying things like..
'oh he looks so dumb with that hair'
'he did that hair cause his eyes are so small'
It was a video about the guy's marriage life duh

I know every leaf has its own colour, but I seriously do NOT recommend living in S.Korea unless you want to be distressed.

 

[Oyoy]

Society is flawed. It's a shame there priorities are in the gutter. They could use your open mind to expose themselves to a more loving life.

 

[MoreThanAFeeling]

I met a guy from South Korea in Europe who preferred to live on a farm in a foreign country (and earn much less) than conform to society in South Korea.

 

[lovingjoo]

Society is flawed. It's a shame there priorities are in the gutter. They could use your open mind to expose themselves to a more loving life.

Thanks. Yes society is flawed indeed.

I met a guy from South Korea in Europe who preferred to live on a farm in a foreign country (and earn much less) than conform to society in South Korea.

Exactly. Funny thing is there is a common saying here in S.Korea; 'We should immigrate to Europe or America'. How funny.

 

[mediocre]

I always knew South Korea was socially conservative but I didn't realise it was that bad. The strong social pressure isn't that also true of other countries like China and Japan? it's not local to sk. I've always thought of South Korea is a very modern country but I don't know much about the social issues:/

 

[disabledandhopeless]

I think South Korea is a conservative and somewhat still traditional(?) country. Correct me if I'm wrong. You speak really good English!

 

[lovingjoo]

I always knew South Korea was socially conservative but I didn't realise it was that bad. The strong social pressure isn't that also true of other countries like China and Japan? it's not local to sk. I've always thought of South Korea is a very modern country but I don't know much about the social issues:/

hello
yes it's a very modern country in regards of economics but not in the least socially (sigh).
It used to be really poor in the past, but only within 50 years or so it has become rich. and actually this is one of the reasons many take as why this country and people have got such flaws, which is
'people have not yet caught up with the speed of economies. they are still very close-minded.'

yes three countries are all very conservative. I don't know much about China, but while Japan is a very individualistic society S.korea is very collective.

I think South Korea is a conservative and somewhat still traditional(?) country. Correct me if I'm wrong. Do you live in South Korea? You speak really good English!

You're absolutely right.
I live in S.korea thanks :)

 

[terry_a_davis]

They eat up to 1 million dogs a year in south korea.

 

[lovingjoo]

They eat up to 1 million dogs a year in south korea.

Nah, you're off the point.
S.koreans these days do not eat as many dogs as they did before. Majority thinks it's disgusting.
Me personally believe eating dogs is as disgusting as eating snails (like French do).

 

[terry_a_davis]

Nah, you're off the point.
S.koreans these days do not eat as many dogs as they did before. Majority thinks it's disgusting.
Me personally believe eating dogs is as disgusting as eating snails (like French do).

I hope that's true, i'm got that info from this page:

Dog meat consumption in South Korea - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

According to the Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), approximately 780,000 to 1 million dogs are consumed per year in South Korea.[2]

 

[lovingjoo]

I hope that's true, i'm got that info from this page:

You know you're being a fool.
Why are you talking shxx on my thread that has nothing to do with my topic?
and I said enough to make you leave but you're insisting to have some last words?
plus, if you really feel empathy for those dogs then be a vegetarian.
Why eat pigs and cows, but no dogs?
I have a 7-year-old cousin and even she knows all three of them are equal in that they feel the same pain.
Of course, I am a vegetarian.
Just leave you close-minded nerd.

 

[terry_a_davis]

You know you're being a fool.
Why are you talking shxx on my thread that has nothing to do with my topic?
and I said enough to make you leave but you're insisting to have some last words?
plus, if you really feel empathy for those dogs then be a vegetarian.
Why eat pigs and cows, but no dogs?
I have a 7-year-old cousin and even she knows all three of them are equal in that they feel the same pain.
Of course, I am a vegetarian.
Just leave you close-minded nerd.

lmao your thread is titled "disgusting south korea" and i'm pointing out a disgusting practice in south korea.
I am a vegetarian.
Hey don't react so badly to being proved wrong it happens to us all

 

[lovingjoo]

lmao your thread is titled "disgusting south korea" and i'm pointing out a disgusting practice in south korea.
I am a vegetarian.
Hey don't react so badly to being proved wrong it happens to us all

Oh i see your point
I was just pointing out a disgusting practice you did on my thread.
I am a open-minded person.
Hey don't react so badly to being proved wrong it happens to us all

 

[terry_a_davis]

Oh i see your point
I was just pointing out a disgusting practice you did on my thread.
I am a open-minded person.
Hey don't react so badly to being proved wrong it happens to us all

^^^^^^^^^
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery lmao, thank uuuuu

 

[Fizzel87]

The country does appear to be an Adam Smith, turbo capitalist society. Would it be safe to say that appearance seems to be everything as well?

 

[lovingjoo]

The country does appear to be an Adam Smith, turbo capitalist society. Would it be safe to say that appearance seems to be everything as well?

I think what I feel as disgusting doesn't really have something to do with how rich country is nor what ideology does it pursue.
It's true that s.korea 'appears' to be super capitalist society and it really 'is', but rather it's more like the culture itself.
You literally have to compete with each other on almost everything.
I'm not just saying but I mean it and it's serious.
Too much competition makes people get tired and I think this is what makes people be mean and close-minded.

Here's one funny example (but more like black comedy).
There was a tv drama that was really famous last year named 'Skycastle'.
It's basically about Gangnam families' striving to sending their descendents to top universities.
(and yes, you might find the word Gangnam familiar lol. Gangnam style was actually a song that satirizes rich people living in Gangnam)

This tv drama features how harsh and inhumane Korean education system is.
A girl in the show had to study over 17 hours a day and was even 'gifted' a soundproof-roomlike-structure so she could study after she got home.
This unique structure wasn't even famous until then.
A whole lot of people sympathized and got mad with the system after they watched the drama series.
But no matter how much mad they got, the demands of that room structure rather got really high.


English is not my mother tongue so I'm not sure it was enough to explain.

Just to look at what I meant by 'the structure'.
Here's a link.

예서 방음 - Google Search

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

This is fascinating! Tell us more about South Korea!

All I know of it is that stupid show Coffee Prince that I used to watch on Hulu, and a young woman I met at a hostel who was traveling alone. She was on an antidepressant that made her shake for several hours after taking it. She was excited when we went to a grocery store and she found kimchi. I offered to share my weed (marijuana) with her and she was so happy, she'd always wanted to try it.

 

[Searchinghope]

This country where I am at this moment really sucks ass. I am S.Korean myself and from my experience (I had lived in other countries for some years), compared to others these people here are so much judgmental. If you're LGBTQ+ they immediately think of AIDS. They literally hate the concept of 'difference'. The Suicide rates is one of the highest and I can easily understand why it is so. There is a strong social pressure with whatever you do. There's a word called 'nunchi' here. It's somewhat simillar to a 'wits' but the big difference is, you are considered morally bad if you don't have this. You have to walk on eggshells and by doing so you are considered to be on a successful career.

Here's a small example. I was watching some youtube videos some minutes ago and when I scrolled down to check comments, I had to frown cause all the comments were about fucking hair style of the guy in the vid. Koreans were having a serious debate on how he had to take care of his hair saying things like..
'oh he looks so dumb with that hair'
'he did that hair cause his eyes are so small'
It was a video about the guy's marriage life duh

I know every leaf has its own colour, but I seriously do NOT recommend living in S.Korea unless you want to be distressed.

Being lgbt is tough. Not just in South Korea but in whole Asia.

 

[disabledandhopeless]

Haha I watched sky castle.. I heard that product was also selling well in s.korea after that drama got released lol

 

[HelensNepenthe]

n번방사건 cases have been disturbing to read. I'm not that fluent to translate yet I have an understanding of articles I've read about these cases. People glorify Korea on the media and it's disgusting.

 

[lovingjoo]

This is fascinating! Tell us more about South Korea!

All I know of it is that stupid show Coffee Prince that I used to watch on Hulu, and a young woman I met at a hostel who was traveling alone. She was on an antidepressant that made her shake for several hours after taking it. She was excited when we went to a grocery store and she found kimchi. I offered to share my weed (marijuana) with her and she was so happy, she'd always wanted to try it.

Coffee prince lolol never expected to hear that haha. that'a pretty an old show isn't it.

Kimchi is the soul of koreans lol so that's why people from western worlds always smell garlic from koreans haha.
she was probably as much excited to find it at grocery store as to have a chance to smoke weeds. I hoped she smoked kimchi well.

Being lgbt is tough. Not just in South Korea but in whole Asia.

True. There was time I thought it'd be ok in Japan but once I read some articles I got to know it's also harsh there too.
I have never told someone in real life that I'm gay, even to my family and I don't think I will.
There's a guy I know in Korea. I was a bit shocked to hear his mom crying and said to him 'oh you don't look like a son I knew before. are you really my son?' when he came out to her. This is a typical consequence in s.korea.

Haha I watched sky castle.. I heard that product was also selling well in s.korea after that drama got released lol

i'm kinda getting impressed. the guy above said he watched coffee prince and now you saying you watched skycastle.
15years ago when I used to be in Canada, ppl there didn't even know what kind of country s.korea is. One woman was like, 'oh what is that is it sth to eat?' lmao

n번방사건 cases have been disturbing to read. I'm not that fluent to translate yet I have an understanding of articles I've read about these cases. People glorify Korea on the media and it's disgusting.

Whhhhat..how do you know that? is that case even famous in other countries?
yeah these days it's really famous here. you turn on tv and they almost always talk about it.
but I don't get what you're saying by 'people glorify korea'. Who does...?

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Japan has a similar concept to nunchi, don't they?

 

[HelensNepenthe]

Whhhhat..how do you know that? is that case even famous in other countries?
yeah these days it's really famous here. you turn on tv and they almost always talk about it.
but I don't get what you're saying by 'people glorify korea'. Who does...?

> Whhhhat..how do you know that? is that case even famous in other countries?
Not really. I actively work with EN-KR teachers who are in some programs, while also maintaining a small following of translating articles. I'd rather limit my exposure to this conversation so I do not identify myself.

> but I don't get what you're saying by 'people glorify korea'. Who does...?
'Stans' limited understanding of the country "glorify it". It's a lot of westerner influence. This is cause of k-pop's clean image that idols try to glorify. Journalists who translate Korean media continue this cycle. Korean translated journalism into English is really fucking awful. That's sort of my motivations of what I do when I'm off the site.

Initially I picked up the language translating AOS ("MOBA" for westerners) content into English. Long term goal is to finish school and transition into teaching.

Japan has a similar concept to nunchi, don't they?

空気を読む is the closest thing that I can think of while 空気読めない is the direct opposite.

 

[lovingjoo]

Japan has a similar concept to nunchi, don't they?

Yeah they do. As far as I know there's a 'mei-waku' culture in Japan which literally means; No harm to others. It sounds reasonable to everyone, but the particular thing that's local in Japan is that they always 'strive to be careful' not to do harms to others. 'Date-mae' is outer expressed manners, while 'Honne' is inner real manners. they distinguish those two so not to be explictily offensive to others cause they dont want to do harms.
I think Helen well explained. I looked up what '空気を読む' is. 'Reading air' when literally translated.

Not really. I actively work with EN-KR teachers who are in some programs, while also maintaining a small following of translating articles. I'd rather limit my exposure to this conversation so I do not identify myself.

'Stans' limited understanding of the country "glorify it". It's a lot of westerner influence. This is cause of k-pop's clean image that idols try to glorify. Journalists who translate Korean media continue this cycle. Korean translated journalism into English is really fucking awful. That's sort of my motivations of what I do when I'm off the site.

Initially I picked up the language translating AOS ("MOBA" for westerners) content into English. Long term goal is to finish school and transition into teaching.

That's true. I'm not really into k-pop so there's not much that I know of, but I know those so called idols commit suicides frequently.
once they expose their weaknesses they get a thousands cruel malicious comments on internet. so they always strive to keep the 'clean' image. and then koreaboos appear.. this kind of cycle not only can be found in this pop industry but on the whole society.
Koreans love to judge, but despise to be judged. I guess that's why it's also a thing with the media.

 

[disabledandhopeless]

Coffee prince lolol never expected to hear that haha. that'a pretty an old show isn't it.

Kimchi is the soul of koreans lol so that's why people from western worlds always smell garlic from koreans haha.
she was probably as much excited to find it at grocery store as to have a chance to smoke weeds. I hoped she smoked kimchi well.



True. There was time I thought it'd be ok in Japan but once I read some articles I got to know it's also harsh there too.
I have never told someone in real life that I'm gay, even to my family and I don't think I will.
There's a guy I know in Korea. I was a bit shocked to hear his mom crying and said to him 'oh you don't look like a son I knew before. are you really my son?' when he came out to her. This is a typical consequence in s.korea.



i'm kinda getting impressed. the guy above said he watched coffee prince and now you saying you watched skycastle.
15years ago when I used to be in Canada, ppl there didn't even know what kind of country s.korea is. One woman was like, 'oh what is that is it sth to eat?' lmao


Whhhhat..how do you know that? is that case even famous in other countries?
yeah these days it's really famous here. you turn on tv and they almost always talk about it.
but I don't get what you're saying by 'people glorify korea'. Who does...?

Sky castle is quite popular in my country! Or maybe it's because I'm asian and we can all relate to that asian culture portrayed in sky castle I think that woman in Canada is so ignorant..

 

[AngelGirl]

I'm Korean too. I was born in Korea but I got most of my education in America. Currently I'm in Korea.
Honestly it's not that bad once you know how to ignore them. Long ago I used to care about what other Koreans think but now I don't care at all.

They just live in their small worlds thinking what they know about Korea is everything the world has to offer. So whenever I feel like other Koreans are expecting me to behave a certain way, I just think, "well, it's not like that in America. But whatever." And I just ignore them and move on.

There are certain things I learned about Korea that I like. I noticed that Koreans are very polite. They bow and talk to you in honorifics when you are a stranger. They also respect elders. Ageism is a problem in many other countries. You might say it is bad because it allows elders to be rude to younger people. But respecting older people per se, I think is a good thing.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I want to hear more about South Korea!

Here are some things I want to know:

What do South Koreans think about North Korea? What do they think of North Koreans who escape and try to assimilate into South Korean culture?

Do South Koreans play pachinko? (I read the book Pachinko, it was about South Koreans in Japan, and I know pachinko parlors are popular in Japan.)

Why does your written language look like bubble tea?

Why did it take sooooo many episodes for the characters to fall in love in Coffee Prince? Is it normal for a Korean television show to to take so long to have something so obvious happen? I know it was over 10 years ago, but still...

What happens to people who get caught with marijuana? I don't smoke it anymore, but I'm curious.

 

[lovingjoo]

Sky castle is quite popular in my country! Or maybe it's because I'm asian and we can all relate to that asian culture portrayed in sky castle I think that woman in Canada is so ignorant..

where do you live? yeah I had fun watching the whole series, actually the only drama I had finished watching all of them lol

I'm Korean too. I was born in Korea but I got most of my education in America. Currently I'm in Korea.
Honestly it's not that bad once you know how to ignore them. Long ago I used to care about what other Koreans think but now I don't care at all.

They just live in their small worlds thinking what they know about Korea is everything the world has to offer. So whenever I feel like other Koreans are expecting me to behave a certain way, I just think, "well, it's not like that in America. But whatever." And I just ignore them and move on.

There are certain things I learned about Korea that I like. I noticed that Koreans are very polite. They bow and talk to you in honorifics when you are a stranger. They also respect elders. Ageism is a problem in many other countries. You might say it is bad because it allows elders to be rude to younger people. But respecting older people per se, I think is a good thing.

I see there are some koreans here which I never expected.
true. koreans are familiar with 'one and only' frame. they just don't know there are whole bunch of ways to think otherwise. It's not cause they're morally bad, but they just don't know.
tbh koreans are smh racist. many of them almost worship whites, but this is not the case for other races, especially from elders here.
This has a lot to with historical context, but I can't name it all here haha..

also true. there are several good sides.
Respecting elders has a firm ideological base, Confucianism. Korea Japan and China had a active come and go from a thousand year ago, so that explans how come korea got an influnce of Chinese Confucianism.
these days in s.korea conflict btw diverse aspects is really really severe (men vs women, young gen vs elderly, homo vs hetero, political conflict etc.)
you better not understand korean comments on yt cause they're always having a harsh fight haha

sorry I talk too much haha

I want to hear more about South Korea!

Here are some things I want to know:

What do South Koreans think about North Korea? What do they think of North Koreans who escape and try to assimilate into South Korean culture?

Do South Koreans play pachinko? (I read the book Pachinko, it was about South Koreans in Japan, and I know pachinko parlors are popular in Japan.)

Why does your written language look like bubble tea?

Why did it take sooooo many episodes for the characters to fall in love in Coffee Prince? Is it normal for a Korean television show to to take so long to have something so obvious happen? I know it was over 10 years ago, but still...

What happens to people who get caught with marijuana? I don't smoke it anymore, but I'm curious.

I'm glad you have an interest in my country (I personally don't like korea though haha)

1. North korea

90% of s.koreans hate. They just randomly launch missiles and do a nuc experiment so there's no reason to like haha.
but i think this hate has more to do with s.korean gov itself (my opinion)
S.korea does an election every 4 years (Presidential and National Assembly each).
It's different from America, it's a direct vote.
actually today was an election day for National Assembly members.
When the progressive party becomes a ruling one, it tends to aid N.Korea 'with mercy' and this really irritates us lol. Political conflict is really severe here.
However this doesn't mean that s.koreans hate n.koreans who escaped.
Rather many of them shows up on tv show and talk about thier lives in n.korea
these days i see a bunch of them be youtubers and actually they make a lot of money

2. Pachinko

I believe it's illegal here. any kind of gambling that brings a lot of money is forbidden i guess.
but it's legal in Japan as you know. I also saw a lot of them playing it when I had a trip to Osaka haha
S.koreans do 'hwatu' for fun though. you only need a pack of tiny red cards to play it. but this also becomes illegal if the bet is too high

3. Bubble tea(?)

I.. dunno what you mean by this lol
you mean the shape of korean characters?

4. Coffee prince

sorry I never watched it I only recognize the title haha
but there's sth to talk about cinemas that just came to my mind.
when parasite won the oscar many foreigners talked about its unpreductable and pungent unfold, but most s.koreans in fact were not even surprised by it lol
That kind of development has been really common in korean dramas and films.
we call it 'makjang', literally meaning a haphazard mining.
There was a whole bunch of comments on internet of koreans saying that it was too obvious

5. Marijuana

Any kind of drugs are strictly forbidden, except for certain medical use.
I actually just googled about it, drug trafficking is at least 5 year sentence
but if it's your first time, most of them get probation
korean sentence generally is low so many people complain about it

 

[Grey-zone]

I doubt most Americans/Westerners know nearly anything about Korea. The lifestyle is very different from the West. I've never been there, but having been in Tokyo a lot of Korean cities seem to look the same (from what I've seen). When I was younger I had a very positive image of Japanese society, but when I went there as a depressed sad sack I felt completely let-down. They don't seem, as a whole, like a very intellectual or curious people. It's probably a cultural thing. Maybe Korea is different, but there seems to be a similar attitude of consumer conformism. America sucks in its own way, but at least where I live there are a lot of creative, odd people, and plenty of land outside the cities to escape to when you can't stand humanity any longer.

 

[disabledandhopeless]

3. Bubble tea(?)

I.. dunno what you mean by this lol
you mean the shape of korean characters?

I think ㅁ and ㅇ looks like tapioca balls/pearls so maybe that's what he/she meant? Just guessing!