Published: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:03:38 +0000

That is the question that the Joong Ang Ilbo asked recently.Â* The Joong Ang also called Koreans the Italians of Asia.Â* Wait a minute I thought Koreans were the Irish of Asia?Â* Anyway this is how the Joong Ang answered the question of why Koreans are rude:

Anti-social behavior displayed by Koreans is said to have [...]
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From what I know, the Italians and the French are
not rude. I have no idea why non Europeans perceive them that way.
I find it rude when Koreans push you outside of the subway even though outside is where you're going anyway. And how they wait at the subway doors, all in a crowd, instead of letting those getting out do so.
I guess those are more like pet peeves than them being rude.

GI's blog mentions your "bubble", referring to the space between you and another person that, when violated, makes you uncomfortable. Arabs have the smallest "space" from what I've seen, and Americans the largest. We Americans don't feel comfortable if another person sits close enough to touch elbows in church, on on transportation. Stand & talk to another person, move in with your face closer to him/her and watch. If they step back, you have invaded their space. Our society dictates that. Other societies may be different. I find Germans and Japanese to be less anxious to interact with strangers. I thought it was strange, but in every case, when I made the first move, a smile , a guten tag, or an ohio gozaimos, would always elicit a response in kind, and sometime a conversation in English which would turn into an enjoyable experience. We are different to Koreans. They are different to us. Actually not enough to worry about. There are impolite and rude people in both societies. Try not to be one. Smiing works. Be careful winking at girls. They tend to giggle a lot, and turn red.

I tend to smile at people when I pass them on the street, maybe say "Hi". Any American I do this to says hi back. I have yet to have this experience with any Korean. I can smile and greet a Korean person, and they look at me like I swore at them!

Another example is: some of the sidewalks here are small and (of course we walk a lot) I am usually holding my kids' hands, but even if I am alone I have this problem. No one moves! You have 5 guys standing on the sidewalk talking and rarely will anyone move out of the way. I even learned to say "excuse me" and "pardon me" in Korean just to be nice but NO ONE CARES! I have to walk my kids out in the street or push my way through.

Another thing that bugs me was I was at the Songtan subway station in the bathroom with my youngest who is 3. I wasn't about to let her use the little hole in the ground, so I was waiting to an American style toliet to open up. The one the we were standing in front of opened an the lady came out so we went to go in, and this 20 something tried to jump in front of us to get in. I shot my hand across the door and said "no" and she just went "Ugh" like she had been waiting so long and as if she had to go far worse then a 3 year old.

I haven't had the chance to stray far from the base, but my encounters so far make me feel the Korean people are extremely rude.

Wow! Sounds like Anjung Ri has more than its share of rude Koreans. I don't know. Maybe its the influx of Army folks; maybe the incidents of the farmers being uprooted by the Korean Government and blamed on the US-I'm not sure.
(The 20 somethings are spoiled and can't squat down any better than the Foreigners!) You "done good"- when in front, hold your place!
We will read some more comments from others- probably the differences in our experiences are due to age differences. I have white hair and am obviously older than the college kids. They may only show deference to me because of age, height and bulk! Keep smiling! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

After spending 5 years in Korea...here are few rules I learned to live by...I learned the hard way:

1. If you hold the door open for a Korean...don't expect a thank you.
2. Don't even think about creating a line at a counter...just walk up to the window (or counter) as soon as there is an opening. (Ref the bathroom stall incident mentioned previously). You will continue to be cut in front of, from all directions.
3. While driving...never try to stand your ground in a lane with a bus trying to get over. I had my side mirror brutally removed 3 times.
4. If you see riot police dismounting from their bus in a rapid fashion...you may want to get out of dodge.


Just a few...

JP

There are rude people all over the world, and they do it in different ways,but Koreans particularly in their way of eating,they talk when their mouth is full and so noisy in the reastaurants,they even floss in front of you while you were still eating.Ive had a lot of expirience in my work place that they even farted in the crowd and they dont care,they will spit anywhere even while they are eating and pop their gums with an endless chewing while talking. These are the things that annoys me when i was there.and yes the pushing on the sub way and cutting in que in the toilet, or fast food store or taking a taxi specialy when you are a Filipina.But as ive said anywhere in the world you will see some rude people even in the Philippines.

? what do you mean?

Hey Arthur! Welcome aboard! Just scroll 'waydown below this post to the one GI wrote on 12 March: read it and go to the sites he mentions, and you will understand what he is talking about. Then read the other posts above his in reverse order. If you still have specific questions, ask us again. Enjoy all our forum topics!

I'm not sure if I am the one you asking me.am I?