Hi all(the hundreds of people that read this blog)!
Korean mannerisms are surprisingly hard to get a grasp on, even when you live in Korea, because they are sometimes contradictory, many Koreans are not aware that what others might call 'mannerisms' are specific to Koreans, and if you ask about such a topic few people will give you a completely accurate answer as they may try to be 'polite'.
Luckily a new teacher at my work place is a self described western-korean cultural hybrid and has been forthright about the topic! So, for anyone that ever makes their way here to Korea, here are some useful tidbits.
-the word 'no' doesnt quite exist. It is considered extremely rude to ever say no! Instead, people will say sorry, or they will say yes but show some signs of hesitation and use a specific tone. I had previously beleived that koreans were prone to inviting people out for various events but not following through - as if inviting people out for things that they had no intention of carrying through was a normal polite exchange. In reality what has been happening is that when I have used a regular tone or thought for a second before answering ('do I have time for that?' 'Is there anything else I need to do'? ect...) people have generally assumed this to mean 'NO! I do not want to go to your party or have dinner with you'!! If you actually want to accept an invitation you must use an overly happy and excited tone and show little hesitation. It seems a bit silly to me, but thats how works! The same general idea applies to answering questions about likes/dislikes and other opinions. If you want to show that you sincerely like a meal for example, you must be really enthusiastic when you say it is delicious. What a pain! Can't you see I'm busy stuffing my face! I don't have time to show enthusiasm about the food im savagly devouring-unless i talk with my mouth full... Yep, eating very fast and talking with your mouth full are also fine (although woman of the same age or younger than the company tend not to talk with their mouths full).
-Peoples problems are not considered 'personal'. Whereas in North America it might be considered very rude or perhaps akward to openly tell strangers all kinds of 'personal' things, that is not the case here. People will comfortably tell you things like 'I have no friends', 'I'm lazy', or even 'I'm a mean person'. People will talk about some very personal things and, from what I can tell, appear to be fairly comfortable talking about them.
-Observations are not much more than that...usually. Expect to hear things like 'you look tired', 'you look thin', and perhaps even 'you are fat' although being a bit thin myself i cant say ive ever heard anyone use that last one.
-asside from mannerisms, people are really the same here as they are in North America or, I would like to believe, as anywhere else in the world. Everyone has their own individuality, their own unique personality, their own tastes, different senses of humor, insecurities, strenghts, people are sensetive, people are social, and yadda yadda yadda.
About the Korean government:
Since I have been in Korea the following web sites have been blocked pending the input of a social security number: Wikipedia, Myspace, Merriam-Webster, IMDB, and some blogs. This is absurd! Strangely enough, without divulging too much, some websites that should have definately been blocked have not been!
The government does alot to 'protect' Korea. Manys sports teams are subsidised. Trade barriers are extensive and cover some markets that make no sense; for example I read that it was not possible to import any products with live bacteria (dairy products namely) untill 2000! Even today, if not blocked, there are steep tariffs on lots of imported food goods. This makes no sense for some products, like cheese or good bread: there is NO market for them, so if imports are allowed, a market may develope, and this should be economically beneficial...
Porn and prostitution are illegal but walk around any night life distrit and there are fliers, buildings laden with pictures of geishas, and sometimes 'massuses' peddling their services all over the place and in plain sight. Similarly, there are all kinds of 'black market' stores that sell illegaly imported products (usually they can be found near US miliraty bases - I think you can understand how the good get into the country). Smoking is also banned in numerous public places, but that doesnt stop people from smoking like chimneys. I dont really know the thinking behind these contradictions, but a newspaper article i read today may provide some insigt: when asked about enforcing public smoking bans by an expat audience at a convention, a police official responded something along the lines of 'make a report if it is bothering oyu and we will take action'. In other words, the police can witness small crimes, black market shops, prostitution, and whatnot, but if no one seems to mind than no aciton is taken. I think this may be a bit naive, especially considering how passive Koreans can be even when they are uncomfortable or unhappy.
There are no public trash cans anywhere! Sometimes they can be found in subways...sometimes. The logic is that if public trash cans are put out that people will throw away their trash in these public cans and the government will have to foot the bill. Instead what happens is that people throw their trash onto the street, usually on curbs or sometimes on planter boxes. Then, every day, armies of city workers with brooms and big dust pans descend upon the city and sweep up all the trash! From an economic perspective, this makes no sense at all...
Toilet paper in public restrooms is sometimes on big rolles OUTSIDE of the stalls! Needless to say, this has the potential to lead to some very uncomfortable situations.
But thats enough reflecting for now, my eyeballs are about to fall out of their sockets....although that could be from the rare flesh eating disease I caught.... At any rate, cheers, ill blab more later.
