South Korea the worst culture I’ve ever experienced (life, places, train)

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January 27, 2025

South Korea the worst culture I’ve ever experienced (life, places, train)

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Old 12-17-2020, 06:09 PM
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I'm just a tourist in Seoul for a few soul crushing weeks. In that time I've had so many abusive, rude and inhumane things happen that I am compelled to warn others who often get a politically correct and sanitized view of other cultures from travelers and expats with stockholm syndrome. I'm an American and I've been to Mexico, France, Austria, Ukraine, Bulgaria, UAE, Vietnam and many more countries. All countries I've traveled to have been charming to visit because of basic hospitality and basic human appreciation and fellowship among men that I have taken for granted until now. Korea is a radically toxic culture and I suspect Koreans have high self awareness about the criticisms of their culture but are proud of and embrace it's hostility nonetheless. I have had several experiences where i enter a store and say hello in Korean while bowing or nodding my head slightly then later saying thank you in Korean while the worker says nothing to me, makes no eye contact and no physical gesture to acknowledge me. In years of traveling i can't recall this ever happening - anywhere! It's an immutable feature of healthy human psychology to respond to others. To be trained to deny that even to a very polite person is uniquely Korean. I was walking toward a restaurant i frequent in itaewon, the international neighborhood, and two guys were walking near me who appeared to be looking for the entrance to the same restaurant. I said hello are you looking for such and such restaurant? They said zero, did zero to acknowledge me and walked past me. This is very common, any benign and friendly attempt at public interaction is ignored. I haven't seen anyone smile in weeks. I think they are proud of being difficult, unemotional and standoffish. This culture views it as a strength and, kindness... Even politeness, as weakness. It's often -10c now in mid December and no more than 10% of people wear hats - especially beanies - because they don't want to disrupt their hair. A level of superficiality in the face of extreme weather that would be embarrassing in a healthy society that places health and comfort - at least somewhere, among vanity and status. I walked into an elevator and by the way I always yield to the locals who seem to always be Jockeying for first in line, and I'm 98% sure the 4 people in the elevator were laughing at me out loud in Korean. I said nothing and did nothing to provoke it. I'm surprised tourism is allowed here. It has wrecked my impression of the culture and the ethnocentric people and I can't ever imagine buying Korean products like Samsung, LG etc. They hate and disrespect others so acutely why would I? This is a uniquely hostile and antihuman society of emotionally unhealthy people.

Last edited by matrices; 12-17-2020 at 07:14 PM..

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Old 12-17-2020, 10:27 PM
  387 posts, read 383,035 times

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Someone had a bad experience with a Korean and now feels justified in writing a garbage post like this.

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Old 12-17-2020, 10:30 PM
  29,251 posts, read 19,946,259 times

Reputation: 31721

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrices View Post

I'm just a tourist in Seoul for a few soul crushing weeks. In that time I've had so many abusive, rude and inhumane things happen that I am compelled to warn others who often get a politically correct and sanitized view of other cultures from travelers and expats with stockholm syndrome. I'm an American and I've been to Mexico, France, Austria, Ukraine, Bulgaria, UAE, Vietnam and many more countries. All countries I've traveled to have been charming to visit because of basic hospitality and basic human appreciation and fellowship among men that I have taken for granted until now. Korea is a radically toxic culture and I suspect Koreans have high self awareness about the criticisms of their culture but are proud of and embrace it's hostility nonetheless. I have had several experiences where i enter a store and say hello in Korean while bowing or nodding my head slightly then later saying thank you in Korean while the worker says nothing to me, makes no eye contact and no physical gesture to acknowledge me. In years of traveling i can't recall this ever happening - anywhere! It's an immutable feature of healthy human psychology to respond to others. To be trained to deny that even to a very polite person is uniquely Korean. I was walking toward a restaurant i frequent in itaewon, the international neighborhood, and two guys were walking near me who appeared to be looking for the entrance to the same restaurant. I said hello are you looking for such and such restaurant? They said zero, did zero to acknowledge me and walked past me. This is very common, any benign and friendly attempt at public interaction is ignored. I haven't seen anyone smile in weeks. I think they are proud of being difficult, unemotional and standoffish. This culture views it as a strength and, kindness... Even politeness, as weakness. It's often -10c now in mid December and no more than 10% of people wear hats - especially beanies - because they don't want to disrupt their hair. A level of superficiality in the face of extreme weather that would be embarrassing in a healthy society that places health and comfort - at least somewhere, among vanity and status. I walked into an elevator and by the way I always yield to the locals who seem to always be Jockeying for first in line, and I'm 98% sure the 4 people in the elevator were laughing at me out loud in Korean. I said nothing and did nothing to provoke it. I'm surprised tourism is allowed here. It has wrecked my impression of the culture and the ethnocentric people and I can't ever imagine buying Korean products like Samsung, LG etc. They hate and disrespect others so acutely why would I? This is a uniquely hostile and antihuman society of emotionally unhealthy people.

Opposite of my experience while on duty there. Or my daughter's experiences while she was teaching English there. Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 

Old 12-17-2020, 11:00 PM
 

Location: Lahaina, Hi.

6,495 posts, read 5,211,510 times

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We were moderately bored there compared to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Bali, etc.. Since so few Koreans speak English, we traveled to a neighborhood adjacent to a U.S. military base and had a wonderful time. Koreans working the restaurants and bars there all spoke English and were friendly.

I also recall an excellent meal and atmosphere in a sushi-type restaurant in Itaewon. We people-watched many of the "orange-tribe". (Wealthy young Koreans with hair bleached orange who wore all the latest styles.) They were so busy being trendy, LOL!

No real desire to go back but no bad memories either.

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Old 12-18-2020, 05:43 AM
 

Location: Eastern Tennessee

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Sounds a lot like going to New York City!! Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 

Old 12-18-2020, 09:13 AM
 

Location: Earth

7,631 posts, read 6,786,575 times

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BLM has not experienced racism like racism in Asia.

Xenophobia on a whole another level.

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Old 12-18-2020, 09:54 AM
  29,251 posts, read 19,946,259 times

Reputation: 31721

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dangerous-Boy View Post BLM has not experienced racism like racism in Asia.

Xenophobia on a whole another level.


I spent 13 years in Asia. There is a lot of "micro-aggression" if you actually try to earn a living there, but virtually no racially inspired physical danger.

The only time I was ever fearful of physical danger was one time we got surrounded in the jungle in the Cabanatuan by the Communist New People's Army in 1986. But once we convinced them we weren't counter-guerrilla forces...they let us go.

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Old 12-18-2020, 10:15 AM
 

Location: IN>Germany>ND>OH>TX>CA>Currently NoVa and a Vacation Lake House in PA

3,315 posts, read 4,609,626 times

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk View Post

Opposite of my experience while on duty there. Or my daughter's experiences while she was teaching English there.

The OP should have taken an English class while she was there as she's unable to write intelligently. Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 

Old 12-18-2020, 10:37 AM
  20 posts, read 40,838 times

Reputation: 148

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert20170 View Post

The OP should have taken an English class while she was there as she's unable to write intelligently.

You're right Robert. You are more skilled at proofing your writing than I. With your 2,271 posts you are superior. All those hours of writing and reading forums, alone in your room, the keyboard beckoning you for years, thats great skill building. I could learn to be more singularly focused on one meaningless thing in my life - like you Robert. Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 

Old 12-18-2020, 11:18 AM
  7,443 posts, read 4,508,665 times

Reputation: 13185

As someone who has lived in Korea for 7 years, the OP is not completely wrong with that assessment.
I do think many Korean people do not really care for foreigners, or are at least indifferent about them, but that same thing could be said about many countries too. As far as them being unfriendly, it could just be the language barrier as a big problem, but that is only part of it. If you are looking for “Southern hospitality” in Korea, forget about it. But if the people get to know you, or they benefit from your existence, they can be quite charming. Co-workers can be very friendly, landlords will take the time to visit with you, restaurant workers will remember you if you are a repeat customer and treat you well.

I also lived in Japan for 9 years, and it is night and day. Japanese people seem more friendly, more open to helping with little things like giving directions, providing a greeting in passing, etc. Standing in line, they won’t normally cut like Koreans tend to do. I never seen them brawl in the street or have loud arguments in public like I seen Koreans do with each other.

But I have a feeling that these generalizations that us foreigners make may not be accurate, because let’s be honest, we don’t really understand the inner dynamic between native people who have lived there for generations.

I never had an immigration problem with friends visiting in Korea, in fact, it’s easy to come and go there. But in Japan, they are very rigid and will not budge. When they deny an extension, it’s over. They won’t fully explain why. If it matters, they always maintain their professionalism and smile while making a decision that doesn’t make sense. I’d rather have that unfriendly Korean just stamp the visa extension and let us go, lol!

It’s the same with a traffic violation. In Japan, lanes change to bus lanes very quickly with little warning to get over. There is a traffic cop within a few feet ready to motion you to stop and give you a ticket. No warning, no explanation, no nothing. In Korea, none of this nonsense, they just let you drive for the most part. Of course, in the really congested areas of Tokyo and Seoul, it’s all camera tickets for the most part that must be paid in both places.

So my assessment is this: superficially, I agree that Koreans aren’t friendly and Japanese are, to some extent. The language barrier in both places is quite profound, though. But when it comes to serious matters, Koreans may be more lenient than other countries, especially Japan.

Added bonus: Korean food is slightly better than Japanese food, although neither can compare to Thai.

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