Something you DO see every day
September 19, 2007
For those of you with a lot of time on your hadnds, you can learn a ton about Korea by staying in tune with the numerous other blogs out there that are directly related to life in Korea. A seemingly unrelated stream of blog posts whipped through the Korean blogosphere the past couple days and I’m going to attempt to connect some dots between them.
I was reading through old posts over on Marmot’s Hole, and from there got linked to a new blog about Asian baseball called East Wind-up Chronicle (taken from the novel Wind-up Bird Chronicle?), wihich featured an article about Korea Beat. The same article also made mention of something that I didn’t realize had it’s own Konglish slang term. Apparantly it’s called sel-ca-ing when you take pictures of yourself.
Yes, there’s nothing more irritating than sitting in a coffee shop next to a group of young girls obsessed with taking pictures of themselves trying oh so hard to look bug-eyed and cute.
Korean culture seems at times obsessed with appearances. I have taken a positive lesson from this, in that first appearances are very important. However, sometimes it seems like Koreans take it to the next level and worship style, leaving substance as an afterthought. Well, I wouldn’t even give substance that much credit, actually… Trying to do business in Korea can quickly become a game based on smoke and mirrors rather than actually accomplishing anything. Fundamentally, I think this is why expats in Korea find it very difficult to make relationships and often find themselves held at arms length by Korean organizations; because the relationship (or appearance thereof) is often more important than the business at hand. Whereas westerners value “getting down to business,” and “getting things done” I have personally had problems with my frankness and expecting too much too fast. I sometimes forget that when it comes to making decisions, Korean like to let things simmer while the relationship builds, before making a decision too quickly.
Some people are quick to dismiss this style of decision making, especially in regards to business, but I have to admit that it can help avoid being rushed into things while helping you to get to know somebody better until you feel more comfortable trusting them.
But at the same time, I must admit that in a country with powerful “us against them” feelings of nationalism stemming from a long history of being brutalized by outside forces, it is sometimes hard to live somewhere that you are always identified firstly as a “foreigner.” This is part of why I have made a concerted effort to talk about this blog as a resource for “Expats in Korea,” as opposed to “Foreigners in Korea.”
With all that being said, I still love my life in Korea and have no burning desire to return “home” any time soon. Considering this has been kind of a “roll call” of some of the Korea-related blogs I like, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the blog Scribblings of the Metropolitician as my personal favorite place for reading about this kind of cultural analysis.
Hi. Thanks for the mention. I’m the co-author of East Windup Chronicle, the half that lives in Korea, and indeed the person who wrote the sel-ca post.
There are times when I see things like sel-ca and want to vomit (as I said in the post), but there’s part of me that embraces this stuff just the same. I think we tend to look at things from our own foundation, and from what we’ve learned in the west, taking a photo of yourself, primping and looking saucer-eyed is a disgusting concept. I’ve caught my wife doing it and I always give her a hard time when I see it. But really, is writing a blog and putting your name all over it any better? We all have our own ways of trying to put ourselves on display. To show that we’re surviving in the big world.
I urge more of us foreigners (sorry Skinny, I have the opposite opinion of the word!) to go easy on themselves, to look at your surroundings as a challenge and a contrast to your own, rather than an incorrect manifestation of your own culture.
Not saying that’s what you’re saying here skinny. Just hoping some of those who haven’t been here so long can give themselves a break. I think anyone whose been living in Korea or probably any other Asian country, can attest to the fact that it’s a tough living day to day here when you hate everything around you. Because you’ll be changing before it does.
Thanks again Skinny and glad I came across your blog. Looks like a regular stop for me.
You’re totally right Aaron. Especially about how one day something that make you want to vomit, is something you love about Korea the very next day.
By the way, I’m curious about why you seem to like (or at least, have no problem with) the word “foreigner.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that serious in my objection to it… it’s more like a pet peeve really. I just find it marginalizing and I really find it irritating when I ask why I can’t do something and the response is some kind of variation on “Foreigners can’t do it.” Because I’m a foreigner is not a legitimate reason why I can’t purchase a cell phone or sign up on a website.
Usually the person just doesn’t know about their own company’s policies. I just keep asking why until they give me a real reason or a manager.
In the case of the swimming pool at the Walker Hill Hotel, when they were telling us that we must wear swimming caps, but they ONLY targeted us and didn’t say anything to the several Koreans not wearing swimming caps, we write angry letters (which we got a fantastic response to, by the way. They said they’re going to get rid of all unnecessary rules and make the swimming pool staff go through training
I nominated the guy for employee of the month through another contact we have there).
That being said, the past several months I have run into this less and less (except for that whole swimming pool thing I just said, haha).
Anyway, thanks for dropping by!
[…] of “foreigner” today. The latter has always instinctively bugged me, and after reading this post at seoulsteves today I’ve decided to make a stand and never use it again. Please call me […]
Upon a full second reading of what I wrote, it seems that I was wording my points a little stronger than I had intended. I’m not going to make any changes, but I do feel bad for coming across a bit harshly. Anyway, I’ll make up for it~