From Newsgroup: soc.culture.korean

Organization: Www.catracing.org

As mentioned I lived in Korea for 13.5 years.

What was your best or favorite memory of living there?

What was your worst experience/s living there?

I have commented on FB posts that to me, living in Korea was a lot like
owning a boat. The best moments was the moment I arrived and the moment the plane lifted off the runway 13.5 years later.

I did have enjoyable moments in between, but all in all, it was a time in my life I could very easily just have skipped.

I did not make one friend that I stay in touch with.

People seemed to go out of their way to make things as difficult as possible even when you present them with an easy solution and because they have never tried it that way they refuse to. "You must understand our unique situation."

People watched you to make the smallest of mistakes, so they could be the
ones to correct you, which just came off as awkward. (Why are you watching me this closely to have even noticed that).

People whom you considered friends were the ones you would find were the ones who made the lists, and would threaten to report you for those transgressions as a way of asserting dominance, settle personal disagreements, etc.

ALWAYS ASSUME YOUR MESSAGES ARE BEING SAVED, AND YOUR PHONE CALLS RECORDED!

As above, people using the criminal justice system instead of settling issues in civil court. Expensive vs. the state covering the costs of prosecution.
The assumption that the accused will reach out for an "apology settlement" to make it go away, not understanding that while it may go away criminally, foreigners still have to deal with Immigration. This is also being
exaserbated by the fact that a lot of criminal code is being rewritten to
close the appology settlement exit, so the "victim" will accuse someone of something and be totally shocked when they now can not stop the freight train.

No freedom of speech / expression. 1) Privacy of face (Privacy is expected
in public). 2) Fake news laws, 3) Historical narratives being controlled by the government and if you question it can be criminally or civilly tried.

Korean's LOVE to argue, over the smallest most nonsensical things to save face.

Rules for thee and not for me.. This is both actual civil rules, but also cultural rules. Which most Koreans don't follow. The most infuriating is
when you saw something that would normally be appropriate in a hierarchical context due to age / seniority / rank / standing, but being told you are being rude because as a foreigner you will always be below another Korean regardless of any other marker. You almost feel like the corner stray is higher in society than you.

At first it didn't bother me, because I could avoid most situations were
these might have come into play, but when situations happened and the rose colored glasses came off. It was time to get the heck out!

What was your experience?

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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