This may seem like a question with a clear answer, but instead of me rattling off a long post about the subject, how about you readers chime in with your opinions? Let's talk about the issue by speaking about our experiences, as well as patterns you may have noticed.
Source here.
First, a few ground rules. Let's talk about the issue. So no long flames about how "America has the same problems," as if that's even a point. We know. But we're talking about Korea, not America. If you want to flame about how foreigners shouldn't "talk bad" about Korea, please read this first. Also, no ad hominem or personal attacks – posts in this thread that engage in the latter will just get erased.
Please try to speak from experience, or at least make clear when something is a friend's direct experience, or mere hearsay. Also, try to link to specific sources if you have them.
Let's try to make this conversation one that can actually work as a resource, and let's try to respect the opinions of others. I'd like to also see some new people joining the conversation, so I encourage feedback. And instead of starting off with a big post, I'll just join in this conversation as it happens.
So, a few questions I'd like to pose:
- For you old-timers, or people who've been back and forth over a long period of time, do you see any overall changes here? Are they defined by a rise in a certain kind of behavior? Or is the "feeling" just different somehow? Are there no differences, perhaps?
- Depending on who you are, how would you describe the way Koreans look at you? If you were to use adjectives, how would you describe how you feel about life here? How might you describe the way you think Koreans perceive you?
- Would you recommend Korea to a friend as a place to work? Live? Visit?
- Do you like living here? Good points, bad points?
- If you had one minute of free airtime on Korean television and a simultaneous translator, what would you say?
Not exhaustive, and some a bit simplistic, but it's food for thought. What do ya'll think? And for those of you who may be Korean, or perhaps non-Korean and wanting to chime in or ask your own questions, please feel free.
