Quote:
Originally Posted by PoseidonCubed
As a Korean-American who has never been to Seoul (living in Japan atm), I'd be really curious to know some of the reasons why this is. Korea is probably next on my list for a short vacation.
I meant living specifically and not visiting. I'm a white guy, so I really can't speak definitively on the subject. The few that I've known have disliked it for a number of different reasons, but ultimately it just comes down to cultural differences that they can't seem to overlook: the groupthink, societal pressure to the norm, focus on youth/beauty, and questioning one's own identity.
Korean society can be rough to foreigners. We've had a number of differing opinions in this thread over the last however many years. I think the negative things brought up are exacerbated toward gyopos because there is even more negative cultural bias wrt stereotyping: Looks Korean but doesn't speak perfect Korean, thinks he's special but hasn't done his military service and never will, girls like him more than me but he's full of **** and not really one of us. Those sorts of things.
This is by NO means the opinion of all obviously. But I have seen my gyopo friends struggling with these issues. Now, just for a visit? ****in A, come check it out for a few months by all means. But I think one doesn't start to get a real feel for what living in Korea is really like until about 6 months in the grind.
This probably came off more authoritarian than I wanted it to. I'm admittedly kind of an idiot. But I am observant. And I've been here for awhile.