Guest-Post from The Korean: Why are Koreans Hyper-Sensitive to Criticisms from Non-Koreans? (And How Can I be a Good Critic?)

-NOTE: This is Part 2 of the joint posting with Roboseyo and Ask A Korean! See the first parts here: Ask A Korean! I Roboseyo I-

Dear Korean,

For a culture so aware of their international image, and so eager to take the international stage, ("Hey, look everybody! A Korean has a lead role on a major network TV series!" "Do you know the Korean Wave?") why do Koreans seem hypersensitive to criticism from non-Koreans? I have heard defensive Koreans make outlandish claims about their culture and people that are completely unrealistic and patently untrue, even while discussing topics Koreans themselves recognize they need to improve, simply because a non-Korean is pointing out the flaws: what is going on there?

Under what conditions, if any, would Koreans be ready and open to accepting constructive criticism from non-Koreans, about Korea's society/culture/business climate/etc.? Who DOES have the right to criticize Korea? And what about non-Koreans who have moved to Korea, studied it, and lived there for a long time, and the 1.5 people in other countries? What should I say to Koreans who get defensive, or am I just butting my head against a wall by bringing up such topics with Koreans, and would do better to surrender, and praise the virtues of kimchi, and leave the controversies be?

Roboseyo


Dear Roboseyo,

The hypersensitivity that you speak of is absolutely true, but you did not need the Korean to tell you that. Everything you said about Koreans taking criticisms poorly from a non-Korean is all true: they get extremely animated as if they were personally insulted, they get defensive, and often make counter-claims that are either unpersuasive or borderline absurd.

In fact, for many expats the complaint is not about Koreans’ hypersensitivity; it is their absurd arguments in responding to criticisms. Where do the absurd arguments about Korean superiority come from? As it turns out, the hypersensitivity and the absurdity questions are related, so read on.

Korean People's Hypersensitivity

First, let us eliminate one popular hypothesis from the running. Some observers posit that Korean culture is simply not a “criticizing culture”, because it emphasizes homogeneity and harmony. Because Koreans are reluctant to criticize one another, the theory goes, any amount of criticism is considered a very bold act, and often deeply insulting.

The Korean can unequivocally say that this theory is 100 percent crap, because Koreans liberally criticize their country and each other. And truly, the severe and ignorant nature of their criticisms aimed toward their fellow Koreans makes criticisms from expats look like sprinkles of flowers and baby powder.

Just to give a couple of examples, the Korean took less than 10 minutes of Korean news search to find these choice comments. Please note that the Korean did not say anything about the comments’ coherence or persuasiveness. The Korean will not be responsible for the headache following the reading of these comments:

About Anti-U.S. Beef Protests, titled “Violent suppression against illegal protest is a matter of course”:

“Amnesty International recognized the illegality of Candlelight Protests as well. From the perspective of the riot police, they have to fight the zombie dog packs in a one-to-one hundred numerical disadvantage. It’s enough to make one scared for his life. It’s natural to strain a little in order to protect your own body from extreme fear and anxiety. It’s the same as the fact that in any war there is a mass killing. It’s the same as the situation in which a burglar broke into the house, and in order to protect your property, you could fight the running burglar and end up beat him like a dog in a bit of excitement. The problem is with the punks who tried to overturn the country and turned the streets into lawless hellhole with something that doesn’t even make sense. Keep in mind that human rights organizations always represent the weaker side’s position. Don’t human rights organizations always side with the lone murder?”

About South Korean woman being shot in North Korea, titled “All of you move to North Korea”:

“Freakin’ commies, way to ruin my morning. Stop criticizing the president and cross over if you like North Korea so much. Except you, regular people have to go on living and they have a lot to do for that. Why do you say nothing to the infamous villain Kim Jong-Il and raise hell with our president? If you were born in North Korea you don’t even get the right to run your mouth. That woman will follow you and curse you all your life in the netherworld. Why do these punks without common sense keep on running their mouth? Thanks to the Roh Moo-Hyeon administration that let go of the Internet even trashy citizens are all protected.”

(Note to expat complainers: Still think all Koreans blindly follow the beef protesters while being silent on the North Korean shooting? See what you’re missing when you don’t read Korean media directly?)

Okay then: if search for harmony is not the answer, what makes Koreans hypersensitive to criticisms from non-Koreans? The hints to the answer can be found in Roboseyo’s question. Koreans care very much about their international image, but at the same time they are deeply insecure about the same image. Such attitudes are two sides of the same coin, and the coin is called “Nationalistic Zeal”.

Remember what the Korean wrote in the previous post in this series: the keystone knowledge for understanding modern Korea is the fact that Korea went from abject poverty to one of the world’s economic leaders. Understanding Korean people’s hypersensitivity in this respect is not an exception.

How did the amazing economic growth lead to such hypersensitivity? One obvious way is that Koreans are justifiably proud of their achievement. Again, understanding the astounding magnitude of this growth is the key. In 1962, per capita GDP of Korea was $87. 45 years later in 2007, per capita GDP of Korea was $24,783.

Let’s dice those numbers around. To grow from $87 to $24,783 in 45 years, there has to be a return of 13.4 percent every year for 45 years. Not even the greatest hedge fund manager in the history of Wall Street can do that. To grow from $87 to $24,783 in 45 years, the productivity per person has to double every 5~6 years. In other words, every single person in Korea had to double his/her productivity every 5~6 years for 8~9 times in a row.

This is truly a towering achievement. This has never happened in human history before Koreans did. And Koreans are legitimately proud of their country and themselves for having achieved it. (Of course, the Chinese are now doing what Koreans did. And it should come as no surprise that the same crazed nationalism grips China as well.)

But this nationalistic zeal is not just an outcome of the spectacular growth; it has been a very important tool of the growth as well. After all, this level of development does not come without an enormous amount of sacrifice from all sectors of the society. Thus, Korean employees were asked to work 18 hours a day; Korean employees’ wives were asked to put up with the binge drinking that their husbands would engage in to relieve the stress; Korean students were asked to prove their worth through ridiculously competitive exams; and so on.

Enduring through all this stuff requires a strong motivatioon to look past the shittiness of the current situation and look to the future. Of course the desperate desire to escape poverty was a strong motivator for everyone involved in this process. But there is always more to be done. As Napoleon said, “A man does not have himself killed for a half-pence a day or for a petty distinction; you must speak to the soul in order to electrify him.”

What speaks to the Korean soul? The tried-and-true method that works on every soul. First, glorify the nation’s past history by any means possible. Second, pump the citizens up with national pride over the glorified past history. Third, blame external factors (= other countries) for the current economic plight. Fourth, remind the citizens again about the glory days of the past, and exhort them to reconstructing those moments. Presto! Suddenly you have a nation full of explosively motivated people.

[Warning! Godwin’s Law moment ahead!] Guess who mastered this formula for the first time? None other than Adolf Hitler. Let’s be clear: the Korean does not intend to say anything positive about Hitler. But the method through which the Mustachioed Symbol of Evil motivated Germans enough to turn the post-WWI scrap heap that was Germany into World War-capable economy at least deserves some attention. And the same method, give or take minor variations on the theme, was successfully used in more or less all countries that achieved impressive economic growth in the 20th century. Such countries include Germany, Russia, Italy, Japan, and yes, Korea. (And China.)

Korea’s process fits this pattern perfectly. First, Korea’s glorious past. A nation of power, evidenced by the huge territory that once stretched all the way into Manchuria 15 centuries ago! A nation of science, evidenced by the first armored ship in the world! The first metal printing press in the world! The most scientific alphabet in the world! A nation of artistic genius, with stunningly beautiful Buddhist temples and light turquois ceramics whose colors still cannot be replicated to this day! How can you not get pumped up with all this glory? All this stuff is constantly fed to the people through school textbooks, state-controlled media outlets, and totally objective reports from various university professors.

Then onto blaming other countries – which one will it be? How about Japan? All it did was to occupy Korea for 36 years, tortured and killed people, forced numerous Korean women into an institutionalized prostitution, and perform human experimentation. But we can’t forget North Korea either. Those commies almost ruined everything, and are still plotting to ruin everything. It's clear that Korea should be in a better place than where we are now given our glorious history, but it has to be those jjokbari (nips) and bbalgaeng'i (commies) that are holding us back. Well, no more! Onto economic development!

(Does this sound overly simplistic? But you just have to take the Korean's word for it that this is exactly how it happens. This message was constantly hammered in to the young Korean and his classmates throughout the Korean's school life.)

And this is the point from which both absurdity and hypersensitivity questions can be answered. Let's address the absurdity question first.

While drumming up national pride through history sounds manipulative, the Korean version of this process is, in a larger context, relatively tame. The historical account of Korea told in Korea is, by and large, true. At least Korea did not – officially – make up ancient history like Japan did, or elevate racism to the level of pseudo-science like Nazi Germany did. It is more on par with Italy’s attitude towards the Roman empire, which like Korea attempted to link back to its own history that is, while genuine, too old to be truly relevant in the modern era.

But there is no denying that, although they may be true, Korean historical accounts told by Koreans are consistently and strongly slanted towards achieving the objective stated earlier. This slant is then reinforced over and over within private channels of information (= people without deep knowledge of history simply talking to one another,) because hey, who doesn't like hearing good things about their past? As information reverberates within this self-contained echo chamber, it is often distorted to an absurd proportion.

This problem is compounded by the fact that, like any country in the world, not everyone in Korea is fully knowledgeable about her own nation’s history. Despite what an unsuspecting expat may think, Koreans do not sit and ponder for days upon days fine-tuning the arguments for Korean superiority. All they have are a few nuggets of information about Korea that they have collected through school and media. And it is precisely the schools and the media that relentlessly push out such slanted information.

But many Koreans do not have the proper perspective to evaluate this information they receive, because they have never spent much time examining other cultures. Even if they did have a proper perspective, they do not have the English skills to properly communicate the subtle nuances.

(Aside: in comparison, expats in Korea tend to be well-educated and well-traveled, likely having a better vantage point to evaluate Korean culture and society within a greater context. More importantly, where a certain culture stands within the world is something that is constantly on an expat’s mind. After all, expats are in a foreign country to do (among other things) exactly that!)

So when the irresistible compulsion to defend Korea against non-Korean-generated criticism of Korea strikes an average Korean, she is often poorly equipped to do so. Her argumentative tools simply are not adequate to properly express her fervor. Therefore, she flails about as she tries to stand her ground, and frequently resorts to poor rhetoric and obstinate denial.

For example, one of the typical responses from Koreans that Roboseyo cites is: “Go easy on us, we are just a developing nation!” To which Roboseyo answers thusly:

"Answer: Put very simply:
Still developing:



Finished developing:

Congratulations! You're part of the club! You're playing with the big kids now!

In terms of infrastructure and wealth, Korea is no longer a developing nation. Top fifteen economy in the world, people from South Asia coming HERE to work and send money home -- in the ways of the won, Korea's made it. It's a major player. Other countries look to Korea's development model to figure out how to raise their standard of living and set up infrastructure. One of the drags that comes with being one of the big boys is being a big target, and people pay more attention, and take more shots at big targets. Griping about facing criticism from the international community that Korea worked so hard to join, is like the little boy who wants to play soccer with his older brother's big friends, and then cries when they knock him down with a sliding tackle."

But with more knowledge and ability for nuanced expression, the proverbial Korean could have said this to Roboseyo instead:

“While Korea has an appearance of a fully developed nation, the appearance is more of a façade because such development was only actualized in the last two decades at best. The leadership in the society, primarily consisted of people in their 50s and above, grew up in a pre-modern era. Their paradigms are often stuck in the pre-modern era, and they perpetuate such paradigms into the younger generation through the educational process.

To explain this within your simile, sure it is annoying that the little boy cries after one sliding tackle. But for a little boy, a sliding tackle from a big boy really hurts! His desire to play with the big boys does not change the fact that his body is not ready to take the big boys’ game.”

One may disagree with this explanation, but at least this explanation is no longer absurd. But giving this type of explanation requires a certain level of knowledge, acquired by investing the time to think about this issue, as well as a certain level of eloquence in English. Many Koreans have neither.

Now, the hypersensitivity part. Note that the unit of measurement of the nationalistic zeal is a nation. The glorified history was shared as a nation. It was other nations that imposed difficulties to our own nation, and we as a nation suffered the consequences. And now, we as a nation are gearing up for ascendence, and other nations are doing the same.

It is crucial to understand that in the worldview of a nationalist, each and every person in the world operates as a member of a team called "United States of America", "Brazil", "Thailand", "South Africa", "France", etc. And each team are striving to outdo one another in a giant world race for power, be it economic, political, social, cultural or any other type one can think of.

(Ever wondered why World Cup soccer is so popular around the world? It's not just that soccer is joga bonito. World Cup is so popular because nothing actualizes the world-race in the minds of nationalists quite like a bunch of countries playing a ballgame.)

And here is the reason why Koreans get hypersensitive to criticisms from non-Koreans. Koreans, as faithful nationalists, are deeply concerned about their own team. So deep down, Koreans love hearing what non-Koreans have to say about them. After all, Koreans know that Korea has much to learn to become a leader in the world, and they are keen on listening to any pointers.

But Koreans nonetheless often respond negatively to a non-Korean generated criticism, for two reasons. First is the reflexive emotional response. Beacuse a member of another team just criticized your team, something that you hold dear, you will react automatically. (Ever tried criticizing Ohio State football in Ohio? It's that type of reaction, on Barry Bonds-grade steroids.) It is something along the lines of: "Don't tell me how to run our own team! You think we don't know our problems? Go mind your own fucking business!"

Second reason is that Koreans genuinely worry that criticism from a non-Korean would actively damage the standing of Korea within the world. (And the theme of nationalism as an outcome as well as the tool for that outcome shows once again.) When your team appears weak, other teams will take advantage of it. So you must repel such criticism from a non-Korean, regardless of the validity of that criticism. And the defensiveness for Korea comes out in full swing.

As a Non-Korean, What Can I Do to Become a Constructive Critic?

Let’s move onto the second part of Roboseyo’s question – what can you do, as a non-Korean, to become a constructive critic of Korea?

The most important thing is to understand the level of difficulty involved in being a critic who is listened to, not who is rejected outright. Non-Koreans and expats think they can competently criticize Korean society like they would criticize the current Medicare system. This error is understandable, because virtually anyone thinks s/he can write and criticize without receiving much specialized learning at all.

But make no mistake – there are easy and hard criticisms to make, and the gap in difficulty between the two are as wide as the Pacific Ocean. For example, after about an hour of lesson at the driving range, virtually anyone can swing a golf club. But if an American’s criticism of Medicare to another American is like a doing a round of golf in a neighborhood park, an American’s criticism of Korean society to Korean people is like teeing up at the Pebble Beach, if the entire Pebble Beach were covered in landmines. It takes abundant caution, surgically precise skills, and keen powers of observation. Lacking any of them would lead to the situation literally blowing up on your face.

What makes it so difficult? It is largely a problem of unfamiliarity. Korea’s situation is unlike any country from which expats generally hail. Especially Americans, whose nation was always economically ahead and never had to play catch-up, really do not understand how strong of a force nationalism is, not only in Korea but also in the world generally. (This often leads to crude foreign policies based on bald assertions of strength rather than a more nuanced approach. Such policies may elicit cooperation from America’s allies, but they sure do not inspire fondness towards America.)

But this does not mean that overzealous nationalistic pride is something that is completely alien to Americans, because America has comparable analogues to this phenomenon. Roboseyo, in his excellent post about kimcheerleading, compared this situation to a needy girl who goes around asking, “Do you think I’m pretty?” That analogy is close, but the Korean has a better one. Which group of people in the U.S. has been traditionally dirt-poor, until good fortune combined with incredible effort and talent propelled them to the height of wealth?

Answer: Rappers! The Korean dares anyone to come up with a better analogy. What do you think all the blings, Cristals, and Bentleys are about? Because blackness has always been associated with (among other things) poverty, black rappers go on a rampage of overcompensation to ensure that no one dares think that they are poor, even at the expense of what may be considered crass, in-your-face lyrics and accessories.

(A good one from Saturday Night Live: “Oil price has hit a new high today and continues its trend upwards. Which means, in a few weeks, rappers will start to drink it.”)

But it’s important to realize that it is more than fashion sense that compels rappers to cover up in bling. What rappers demand, through such extravagance, is respect. In other words, rappers want the privileged people of America to recognize that they too are a part of the upper echelon of the society as well. Problem is that they decided to send that message in a form that the existing upper echelon of the society would consider, well, absurd. (Let’s face it – we would all be thinking rappers dress like idiots if their music weren’t so awesome. A hairnet? Seriously? Only old lunch ladies were wearing hairnets until rappers started donning them!)

Now you can imagine the proper difficulty of being a non-Korean, constructive critic. Could you imagine yourself walking up to Tupac (bless his soul) and his crew saying:

“How are you Mr. Shakur? You know, I think you really should stop rapping about shooting the police. I understand where you are coming from, but really, times have changed, and the police now protect all of us. I mean, just look at the number of African-American police officers we have around the country now. It’s really a terrible influence for children, so I really think it’s time for you to move on.”

Is this a valid criticism? Sure it is! But would Tupac listen to you? Putting aside the minor issue that Pac is no longer alive, you would be lucky not to have a cap in your ass by the time you finish your second sentence. Getting Tupac to listen to you would take a lot more rhetorical skills than most of us would ever have. (How are the Korean’s awkward incorporations of hip-hop lingo in this post so far? Any flashbacks from your parents trying to talk “cool”?)

Is Tupac being bull-headed for refusing to listen to a valid criticism? Sure he is. But if your aim is to criticize with the hopes of bringing about changes in behavior (rather than to bitch and moan simply to masturbate your own ego,) does his bull-headedness matter? Consider this – which one is easier to change, the listener’s predisposition to criticism that was built through his entire life, or the speaker’s words out of his mouth, formulated in his head in a few minutes?

In other words, if your true aim is to make Korea a better place through criticism, focus your energy on something that is faster and easier. Focus on your rhetorical skills rather than Korean people’s receptiveness. Truth is, on some level Koreans themselves know that some of them are rather too sensitive to criticisms from non-Koreans. They are working on that, whether or not non-Koreans see the effort. But that will take time.

You could, theoretically, make the Pebble Beach minefield easier; you can bring in minesweepers to take out all the mines, erect huge walls to negate the strong sea wind, and change the whole shape of the course to make it resemble your neighborhood rink. But any progress, as it were, will be achieved very slowly. And more importantly – at least for the Korean himself – it won’t be fun to play.

If you consider yourself to be a skilled rhetorician, what better challenge do you have than volleying a round of criticisms about Korean society to Korean people? If countless blowups make you realize that you are not just ready for this game, stop playing. Shut your mouth and your keyboard for once, and hone your game until you can finally step up to the tee without embarrassing yourself. After all, no one ever told you to play in the Pebble Beach minefield that is Korea.

To that end, here is some practical advice for navigating this hazardous yet exciting course:

Know Yourself. The most important one of all. Now you know how difficult the course is. Korea is a complicated place. Do you know if you can handle it? Do you have more than a shallow understanding of Korea? Do you directly talk to Korean people, and not just the kind who is learning English from you? Do you know Korean history in and out? Do you have enough knowledge to place things in proper perspective? Can you back up what you argue with rich detail and strong citations?

Pick the Right Fight. Recognize which battle is worth going into. There is no sense in wasting time arguing with a person who is simply flailing in an inexperienced area. Gently figure out where your listener stands. Is she well-educated? Well-traveled? Well-versed in knowledge about Korea? Picking an unworthy target is a waste of time. Engage in a serious debate with a smart, serious Korean person.

Be a Better Rhetorician. The Korean cannot instantly make you a better rhetorician. Like with any mastery of skill, being a convincing critic takes a lot of time spent reading, writing, and practicing. But the Korean would point out three areas that are often neglected.

1. Proceed with caution. Realize that you are venturing into a sensitive area, and so you really need to watch each step you take. In fact, Americans have some practice with this when they discuss race relations. (And many Americans, recognizing that they do not have the ability to skillfully navigate such an explosive area, simply stop talking about it. The Korean thinks it is less than ideal for American society as a whole, but on an individual level it is a wise choice.)

To that end, try reading this article from Sports Illustrated by Kelly Dwyer, about the disparity of media treatment that Latrell Sprewell received after assaulting his coach, and that of Shawn Chacon after assaulting his general manager. The article is not even directly about race; it is more about how NBA is treated differently from MLB. But look how many cautions that Dwyer throws into the article.

This is the type of caution that non-Korean critics of Korea must always employ. Doing this at first would not feel comfortable; it would feel cumbersome and nearly paralyzing. But this will make a difference in whether you are listened to or not. If Dwyer did not put in that much cautionary language, he would have been dismissed as another race-mongering sportswriter. Instead, by advancing carefully, he coaxes the readers’ attention all the way to the end, to his strongly worded (“just ridiculous”) conclusion.

2. Be patient. Any change in opinion generally would come very slowly. Take the Korean’s word for this: Korean people deep down are keen on hearing what non-Koreans have to say about them. They are receptive to what you have to say, although it often does feel like ramming your head against a brick wall. Criticize skillfully, and Korean people will listen to you. Take comfort in small milestones, and continue to move forward. Like Coach Anzai says, “When you give up, the game is over.”

3. Avoid harsh words. Many critics are utterly convinced that the harshest words will be the most effective. Even a nice person like Roboseyo sees a value in polemic writing:

“1. polemical writing gets more blog hits than diplomatic writing
2. polemical writing sticks in peoples' heads for longer than diplomatic writing, which means it ultimately has a higher chance of changing a person's pattern of thinking!
3. polemical writing stirs up emotions, which means it will start more discussions, than diplomatic writing, which might not poke through someone's guard.

Bare fact: A scalpel is a better surgical tool than a pillow, and sometimes, a social problem must be sharply criticized to bring about change; gentle phrases just won't stir up a strong enough reaction.”

The Korean disagrees. A scalpel is a better surgical tool than a pillow, but a surgery performed only with a scalpel without any anesthesia would not do any good, simply because the patient would refuse the surgery.

Remind yourself of the greater objective. Are you trying to stroke your own ego by flinging your most damaging attacks and earning the adulation of the people who would have agreed with you no matter how you said the same point you made? Or are you truly trying to convince the people whose opinions are radically different from yours?

The Korean wants to have nothing to with the first group. If you are one of such people, please go find a remote expat rant blog and continue the circlejerk. But for the second group, recognize that rational debate is only possible when the listener is willing to listen. You could have the clearest logic under the sky, and it would not matter one bit.

Aristotle identified ethos, logos, and pathos as the three modes of persuasion. With ethos, the speaker establishes her knowledge and credibility. With logos, the speaker takes logical steps to her conclusion. With pathos, the speaker makes an emotional connection with the listener and convinces the listener to accept her conclusion. In many situations, one or two of them may suffice. But remember, this is Pebble Beach minefield. Successful criticism of Korea from a non-Korean could only come when there is an abundance of all three modes.

That means that an aspiring Korea-critic cannot afford to miss out on pathos. Screaming “I do this for your own good!” - as some expat rant blogs do - does not count. If anesthesia is easily available, would you let your doctor cut you open using only a scalpel because it would be for your own good?

The effect of appealing to a negative emotion is highly overestimated. A polemicist typically has this image in which their missives are closely read, leading the reader to nod slowly as they realize the error of their ways. But has this ever happened to you? To anyone you know, ever? More typical response would be to say “what a fucking idiot!”, and dismiss the writing. Here is a universal truth, valid across space and time: people do not listen to people who piss them off.

Criticism with surgical efficiency does not depend on how hard you verbally strike the listener; it only depends on the location of your strike, and the skill and precision it takes to strike only that location. Your best chance of persuasion is only if you give a strong, rational criticism aimed only at addressing a clearly defined issue. Your argument will be listened to because you avoided spilling to areas that would cause unnecessary emotional flare-up; if your argument is strong enough, it might just convince your listener to change her mind.

The Korean once visited Spain, and watched a series of bullfights. After several rounds, the Korean was struck by the fact that the most fatal strike is the one that appears the most effortless. Three different matadors fought six bulls, and it was clear that the inept matador was the one who was expending the most effort. He would stab and stab at the bull with all of his strength, but the bull continued to stand up and charge. On the other hand, the most skillful matador only needed one shot; his sword slipped through the bull’s body like it was made of butter, and the bull fell within seconds. This should be the image of the most effective criticism.

With that image in mind, go forth into the minefield, the Korean’s complaining expat friends! This concludes the series.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@hotmail.com.

Comment on The Korean's post over at his blog, here.

Great Idea! We Can Stop Him Before He Goes Too Far!

Judiciary Committee muses impeaching George W. Bush.

read the whole train-wreck after the link.

from the article:

Too Little, Too Late? Lawmakers Talk Impeachment
Less Than Six Months Before Bush Leaves Office, Partisan Debate Erupts

By TOM GIUSTO
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2008—

Less than six months before President Bush leaves office, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing today on whether he should be impeached.

As could be predicted, the hearing was highly partisan. Democrats said they wanted accountability. Republicans called the hearing a show trial. People on both sides showed anger and emotion.

The hearing was about executive power and its constitutional limitations. The Democrat-controlled Judiciary Committee is concerned the Bush administration exceeded its authority in several areas including the following: improper politicization of the Justice Dept; misuse of presidential signing statements; misuse of surveillance, detention, interrogation and rendition programs; manipulation of intelligence and misuse of war powers; improper retaliation, and obstruction of justice in the Valerie Plame CIA agent outing case, and misuse of executive privilege.

There were 13 witnesses including current and former members of Congress, most of whom accused the Bush administration of abuse of power. Democrats and Republicans on the Committee spent an hour on opening statements presenting their opinions either justifying Bush's actions or accusing him of being the worst president in U.S. history.

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the committee, defended holding such a hearing while the president was on his way out of office.

"And we're not done yet," Conyers said. "We do not intend to go away until we achieve the accountability that the Congress is entitled to and the American people deserve."

Ranking Republican member Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, disagreed.

"This week it seems that we are hosting an anger management class," he said. "Nothing is going to come out of this hearing with regard to impeachment of the president."

But Democrat member Rep. Robert Wexler of Florida was angry at the president.

"Never before in the history of this nation has an administration so successfully diminished the constitutional powers of the legislative branch," Wexler said. "It is unacceptable, and it must not stand."

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., didn't mince words in her feelings about Bush.

"It is my judgment that President Bush is the worst president our country has ever suffered," she said. "Making judgments that have jeopardized our national security, impaired our economy, and diminished the freedom and civil liberties of the American people."

Link Love

Thanks, inessentialmusings, for the link love -- and very kind write-up on a post long-past (which I was proud of, but which never got the kind of response I'd hoped it would.)

Suddenly I Feel Better. . .

Matt from PopularGusts has, in his own inimitable style, offered up the thoroughly researched history of complaining expats in Korea. . . a fascinating way to give context to the complaining expat discussion going around right now.

And it sure helps to know how far we've come, just by a glance at the nature of the gripes: at least these days, we're complaining about labyrinthine banking practices and crooked taxi drivers, rather than Koreans' "need of soap" . . . "and bibles"

Wow. The more I read, the less I can choose a "best quote" -- get over there and read this thing. Let's just say that if blogs existed back then, instead of forming colonial plans, Japan would probably just have said "Meh. Sounds like too much work."

Meanwhile the complaining expats can take pride in taking part in a century old tradition.

Who knew.

(but then as now, long-term expats were. . . oh just read the post.)

At least those guys had flair: this guy chose to do his bitching and moaning in verse.
"The houses they live in are mostly of dirt,
With a tumble-down roof made of thatch;
Where soap is unknown, it's safe to assert,
And where vermin in myriads hatch;
The streets are reeking with odors more rife
Than the smell from a hyena's den;
One visit is surely enough for one's life
To that far-away land of Chosen."

Which might be something I'll try. It's been a while since I've written much poetry.

New blogoseyo rule:

when the same old Korea topics come up again (scapegoats, Liandokashima Rockdo, etc.), I shall henceforward only write about them in verse.

I'd ask Matt if he plans to do a history of Korean complaints about Korea, but that might take a while, and go back a long time: I'm pretty sure that Ungnyeo, the bear who became a woman (by hiding in a cave and eating nothing but mugwort and garlic for a hundred days) and bore Dangun, Korea's founder, scratched "This place sucks" on the cave floor while she waited.

This is not your Grandmother's Beethoven.

In early 2006, Beethoven's Ninth, along with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, counseled me through a pretty grimy bit of grief. For about two months, Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road, Arcade Fire's "Neighbourhood #1(Tunnels)" and Beethoven's Ninth, movements four and five, were all that got me up enough to face my classrooms of students.

If only I'd had this, back then, when I needed it.

(ht to Collegehumor.com)


And. . . Strauss.

Dang, I love the muppets!

Before you Plan your Summer Vacation. . . Jeollanam-do, by Brian

Summer Vacation is coming almost finished too hot to do anything anyway finally here!

[In order to help you plan YOUR summer vacation, or your Autumn three-day getaway, I posed this challenge to Brian from Jeollanam-do, a good friend of blogoseyo:

"Given a three day weekend, what would you recommend a person do in Jeollanam-do?"

Brian did me about seven times better than anything I'd hoped for, with this amazing, extensive, well-linked, varied and informative guest-post.

I hope to answer this same question about my stomping grounds, Seoul, in the very near future, in case he ever feels like getting away from all the tea fields and rice paddies and bamboo forests for a bit of car exhaust, glass, steel, and neon light. If you're in Korea, and especially if you live outside Seoul, I'd be very happy to link or post your three day weekend recommendations, too. Busan, Daegu, Gyungsan Province, Chungcheong Province, Gangwon, Daejeon, Dokdo -- let me know how to enjoy your area to the fullest! (And I'll share that with everybody else, too).

Here is his delightful, meticulously prepared, informative to the extreme, and very helpful answer.]

Hyangiram at sunrise.

Rob has always been a friend of my blog, and so I was more than happy to write a little something about Jeollanam-do for his site. Not happy enough to get around to writing it in a timely manner, mind you, but happy nonetheless. In all fairness typing "a little something" isn't as easy for me as it is for my peers in Seoul and Busan. As you know, outside of Seoul the hallmarks of civilization are spotty at best, and it's not like I can just sit down in front of a computer---com-pu-ter?---and bang something out. And even if I could, we only have electricity four hours a week, and I like others in my little fishing village use it almost exclusively for the publication of Communist pamphlets. But during final exam time at my Confucian academy I was able to sneak out for a few weeks and travel north along Jeollanam-do's road and into Gwangju's general store to put in some time on our province's wordprocessor. The trip took longer than expected because the road was full of protestors participating in a stick rally against American beef. They haven't invented fire in Gwangju yet, so we've been immune from the insane candlelight riots that have taken hold in Korea's capital.

Some people will say the above description is spot-on, and there are many, Koreans and foreigners alike, who swear that there is no life in Korea outside of Seoul. I wish I were a little more knowledgable about the regional differences of Korea and the nuances of Jeolla to say something more than "um . . . it's kind of like everywhere else." There are political differences, of course, and a bit of a dialect, and there's definitely a bias against Jeolla folk among others in the country. To be fair every region in the country dislikes every other region for some reason or other, which kind of runs counter to the business of jeong and of a unified, happy Korean race we're always hearing about. Oh, that and the whole Korean War thing.

South Jeolla on a Map of Korea [from Galbijim]

Anyway, as far as living in Jeollanam-do goes, I suspect it's not too different than living in most of the country's other administrative divisions. In fact, I'm busy enough with work and other things that I'm pretty sure I'd spend my weekdays in Seoul the same way I do now in Suncheon. Visiting is a different story, and Jeollanam-do is a popular tourist destination among foreigners. Rob suggested I write about a hypothetical three-day weekend here, because a lot of people take advantage of our holidays to pay a visit to, as the official website tells us, this "promising future-oriented place with clean air, clean water and pure lands." There are, in fact, a number of interesting development projects afoot in the area, which is what that slogan presumably refers to. They just built a new international airport last year, were awarded the 2012 World Expo, are building an entirely new city around the relocated provincial capitol, are gearing up for Korea's first F1 races in 2010. Jeollanam-do is also home to Korea's space station, to a number of sacred temples, to the highest peak and the southernmost point on peninsular South Korea, and Gwangju holds one of the country's premiere arts festivals, the Bienalle, every two years.

It's a little difficult to come up with a three-day itinerary, and you can tell that I'm stalling, mostly because the top spots are spread out across the entire province, rather than being collected into a single city. Moreover it's possible to actually spend three days just in Suncheon and Yeosu, for example, and there are tons of underrated tourist sites in every city and county down here. But what follows is a sample course that people might find helpful when they're planning a trip through the region. I will also say, before I get into the major attractions, that spring and fall are excellent times to visit because there are tons of well-known festivals, and you might take those into account when visiting. I'll be publishing a list of fall festivals in the region in late-August, and I mentioned a few spring festivals back in May. Planning your trip around the festivals will mean dealing with crowds, but you'll also have a convenient, pre-set itinerary.

Anyway, here is a collection of attractions that would make for a pleasant trip in the region. I've started with Suncheon and Yeosu, moved to Boseong, west to Mokpo and Wando, and finally north to Damyang and Gwangju. I've also included other points of interest that . . . that might be of interest, and I've tried to provide bus information to the best of my ability. Obviously having a car would be most convenient and would cut down on time spent waiting for village buses that are often few and far between.

County Map of South Jeolla Province

The sites below cannot all be squeezed into three days, so a couple different combinations that follow the east-to-west pattern include:

- Suncheon - Gurye - Boseong - Damyang
- Suncheon - Yeosu - Boseong - Damyang
- Yeosu - Mokpo - Wando - Gwangju
- Gwangju - Boseong - Damyang
- Gwangju - Wolchulsan - Boseong

You get the idea. Anyway, yeah, the post.

Suncheon

Suncheon Bus Tour: A good idea for those who don't want to worry about finding their own way around town might try the Suncheon City Bus Tour. It boards a little before 9 am every day and follows one of two courses to the city's major attractions, including: Seonamsa and Songgwangsa Temples, Nagan Folk Village, Suncheon Bay, and the Suncheon Drama Set. It finishes at 6 pm where it begins, in front of the Tourist Information Center at Suncheon Station. Inquiries can be made by calling 82-61-749-3328.

Nagan Folk Village (낙안읍성민석마을): Those not doing the bus tour may want to try a few sites individually. Nagan Folk Village, some 25 kilometers outside downtown Suncheon, is considered the best-preserved folk village in the country. Each spring there is a folk culture festival and each fall is the popular Namdo Food Festival held at the Folk Village. It is accessible via local buses 63 and 68, though they only run a combined 19 times each day and it's thus a good idea to head out there first thing in the morning. You can find out what time the buses will come by visiting the tourist information center in front of Suncheon Station, or you can make an educated guess by searching the online timetable.

Seonamsa Temple: My personal favorite temple in Suncheon, it is especially pretty in the spring and fall. Seonamsa and Songgwangsa are both on Jogyesan mountain and are connected by a long trail that goes over the peak. Bus number 1 runs regularly to Seonamsa, and passes by Suncheon Station and the Intercity Bus Terminal, among other places.

Suncheon Dongcheon (Source - Brian)

Nearby attractions: Dongcheon is a stream that runs through the city, between the bus terminal and Suncheon Station. It is a very pleasant area for a stroll . . . Jukdobong Park overlooks the city and the stream and is best accessed via taxi . . . Those spending the night in the city might want to try visit one of the designated quote-unquote foreigner bars: Elvis or Julianna's . . . Gurye county is north of Suncheon and is home to part of Jirisan National Park, which contains the highest peak on peninsular South Korea. Three days could be spent entirely in Gurye, so see this very informative post on hiking trails, this category on "Jirisan," the blog entry here, or this treasure trove by David Mason for more information and decide accordingly. Piagol Valley is an especially popular destination in the fall, when the maples change color.

Accommodation: There are clusters of love motels around Suncheon Station, the Intercity Bus Terminal, Homeplus, and the east side of "New Downtown" in Yeonhyang-dong. The ones around Homeplus are the newest, and are probably the cleanest, and rates start around 35,000 a night for your basic room. It will be about a 4,000 won cab ride from Suncheon Station or you can reach the area via buses 59 or 101.


Yeosu

(Hyangiram [source])

Hyangiram: I consider Hyangiram (향일암) a must-see for anyone coming to Jeollanam-do, along with the tea fields in Boseong and the bamboo forests in Damyang. Hyangiram is a gorgeous hermitage on the tip of Dolsan Island overlooking the sea. It is separated by the cute village below by 291 steps. There are a number of shrines that climb up the 323-meter-high Geomunsan. Local buses 111 and 113 go to Hyangiram and can be caught across the street from the Yeosu bus terminal. The trip takes between 70 and 80 minutes, so this is something I'd recommend doing first thing in the morning. There is a good write-up available from KBS Global.

Dolsan Bridge [source]

Dolsan Bridge and Dolsan Park: At 450 meters long, Dolsan Bridge is considered the longest cable-stayed bridge in Korea. Folks in Jindo also make that claim of theirs, so who knows, but Dolsan Bridge joins Dolsan island to the mainland, and cycles between 50-some different colors at night. The park is pleasant enough during the day, but is definitely worth a visit at night. If crossing the bridge from the mainland, to the right you'll see a couple of interesting things. There is a replica "turtle ship," since Admiral Lee Sun-shin is said to have invented them in Yeosu. And just to the right of the bridge on the Dolsan side is a harbor with a number of small cruise ships. I recommend taking one of these cruises around the outlying islands.

Nearby attractions: There are two beaches roughly ten minutes away from the bus terminal by cab, Manseongni and Mosageum. Manseongni is the quote-unquote famed quote-unquote black-sand beach, although the sand there is actually brown . . . Yeosu has lots of outlying islands, including Geomun-do, home of Port Hamilton, a short-lived British naval station in the late 19th century . . . Odong-do is another very popular attraction in Yeosu.

Accommodation: There are a couple of motels close to the bus terminal. Also a ton in Hak-dong, an area near Turtle Park and Yeosu City Hall with some restaurants, bars, and a movie theater. Suncheon is 40 minutes away by bus, and buses back and forth run until midnight, so you could base yourself out of that city.


Boseong Green Tea Fields

Boseong Tea Fields

The tea fields are another must-see, and are something pretty much every Korean and foreigner that passes through the area visits. Originally established by the Japanese during Occupation, there are several different plantations today with panoramic views of seemingly undulating rows of green tea plants. Tea is the representative product of Boseong, as 40% of the country's green tea comes from there, and if you visit the largest plantation---called 대한다원---you can buy all kinds of green tea products and green tea food. There are likewise a number of festivals held at the plantation, including the Green Tea Festival in May and the Seopyeonje Pansori Festival in October. It's best to avoid both the tea fields and the bamboo forest in Damyang in winter because the greenery won't be nearly as green.

More of the Boseong Tea Fields

Nearby attractions: Daewonsa temple is a local favorite among foreigners here. Not only is it beautiful and strikingly colorful, especially in spring, but there is a Tibetan Museum. There are sporadic buses from Boseong-eup and Beolgyo-eup . . . Yulpo Beach and the Yulpo Green Tea Baths are a short distance from the Green Tea Fields, and have gotten mixed reviews. For swimming, Sumun Beach in neighboring Jangheung county is preferrable, and it's only 9 kilometers west of Yulpo.

Accommodation: There are lots of quite little pension in Boseong near the Green Tea Fields. They are of course much more expensive than love motels but might be a nice time if you're travelling with that special someone. Have a look around Naver. Boseong is roughly an hour away from Suncheon, so if you wanted you could continue to base yourself out of that city.

Mokpo and Wando

I don't care that much about Mokpo, but folks say it's a nice city. I'm going to have to defer to the blog A Year in Mokpo and his write-ups on museums, bars, and the local favorite "Love Island." Also check out his post on Bigeum-do, an island in Sinan county accessible by ferry from the city.

Myeongsashimni [source]

Wando is one of Jeollanam-do's four counties comprised entirely or mostly out of islands. Its Myeongsashimni Beach is a regional favorite. The only downside is that Wando is pretty far from everything else---between 2h40m and 3h10m by bus from Gwangju---and would eat up an entire day. As with other cities and counties here, you could even spend an entire 3-day weekend in Wando. The aforementioned Myeongsashimni (명시십리해수욕장) is pretty much the best beach in Jeollanam-do, and though it's on the island of Shinji-do, it's still regularly accessible by buses from Wando-eup. Other points of interest include its impressive movie sets, Gugyedong Pebble Beach, and outlying islands like Bogil-do and Cheongsan-do. Having visited tons of places in Jeollanam-do already, if I had about a week to play with, I'd like to see more of Wando.

Wolchulsan

Wolchulsan (월출산) is popular little mountain and national park in Yeongam county. The mountain rises to 808.7 meters, is in the country's smallest national park, and has a bunch of attractions, including a sculpture park and a suspension bridge. Called the "Cloud Bridge" (구름다리) it is 120 meters long and spans two peaks some 510 meters high.

It is easy to get to the mountain's entrance from the bus terminal in Yeongam-eup, though it's best to set out for Yeongam early in the morning because not all local bus terminals run there frequently, and you may have to first visit Gwangju or Gangjin, or have to endure a lengthy ride that stops at every town and village along the way. And people of all shapes and ages have climbed Wolchulsan, though as with Jirisan, it's important to come adequately prepared and to be aware of your limitations.

There are a few love motels in Yeongam, though if your body odor isn't too offensive you might opt to move right to the infinitely more interesting Gwangju, where you can clean up and rest up before either trying out that city's nightlife or before going to Damyang the next day.

Gangjin county isn't exactly close, but does border on Wolchulsan, and as I used to live there I am kind of partial to it. Those who've been to Jeonnam before and are looking for other stuff to do---and who have their own transportation---might be intersted in visiting the idiosyncratic Nammireuksa or Omcheonsa temples

Damyang Bamboo Forest

(Damyang Bamboo Forest [source])

This is the third must-see I've mentioned so far. It is a massive bamboo forest located in Damyang county, just outside of Gwangju. Numerous movies and TV dramas have been shot here---all have survived---and are commemorated with plaques posted throughout the forest. Apparently Ha Ji-won, number one on my list of sexy Korean women, did a fight scene in the forest for some drama or other. And, the rumor on the street is that a friend of a friend of a friend was her private English tutor while Ji-won was filming in the area. Why I was not invited to meat (HA!) meet her has not yet been accounted for.

[I guess we'll never know -Roboseyo]

[Ha Ji-Won, below]

Unfortunately, bus travel between the terminal and the forest is a bit tricky, as according to KBS only four buses head each way each day. (A map I have at home says six per day). I went first thing in the morning once, but was told that buses didn't start heading to the forest until 11:30. I likewise had to wait roughly an hour before heading back into town. Damyang is pretty dull, and if you end up having to wait for the bus you can wander around Damyang-eup to experience a typical Jeollanam-do town, if you haven't already, but except for the bamboo forest there's not much else to see, so you can head back to Gwangju in the afternoon. Damyang does have Soswaewon, a large Joseon-era garden, although buses go there from Gwangju not Damyang. There is also a Metasequoia Road (담양 메타세쿼이아 길), one that was named one of Korea's 100 most beautiful roads in 2006.

Gwangju

Wonhyosa (Source - Brian)

Gwangju is a pleasant and convenient enough city for locals to visit every now and then, but it offers little more than high-rise apartments as far as the eye can see. It has a great bus terminal, though, and is a good place to first enter or exit Jeollanam-do. If you find yourself in the city for the better part of the day, try the May 18th Cemetery or Mudeungsan. The cemetery is accessible via the aptly-numbered bus 518, and is the final resting place of the victims of the 1980 Gwangju Massacre. Mudeungsan is a 1,187-meter-high mountain in on the edge of the city, the centerpiece of Mudeungsan Provincial Park, and according to a professor friend in the city, it's where her students often go for dates, for some reason. You can hike it or can take buses or cars to the top. The lofty Wonhyosa (원효사) temple, overlooking a valley, is nice.

Different people have different styles when travelling. Some like to fill every minute of every day with something, while others would rather just visit one or two places each day. I’ve tried to include a bunch of sites, big and small, to appeal to both sets. It is impractical, though, to try and hit Suncheon, Yeosu, Boseong, Gwangju, Mokpo, and Wando in two-and-a-half days. Pick out a couple “must sees” to book-end your trip and take into account how long you’ll spend there and how long it will take to get in and out, and how convenient transportation will be to other sites. If you supplement your trip with another couple sites along the way, you should have a pleasant visit, one that will give you lots of good pictures and one that will allow you to experience something pretty different than what you’re used to in Seoul. Those with any questions can email me at deutsch.brian[at]gmail.com, and I’ll try to help.

Back-Home Familoseyo, and Gord.

Gord Sellar completed his trilogy on "Who's Complaining in Korea" and the shocks of speedy modernity here, with a science fiction fable about the leap into post-modernity. Worth the read.  Thanks, Gord, for putting your hat in the ring.  I was glad to read it.

Wangkon has a comment worth reading up on the Marmot's Hole discussion board about this topic.

My nephew in Canada has been in and out of the hospital with different stuff . . . you can learn more about it on my sister-in-law's concise, cute, and occasionally hilarious blog, here. I'm gonna give you a few pictures:


Silas, resembling the heck out of his dad:

One milk allergic reaction later:  sick baby.



How's that for a sick baby smile?

(so I'm a proud uncle. Sue me.)

Looking about as world-weary as a four month-old can. . .

He's been in the hospital a bunch of times for one thing and another, but every time he goes home, we hope it'll stick. Until then -- he sure does seem wise beyond his months. An old soul. Maybe eight months.

My sister's baby, Aria, has had a much smoother ride so far (though the pregnancy and birth were bumpy).

My sister Deb was a beautiful pregnant woman, and now she's a beautiful mom (and an awesome lots-of-other-things, too):


Looking ready to take all comers (her dad is a really great photographer)


Not happy about the comers that done came.

all pictures from their respective blogs.

Satire Superhero

Eddie Paradise has posted this brilliant deconstruction of an Ajeosshi-do performance, an ancient, rarely-recognized but often-practiced Korean martial art, and a candidate for Korean cultural treasure #181818.

http://www.seouleats.com/2008/07/treatise-on-korean-martial-arts-sequel.html

The scene is anywhere in Seoul at past your bedtime. Any casual person walking around may not be aware of what is about to happen. A plastic chair scrapes on pavement and a voice is raised. The antiphonal section answers back slightly louder. All heads turn and prepare to bear witness, for tonight shall bear witness to the ancient, dramatic art that is Ajoshido (the Way of the Ajoshi). What one must bear in mind in any meditation on the subject of Ajoshido is that it has no relation to Ajummahdo. Whereas Ajummahdo is a fighting style created with the intent to kill, maim or punish, much like Abir and Bokator, the Way of the Ajoshi (meaning “married man”) finds itself more firmly rooted in theater.

When a practitioner of the Way scrapes is chair against the pavement to stand (if somewhat shakily) it signals not only to his intended opponent but also to any onlookers that a performance is about to begin. It is analogous to dimming the lights in an enclosed theater, signifying a separation between our humdrum everyday reality and the greater reality of the stage. Without an audience to observe the scene swelling outside the local GS 25, the performance is for naught. Thus an exhibition of Ajoshido requires, nay, demands an audience.

Follow the link and read the rest for yourself.

Related to Ajeosshi-do is the ancient dance "Deuh-long-keun Seuh-tae-geo" the final steps in the dance here being practiced by a few young Koreans, obviously still in training: (warning: ugly -- these Seuh-tae-geo dancers are inexperienced, and unskilled)
-note especially the light footwork from 2.50 to the end

Forget Ping Pong Diplomacy...

I propose b-boy dance-offs as the new way to solve international conflicts.

Korea'd finally match those tiny Northern-European nations (Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Norway, etc.,) in soft power.


North Korea vs. South Korea: as you can see, those B-boys can accomplish things that North Korea, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, America, and Syria couldn't accomplish. . . put together!


Next, I want to see one of these set on the LianDokashima Rockdo. Settle this thing once and for all.

Weekend of the 12th

While THIS weekend is still in progress, I've edited some videos of what I did LAST weekend.

I especially like the first one. Seoul can be darn beautiful sometimes.

Thursday night and Saturday:


Sunday:


I love rain.

P.S.: thanks, ROKDrop, for the leadoff link love.

Three E-mails I've received on the Complaining Expat topic

As well as a few comments I'd like to highlight:

The e-mails:

Quoted with permission from a non-blogger:

A private comment about your post on expats.

"we Westerners (who, at least among North Americans, have been programmed by movies and stories to go against the grain, and to prefer being right and alone over being wrong with the crowd), might start to push against the flood of Kimcheerleading with a bit of counter-balancing negativity, just so there’s a conversation."

One of the things that has always amused me about Americans is how polarized they are. It seems to be embedded firmly into the way their political, economic, legal and social structures work. And they hate each other. Conservatives loathe liberals, etc. [on the Marmot's hole, too,] It seems to be mainly American expats and American-Koreans who give each other the hardest time and take the most extreme views (there are exceptions and the odd Aussie).

I'd like to think that it was just an American thing but I have to admit it is slowly spreading to the rest of the world. Richard Dawkins is British (I agree with a lot he says but not the way he goes about saying it) and Denmark is becoming increasingly polarized...

Here's something you might find interesting for your study of expats in Korea. There is this forum called http://forum.rokfootball.com/ devoted to soccer in Korea. It's in English and most of the posters are expats (there's the odd Korean). There's virtually no complaining about Korea there, no trolls (the closest they have to a troll is me) and most people are genuinely interested in and supportive of Korea.

Now I can think of three possible reasons for this. Firstly, it's a special interest forum and people don't feel it's the right place to air their Korea-grievances. Secondly, there are very few American commenters (there's the odd Canadian but most of the regulars are European or Kiwis). And thirdly, everybody there has a hobby interest that allows them to both identify with their home country and identify with Korea. They bring their interest in football with them when they arrive. It's not like taking up hapkido or the gayageum, but Korean football is still very...Korean!

Perhaps if more expats had something like football that they could identify with they wouldn't find it so tough."

-- this fits nicely with Gord Sellar's discussion on "the expattes complainte," where he, too, argues that to keep positive, it's very important to get out of the house.

Hey bud.

go climb a mountain.

from a contact who's been in Korea for about as long as I have (five years) - shortened for length and personal information, but otherwise unedited:

I've read yours, The Korean's, Gord's and the others. You guys seem to have covered the bases on that one. And you all are a lot nicer on the expat complainers than I am. Nonetheless, I wouldn't limit it to online experiences. There were people that I met in person who really weren't equipped with that filter many of us have on what was appropriate or inappropriate to say. There was one guy who was new to the country and sounded like he knew everything about Korea and bitched about this "fucking country" every time I saw him--constantly. He had nothing else to talk about. Then we'd leave the bar, trying to shake him, and he'd follow us. Saw a Korean go by with an Engrish t-shirt, rudely stopped her, and laughed in her face because of her t-shirt. I had to apologize to this person for this fuck's behavior.

[picture added by Roboseyo]

[end editorial comment]

Anyway, you guys are being too nice and maybe too analytical. A lot of these guys are losers and people with social functionality problems. They have trouble coping with social situations in their home environments and think things would change when they went overseas, thinking it wasn't their own inadequacies that made people hate them.

Having said that, the analogy of the waiter who smiles all day and then bitches after hours at the bar is spot on.

- [Name]

Gord Sellar's response to my initial "hey, I'm writing about this. . . wanna weigh in?" opened by coining a new word for bloggers working together: "Synerdy," expressed a hope that this will start an interesting conversation online (which I think it has), and also wished there was a way to get some of the well-known Korean language bloggers involved in this funny puzzle of each side's perception of the other. I hope that happens, too.



Another person I'd contacted, whose views I respect a lot, pointed out the sheer scope of the actual question:

On complaining expats:

"I don't think expats in Korea complain any more than in any other countries, even amongst the newbies that are the bulk of them, and doubt I'd be convinced otherwise unless it was argued by someone with extensive experience of travelling and of living overseas in a wide variety of countries. Other than the discussion boards of Dave's Esl Cafe, hardly representative, I see little evidence for expats complaining excessively."

and in a follow-up e-mail, expanding on the idea that some sites and forums seem to get a lot of trolls, this person also noticed that longer, denser posts usually don't get as many trolls, while shorter posts about current events seem to be the ones where the militant k-bashers and k-defenders start grinding their axes.

Food for thought from comment boards:


On my own comment board, Sonagi suggests:

By reading comments at [a wide variety of] different forums, using sorts like most rec'd, and reading longer posts in which commenters explain their thinking, one can get a cross-section of opinions about an event or issue.

doggyji said...



I think it is essential to learn to speak fluent Korean to be the ultimate critic. Maybe you should put one more category for the social critic type. The one who has acquired full Korean language skills, has all the first-hand access to information in Korean and is able to directly interact with Koreans in everyday life.

the very well-travelled Eujin said...

Firstly, I think if you write a well-mannered, thoughtful (and lengthy) piece you're unlikely to attract the attention of the type of people you really want to hear from. It will be interesting to see how many comments you get from people who identify with one of the above categories. We all know who they are.

Secondly, I'm not buying the language lock-out reasoning. I used to work with a lot of expats in London (Americans, Aussies, French...they were there for the money, not for the lifestyle) and they whinged with the best of them.

I don't know why people moan on the internet. I also don't know why people bother arguing with people they don't respect.



from Lunalil

Living here has crystallized my self-perception. Although I’ve always had a strong sense of “Who I am”, I always felt there was something missing that I couldn’t quite verbalize.

Soon after I came to Korea I realized what that missing thing was. I had never really understood my cultural identity (being a white-something from America is pretty generic despite what you may read on Stuff White People Like). Living in Korea forced me to not only realize my cultural identity, but do it while trying to cope with a culture that was radically different in every way. That’s culture shock for you.

People don’t talk about the shock of suddenly coming into awareness of that part your identity when they talk about culture shock. For me it was like having the wind knocked out of you, a big punch of “so this is what it means to be American culturally”, after which I felt silly for having previously considered myself an open-minded, self-aware, and educated person.
I think that the truth is you can’t really judge how open-minded or self-aware you are until you are immersed in a culture that is foreign, preferably a culture that is VERY foreign. Maybe even more than one culture.

Note that I stressed immersed, I don’t think traveling results in the kind of culture shock needed to shock your brain… Travel is certainly helpful and mind-stretching but I didn’t learn the same things traveling in other countries as I have living in Korea. Maybe it’s just me.

from foreign/er joy

Let's face it, sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the world. Especially if that world doesn't even have grass and is all covered in cement and cigarette butts.

Joy also says, here,

"I just hope I am always the forgiving expat who doesn't take Korea stuff personally."

a commenter at Gord Sellar says complaining about Korea for expats is a bit like people back home gossiping about their neighbours.
"Did you hear Tom did X yesterday!"
"Did you hear the nationalists did X yesterday!"

[update/correction: the commenter was actually talking about gaijin (foreigners) in Japan, talking about Japan the way neighbours at home talk about the other neighbours -- I wrote this post in a bit of a rush, and in my haste, skipped a few details on the context of this one. My bad.]

On the same comment board, Gord and I discuss the fact that, while it's important to get out of the house, there aren't as many hobby options here, because of language limitations, and the number of us being small enough that many niches (for example, the Star Trek Fanfic Writer's Workshop) don't quite have enough people here to reach a critical mass and form a group. Really, you should read that whole comment board: I don't know how Gord manages to get such cool people to comment on his posts.

from Ireallydolikekimchi's post:

In speaking of culture I don't believe there is a right and a wrong. I don't believe one culture is better than another. Culture just is. People in Korea eat kimchi, wear disguises in the summer to protect themselves from the sun, speak Korean, and drive like maniacs. Is this good or bad? I don't think you can put a judgement on this. (Well, maybe we can judge the driving.) It just is. I have to accept what I cannot change. And, yes, this is where the Serenity Prayer gets inserted. In my experience those who complain the loudest are those who cannot accept the way things are. As an expat, it's not up to me to create any change in a culture not my own. The Koreans are the ones doing the change as they see fit. And as has been noted elsewhere, Korea is changing rapidly.

At the Marmot's Hole, Granfallon muses,

One question for you both: I sometimes wonder if Korea’s emphasis on grouping and exclusivity contributes to expat complainers. Koreans, even at their friendliest, still draw a very obvious line in the sand when it comes to dealing with foreigners: “You can live here, but you’ll never be one of us.” Does this contribute towards making an oppositional expat identity? It sounds like I’m blaming Koreans for the stupid things expats say and do, which is kinda asinine. Still, can’t help but wonder.

SeeF, also at the Marmot, says,

I mean, bring up the word “beef” and “ESL” - Marmot gets 50+ comments yet on thoughtful, NON-argumentative posts that encourage actual - I dunno, THINKING - . . . go ignored by some of the most frequent (and coincidentally, usually the most vocal and vitriolic) commenters on this site. Ironic. Sadly, I think this shows that the people who need to read this set of articles the most are the ones who aren’t.

slim at the Marmot:

I found Korea a mostly fun and fascinating place to live during my 5+ years there (1987-89 and 2001-4) while occasionally carping about certain things, like lawless driving, trade protectionism and the resulting high prices, and effusive jingoism.
What troubles me now, from a distance, is the huge and glaring “integrity deficit” I see in all of Korea’s key institutions: the media, political and religious groups, unions and corporations.

Marmite Michael:

Here’s my two won:
I’m pretty consistent in my complaints about Korea–I want Koreans to make their society better for themselves, not for the perceived status of being an “advanced nation” in the eyes of others.

at Ask A Korean,
nathan said...
Why do expats complain so much? What else are we supposed to do, reflect on our own shortcomings and cultural limitations, grow as human beings and then apply the lessons learned abroad to our understanding of our own lives and home countries? Ha! As if.


Just thought I'd throw those into the mix.

Lee Hyori - U-Go-Gull 이효리 aaaaaand. . . Fetish Bingo!

So, the very demure Lee Hyori,

(source)

Korea's favourite pop tart, has a new album out, and her first video seems to be a game of fetish bingo:
Here's the video. It's catchy and fun. Enjoy it now, because by the end of August, if you live in Korea, you'll be grinding your teeth at hearing it for the seven-hundredth time.



My fetish reference count so far (watch carefully: the editing's pretty quick):
Cheerleader
Hot Schoolteacher
Sailor
Sexy Librarian (the bookish character in glasses at the beginning)
Black lingerie (though the corsette-ish lingerie she wears is about as de-fanged of sexiness as she could manage while still name-checking it -- maybe because of controversies like this in Korea in the past, and her face appears on a lingerie mannequin that was wearing something risque, but it's a close-up, so that she's not seen wearing it)
Lollipops (ditto: it was the size of a normal chupa-chup, which makes me want to say, if you're gonna put it in, commit!  At least make it oversized.)
1950s American roller-skate girl (the denim shorts & tied off plaid shirt)
and of course, hot nurse -- which (though the schoolteachers didn't object to THEIR reference) stirred up a mini-controversy online, enough that they seem to have cut the nurse from the official video.

Absent: leather and lace, bondage (I wonder why)

Any other fetishes I missed?

You can see the nurse at about 0.27 of this preview,


a few captures from here


but that cute nurse has vanished from the full-length video.

The song is catchy, with a pretty driving beat -- reminds me of Nellie Furtado throwing down with Timbaland in "Maneater" (best played real loud) -- another song which I like, that features driving rhythms.

The rapper featured is called "Nassun" 낯선 and. . . as with J-Crown from the Jewelry videos a while back, I'll let you decide whether he's a douche or a real badass gangsta. All I'm gonna say is. . . if you can't grow facial hair. . . don't.  Finally, in a review of Hyori's best English lyric-singing so far. . . she's come a long way from "Just one ten minutes" to "I'm gonna get you" to this. . . 


But she still can't pronounce her "r" so I'm sure there are a lot of gulls that feel very empowered by this video.

You go, gull.

(photo source)


Seriously, though, her English in this one gets a solid "B," and if she were speaking it to me directly, I wouldn't be above bumping it up to an A+.


(from the same site as the nurse pictures above: Hyori's promotional photos:)

Does the "made in Korea" sign over her breasts signify her endorsement of the Korean plastic surgery industry?

These are the deep mysteries.

Another tootin' cool video featuring a Korean gull:



Some video editor now needs glasses, from squinting to get the editing right as s/he made this one.

A Few Responses to "Why do Expats Complain"

Responses (in the order I found them): Lunalil, of "Funk Seoul Sister" has posted her reaction here.

My Name Is Joy of "Foreign/er" has posted her reaction here, and a follow-up here, which includes one of my favourite lines so far written on the topic: "when you take a fish out of the water it is going to gasp for air."

Well-said, Joy!

Geoffrey Chaucer Gord Sellar has posted his reaction here.

Next, Deborah from "I Really Do Like Kimchi" has this to say.

Thanks, Wangkon, for linking this at The Marmot's Hole; go check out the comment board there; it's usually interesting.

Part two of Gord Sellar's Essaye On Thiyse Streenge Whingeing of Expattes is up, with the first third being most pertinent to this topic, and the last two thirds being a kind of touching love letter to a town where he used to live.

My sister Beckles, who was an expat in Germany for a while, outlines the "stages of culture shock" as they were explained to her, and which I've generally found to be a pretty good description.

Wevegotseoul also posted a few thoughts on the topic, here: they're of special interest, because WevegotSeoul has lived in Taiwan AND Seoul, and can compare the two.

There are interesting discussion boards on Askakorean's write-up, Gord Sellar's first post on the topic, and at my post here, as well as some interesting thoughts on the Marmot Hole's write-up, that are worth reading. (Nobody quite took the troll's bait, so the discussion has remained on the up and up there.)

To all contributors so far: Thanks! To others: go ahead and weigh in. I'll link you, or post it if you e-mail it to me at the address on the sidebar.

p.s.: thanks, DB, from TuesdaysBorrower, for the blog props, AND the highly entertaining rant.

Why do Expats Complain? Guest-post from The Korean

Dear Korean,

Why do expats in Korea complain about Korea so much?

Roboseyo

Dear Roboseyo,

The Korean welcomes the first joint-blogging effort for Ask A Korean! in conjunction with your well-written blog. This will be Part I of a two-part series, and both Roboseyo and the Korean would be writing about two topics at the same time.

The Korean must first admit that this is really the topic for Roboseyo. The Korean himself knows very little about expats in Korea. He never met too many of them, and never hung out with them. In 1997 when the Korean moved out to sunny California, it was still a rare occurrence to see a non-Korean on the street. But recently, a few expat blogs began linking Ask A Korean! to their blogs, so the Korean began to visit some of them from time to time. And boy, expats are a complaining bunch.

The Korean has to be fair to expats: truth is that people love to complain, no matter where they are. People are also more vocal about the things they dislike than about the things they like. Expose people to a different environment, and there are always things to complain about simply because things are not familiar.

And to be sure, there is a lot to complain about in Korea. The Korean does it all the time! Aside from racism in Korea about which the Korean constantly complains on this blog, there is a disgusting amount of sexism, xenophobia, materialism, etc. On a smaller scale, the Korean incessantly complains about: traffic jam in Seoul; too many people crammed into a small space; shitty weather for 8 months out of the year; lack of open space; lack of toilet paper in public bathrooms (although the situation has recently improved); no decent food other than Korean, Japanese, and Chinese; awful selection of Scotch; and numerous others. (The Korean is convinced that he was born to live in Southern California.)

However, many complaints from expats that the Korean has seen show a certain level of ignorance. This is not to say that complaining expats are dumb. It is only to say that were they more aware of certain things about themselves and about Korea, they would not be complaining as much, and the pitch of their complaints would not be as strident. So this post probably does not answer conclusively about why expats complain about Korea. However, it would try to answer why some expats complain in the way they do.

What Expats do not Understand about Themselves

Among the expats from different parts of the world, the Korean can only speak about Americans because the Korean has little knowledge of other countries. But it is safe to say that many Americans lack the knowledge of their country’s place in the world, and in world history. Therefore, instead of having a proper perspective of where their opinions stand in the range of possible opinions in the world, Americans tend to define their opinions to be correct, rational, and logical, and define others as incorrect, irrational, and illogical. (This frequently leads to the familiar charge that Americans are arrogant.)

Take for example Americans’ emphasis on individuality. Everyone is supposed to think of themselves! If you don’t, you are a part of the herd, a dumb lemming who would follow the one in front of you to a precipitating death. (Sound familiar? This was every other post in expat blogs during the beef protests.)

But this type of emphasis on the individual is a particular product of American/Western history. There is no inherent reason why (regardless of any references to “God-given liberty” or “self-evident truth”) individuals must be valued over a group to the extent that Americans value individuals. Societal interaction for majority of human history has been group-driven, and even in the modern era group-driven societies work in their own way. (Even within America “identity politics” holds a powerful force. Here is Stanley Fish’s exposition on how identity politics could be rational: http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/when-identity-politics-is-rational/)

So American expats, because they are so cocksure of their opinion as a self-evident, God-given truth instead of an accidental product of their history, complain and dismiss whenever they see something different in Korea. And they complain rather than truly observing and engaging the Korean way of doing things because they lack the basic respect towards the Korean methods that is required to make a meaningful engagement.

(Aside: Although the Korean is talking about expats here, Koreans themselves are not much better. The only difference is that Koreans, instead of dressing their accidental product as “rational” or “logical”, dress theirs as “the Korean way” that non-Koreans just don’t understand.)

Another thing that expats fail to appreciate is how little of Korea they are actually seeing. The Korean often tells his Korean friends that no matter how long one has lived in the U.S., it is impossible to appreciate how large of a country America is unless you travel to six different cities: Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Only after seeing how different those cities can be within a same country can someone from a small country like Korea truly understand how big United States is.

In the similar vein, no matter how long one has lived in Korea, it is impossible to appreciate how deep the generational gap runs among Koreans of different generations unless one has meaningful interactions with Koreans in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and above. On one hand you have your Koreans in their 60s who grew up in constant danger of death from war and starvation, and on the other hand you have your Koreans in their teens who are self-absorbed, battling obesity problem. And guess who is more important in the formulation any society’s political and cultural direction? But because most expats do not learn high-level Korean, the only Koreans with whom they have meaningful interactions (if they do at all) are Koreans in their teens and 20s.

On top of that, expats rarely venture out of large cities in Korea, and they only really interact with Koreans who are fluent in English. Do you know what makes a Korean fluent in English? Money, tons and tons of it. So not only are expats insulated from older Koreans, they are also insulated from younger Koreans who are poorer. What kind of understanding about Korea could an expat possibly have with this kind of limited exposure?

Everything in Korea that appears odd to expats has its own logic, and once explained (as the Korean tries to do in this blog,) they are completely understandable and not very odd after all. But because expats never talk to the people responsible for creating such logic, (it is, after all, people in their 40s through 60s who run the country,) the oddities continue to remain incomprehensible. And instead of coming to an understanding, expats go on with their complaining.

What Expats do not Understand about Korea

A cursory look at Seoul shows a fantastically futuristic city. People carry around crazy technological gizmos. Internet works at blinding speed. Everywhere you go there are flat screen panels showing some type of moving images, just like the visions of future that we used to have through sci-fi movies of yesteryear.

One cannot help but feel a little bit like Homer Simpson as he was marveling at the dancing fountain/toilet in his hotel room in Japan: “They are YEARS ahead of us!” Upon seeing this spectacle, it is only reasonable to expect Korea to be a fully modern country, and its citizens to behave in a fully modern way.

But this outlook cannot be more misleading. And this is really the point that anyone who wishes to understand modern Korea must know – Korea has only become this way in the last 15 years. All the people who were born and raised in the pre-modern era are not only alive, but they are the people who are in their 50s and 60s, leading the whole country and educating the next generation.

Few people (including younger Koreans themselves) understand this point, no matter how many times the Korean screams about it: only 50 years ago, Korea was DIRT FUCKING POOR. It was one of the poorest countries in the world. Here is an example: when the Korean War happened, Ethiopia was one of the countries that sent a contingent to aid South Korea. Ethiopia! The same one with $823 per capita GDP! (Current South Korean GDP per capita = $24,783 in 2007) Can you imagine Ethiopia helping South Korean with economics, military, or anything at all in 2008? (Perhaps a few skilled marathon runners?) But in 1950, Korea was the lesser nation between the two. In short, Korea occupied the place in the world in which the poorest African countries occupy now – completely helpless, unable to survive on its own without aid from other countries.

In the abstract these words do not sink in, so let’s put it this way. It was commonplace for Koreans to have nothing to eat. There is a uniquely Korean expression of describing how poor a person is: a person is so poor that “his asshole would tear out.” This expression came to be because when Korean people were starving, they would peel tree bark, boil it and eat it. (This is still going on in North Korea.) Since tree bark has little nutrition and a lot of indigestible fiber, one’s anus bleeds as one excretes after eating tree bark. Can any expat, all from wealthy Western countries (regardless of how poor s/he may have been in that country,) imagine this level of poverty?

The degree to which (South) Korea managed to pull itself out of such abject poverty into the wealth it currently enjoys has no precedent in history. For this achievement Korea and Koreans deserve all the praises in the world. But mind you, it was definitely not a normal thing to happen. A country does go from $87 per capita GDP in 1962 to $24,783 per capita GDP in 2007 without something happening to it.

This incredible, borderline mutative economic growth could not have happened without the attendant mutative changes in Korean society and culture. Richard Posner said this about Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, who was a brilliant judge but had troubled personal life: “With biography and reportage becoming ever more candid and penetrating, we now know that a high percentage of successful and creative people are psychologically warped and morally challenged[.]” Same could be said about Korea’s success; it could not have happened without collectively warped psyche.

And truly, this is the keystone in understanding any aspect of modern Korea. Everything about modern Korean culture, in one way or another, is an outgrowth of this history. This, for example, is the reason why the generational gap runs so deeply in Korea.

Almost every question that the Korean has received so far is related to this central keystone in one way or another. Why are Koreans always in a hurry? You can’t afford to be slow if you are desperate to get out of poverty so fast. Why do Koreans always want their children to be doctors? Because no matter what happens in a country (even in a war in which the country is at the brink of elimination,) doctors never suffer poverty. Why do so many Koreans believe in rank superstition? Because the people who believed in magic and witch doctors are still alive and well in Korea, and are often in the leadership positions.

So believe it or not, when Korean people say expats “just don’t understand Korea”, they are correct in an indirect way. No other country has the kind of history that Korea has experienced, so the cultural oddities in Korea are unlike any other country. Appreciating and understanding such cultural oddities take a lot of effort and a lot of studying. And too often, a complaining expat does neither. It is faster, easier, and more mentally satisfying, to complain.

Got a question or comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@hotmail.com.

Comment on the Korean's points over at his page.