Experiences of meeting and getting to know Koreans in Seoul,
South Korea
Author: PaulSymonds
The people I
met in Seoul, South Korea for the most part were very friendly
and welcoming and getting to know Koreans both fun and a
pleasure. Teaching one-to-one in South Korea, a lot of students
were often very open and talkative even about many things in
their life. As a Westerner, I was well outside of the students
normal circle of family and friends thus they could talk to me
about anything and freely. Many other teachers experienced the
same type of discussions.
Koreans can sometimes be very
shy when it comes to approaching people of the opposite sex thus
many Korean men look for an intermediary, when they want to meet
a girl they see in a public place. This is the reason why venues
called 'Booking' are so popular in Korea. They are similar to
discos, where young single people go to meet people of the
opposite sex, but in 'Booking' clubs, if a guy is interested in a
girl he informs the waiter, who in turn, brings the girl to the
table. The guy will buy the girl a drink and the girl can decide
how long to stay or not stay at the table with the guy.
The way of approaching marriage and finding a partner is very
different from in the West. In one of my conversation classes,
'Marriage and Relationships' was the topic of conversation
between five intermediate level students and myself. The story
from one businessman was interesting. He unsuccessfully pursued
one young lady for several months, but in the end he made a
proposition.
'Come out with me just ten times and then we
will decide if we will be married'. I mention this story because
it in many ways is very typical of stories I heard on many
occasions, from my students. The feeling is that, when getting
together with a partner, one is very seriously considering the
person as a potential wife/husband. In many ways, I personally
like this style in that people are clear about what they are
looking for. In another way though, it seems as though dating
becomes very serious, very quickly. Marriage is a very serious
matter in
Korean history and in modern day Korea. Many
female students I have taught, who are in their late twenties,
have had no boyfriend and they are under-pressure from their
family to get married. If you are thinking about travelling or
working in Seoul then it is a fascinating country and with a
wonderful culture and people.
About the
Author:
Paul writes about Seoul
Korea travel and Seoul, Asia culture.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Experiences of
meeting and getting to know Koreans in Seoul, South Korea