Realizing Once Again Why I DO NOT Work in Korea Full-time
People always question me why don't I just work in Korea full-time when I seem to love the country so much even though I do not even speak the language properly. No knowing the language, they argue, only works in my favor here because I can truly pretend to be completely oblivious to the "social rules" here and play the "foreign card" literally 100% of the time. No need to be like in Japan, where I still try to do as the Japanese salary-men do (occasionally) to score some brownie points and "increase friendships."
But my answer has always been the line about how the every "social rule" that exist in Japanese workplace definitely exists in Korea, and they are enforced more strictly here than over in Japan. After having a night-long conversation with a Korean friend that works in a government financial agency, such "harsh" opinion of mine just got reinforced, much more strongly...the stories of a bottom-rung Korean white collar worker, although does sound more fun in the most superficial sense, is definitely one that tires out a person very very quickly both mentally and physically.
Throughout the conversation that describe his work-consumed life yesterday, my friend's comments never ceased to impress me how a separation of work and private life simply does not exist in his profession. As this is one of my first major complaints about Japanese workplace after I started working in Tokyo, I have been paying particular attention to the topic. His stories about drinking everyday with the coworkers and clients after 12 hours of work, playing tennis with them on the weekends, and perhaps even sharing more intimate moments with the female counterparts, all described as something so matter-of-fact, just unsettle me more and more.
Of course, I am not saying this is completely bad, especially for him. Even with excess drinking that force him to take medicine to protect his liver, the guy is having an amazing time. With company credit card in hand, he has been witness to some of the most luxury, chic drinking spots in town, experienced some of the most exotic services available, and brushed shoulders (and more) with the most powerful people in the Korean financial industry. The connections built on an everyday basis in definitely a matter of extreme envy for myself.
Yet, as all this is occurring in the glittering nightlife neighborhoods of Seoul, the thought that "oh, crap, I have work tomorrow at 7am" should and must be in the back of the mind somewhere for these young white collars climbing the corporate ladders. 5 hours of sleep a day with drunken and exotic body every single day cannot possibly allow for full concentration at work, even though y friend here does keep a good habit of swimming at 6am in the morning to help him "wash away the dirtiness from the night before."
"But if you do not show up, you are gonna be considered WEIRD." Thats the answer I would get when I ask him if he can take perhaps a break from at least one of these non-ending drinking sessions. Social isolation just cannot be risked, even if the only alternative is a 25-beer 3-bottles-of-soju drinking battle with your clients from other banks. "bankers have a bad reputation in Korea," he would say. Yeah, I can certainly see where that reputation comes from.
Exceptions are made for foreigners and women, of course. But my friend made sure to remark that without going through with the after-working "bonding sessions," the women and the foreigners have much less of a "fulfilling" time in the Korean workplace. And as it is elsewhere in Asia, alcohol and all the eccentric behaviors associated with its consumption are definitely lubricants for business, bringing partners closer emotionally and making doing business together a much more likely and enjoyable thing.
But hopefully, we as English teachers will not have to go that particular step. Seeing my coworkers and superiors in situations beyond normal work environment and a friendly yet toned down dinner would just involve too much dirty secrets being shared and too much respect lost. I am willing to consider my coworkers as friends, but not yet as intimate partners for certain forbidden (and totally illegal yet socially acceptable) adventures...and this, ultimately, is the reason why I cannot work forever in Korea or other Asian countries...
But my answer has always been the line about how the every "social rule" that exist in Japanese workplace definitely exists in Korea, and they are enforced more strictly here than over in Japan. After having a night-long conversation with a Korean friend that works in a government financial agency, such "harsh" opinion of mine just got reinforced, much more strongly...the stories of a bottom-rung Korean white collar worker, although does sound more fun in the most superficial sense, is definitely one that tires out a person very very quickly both mentally and physically.
Throughout the conversation that describe his work-consumed life yesterday, my friend's comments never ceased to impress me how a separation of work and private life simply does not exist in his profession. As this is one of my first major complaints about Japanese workplace after I started working in Tokyo, I have been paying particular attention to the topic. His stories about drinking everyday with the coworkers and clients after 12 hours of work, playing tennis with them on the weekends, and perhaps even sharing more intimate moments with the female counterparts, all described as something so matter-of-fact, just unsettle me more and more.
Of course, I am not saying this is completely bad, especially for him. Even with excess drinking that force him to take medicine to protect his liver, the guy is having an amazing time. With company credit card in hand, he has been witness to some of the most luxury, chic drinking spots in town, experienced some of the most exotic services available, and brushed shoulders (and more) with the most powerful people in the Korean financial industry. The connections built on an everyday basis in definitely a matter of extreme envy for myself.
Yet, as all this is occurring in the glittering nightlife neighborhoods of Seoul, the thought that "oh, crap, I have work tomorrow at 7am" should and must be in the back of the mind somewhere for these young white collars climbing the corporate ladders. 5 hours of sleep a day with drunken and exotic body every single day cannot possibly allow for full concentration at work, even though y friend here does keep a good habit of swimming at 6am in the morning to help him "wash away the dirtiness from the night before."
"But if you do not show up, you are gonna be considered WEIRD." Thats the answer I would get when I ask him if he can take perhaps a break from at least one of these non-ending drinking sessions. Social isolation just cannot be risked, even if the only alternative is a 25-beer 3-bottles-of-soju drinking battle with your clients from other banks. "bankers have a bad reputation in Korea," he would say. Yeah, I can certainly see where that reputation comes from.
Exceptions are made for foreigners and women, of course. But my friend made sure to remark that without going through with the after-working "bonding sessions," the women and the foreigners have much less of a "fulfilling" time in the Korean workplace. And as it is elsewhere in Asia, alcohol and all the eccentric behaviors associated with its consumption are definitely lubricants for business, bringing partners closer emotionally and making doing business together a much more likely and enjoyable thing.
But hopefully, we as English teachers will not have to go that particular step. Seeing my coworkers and superiors in situations beyond normal work environment and a friendly yet toned down dinner would just involve too much dirty secrets being shared and too much respect lost. I am willing to consider my coworkers as friends, but not yet as intimate partners for certain forbidden (and totally illegal yet socially acceptable) adventures...and this, ultimately, is the reason why I cannot work forever in Korea or other Asian countries...
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