By Introduction
Recently there were cooperative cross postings on Roboseyo’s blog as well as Ask A Korean on Why Expats Complain About Korea? The cross postings drew a lot of debate around the Korean blogosphere on why expats complain so much about living in the Land of the Morning Calm. Well in the same spirit The Korean and I thought it would make for interesting reading if I posted on why GI’s Complain About Korea while he posted on Why Koreans Complain About GI’s. Hopefully everyone will find these two postings to be interesting and at least thought provoking reading on why each side complains about the other.
Below is a list of reasons why GI’s complain about Korea in no particular order. I’m sure I probably missed a few so readers feel free to add to the reasons Why GI’s Complain About Korea in the comments section below.
Unaccompanied Tours – There are probably fewer things that upset people stationed in Korea then having to go to Korea without their families. This complaint is getting worse because of the number of people serving a year or more in a conflict zone and then coming back to the US to just receive orders to go to Korea for another year away from their families. I had an E-6 who deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne and then came back to the US for a few months to just be deployed again with the 101st for operation in Iraq when Operation Iraqi Freedom began. He spent a year in Iraq and then came back to the US to come down on orders to Korea. Needless to say he wanted out of the Army because his wife with three kids was about to divorce him. He ended up eating his way out of the Army and I can’t say I blame him.
There are plenty of more people in Korea in the same situation. In response more and more soldiers are bringing their families to Korea in a non-command sponsored status which means they have to pay to fly their families to Korea and house them here on their own. Think about it if the average servicemember has a wife and two kids that means he would have to buy three airplanes tickets to Korea and then three more to fly them back. That is probably at least about $6,000 in airplane tickets the servicemember is paying for. Then think the servicemember would then have to pay for some furniture and other items for whatever apartment he is living in since he couldn’t ship any of his household goods to Korea. That is even more money out of his pocket. Then he would have to pay to send his kids to a private foreign high school since they are not authorized to use any of the USFK schools. These non-command sponsored servicemembers are taking a huge financial hit by bringing their families to Korea. To make matters worse many of these soldiers live in cheap apartments in the ville which exposes their families to all the unpleasantness of the ville culture.
There are plenty of other issues non-command sponsored family members face with medical and dental for example and all these issues pile up to cause a major reason why servicemembers complain about being stationed in Korea.
Living Conditions – This is actually something that is improving every year but just a couple of years ago there were still USFK soldiers living in quonset huts. I don’t know of any soldiers living in quonset huts now (if anyone knows any then feel free to comment) which is a big accomplishment but nevertheless there are still units that have soldiers living in conditions that are less then what they would expect if stationed in a stateside unit.
Likewise as mentioned before families that are non-command sponsored find themselves in cheap off post apartments in the ville that are sub-standard to what they would expect to live in back in the states. Even families that are command sponsored find themselves in Yongsan for example living in the Hanam Apartments which I have often heard referred to as “The Ghetto”. This is a decreasing reason why soldiers complain about being stationed in Korea, but nevertheless still a reason.
Shady Landlords – Finding an apartment in Korea for those both command and non-command sponsored often means dealing with shady land landlords and corrupt rental agencies. Landlords in Korea are infamous for ripping off GI’s of their deposit money because they delay giving the money back to the servicemembers because they know the servicemember has a Permanent Change of Station date of when they must fly out of Korea and thus prevents them from taking any legal action against the landlord.
These shady landlords are also known to run secret power lines from the servicemember’s apartment to their apartment in order to make the servicemember pay for that person’s electric bill among a host of other shady practices. GI’s living off post being ripped off by these people is just another reason why GI’s complain about Korea.
Taxi Drivers – There are few things more annoying then dealing with the off post taxi cab drivers that are out to rip GI’s off. Commonly the cab drivers do not run the meter and then charge soldiers three to four times the amount the meter would read. The prices even go up higher the closer to curfew the soldiers trying to find a cab find themselves.
These cab drivers even try other shady tactics in order to fleece money out of soldiers. I was in a cab late at night heading back to my camp after pulling Courtesy Patrol at Stanleyville when the cab driver stopped in the middle of nowhere and then demanded I pay more money or get out of the cab. I told him no way and wrote down his contact information from the taxi’s panel. He was a bit surprised and was trying to push me out of the cab but I still got his details. I called my wife and she picked me up and the next day she called the taxi company and complained and the cab driver was forced to give me an apology over the phone later on.
There are plenty of other ways cab drivers try to rip off GI’s but I should also state that this complaint does not represent all cab drivers in Korea. This complaint refers to cab drivers around the GI villes especially Uijongbu and Dongducheon. I have taken taxis plenty of times in Seoul and other areas and never had these issues. However the constant harassment and shadiness from the cab drivers in the soldier ville areas is definitely something that causes soldiers to complain about Korea.
The Ville – The Ville is mixed bag because there are plenty of soldiers that love the Ville because of its sleaziness while just as many others can’t stand it for the same reasons. I fail to see the fun in paying $20 for a drink for a scantily clad juicy girl to talk to you for 10 minutes if that. However, plenty of younger guys enjoy wasting their money on this but there are plenty of other who do not and wish there were better entertainment options in the villes.
Also for us servicemembers who have served in Korea for a long time we know the shady things the people in the ville pull off. For example I would never by a non-bottled drink in the ville because of the fact that many of the club owners recycle ice and left over drinks to give to other customers. Even with bottled beer the club owners buy through the blackmarket beer that has reached its expiration date to sell to GI’s in the ville.
I could go on and on about the shady things that goes on in the ville but I think everyone gets the point. The shady villes with their shady taxi drivers is the one place in Korea where the majority of soldiers spend the most of their time so it is no wonder why soldiers would have negative perception of Korea if the ville is what they mostly see. Even for many of the guys that initially like the ville life, by the end of their tours even they usually tire of it. I know the ville is not real Korea but to many soldiers it is and is another reason why GI’s complain about Korea.
The Curfew – There are probably fewer topics discussed more then the USFK curfew policy. Everyone has an opinion on this to include the new USFK commander who issued his own change to the curfew policy. You can see what I think the curfew policy should be by reading here.
The prior curfew policy was initially established after 9/11 supposedly for force protection reasons. Everyone knew this wasn’t the case and the real reason was to keep soldiers away from Koreans to reduce incidents. As much as I like the former USFK commander General Bell, he even went further then the force protection reasons to say that the curfew was to make sure that soldiers got enough sleep at night so they are ready to fight the North Koreans the next day. This is all rubbish and insult to the intelligence of most servicemembers.
Since General Sharpe took command of USFK and changed the curfew policy he admitted the curfew was a punishment on all the soldiers for the actions of a few which confirmed the curfew wasn’t in place for any force protection reasons or to make sure soldiers got a good nights rest in preparation to fight the North Korean invasion the next day. Currently the curfew on weekends is from 3AM to 5AM with the 12PM curfew in place on work days. With only a two hour curfew you might as well as just do away with the curfew all together.
When incidents start happening again because they will; it’s a statistical certainty, the curfew will probably be changed again and only feed a whole new round of complaining about being stationed in Korea.
Cannot Drive – Being able to legally drive a civilian vehicle is something the vast majority of USFK servicemembers are not allowed to do. With most people in the rank and file this is not a big complaint since they all mostly live on post without their families. However for married soldiers that live off post this is an issue. I know plenty of soldiers who moved their non-command sponsored families to Korea on their own dime and live a good distance from where they work and have to walk or ride a bicycle every morning. This is made worse when you have to walk the long distance in the rain to get to work. I also know of command sponsored families who are lower ranking and cannot drive who face the same problem. Keep in mind it is not just the soldiers that have to walk but their families as well if their spouse needs to go to the PX or commissary.
The new USFK commander General Sharpe recently made a change to the driving policy like he did with the curfew policy in order to address these issues. Now soldiers can put in an application to get a driver’s license and own a car that needs to be signed by the first O-5 in their chain of command. This is a good change for the people who have to walk a good distance from where they live to get on post. The new policy also allows anyone to get a license or own a car or rent a car if approved by their first O-5. However, how many O-5’s are going to allow Private Tentpeg or Sergeant Windbag to own their own personal car? Probably none.
There will probably be a few commanders who allow soldiers to rent a car over a four day weekend for example but after a few soldiers get hit with DUI’s which will eventually happen because they are already happening now, how many of these O-5’s do you think will ever sign off on a private or lower ranking sergeant ever renting a car again? Not many, which will give GI’s just another reason to complain about being stationed in Korea.
Crazy Drivers – I think this goes without saying because anyone that has driven a vehicle in Korea or just observed driving practices from sitting on a bus for example should know full well how crazy Korean drivers can be. This is for a variety of reasons and mainly because of the incompetence of the police force which is unwilling to ticket people for breaking driving laws.
However, having to drive large military vehicles through this traffic is extremely stressful especially when you know if an accident happens it will be blamed on you no matter who is at fault, which just adds another reason why GI’s complain about Korea.
Koreans are Rude – This is something that has already been talked to death here on the ROK Drop but it is still something you can hear servicemembers complain about all the time. It only takes a new servicemember one trip to the shopping center and being elbowed by dozens of ajummas to get people complaining about how rude Koreans are.
If an Incident Happens It is Always the GI’s Fault – This is just pretty much a fact of life in Korea that if an incident happens between a Korean and a GI the assumption from the start is that the servicemember is at fault. A GI in Korea is truly guilty until he can prove themselves innocent. GI’s can be assaulted, kidnapped, and forced to make coerced statements on national television by Koreans and who gets charged with a crime? The GI’s of course.
Another soldier was convicted of attempted rape and the judge told him to appeal because the decision to convict him was so dubious. Incredibly on appeal the soldier’s sentence was thrown out after he had already served months in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.
One of my personal favorite incidents was when my battalion commander was driving to Camp Red Cloud and his driver cut in front of a tow truck to get in the proper turning lane. The tow truck driver was pissed that he got cut off and later on down the road he passed my battalion commander’s vehicle and then got in front of him. At the next stop light the tow truck driver put the vehicle in reverse and slammed the front of my battalion commander’s vehicle with the tow truck causing extensive damage. The tow truck driver then called the police to say he was rear ended. Despite the protests from my battalion commander, his driver was found liable for causing the accident. You can only imagine what my battalion commander thought of Koreans after that incident.
He is not alone and these incidents pile up to give GI’s even more reasons to complain about Korea
Lack of English in Korea – Not all things GI’s complain about are fair criticisms and this is one of them. Many servicemembers have been stationed in Europe before where English is widely spoken where in Korea it isn’t and makes every day interaction with Koreans very difficult. However, I don’t expect Koreans to speak English and I speak enough Korean to get by just fine. However, soldiers given orders to Korea for a year that are bitter to be here in the first place are not going to take the time to learn Korean.
This lack of being able to communicate thus keeps them in the ville area, which only further skews their views of Korea and Koreans in general.
Korea is Boring – This is something I hear all the time and it mainly comes from people who do nothing but go to the ville on weekends. This all goes back to my prior point about not being to communicate thus causing servicemembers to stay in the ville and do nothing else.
When servicemembers tell me this I quickly respond with a list of things for them do usually starting with the USO or MWR programs which have lots of tours going on. The first time I came to Korea eight years ago and knew nothing about the place I would go on just about every USO tour they had. Through those tours I learned enough about Korea to go out and do things on my own, which there is plenty to go see and do. However, this is not the case for many soldiers thus giving them something else to complain about.
Korea Smells – Here is something else I hear a lot guys complain about is how bad Korea smells and lot of this has to do with USFK facilities being located near rural areas with rice paddies that smell of manure. This is a dumb complaint but yet something you hear over and over again.
I have also heard many servicemembers complain about how Koreans smell like kimchi. Once again this one is dumb. However, I once overheard a soldier complain to a KATUSA before about how all the KATUSA stink when they come back from lunch of kimchi and it is hard to work because of the smell. The KATUSA calmly replied that it is hard for the KATUSA’s to work coming back from lunch because all the soldiers’ breath smells like hamburgers and how hard it was for them work because of the smell. It is all a matter of perspective, but still something people complain about.
Korea is Dirty – This is another one that I hear a lot and I think it is once again linked to the scummy villes that soldiers spend most of their time in. However some things such as people littering on the sidewalks as well leaving huge amounts of garbage in the country side after having a picnic is something that does not help this stereotype go away.
Policies that Treat GI’s Like Children – Servicemembers hate being treated like children, especially servicemembers of older ages. In USFK polices tend to be created to address issues with the 18-22 year old age group that causes the majority of issues yet the policies that are created for this age group are expanded to include everyone in the ranks. Believe me this causes a whole lot of complaining.
The Anti-US Protesters – These people are the subject of much scorn when the various anti-US issues flare up especially when these people are out protesting in front of the camps or assaulting servicemembers during training exercises. These idiots, though a small portion of the population, often cause servicemembers to complain how ungrateful Koreans are for everything the United States has done for them.
Conclusion – As you can see the reasons for why GI’s complain about Korea are various with some of the complaints being legitimate, others being more directed towards USFK policies rather then Koreans, some complaints are unwarranted, while others are just plain dumb.
A lot of these complaints I think will quickly go away if tours in Korea are normalized and servicemembers are allowed to bring their families to the peninsula combined with doing away with the over regulation of servicemembers’ lives in USFK. That is why I am a strong advocate of the USFK transformation plan which the Korean government and the anti-US groups are doing everything possible to delay and stop from happening. These actions only further give reason for servicemembers to complain about Korea.
However even if this transformation ever happens it won’t stop all the complaints. I’m sure there will be plenty of servicemembers who still complain because soldiers just like anyone else love to complain, but let’s hope it is only about stupid stuff and not over some of the legitimate complaints listed above.
![[Valid RSS]](http://rokdrop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")
11:07 pm on September 23rd, 2008 1
Good post! On the lack of English, people don't have the right to complain about Koreans not speaking English OFF-BASE, but ON-BASE it is really frustrating that so many Koreans are hired with inadequate English skills. I've also found that no one on this base ever answers the phone and many people complain that the Korean workers are often rude and hang up when they do answer the phone.
I think when Americans meet Koreans in contexts other than landlords, taxi drivers, regular drivers, protesters, clubs, merchants and surly Yongsan base workers, they have a much better impression of Koreans and Korea. Unfortunately, all the other interactions come first and often shape the US soldiers/families view so they don't make it to meet Koreans in a more social and friendly setting.
11:16 pm on September 23rd, 2008 2
Interesting reflections GI, and a couple of thoughts. Korea does smell, and it's not just the paddies and associated fertilizing agents. Has something to do with the type of sewer system they use here, maybe. You know, the type that lets mosquitoes fly into your hooch from the sink drain. And some of the smells GIs have detected are unique to the Peninsula, as compared to other countries in the world. As for the kimchi smell, I think it's the garlic actually, and depending on how much is consumed, and whether it is oozing from the pores of the consumer, it is more powerful than your average hamburger, unless you load the burger up with lots of onions or some other aromatic condiments.
12:54 am on September 24th, 2008 3
Mamaseoul, excellent comment though I think the base workers for the most part don't bother me much other then the fact they conspire with all the blackmarketing going on.
pops as far as Korean smells I think I have become immune to it because I can walk around Seoul and I don't think it smells unless I'm standing next to a sewer drain or something. However, in the country side at certain times of the year it does stink, but so do feed lots in America. If a Korean lived in a town with a feedlot, they could say America smells. So the complaints about how Korea smells I think is simply a matter of perspective.
1:03 am on September 24th, 2008 4
You forgot about doubledealers like Marmot who take a piss on real GI's while acting all buddy buddy to their face.
1:43 am on September 24th, 2008 5
You've posted some erroneous information regarding non-command sponsored dependents:
1. If you're family is in Korea command sponsored they still get: OHA for Korea (and COLA and a utilities allowance), standard medical treatment just like CS families, and full access to the PX / commissary.
2. Non-command sponsored kids can and almost always are able to attend DoD schools for free. However, it is not guaranteed – it's on a space available basis.
3. Regarding living in cheap apartments in the ville ~ you get full OHA and most non-command sponsored families live in very nice places. And you can usually get a furnished apartment without much trouble.
1:45 am on September 24th, 2008 6
Edit to #1 – should read: "If your family is in Korea non-command sponsored"
5:36 am on September 24th, 2008 7
There are three sources for the problems.
1. Command does a poor job of helping young enlisted learn about any culture except the ville. OTOH, their job is not to build brigades of junior ambassadors, they're trying to defend American interests at the pleasure of the President…
2. Anti-US forces are omnipresent, including on-base. Then again, they are also on most US universities… But that's really more of a long series of articles on hughhewitt.com or something…
3. GIs are (or should be) responsible for their own actions and have no reasonable excuse for not using the resources available on-base (including senior NCOs and KATUSAs) to learn how to get along in Korea. If someone only spends time with hookers and bar girls in any country (even France, Canada, or Switzerland) they are likely to be dumped on, cheated several ways, and develop a poor attitude about that country.
As a non-GI, non-English teacher who has worked in Korea on several occasions, I found that most Koreans are actual warm people. There are the folks who are racist, sexist, xenophobic, small-minded bullies… That type of people exist everywhere…
May all of you develop a realistic attitude about your surroundings.
And may you all get an opportunity to go to Namdemun, Myungdong, Noryangin, Taehangno, Insadong, Apkujong, and Tongdemun with Korean friends and enjoy the good things about Seoul…
Just be careful if you take the tour of the old castle walls around Suwon! Low arches! You can hurt yourself if you stand up in the wrong spot!!
6:50 am on September 24th, 2008 8
[...] other. Below is a list of reasons why GI’s complain about Korea in no particular order. …(Read the rest at ROK Drop) Posted by the Korean at 9:01 [...]
7:10 am on September 24th, 2008 9
[...] The lovely one bedroom Tuscan property shares a large well furnished garden and swimming pool … Why Do GI’s Complain About Korea? – ROK Drop http://rokdrop.com/2008/09/24/why-do-gis-complain-about-korea/ Korea Smells – Here is [...]
7:32 am on September 24th, 2008 10
It is still interesting that out of all the countries on Earth which has U.S. military presence, Korea sticks out as the place where U.S.soldiers complain the most about the locals and their behavior. Maybe because Korea is unique in terms of our army being there longer than we have any other country,(correct me if wrong) and our welcome has more than matured. Perhaps we must withdraw now and trust the world's 13th largest economy's army to be able to defend itself against the world's 155th rankings. It seems like a no brainer on paper to anyone just looking in unbiasedly.
8:48 am on September 24th, 2008 11
I've been with the Army in Germany, Panama, and Korea and heard almost identical complaints about all three. I think GI hit all the major points. I also think that the most important thing is the attitudes of the GIs–it's not like their home in the US, so they complain. There was no end to the complaints I heard from GIs stationed with me in Stuttgart, and most of the complainers were guys that wouldn't step one foot off post. Often, I found that the GIs would try to act like they were at home, which often got them in trouble (the trouble the GIs get into in Korea is nothing like what used to go on in Panama). Living overseas requires a change in thinking and being open minded to different ways to do things–not everyone living overseas should be overseas.
10:24 am on September 24th, 2008 12
[...] Returning to the “Why (insert group here) complain about Korea,” GI Korea looks at why GIs bitch about Korea. [...]
9:40 am on September 24th, 2008 13
Haksaeng hits the nail.
They complain because they feel their own shit doesn't stink. If you've been around few Caucasions with heavy sweaty body odor, you know what I mean.
We smell like garlic to you? Well you smell like 15 year old sheep meat naturally oozing under your arm pits.
This is the kind of sheer arrogance that we've been dealing with for decades on end.
12:23 pm on September 24th, 2008 14
I agree with a lot of the above posts. A high percentage of military overseas do not see the real country they are in, only villes. Often times as in Korea there will be multiple US bases so they go to visit another ville. That is what they judge the country by. I have never had problems with Koreans, but I have had problems with Americans who had no connection to the military and people from other countries.
2:26 pm on September 24th, 2008 15
a listener: Perhaps we must withdraw now and trust the world's 13th largest economy’s army to be able to defend itself against the world’s 155th rankings. It seems like a no brainer on paper to anyone just looking in unbiasedly.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The US presence in Korea is much more about just defending SK from NK. Geo-politically, it is also very important in terms of Japan, China, and Russia.
If the North collapses tomorrow, USFK will stay right where it is because we will then have a military force in a country that borders China and Russia and as much as that will bug the shi+ out of them – they're won't be a damn thing they can do about it.
9:27 pm on September 24th, 2008 16
Ummmmm… what about all the English teachers that bitterly hate Korea. Same ones go to other places like Japan and love it. What about all the business people who refuse to ever step food in Korea but would give their nut to move to Japan. Show me all the blogs that hate Japan (execpt Debito), I can show you many about Korea.
Panama, Germany, GOOD LUCK finding any blogs that discuss what a dump Korea is an talks about the rotten people in those nations like you see all over Korea. Sorry Charly. Put the bong down.
11:28 pm on September 24th, 2008 17
Great post. As an American who has lived in Korea for almost a decade I can tell you that I really appreciate having the troops here for obvious reasons. My sense of it is most Koreans are pragmatic about the U.S. presence, they know it's necessary and even if they're not warmly welcoming the troops, they're not hostile either. My impression is that after decades of having the U.S. here most Koreans take it for granted and are basically indifferent to the troops since most of them have little or no contact with them.
So where GI Korea is referencing complaints by troops about Koreans, he's referring to two categories of a minority of Koreans: those who have financial interactions with the troops (taxi drivers, landlords, etc.) and those from leftist, nationalist political groups. These groups have their agendas and definitely skew the troops' perceptions of Koreans in general. The last two Korean gov'ts with their ambivalence and open hostility toward the U.S. has not helped.
However, Koreans are a lot more diverse in outlook and interact in friendlier ways than the ones the troops are usually exposed to. I've seen on AFN that tours are offered for servicemembers to get off the bases and see parts of Korea outside the villes. Take them up on it and see how people really live when they aren't dependent on the bases to make a living–there's a big difference. Once in a while I see individual servicemembers looking around town outside of Itaewon, and that's great, and there should be more.
The Korean gov't does nothing to explain to people the need for the U.S. presence or try to encourage exchanges, so when there is animosity like in 2002, they share a lot of the blame for it.
I agree with GI Korea on normalizing tours with families and the USFK transformation plan, although in the end I think we can downsize our presence here and still meet our objectives, and it might benefit Koreans too if they can become more secure about their self-defense.
12:26 am on September 25th, 2008 18
Some folks get defensive quicker than blazes. You can put your pistol back in your holster #13! That ready, fire, aim stuff is the sign of spring-loaded immaturity. Waeguk, Miguk or Hanguk, wherever you come from, garlic is an equal opportunity food. If you eat a lot of it and it will ooze from your pores with the related aroma, Biology 101, not arrogance.
12:44 am on September 25th, 2008 19
#13 what a disgusting racist comment. #18 gave you a politer response than you deserve since you are obviously here to scream insults and nothing more.
7:03 am on September 25th, 2008 20
Great post!
The smell comes from the food. Specifically, the garlic. How I managed to figure this out was the fact that just about everytime I went off base and had Bulgogi, the next day when I woke up, that smell was in my room. After a few months your nose gets used to it and you don't notice it as much.
The fact that there are so few command sponsored spots open for folks is a major problem especially for the younger troops and folks that haven't been married too long. The Ville atomsphere lends itself to the breakup of some marriages as the juicy girls are looking for one thing, a GI to either marry or take as much money from the GI's as possible. Males that haven't seen this type of behavior before, don't understand what is really going on and end up "falling in love" with the Juicy girl.
Some of the bases don't do enough to encourage the troops to get out and see what Korea has to offer, so the troops only get to see the Ville and nothing else. There's an excellent tour I went on which took us to many places including Korea Village. Here you could meet regular Korean folk and get a chance to snap some pictures with them. I have never in my life seen kids that flocked to US service members before. At Korean Village I saw quite a bit of it.
Its bad enough being stationed in a very small country who's customs are totally different than yours and you can't even understand the folks you meet when you are off base. Language is a very big issue as some career fields don't lend themselves to get the time to actually learn enough Korean for you to get around. I was quite fortunate to pick up a book on Korean customs so I had a tiny bit of information of why Koreans did stuff the way they do. It helped keep me from upsetting the locals by knowing what not to do in a social setting. Units need to teach their folks some of the local customs including using 2 hands.
I found many Koreans who were very nice and helpfull people. One thing I think troops are not taught enough of is that fact that when your in a foreign country, the locals already have an opinion of us Americans. Some of those opinions are good and some are bad, do your best to leave some good ones. Some Americans give bad impressions because they walk around like they are the big bad Americans and the locals don't mean a thing. If one treats folks with respect, one tends to get that back.
7:41 am on September 25th, 2008 21
It's the best military assignment in the world.
11:37 am on September 25th, 2008 22
I think everyone appears to be pretty much in agreement that the ville culture is what is mainly to blame for the negative perceptions many servicemembers have of Korea. That is why I have always advocated for changing the ville culture. USFK has an excellent opportunity to change the ville culture with the move to Camp Humphreys.
7:03 pm on September 25th, 2008 23
I agree with Pops (#2) about the occasional bad smells in Korea. It's NOT just near the paddies. I think part of the problem is the trash sitting out on the street. The food trash is very potent, possibly because of the garlic and spices. Also, the sewers smell horrible. As a person who is sensitive to smell and who does not like garlic, I tend to breath through my mouth only when I'm in the city.
I have enjoyed my time in Korea, but I must say that I find it boring here too. If you don't care for shopping, drinking alcohol, or hiking on extremely congested, poorly maintained trails, then Korea can become boring quite quickly. I do keep a positive attitude by making Korean friends and learning more about the culture.
12:43 am on September 28th, 2008 24
Back when I was in the Army I've changed a few minds of fellow GI's by taking "weather passes" weather I got cought or not breaking 2 ID curfew policy back in 2000/2001 by jumping on any bus or train to anywhere but TDC or Uijeongbu (I was at Camp Stanton in the Western Corridor). Back in 96 when I was at Humphreys on Friday I would pull money from the ATM, pack a Rucksack with clothes and jump on my bike never to return before 9pm on Sunday nights for destination who cares.
It's still the same for me now as a contractor, Saturday morning I love nothing more than to get up and out on my harley and tear ass up and down the country; east coast, south coast or up on the boarder… As long as I get away from the city/ville that is Pyongtaek/Anjeong-ri.
It's their own faults for not enjoying what this country has to offer. I would like to see more done in the way of bringing families over for the Joes though.
The rest is well… I admit I hate the drivers, for being on two wheels carries a little risk especially with crazy drivers but I ride offensively as well to put as much distance from them as well. I've had no accident on my bike in 6 years of riding here and 2 while in the states… hard to quantify that one.
Rudeness, I enjoy body checking back… Call me an asshole but it's a game to me.
Being cheated, I know enough korean to call a bullshit flag, plus I'm a little wary to get cheated by king ajjushi anyway.
I have lots of korean friends most are bikers anyway so we have a common ground to work with.
3:52 pm on September 28th, 2008 25
"wrenchbender"
Good advice..get the Hell out of Dodge.
As my Greatgrandmother used to say…"you want to meet the real people, go to where they are."
The only times I have ever had any B/S with Koreans was always around Villes & Cities…give me the country side and mountains anytime.
7:37 pm on October 3rd, 2008 26
Kimchi does stink. It is NOT a matter of perspective. The smell permeates our apartment complex and assaults my senses when I sit on my balcony in my super-expensive GI price apartment we live in to try to enjoy the weather. You can't compare it to the smell of cheeseburgers b/c Koreans eat beef, and the smell of cooking beef/burgers is NOT the same as the sour all-powerful stench of kimchi that is in the air.
The only American foods that come even close to kimchi in smell are chitlins and boiled cabbage. But the entire country of America does not usually smell like these stinky foods and you can't walk down a street in Korea without having your nostrils assaulted.
Same thing on the train. I don't know if people bathe less frequently or if it is because there is always some nasty person taking their shoes off to pick the toe jam from their toes but the train smells worse than any public transportation in the States.
And it isn't dumb to complain about the smell of the rice paddies. They stink-just like Ft. Stewart, GA reeks of swamp and a paper products factory(which all the soldiers stationed there complain about.
The ville culture is hideous, but that can't really be blamed on Koreans. And it is really immature to expect to come to a foreign country and have everyone speak English to you. I wouldn't WANT to drive here, since everyone ignores the traffic rules and basic courtesy.
The landlords we've had ARE shady. The first one stole money from us, and the "guards" there tried to make me give them money by grabbing my purse. Now we rent from Julies (as suggested by the housing office) and we can't get them to do any basic repairs, we just found out they are charging us like 400 bucks extra per month for the couple pieces of furniture they included AND they called the power company to tell them they installed an A/C and our powerbill tripled–we did an experiment and stopped running it and it STILL stayed super high.
Over all, we have a very bad impression of Korean culture. Yes, you can find all of these things in every country, but here it is the accepted national culture.
5:12 am on October 4th, 2008 27
I actually like Kimchi, but yes, it does reek.
Just had a haircut by a Korean Lady barber & was gagging from the smell of her breath.
Still, Korea is an experience that I have enjoyed, but the Koreans need to seriously get their head out of their rectums and stop targeting/taking advantage of foreigners, because what goes around definitely comes around.
4:29 pm on October 4th, 2008 28
Another thing that smells is they put the toilet paper in the trash can versus flushing it down the toilet.
8:17 pm on October 4th, 2008 29
Villian-yeah, when the public restrooms even have toilet paper. Which is rarely. Also, those horrible squat basins in the floor. Well, the plumbing in general is horrible.
4:07 am on December 17th, 2008 30
I don't know any specific situations GIs are experiencing….I am just a tourist here in South Korea and have known a lot of Koreans….I am just amused by how you put things in words…most especially when you talked about kimchee and Hamburger…it was really funny….some are really rude and selfish..but some really nice….
Nice post…I enjoyed reading…
5:38 am on December 17th, 2008 31
April, it is a matter of perception on the smell of Kim Chi. To someone like me raised on a farm with 300 head of hogs and 100 head of cattle it doesn't bother me. Of couse as an aircraft mechanic my wife says I reek of jet fuel, tubine oil, aluminum (metallic smell), gasoline (riding my chopper) and sweat but I hardly notice. There's also something strangely intoxicating of the smell my wife permeates of garlic, the wife is Laotian not Korean, that drives me wild. Call me kookie.
I guess some people aren't sensitive to the smell of this place. Well, I take that back, riding around this country on two wheels I get to sample lots of local bathrooms and some will knock my socks off. Phew, but it's common throut the non western world.
5:39 am on December 17th, 2008 32
sweaty when I come home from work that is.
11:45 am on April 18th, 2009 33
Didn't know U.S. military personnel have it so hard in Korea. Good read. btw, since this came up, I wonder where most GI like to be station or where do the majority, or the usual place, they like to be stationed?
5:32 pm on April 18th, 2009 34
I agree. I have lived in the Taegu-Waegwan area for a long time. I travel to Osan a lot and enjoy the on base facilities, but I get the impression people stationed in the northern part of Korea only see villes. Here there are a lot of interesting things to see and do and you get to see the real Korea. Not bars and stores that sell GI junk.
8:11 pm on April 18th, 2009 35
Most troopers will be stationed in/around Seoul or north of it. Which is really sad considering how messy / screwed up the northern area is. Seoul is the only exception, its an awesome place, but lots and lots of brass running around do there is a constant tension in the air to not screw up.
If the soldiers are lucky they’ll get stationed in Daegu or Waegwon (sp). Those cities are located in the southern part of the ROK and are pretty good spots. I can say for certain that Daegu doesn’t really have any “ville” outside the base. Only a small strip with a few bars that have mostly Koreans working in them. Also the southern areas are really good for family’s. Out here, even if your non-command sponsored (I know dozens who are) you get driving privileges, OHA, schools, pretty much the full support package of any military family. The atmosphere is more relaxed, but the Daegu people are VERY conservative, so you really gotta try to break through the language / culture barrier.
8:29 pm on April 19th, 2009 36
[...] 20, 2009 This is a very good, methodical examination of why GIs have problems in Korea; Huer should take notes. [...]
2:06 pm on July 13th, 2009 37
I was one of those people that was taken away from his family for a year and a half hardship tour. I was stationed at Camp Carroll from March 1999 to July 2000. I was there for 2 weeks when I found out that my wife was having an affair. Once I found that out I had no worries in the world. At first I hated being there. Then I started enjoying my surroundings. Yes we enjoyed partying out in the ville. We went out as a group and came back as a group. On our extended weekends off we would just jump on a train and go experience different places each time. Some of the small villages we would go to we were not treated well until we showed the locals the proper respect that the were deserved. Once we showed them the respect then they would open up and welcome us in. There were many times that we would go to our KATUSA's homes to meet there families. There families treated us very well. When I was there our KATUSA's only made around $35 a month so we would pay for the to go with us wherever we went. They in turn would take us to different parts of the country that we would have never seen before. It has been a long time since I have been there, but it is still fresh in my mind. I would not change any of my experiences there for anything in the world. For anybody reading this that has orders going to Korea and is trying to fight it. #1: You signed the dotted line and Uncle Sam can send you anywhere he wants to without you being able to do anything about it. #2: If you make the best of it you will have a good time there, trust me I loved it. And finally #3: You get to leave in a year. It does not last forever. If you go there open minded you will have the time of your life. Thanks for reading… formerly SGT. Van-y 307th Signal Battalion Camp Carroll Waegwon South Korea. " ALPHPA PRIDE"
3:38 pm on July 13th, 2009 38
Kelly Van-Y,
You are a wise man.
It's nice to see an intelligent comment from someone that didn't just hang out in one of the world's biggest cities or near a military ghetto and wonder why the people seemed so rude.
8:45 pm on July 13th, 2009 39
Compared to 25-30 years ago- the place smells MUCH less horrible, at least in the country. Back in them there days, they used real genuine people poop on the rice fields!!!!
10:56 pm on July 13th, 2009 40
Some farmers still use people poop. My gunner and I were sitting on top of our bradley one time and saw an ajumma walk out into a field pull her shorts down, squat, and take a crap. We couldn't stop laughing after seeing that.
1:04 pm on July 14th, 2009 41
I think that 99% of the problem is that most of the soldiers stationed in Korea can not get there faces away from a Soju bottle. I had many nights with the Soju bottle. I still got out and enjoyed the country. There is a lot of sites to see and history to learn about.
8:51 am on August 14th, 2009 42
this doesn't work
8:56 am on August 14th, 2009 43
gi jane get out the country
8:59 am on August 14th, 2009 44
the war was over 50 years ago!why don't you help your colleagues with killing innocent people in iraq or afghanistan!
9:53 am on August 14th, 2009 45
Maybe 'cause she's like me and liked the challenge of hunting down 'innocent' people like you and putting your head in a bag and hearing you cry like a little girl because you were afraid we were going to do some the same things you did to the really innocent people.
Coward.
3:54 pm on September 20th, 2009 46
I BEEN HERE SINCE JUNE 2009 AND I DERO ON JUNE 2011 . IM TRYING MY HARDEST TO LIKE IT ,BUT ITS SOO HARD… KOREANS ARE RUDE AND THEY LOOK AT YOU ,LIKE YOU OWE THEN SOME $ OR SOMETHING. ONE DAY I WAS WALKING WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND SOME OLD KOREAN GUY OUT OF THE BLUE KICKED ME, JUST LIKE THAT WITH NO REASON . I WANTED TO KILL THE GUY BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT MY BABY IN THE STROLLER AND THAT STOPPED ME. I DIDNT DO ANTHING OR SAY ANYTHING. SOMETIMES THEY JUST WANT TO TEMPT YOU TO HURT THEM OR DO SOME HAR TO THEM SO THEY CAN GET $ OFF YOU ,CUZ IF ANYTHING HAPPENS ITS ALL YOUR FAULT!!! I DONT LIKE IT!!! I WISH I WAS IN EUROPE OR ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE!
4:00 pm on September 20th, 2009 47
YEAH PEOPLE SAY ,NOT ALL KOREA IS LIKE THAT BUT TO ME IT IS. ITS BOORING IVE BEEN TO SEOUL, EVERYWHERE AND THERES NOWHERE ELSE TO GO AND PEOPLE DONT SPEAK ENGLISH !! GRRR!!
KOREA IS VERY AMERICANIZED AND IS SOO UNFAIR THAT THEY DONT SPEAK ENGLISH, AMERICANS ARE HERE FOR A REASON NOT BECUASE WE WANT TO BE.. TRUST ME IS NOT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES AT ALL… I CANT WAIT TO GO BACK TO THE STATES OR SOMEWHERE ELSE..I RATHER BE IN JAPAN INSTEAD.. KOREANS ARE MEEAN PEOPLE ,THEY DONT LIKE US HERE.. ON THE TRAIN IS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE CUZ THEY DONT EVEN WANT U TO GET ON IT. HOW ABOUT WE JUST PULL OUT AND LEAVE THEM WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS(NK) SEE WHAT THEY DO AND STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT AMERICANS BEING HERE! WE DONT WANT TO BE HERE!!!!
6:52 am on February 28th, 2010 48
Lets have a blog about the Korean experience in America. How many foreign students have been ripped off by their white American landlords?
Let's ask how many Korean students have been taken advantage of by an American while attending school. Then ask one of them if they had ever been robbed, of course most of these victims were in larger urban centers.
Why are Americans so rude? All this Korean student was doing was walking down the street when all of a sudden some Americans came by and started yelling racist slurs at him. Some have even been beaten up, but of course it was the Koreans fault for looking Asian in America.
Listen GI's enough of your complaining, the treatment you get in Korea is a thousand times better than what a Korean-American has to deal with everyday in the U.S.
Most of the GI's are from towns in the U.S that would probably beat up an Asian if they moved into their neighborhood. I have driven across the U.S many times, and I always tell this to other fellow Asians' that are about to do the same; "Never Get Off the Highway". You won't be killed, but you won't be welcomed.
The smells that GI's complain about is hilarious, have any of you ever smelt your own body odour? If it smelt good Gillette would be out of business, Louis XIV had perfume invented because he could stand his own stench.
One thing I do agree with is that those anti-American protestors are annoying. America has been instrumental in stabilizing the region. But there are those GI's that make it impossible to actually like the Americans stationed in the ROK, you know who they are.
And one more thing it was an American idea to split the pennisula into North and South, it was an American colonel who protested this idea. Truman ordered MacArthur not to advance towards the Yalu river and provoke China.
You GI's in Korea get a taste of what a Korean-American has to deal with everyday for the rest of their lives.
7:51 am on February 28th, 2010 49
> And one more thing it was an American idea to split the pennisula into North and South, it was an American colonel who protested this idea. Truman ordered MacArthur not to advance towards the Yalu river and provoke China. <
Next time have your people man up so they aren't conquered by a hardier people.
Then someone else won't come along to have to sort out the mess you failed to prevent.
2:08 am on March 5th, 2010 50
"Listen GI’s enough of your complaining, the treatment you get in Korea is a thousand times better than what a Korean-American has to deal with everyday in the U.S."
Utter nonsense. Would you care to site examples of Koreans or even Asians in general getting beaten up in smaller American towns? There have been numerous examples of GIs getting attacked by Koreans for having the gall to not be Korean. Some have been mentioned on this blog. And while you're at it, how many instances can you show of Koreans going up to a business establishment in America and seeing a sign in Hangul stating "No Koreans Allowed"? I saw them often in Korea telling Americans to go elsewhere!
"Lets have a blog about the Korean experience in America…."
They exist. As a matter of fact, I came here after getting chased off of a message board by a bunch of Korean-Americans who just couldn't handle the notion their lot in life in the US may not be nearly as horrible as they seemed to think.
3:03 am on March 5th, 2010 51
[DELETED BY ADMIN - This commenter is an imposter and not from GI Korea]
4:48 am on March 5th, 2010 52
Change is tough. And it's tougher if you're young, cash-strapped, and unused to environments outside your childhood.
I like Korea. I complain about some aspects; but it's still more fun (to me) than Germany or certain places in the USA.
Koreans tend to behave differently when you're introduced to them by a Korean. Maybe the best way "in" is to have a Korean team that introduces GIs to the better parts of Korea.
Never been to "the 'ville"; but I've seen the blog posts and heard the stories. I've been to Itaewon but liked Myungdong, Namdeamun, and Dongdaemun more.
I know it's tough to have time to be an ambassador when you're in the service. Just remember not to assume every Korean is the same as every other. They're blessed with (some say mired in) 4000+ years of culture. Show them the good things about being an American…
4:53 am on March 5th, 2010 53
Revelation's post smells like North Korean bovine scatology. I go to a Korean-American church in a small town in Texas and none of the stuff he mentions has happened to any of the folks there.
Maybe he just wants to pick a fight… May I recommend joining the Army and volunteering for Korea?
5:25 am on March 5th, 2010 54
I just want to add:
ROK soldiers complain about having to serve in Korea you know.
Soldier = complainer
And it's been that way since the beginning of the times…
10:35 am on March 5th, 2010 55
Setnaffa, I am extremely happy that you are so welcomed in your community. It sounds as if the Koreans' have been truly accepted into your town and have been assimilated into the American culture.
But wait, why do you have to go to a Korean-American church! Is Korean christianity, different then white American Christianity?
Google a fella by the name of Jeremy Lin, he's not Korean but his experience might shed some light in that hole you have your head.
10:58 am on March 5th, 2010 56
Dear Chris in Dallas;
Why do you think that every Korean that has been assaulted by some redneck is going to be front page news on the New York Times. I know of at least 10 Koreans that have been beaten up for being asian, and I don't care if you don't believe this.
Every Korean-American that reads this knows what I'm talking about. And by the way those signs on the bar windows that say no Americans, I have been to Daytona Fla and there were signs that read no coloreds allowed.
Yes it is true folks there are certain bars in America where a Korean-American is actually not welcomed. The difference is that in Seoul there is no chance that you'll actually get shot. In the U.S since there are such low crime rates and gun related offenses go ahead "Setnaffa" go on in and have a good time.
11:08 am on March 5th, 2010 57
Uh…what do you mean by hardier people. South Korea was in a war with North Korea, often referred to as a "civil war". Please don't reply back by saying a civil war was an American war fought back in the 1800's.
11:29 am on March 5th, 2010 58
A "No Coloreds" sign. In the South of all places. Yeah, right. A business that did that would be out of business before you could say NAACP.
But thanks a bunch for making that comment. Given you now have zero credibility, I don't see the need to respond to the rest of your post
!
11:41 am on March 5th, 2010 59
A “No Coloreds” sign. In the South of all places. Yeah, right. A business that did that would be out of business before you could say NAACP.
Maybe.
I did walk to the place downtown that had the "No Americans" sign a couple days after I'd heard about it, to register my complaint in Korean, but it wasn't there.
11:47 am on March 5th, 2010 60
You know what next time you're in Florida take a walk around Daytona. If I was going to make up such a story why would I pick Florida, wouldn't I have said Alabama or something along those lines.
And just to clarify, Florida is the southern U.S but its' demographics is very different than that of say South Carolina. And what if it is in the south, you seem to imply that its excusable there, or are you inferring that the Southern U.S would never allow racism?
Let's all go to the Biker bar's in Daytona and we'll talk it over with a couple of beers. You first pal. And if you say "well its a biker bar", I say "so what if its wrong in Korea to not allow American patrons, its wrong in the U.S to disallow Korean patrons.
11:59 am on March 5th, 2010 61
Maybe the NAACP got to them and made them take it down.
I'm going to take your lead and walk on over to a bar where they told me I was unwelcome and register a complaint with the manager. I think its a German bar quite a few guys there are sporting swastika tattoo's, either that or some may be recovering cancer patients because they have shaved heads.
Shouldn't have a problem, apparently no Korean has ever been beaten up for just being Korean in America. Wish me luck!!
12:06 pm on March 5th, 2010 62
If what I said was wrong, why do you have to go to a Korean-American Church. I have never heard of a Scottish-American church or a Swedish-American church.
Why don't you just go to the local church? I don't know much about religion, but is there a different Jesus for different ethnicities, or does Christianity promote segregation of races???
12:20 pm on March 5th, 2010 63
WTF, how does a U.S soldier get chased off a message board???
How limited is your vocabulary or debating skills that you would get chased off a message board??
Forget the shooting range G.I hit the books.
12:44 pm on March 5th, 2010 64
If what I said was wrong, why do you have to go to a Korean-American Church. I have never heard of a Scottish-American church or a Swedish-American church.
You've never been to Minnesota, yeah?
Not picking a side here, just sayin'.
1:01 pm on March 5th, 2010 65
Sayin what? They have Scottish-American churches or that there are just churches?
Are Koreans considered Americans' or Korean American's?
All I know of Minnesota is that they seem to really dislike the Vietnamese.
1:34 pm on March 5th, 2010 66
I'm saying they have Swedish-American churches, Norwegian-American churches, etc. Or rather, predominantly such churches.
And some Minnesotans dislike the Hmong (I think that's what you might have meant), but that doesn't mean all of them. The Hmong are there because there are loads of Minnesotans who have helped them get there.
(Next time someone calls me an apologist for Korea, please note that I'm an equal opportunity apologist for Minnesota.)
3:35 pm on March 6th, 2010 67
Hey request for a transfer, I here Iraq or Afghanistan has new positions opening up everyday. I here the people love American GI's over there, the people are so kind and welcoming they often leave presents for you in brown bags on roadsides.
Sometimes they even drive vehicles full of fireworks to your positions just for your enjoyment.
And about pulling out. Obviously someone more intelligent and educated then yourself thinks that the Korean peninsula is strategically important or you wouldn't be there.
I lived in England, they hate Americans over there, don't take my word for it walk around London wearing your flag. Please video it for us.
3:45 pm on March 6th, 2010 68
What a crock of sh!t. The only Americans that Brits hate are those that walk around acting like pompous assholes. If your experience is that you felt like they hated you – it's because of the way YOU acted.
3:50 pm on March 6th, 2010 69
I think you're missing the point of the argument.
The essence of the debate is that Asians are treated far worse in America then the white's in Korea.
I have never met a "Hmong", but if they are hated in Minnesota, its' telling me that they are probably sticking up for themselves. "How dare they"!!! The marginalized Hmong men will defend themselves or assert themselves undoubtedly in gangs.
This how the Irish and Italian immigrants protected themselves.
3:56 pm on March 6th, 2010 70
Are you talking about the Koreans who go to the USA and receive free college scholarships, all kinds of government assistance to start new businesses, and lots of services available in Korean? Are you talking about that?
4:00 pm on March 6th, 2010 71
I personally saw the anti-American demonstration in front of Parliament. I doubt they would have been receptive to polite American.
Google it, the "UK Guardian", and the London Times should show this.
I worked in an office, the anti-American comments were coming from white collar employees.
4:03 pm on March 6th, 2010 72
revelation's posts are an example of why no one should ever teach English-ee in North Korea. See what they do with their new English-ee skills?
4:03 pm on March 6th, 2010 73
Could be. I know all the illegally working English teachers in Korea (i.e., those working while on tourist visas) just loooooooooove the place. Can't possibly be for any economic reason, right?
4:08 pm on March 6th, 2010 74
Kushibo, are you defending illegal aliens in the USA? I have NEVER defended illegal teachers in Korea and, in fact, I have often called for a crackdown on illegal teachers and the hagwons that employee them. In fact, ALL illegal activities in the Korean English-ee industry should be dealt with by authorities in the harshest manner possible. Still waiting for anyone else (like you?) to ever call for a crackdown on illegal hagwons. Those owners belong in jail.
4:14 pm on March 6th, 2010 75
I'm not defending anything; I'm not a part of the argument here. I'm simply questioning the highly questionable claim that the existence of illegal aliens somewhere means they love the place and/or the place is good for them. For illegals, it's usually a matter of relative good: maybe what's waiting for them back home just sucks all the more.
4:37 pm on March 6th, 2010 76
So the Brits were demonstrating in front of Parliament because they hate individual Americans? Or was it American policy?
Most people very easily realize the difference between the two…you apparently have a hard time grasping this concept though.
7:31 pm on March 6th, 2010 77
I feel bad for a lot of the male GI's in Korea. Obviously, the military by design is a sausage fest. Unfortunately, Korea nowadays leaves very little options except for human trafficked filipinas or not too appealing Korean has been juicy adjumas.
Moreso, all GI's in Korea are pawns being used by two countries: SK and the U.S. itself. The U.S. desperately wants their little presence in Asia and the Koreans side more with China and profit off of the GI's.
Just think, all the fighting and dying(along with draining of the U.S. treasure) in the Korean and Vietnamese wars and the U.S. is stupid enough to let Korea(s) rip them off some more. Yeah, it's ironic and funny but mostly just like this ROKDROP blog it's just negative, depressing, sad, and pathetic.
8:28 pm on March 6th, 2010 78
I wouldn't say the U.S. is as bad as Revelation says but I've seen plenty of subtle rascism against Koreans and Korean-Americans on base. When I was here the first time in '96, any Korean female on base was assumed to be a juicy girl or someone's wife. Hell, the superintendent (black female) told one of our Kor-Am SSgts that she could be a juicee girl if the AF didn't work out for her.
It's not quite as bad as that now but I notice whenever I walk around base with my Korean-American friend, whenever we get saluted, 90% of the time, the person saluting looks only at me and says "good morning/afternoon, sir." not "gentlemen" and they completely ignore my friend.
On the flip side, I was an exchange officer at the Korean AF Staff College last year. I never encountered any blatant racism/hostility (except for our car getting vandalized on the ROKAF base) but I always got stared at like I was a circus freak (I don't think I'm that ugly, at least my wife doesn't think so, but I digress…). It was a small taste of what it is like to be a minority.
Anyways, plenty of jerks in both countries and you just have to deal with it.
I think the biggest difference with the US and Korea is that a Korean can move to the US and become American and be accepted as an American (for the most part) but the reverse is not true. Not matter how well you speak Korean, learn the culture, etc. a foreigner can never become a Korean. I always felt like a complete outsider at the Staff College though I made plenty of friends and they were awesome hosts.
And Revelation, I've lived near Daytona Beach and I wouldn't go in those bars either and I'm white.
9:00 pm on March 6th, 2010 79
It makes you wonder if many of the Koreans in the USA complain so that other Koreans, still in Korea, stay in Korea. That way there's less competition for minority scholarships and business loans.
9:02 pm on March 6th, 2010 80
You're mad at the entire USA because you were tossed out of a biker bar? Sounds like that scene from "Smoky and the Bandit."
10:54 pm on March 6th, 2010 81
You are lost in a forest of stupidity.
11:00 pm on March 6th, 2010 82
Comrade netizen, Koreans love the USA. How many Koreans are living as illegal aliens in the USA? Over 300,000! Must be because they love living in the USA. Why else would they stay?
Ah, so you are lying about conditions for Koreans in the USA.
12:29 am on March 7th, 2010 83
Guitard is correct for non-command sponsored family's. If your married / have dependents you get OHA, COLA and meal allowance all at full rate, end of story. This is a DA policy not a local one and can't be overridden, even by the four star.
You get full access to all facilities on the base, and are considered 2nd priority for school (command sponsored kids are 1st priority). 3rd priority is federal worker kids, then contractor kids (depending on the contract and whats paying for what) and finally any left over seats can be purchased by the locals. Unfortunately many of the Korean's working the education system here are sleazy and take money "under the table" to ensure certain slots are "left over" for the off base Koreans. This is how Korea has always been run, if you want something done in a hurry you gotta be willing to pay or otherwise "gift" something to some manager.
Now bringing your family over here is indeed at your own expense, but you will ~always~ be eligible for furniture / appliance support from the base. It might be off color and look horrendous, but its the same stuff used by the on base housing. The moment you qualify for OHA you get all that other stuff, just at a lower priority then command sponsored families.
1:30 am on March 7th, 2010 84
Best way to change ville culture is to have the base near a large metro area. Ville's develop because free market dictates a market will develop when there is a demand for one. In this case you have large amounts of young American males who are bored with on base facilities and "chaperoned" events and wish to do something. Ville's pop up to supply those males with entertainment, at a price the market will bear.
But if there is a metro area near by, then that typically serves most of the entertainment desires of those young males (and females also). This leaves a smaller market share for the typical "juicy bar" to have. Why would a soldier bother buying over-priced juices for girls when he could go to a real bar / club and participate in the festivities with the locals.
This is why most of the "villes" are up in the 2ID land, where there are no big cities or other night spots to party with Korean college girls.
1:31 am on March 7th, 2010 85
Archieb, in his biased attempt to make me appear judgemental has just wrote a profound statement.
You are so correct, how can any civlized intelligent open minded person, ever take one incident and judge an entire nation.
One bar in Korea that says "no Americans",and all Koreans are racists.
By the way there as been no confirmation whether or not ths bar exists. Please provide location for verification.
1:40 am on March 7th, 2010 86
Korea is one of those places you either love or hate, and it usually takes about three to four months to figure that out.
It boils down to a person's own ability to accept the negative points for the positive ones. I for one have been here over seven years now and enjoy the hell out of it. Once you learn to navigate their society like the Koreans do, then you can really start having fun and hanging out with people. That is what I mostly do for fun, hang out with my friends (who are mostly Korean's).
For the language part… I don't know about that one. I find that if I try hard and work with em, many locals know enough English (and I a little Korean) to have decent conversations. Just gotta slow down and use simple English (remove articles and complex grammar).
1:46 am on March 7th, 2010 87
Revelation, putting the "no coloreds" sign away for the moment consider this. I am a Caucasian born in the USA. Despite that, I may very well not be welcome in this biker bar you refer too. Yeah, a business can't openly deny service to anyone here based on race/color/creed/etc., but that sure doesn't mean you won't find places where a bartender or waiter will wait a couple hours before tending to you or other patrons won't make your stay miserable. Its part of the landscape.
And while we're at it, there are comparable establishments run by Koreans and just for Koreans here in the states where you would be treated like a king and I would get the silent treatment. Given all this, I don't see why I should care all that much about the matter.
2:30 am on March 7th, 2010 88
I've been thinking about this and have noted something interesting on the differences of American v. Korean complaining about each other. I think both sides are wrong, but the background is interesting.
Look at the list of American grievances. On the whole the complaints are real, but are mostly picayune. Ive talked to a number of GIs who hated Korea and sure enough they vomit up a bunch of minor complaints (its stinky, the people are strange, they don't drive correctly, etc.). You could probably sum all this up by saying their beef is Korea is not America. And why should it be?
Then there is Koreans complaining about America/Americans. As is typical, the complaining comes from a completely opposite perspective. Koreans' complaints tend to be big ones but the sources of their problems stem from isolated incidents. They often view us as violent barbarians prone to criminality. Why? Because a modest handful of GIs have attacked Korean Nationals and some Koreans have been harmed when they accidentally strayed somewhere in America they shouldn't have gone like and inner city neighborhood. My guess is Revelations' contention small town America is not Korean-friendly can be traced to something like an occasional Korean stopping in a podunk town and encountering testy cashiers at gas stations who don't want to bother with broken English or get frustrated by adjoshi trying to haggle on the price of something he/she can't cut. In most instances we're dealing with singular/rare events which become generalizations.
BTW, the original post notes The Korean took this on from the Korean perspective. Anyone have a link?
3:23 am on March 7th, 2010 89
It just seems that there's too many people with too thin skin. You give respect but you may not always recieve respect. Don't sweat it, roll with the punches, move out and draw fire somewhere's else. Too many people wether Korean or American have a holier than thou attitude and if what they see doesn't fit the paradigm then it's shit.
3:50 am on March 7th, 2010 90
Hilarious. "Adjashi's haggling on the price of something". What a fair and objective argument. For any Americans' of Korean descent reading this, I ask you, is this the when you encounter racism?
Listen to what you wrote, "singular/rare events which become generaliztions". Talk about putting your foot in your mouth.
And when you write "American", are you referring to white's or anyone that is not Asian?
3:54 am on March 7th, 2010 91
What minority scholarships do you think Korean students get in the US? It has been a long time since East Asians were considered an underprivileged minority deserving affirmative action. There might be a a handful of specific private scholarships aimed at certain immigrant groups, but in the aggregate, being Asian offers disadvantages to getting into school, not advantages (a whole discussion of that here). Now if you'd said they want to make it less disadvantageous for admissions, then you might be onto something.
I have no idea about business loans, though, so I won't speculate.
And I have been trying to respond to a number of points here, but ROK Drop in Safari for this post over the last day has been doing something weird… the comments box collapses after typing just two or three words. This is the first time in a while I've been able to write something here.
3:58 am on March 7th, 2010 92
Chris, I did not write the original post, I merely replied to a post that you had written. I used the biker bar as an example to point out similar discriminatory practices in America.
4:34 am on March 7th, 2010 93
It's not like the title "Why do GI's complain about Korea?" was made up for no reason. Korea has many, many negative aspects that are rightly being addressed here. As much as Koreans are taught by the leftist media about the rampant GI's committing crime in their country the truth is that it's a small minority compared to Koreans themselves.
What really is a crime is how GI's for decades have had their money stolen out of their wallet by juicy hustlers, adjuma bar owners, Koreans claiming fake injuries, etc.
What do the U.S. and it's GI citizens get in return for protecting South Korea? Just an rude, ungrateful, big ole slap in the face.
4:42 am on March 7th, 2010 94
This is truly enlightening. The demonstration in front of parliament was an example, I apologize if I didn't clarify, but I was hoping most would be able to make that leap.
When I "lived" in London for 5 years, I encountered a lot of anti-American sentiment directed towards me. The funny thing is, back in America most Americans' don't consider me as an American. I am referred to as Korean or at best a Korean-American. But in London, England they called me an American, when I corrected by telling them I am called a Korean American they laughed at me.
I actually felt more American in England then I did back home, how ironic.
Whenever I stepped up to the plate and defended America, I was called biased. The thing that frustrated me the most was that the U.S contribution that was instrumental in the German defeat is not taught in school.
Every person I've spoken to refuses to acknowledge America's role in saving England from the nazi's. They don't show it on TV, e.g History Channel etc.., or teach this in the classrooms.
I really don't care if you don't believe me, because this is true. Go and see for yourself.
Say what you will about Korea folks, but if you ask anyone if they've heard of General Douglas MacArthur, you'll can an affirmative answer. America's role in the Korean war is taught in schools, most young people have a positive outlook towards the U.S. It's only when they actually go to the U.S and are mistreated that they get jaded.
4:52 am on March 7th, 2010 95
This is the inveterate prejudice against Koreans that I am was trying to point out. Finally someone wrote their true feelings about American sentiment towards Koreans.
Hey Nuckfuts, I here they have positions available in Iraq and Afghanistan. They love you over there, I here they sometimes leave presents for GI's on roadsides, or send truckloads of fireworks over for all your efforts. Sure better then a slap in the face.
8:21 am on March 7th, 2010 96
You sound like an educated individual. Yes I agree with a lot of what you said.
But let us all remember, Korea is not a country of immigrants. America is a land of immigrants, you white Americans are European transplants. So why shouldn’t Asians be allowed to become Americans?
As for the biker bar, it was an illustration to point out that the U.S also had drinking establishments that discriminated based on ethnicity, like that bar in Korea.(Please read the preceeding posts)
And those bars in Korea that say no Americians, I too may not be welcome an I’m Korean.
10:38 am on March 7th, 2010 97
The reason people don't make the leap is because there is a HUGE difference between Brits hating American policy and Brits disliking Americans.
Your original statement was:
Those Brits were not demonstrating out of hatred of Americans, because they don't hate Americans. They were demonstrating out of hatred of American policy. Your average Brit gets along with your average American just fine. I've had countless pleasant experiences with Brits in England, in America, and it other countries. I've never had a bad experience with a Brit simply because I was American and he/she hated me because of my nationality. And when Americans do have bad experiences with Brits it's typically because the American was acting like an a$$hole.
2:40 pm on March 7th, 2010 98
You are a victim of "cognitive dissonance". Of course they won't tell you that they dislike you to your face, much like most of you reading this won't tell any certain race that you dislike then for their nationality to their face.
A lot Canadians dislike Americans, this is well documented in the media, but I doubt any will admit they dislike you to your face.
It's not just American policy that is disliked in England. Unless you hadn't noticed, Tony Blair (former British Prime Minister), supported the Iraqi invasion. And yes London was victimized by terrorist bombings as well.
Listen, if you like the British and you have had good experiences there thats great. But for the rest of you go and find out for yourselves. Why do you think American backpackers put the Canadian maple leaf on their ruck sacks. This was common practice even in the mid-90's when I went back packing through Europe.
GI's some of you must have friends stationed in England, I know at least 3, I am sure they can verify what I have said.
2:51 pm on March 7th, 2010 99
My ex-girlfriend worked for the admissions office at UC Davis, and she told me that they had an informal policy of preventing the number of Asian-American students from exceeding a certain percentage of the student body.
If a medium ranked school like UC Davis has this policy, one can assume that higher ranked schools do this as well.
3:12 pm on March 7th, 2010 100
Check out Archieb, wanting to crackdown on the Hagwons that employ illegal english teachers. He wants the "owners" put in jail.
How about the American's that use illegal Mexican aliens in the U.S? Should they be put in jail? Only if they are not white (you're nodding your head). Kinda funny but the Mexicans are deported, the owners just go and hire a bunch more. This means that the sanctions are not a deterrent.
But "Ah, so" (how sly) the point about the 300,000 illegal Koreans I can neither confirm or dispute, but since it is derived from such a reputable source (Archieb) it must be true.
No Korean here ever wrote that they disliked America, it was the Americans' that first wrote that Koreans' hated Americans. This is merely a reaction to the action.
Do you see the double standard.
3:15 pm on March 7th, 2010 101
here=hear, sorry for the typo English is my third language.
10:14 pm on March 7th, 2010 102
Hey which is worse, condemning the people of an entire nation for being racist or noting some immigrants from a certain place don't follow proper etiquette in American economic transactions? You should heed the saying about people living in glass houses.
8:21 am on May 16th, 2010 103
people like Archib or April shoudln’t have right to post
1:42 am on May 19th, 2010 104
Free college scholarships? WTF you talking about. Everyone of my Korean friends busted their ass to get into college, and their parents busted their asses to pay for it.
What government assistance are you talking about? Are you talking about the same assistance offered to all the immigrants, or are the Koreans so beloved in America that they are given more assistance.
Services are offered in Korean because it is profitable to do so, not because anyone wants to be nice.
Archieb, you write these unsubstantiated facts and expect people to believe you? Any American-Korean that reads your comment can tell how spiteful you are. Then again anyone that knows a little about government policy and college will know your full of it.
1:58 am on May 19th, 2010 105
It is unfortunate that Korean merchants around the US military bases take advantage to military personnel. But lets not go and say all Koreans' or even most do this, that would be racist.
Most Koreans' don't give a crap about Americans' or GI's or taking their money. I lived in Korea for few years, worked in downtown Seoul and never saw a GI until I went to Itaewon. Most of my co-workers only saw military personnel from their cars, so basically from afar.
And those merchants that apparently try and take advantage of you, will probably take advantage of Korean customers as well. Maybe thats why there aren't any Korean customers there in the first place.
2:34 pm on May 19th, 2010 106
So parts of Itaewon don't qualify as being 'ville-like'?
8:46 pm on May 19th, 2010 107
Base housing should not be recommending a specific real estate agency. This indicates shady dealings may be occuring. This was the case on Yongsan about 10 years ago. In seems like Julies name consistenly pops up when housing problems are mentioned.
8:53 pm on May 19th, 2010 108
Base housing is recommending Julies? I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell you.
4:45 pm on March 6th, 2011 109
Hey I got it why don't we just complain until we don't have to train or defend our country anymore, but receive a paycheck every month. Does that sound familiar you ask??? Welfare!!! How about do one of the two: raise your hand and do what you’re told, go where you’re told, and abide by the rules where you serve or put your hand down and get the PUCK out of the military and get that monthly welfare check. Bunch of freakin pu$$ies!!! AND QUIT RAPING OLD LADIES!!!
4:53 pm on March 25th, 2011 110
I was stationed at Hovey and Casey from Sept 87 to Apr 89. Yes, you can always find something to complain about if you look. Also if you look you will find plenty of wonderful places away from Down Range. Once away from the GI areas I found a wonderful culture full of people who went out of their way to assist and make sure you were comfortable. We had the curfew lifted while I was there and yes we did abuse the priveledge and yet we were ready 24/7 to defend South Korea. Of course they re-imposed the curfew because of those who hated to be there and kept causing riots, fights and damaging property. Instead of hating your assignment find ways to better it by learning about the history of its culture and you will not become a "turtle" (we were called that because the Quonson Huts at that time were 10 feet apart, the incoming and out going, and it took so long to get from one building to the other).
3:03 pm on August 15th, 2011 111
I just loved my year there (1983) and the stranger and more foreign the environment..the better. I did not join the Army to get a tour of the US and I found Koreans to be very nice and eager and curious (this has nothing to do with the GI Villes and culture though..which I also liked very much but about which I can appreciate some complaints. There were times in which I felt some of the factors were a bit hard to take but I always was able to chock that up to my simply being unfamiliar with the area.
3:03 pm on August 15th, 2011 112
*chalk
12:12 am on June 27th, 2012 113
I once had a taxi driver tell me he’s not going to drive me cause the distance is too short. So I said to him in Korean “You have two choices, call the police or drive me, and I promise you when the police come I will simply get out of your taxi and walk away.
This made him very angry and he drove like a mad man, I then demanded he stop, got out of the taxi and walked away. He got out and said lots of bad words at me I smiled and left.
4:22 am on June 27th, 2012 114
I once had a bus driver tell me to move to the back of the bus. NO SHIAT! I pulled a Rosa Parks on his ass. He was pissed. He even tried to get one of the terminal managers involved.
4:38 am on June 27th, 2012 115
Thank you GI’s, for defending such undeserving and horrible country of South Korea. It’s the worst screwed up country in the face of the planet and in human history. I apologize for the terrible race of people that Koreans are. I agree that the US need to leave this stinking pile of manure we call Korea. Again, my sincere apologies for your sufferings and exploitations at the hands of the Koreans.
4:55 am on June 27th, 2012 116
Tom wrote:
Canadians call Korea a stinking pile of manure?
5:32 am on June 27th, 2012 117
I think we have another False Tom. I don’t like the real Tom, but the False Toms are just as annoying.
So, REAL Tom… What’s your take on State Sponsored Piracy, re: North Korean Navy personnel kidnapping and holding hostage 3 Chinese fishing boats?
6:18 am on June 27th, 2012 118
I own an American spec Hyandai Tucson. Blu-Hands thinks it came from Mars. F-ing hilarious.
7:26 am on June 27th, 2012 119
#118 – I find myself having a hard time bagging on Blu-Hands. Tell me what automotive service place you can go to in the states where you can pull-up, unannounced with no appointment, have the guys come eagerly running out wanting to fix your can, and get the whole thing done in record time, for (still) relatively dirt-cheap labor rates? Once had them change out an entire bumper (unannounced) in less than 2 hours – now that’s service…
8:15 am on June 27th, 2012 120
#119 – Agreed…Blu-Hands, and other services for the most part. My underlying point is the lack of Korean initiative, ingenuity, creativity, and/or problem solving skills that tend to fade outside of the parameters they’re normally accustomed to.
All I wanted was basic service for my Tucson (oil, air, wipers, etc). But, because my vehicle had American specs (minor differences they could easily research)- they acted as if I gave them the Theory of Relativity to solve. And yes, I had a native with me to assist.
8:49 am on June 27th, 2012 121
If you live in Seoul, take your American spec car to Charlie’s Garage on the north side of the river right next to the Banpo Bridge. I normally do all my own auto repairs, but on those occasions where it’s something too difficult, I take my American-made car to Charlie’s and have always been happy with their service, prices, and knowledge of foreign cars.
8:51 am on June 27th, 2012 122
My Korean experience is 20+ years in the past but the greatest gift I received was being roomed with 2 KATUSAs the first half of my tour. I learned a lot about Korea, the culture & the customs from them. My regret is that I didn’t offer to pay for them to “go home” on a weekend and allow me to tag along, however I did meet both families when they came to visit. After 6 months our command decided to “rearrange” our housing and I was moved into a another billet with a GI. I do want to go back as a tourist eventually and explore more of the culture that I missed the first time. I never saw Koreans as racists, but as a people proud of their heritage and culture, striving to maintain it despite the Westernization of their society.
8:57 am on June 27th, 2012 123
117 – I think that is the real Tom pulling his old victimhood trick — critizing all GIs and Americans and Westerners who actually chose to live in Korea (something he has never done) – critizing them as all being Korea haters – by sarcastically pretending he agrees with them.
It is a variety of his bigotry that he trots out from time to time…Another way to label all of us as Korea-haters…when many of us have done something he has never done: Volunteered to move to and make a home in Korea…
9:18 am on June 27th, 2012 124
I loved every minute of the 5 1/2 years I was stationed in Korea (Kwangju, Osan). Their were quite a bit of whining little bitches complaining about being stationed there. Grow a pair!
12:41 pm on June 27th, 2012 125
124. I always tell them there are worse places to be.
12:52 pm on June 27th, 2012 126
There are folks who wouldn’t be satisfied in Heaven.
10:42 pm on July 10th, 2012 127
Ok here is my compliant of Korea, stationed at Osan, working in the HTac on the weekend, really needing to take a zhit, I get to the bath room and every stall is occupied by ROK sleeping, went upstairs to another bath room, same thing. Went to the third bath room and couldn’t hold back, as loud as I could “wake the fuck up” (they really are rest rooms in the HTac) stepped out and within a minute two ROK personnel step out, I go back in and what do you know, two open stalls. Thinking back I can only smile, had three great tours at Osan, and many great stories and memories.
3:23 am on August 27th, 2012 128
$20 for a beer and a talk with a scantily clad girl for 10 minutes? Wow!
I served at 8th Army HQ in Seoul a couple of years after the war. Back then, there wasn’t a whole lot still standing in Korea — even the trees had been cleared out by artillery. But there was no shortage of girls, and you would be shocked at how little they charged for a tumble in the hay. Not much talking, just getting down to business.
And all the soldiers fraternized. Some of the girls were real knockouts, and quite a few of them ended up married to a GI. And there wasn’t a lot else to do there. As I said, the war had practically leveled everything in the country — little to see, hardly anything to do once you did your tour of the one or two castles still standing.
So your entertainment choices amounted to going to the library, going to the PX movies, going to the PX to buy $1 per carton cigarettes, or going to the NCO club for a beer and a pickup; it was the NCO club where you commonly picked up a Korean prostitute. That’s right. The girls were allowed to come on-post and hang out in the NCO club. I assume there were two reasons for that: it kept up soldier morale and it put money (GI script) into circulation in the rather desperate Korean economy.
Still, things could be grim for the soldier in Korea. However, much of that was offset by the fact there wasn’t all the spit-and-polish of Stateside duty, no guard duty, no inspections, no KP, etc. This made Korea kind of a vacation from the Army (and with two R&R trips to Japan or Hong Kong thrown in that were not charged against your leave time).
Admittedly, it wasn’t all that much of a vacation if you were posted up on the DMZ. That was definitely no vacation, and I’m guessing it probably still isn’t. But, in a lot of respects, in the rear areas, duty resembled life in the TV series, M*A*S*H. Soldiers could get away with lots of stuff that would draw a reprimand Stateside. I don’t know, however, whether any troops brewed their own gin from a still kept in their barracks. I never met Hawkeye Pierce, even though I was posted for a while at the 123d Evacuation Hospital.
5:38 am on August 27th, 2012 129
Lise it was stated earlier: “There are folks who wouldn’t be satisfied in Heaven.”
5:39 am on August 27th, 2012 130
LiseLike…4:17 pm on November 23rd, 2012 131
Some have the wrong perception of going to a foriegn country. Your walking back in time culturally in time and most don’t want to move into the 20th century. It is what it is smell and all. I was happy to go there and learn the culture and way of life but then most were young and immature and only looking for a good drunk and to party all the time and spend dollars and time with the women. If I were the CG of Korea all the vill bars would be off limits. There were enough clubs on post for that. I went on to Germany looking forward to learn the country and culture as well. I took a lot of trips while in both countries and liked both of them. For the most part we made our own problems there and apparently still are 40 years later. I for one undersatnd why some don’t like GI’s in Korea and Germany.
7:18 am on December 12th, 2012 132
4 tour’s and love it. All I have to say is grow up and learn.
12:26 am on December 26th, 2012 133
This isnt really a complaint.. but does anyone else find it hilarious/annoying that most of the korean workers on base are hardly understandable lol
3:46 am on December 26th, 2012 134
I never have a problem communicating with them.
I’ve noticed that the English speaking ability of the average on-base employee has increased considerably over the years.
9:19 am on December 26th, 2012 135
It’s all expectation management. When dealing with the labor or craftsmen I don’t expect much but I do set the bar a little higher when dealing with office personnel. In any event I’m willing to caveman or Italian sign it up as needed to get through the conversation.
3:44 pm on December 26th, 2012 136
The answer is quite simple. It’s because Americans suffer from racial/cultural/national superiority complex. Being Ugly Americans, it’s par for the course to be condescending to the people Americans think they’re above. But we’ll see how much longer that will last. Average Korean, compared to the average American, is going to be more affluent in ten years, and even now, has a far longer average life span by more than four years, and lower infant mortality rate than the US.
4:42 pm on December 26th, 2012 137
Tom wrote:
Tom –
Indeed – the answer is simple. But you don’t seem to have to balls to answer. You just continue to dodge the question. How about showing some Canadian pride for once?
So here goes for the fifth time: Have you ever spent ANY time in Korea as an adult??
If so, when/for how long?
6:13 pm on December 26th, 2012 138
“Have you ever spent ANY time in Korea as an adult??”
No time spent in Korea. None, whatsoever.
“If so, when/for how long?”
0 days, 0 months, because I’m Canadian, Chinese agit prop, North Korean, Kushibo, and ten other things.
Happy now?
7:28 pm on December 26th, 2012 139
Tom finally grows a pair of balls and responds!
You’re still Canada’s #1 wangtta though.
9:35 pm on December 26th, 2012 140
He would say yes, if he could.
6:52 am on January 16th, 2013 141
I agree with much of the article except for the driving part. I’ve driven in Korean for 5 years altogether and I loved it. You need to nut up and get out there and learn to drive offensively. After driving so long in Korea, driving in the States is too easy. I laugh when people complain about driving/traffic in Dallas or Atlanta. After Korea, I dominate on the roads and can drive here in my sleep
3:43 am on March 1st, 2013 142
Because it sucks.
5:09 am on March 16th, 2013 143
I agree with everything in this article. I hate being stationed in South Korea and I am getting out of the military just because HRC assigned me to this shit hole.
5:12 am on March 16th, 2013 144
I think the US Army needs to stop wasting billions in the US taxpayers money in Korea. The US Army needs to leave Korea and let the South take care of its own security.
5:33 am on March 16th, 2013 145
Shh shh… poor article. Who woke you up again? Go back to sleep.
Man who keeps waking up the played-out articles? They’re old and weak and need their rest in GI’s “Rest home for shi*t we’ve talked to death”.
1:11 am on April 9th, 2013 146
interesting article.
btw, SID and Jack can foad, yawn.
4:47 pm on April 10th, 2013 147
I did 3 rotations 78-79 Camp laGuradia 128th Avn, 82-83 Camp Stanley B/4/7 Cav, 88-89 CFA/CRC Commanders Crew. But learned the train/transportation system, traveled, and stayed out of the villes, and generally had an okay tour.
5:31 pm on April 10th, 2013 148
Jack and Sid are pretty sad folks…
3:39 pm on April 22nd, 2013 149
Koreans should be thankful to the USA bcz it is for the USA that South Korea exist . If the US troops weren’t there Nk would need two hours to turn South Korea in waste land .
Koreans are rude ? When did the mannerism come from Asia ? That koreans don’t speak English it is ok , what is not is that they pretend to understand so you think they understood the instructions , and when you come back everything is f up .
Korean man hate to see a foreign with a korean women , I think is more a sense of inferiority that korean men have toward foreign men as our bodies are bigger than theirs .
Korea smells , I have been here for two years and I still cannot get used to that dead body smell .
I believe that foreigns shoul create clubs or activities where they can hang out .
I am not an American , but I lived in US for five years and I know that Americans are the cleanest people in the planet , and I have seen most of the civilized countries in this planet .
8:12 am on May 17th, 2013 150
I was in So. Korea from Nov 65 to Dec 66. Went over on the USNS Edwin D Patrick troop ship. I spent the first 6 months with my tanker MOS down near Taejon in an Infantry Company pulling guard duty at some Nike base. Funny, I didn’t even know what I was guarding until about 2 years ago. When the Army changed the Infantry Company to an MP Co., those of us with no MP or dog handler MOS got shipped up north. I ended up on Camp Casey and worked on the rifle range out the back gate. I was in HHC 7X TF. (Train Fire) I’ve been to Dong Du Chon and previously to Chong Dong Ni (Near Taejon). Dong Du Chon was “the big time”. I used to ride the army bus down to Seoul too and explore the place. I never had troubles and the folks in Korea always treated me okay, maybe indifferent at the worst. I remember we had a house boy in each quonset hut and he was a really nice guy. Matter of fact, I ran into him again in Vietnam, he got a job working at the PX at Cu Chi in 1967-8. I wished I knew his FULL name. The Kimchi was a little strong but hey, I have a recipe for seafood gumbo that will smell up the whole neighborhood too!. It was certainly the most enjoyable year I had in the US Army and I was too young and dumb to know and appreciate it at the time. I PCS’d to Ft Cartoon (Carson) CO, which was the WORSE place I’d ever been, and from their to Vietam to the 25th Inf Div. I got tapped once by a “slicky boy” who came running by me and ripped my Sieko wrist watch off my arm. I can say I have had worse then that happen to me at home in the USA as a civilian. Great place, Great people and they are for the most part HARD workers and VERY intelligent. I became a mechanical / manufacturing engineer after I got out (on the GI bill) and I’ve worked with Koreans, Vietnamese, and Hmong and they have all had good attitudes and great work ethic. A lot of Americans could learn good things from these folks. In America, we have lost respect for “papa and mama san”. Very Sad.
7:08 am on June 10th, 2013 151
I spent several tours in Korea. Every bad story you have seen printed here – is totally true. However, Korea is a small country surrounded by powerful neighbors and has been throughout its existence. For the longest time the Name “Hermit Kingdom” was used to describe Korea. In historical days, they had to send money, slaves as Homage to China, then Japan decided to annex Korea and basically stripped the country of natural resources, took over their schools, forced them to use Japanese for official business (much like) our country did to Indians… in an attempt to civilize them.
Bottom line: Korea has many justifiable reasons to resent invading or occupation forces. And friend or not 50-60 years with any house guest can become tiresome to say the least.
How to cope?: embrace the fact that there will be problems – then try to prevent them when possible. Even as a lowly grunt, on my 1st tour in Korea, I learned how to read Korean – not very well at first, but I tried, you would be surprised how many doors that opened for me. Second, I actually started catching buses instead of taking taxis. The thing about taxi rides in Korea, even if you make it known that you wanted the taxi to yourself, no ride sharing. the driver thought he was losing money – it was a waste, so he’ll still try to pick up extra fares along the way. So, learn to catch busses.
If you are younger- find a few trustworthy KATUSA an use them to learn customs, practice your Korean. Katusa’s are usually better educated, better connected (family connections in Korea are very important). Most of them are educated, speak or know English-so don’t think you are not being watched 24 hrs a day. If you are unkind, your tour will only get worse.
Stay out of the Ville. Their business is scamming GI’s and they have generations of knowledge on how to do it in the most efficient way. corruption is not really a crime, its a career. Learn enough Korean to learn how to switch from the street speech to the honorific and know when to use them.
Its not that Koreans are rude, they are competitive in nature and don’t suffer fools very well. play the game, never reveal how much you know, until its in your favor. they can and do respect quiet dignity, if you get angry – you lost the game, so save anger as the last resort.
I traveled from Seoul to Inchon to Pusan to Cheju Do visited nearly all the location where they have Memorials to UN Forces (the USA wasn’t the only ones fighting I didn’t know that when I first arrived). its not perfect, but it was much more interesting than getting drunk in the ville all the time, if you hated Kimchi – after a few cups of Makali, it starts to taste pretty good.
12:19 pm on June 10th, 2013 152
Ariel, umiru bolno.
3:47 pm on June 10th, 2013 153
Korean taxis rarely if ever do this anymore.