By Here was a bit of a surprise to see the ROK Drop mentioned in the Stars & Stripes:
Officials hope a campaign to get people to walk on the right will change a perception many U.S. servicemembers and other foreigners have — that Koreans are rude.
Shin Yong-mok, a senior official with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s transportation bureau, said one of the most common complaints expatriates have is that Koreans routinely bump into them and walk away without apologizing.
For that and other reasons, he said, a campaign began Oct. 1 in Seoul to get Koreans to keep to the right when walking in public. Plans call for the effort to be expanded nationwide next year.
“No one likes being bumped,” Shin said. “That’s why we are promoting this campaign very hard, to meet the global standard.”
The bump-and-shun phenomenon is so common that U.S. military officials routinely warn their personnel that Koreans mean no harm by it.
For example, a video shown during the 8th Army’s semiannual New Horizons Day cultural training references the bumping and encourages soldiers not to “overreact or take it personally,” according to spokesman Maj. Jerome Pionk.
“It is due to the fact that Seoul is massively congested,” he said. “There are a lot of people here. Most Koreans don’t intentionally bump into you. It’s just part of the culture here. It is what it is.”
Still, some find it difficult to overlook. A 2007 blog post titled “Why are Koreans rude?” on ROK Drop (rokdrop.com) — a Web site geared toward servicemembers — is still getting responses and has generated about 500 postings to date, many related to the bumping issue. [Stars & Stripes]
Read the rest, but it is always nice to have the website mentioned in the same article as Michael Breen.
I continue to maintain that Koreans are not as rude as many people make them out to be. Often times people complain about things in Korea that has more to do with how things are different in Korea compared to where they come from, instead of actual rude behavior. The only things that really bother me are some of the drivers and line cutters. I can remember walking down some large stairs in Uijongbu when a SUV decided to take a short cut down the stairs and was honking his horn at me for not getting out of his way. I don’t care where in the world you are at, honking your horn at someone walking down the stairs is rude behavior.
Anyway you can read here the “Why Are Koreans Rude?” posting mentioned in the article.
9:14 pm on October 19th, 2009 1
I doubt if any campaign getting Koreans to walk on the right side is going to work. Apparently, the “norm” prior to this was to walk on the left. Even then, they walked wherever they wanted – left, middle or right. They did not care. The only thing that has changed is they are changing the escalator direction. I would just be happy if they would watch where they are going, instead of text-messaging, video watching or whatever they are doing with their phones, when walking.
9:18 pm on October 19th, 2009 2
I think Koreans are rude, but you are right other places may be worse. In terms of civility, I would put Koreans on par with parts of Africa, with Arab nations being higher, and Japan being among the best. I think what compounds the probelem is that there are so many Koreans like Tom and Yu, who lower the quality of life for foreigners in Korea. They are the kind of guys who ape around on the subway, and start making a fuss because you are “stealing” their women.
9:44 pm on October 19th, 2009 3
While it's true that different cultures have different standards and what is considered rude in one country might not be in the next one thing for certain is that most Koreans have very poor manners in public settings. I hate it when they cough in your face. That is so sick. I am still glad to be here for the time being though.
2:42 am on October 20th, 2009 4
What do you expect when you jam 49 million people in a country the size of Indiana. What do you think Indiana would be like if it had a population of 49 million instead of the 6 million it currently has?
I get around Korea quite a bit and I have noticed that when I go to practically any restaurant two things will happen: 1. I will be "strategically" seated away from other Koreans and 2. Koreans just arriving to the restaurant will not sit near me once they see I'm a foreigner. This happens probably 95% of the time.
3:57 am on October 20th, 2009 5
That's what I call luck. I hate sitting beside koreans in public-or anywhere for that matter.
4:34 am on October 20th, 2009 6
Danger Mouse, you seem very intolerant of other cultures. Why not open your mind to the way things are done in other cultures. Instead of trying to make everyone conform to YOU, why not try and adapt to the culture you are living in.
(just kidding, I am really just saying this because of the rude intolerant comment you made to me)
10:55 am on October 20th, 2009 7
koreans are rude. I’ve said it before, I’ve lived in four Asian countries and koreans are by far the rudest. However, the Chinese are almost on par.
Why is it that I can walk around Hong Kong, Hanoi, HCMC, Bangkok, Tai Pei, Osaka and Tokyo, just to name a few of the bigger Asian cities I’ve lived and/or visited, and never get shouldered or harrassed? I walk 100 yards in korea and get shouldered and bumped into and that is no joke.
Why does a korea have to butt in line in front of me at Burger King especially when I’m 8 inches from the counter?
And those things are small peanuts. There are many more rude things they do to each other like a younger ajjuma shoving an older lady out of the way at Grandmart right on the stairs.
The Thai are probably on par with the Japanese. I’ve been all over Asia with my Japanese girlfriend and korea is the MOST UNCOMFORTABLE place to be with her.
Sometimes stereotypes are true. Just look at Tom.
I don’t know why koreans are like this. They are supposed to be more civilised than everyone else in the world.
10:36 am on October 20th, 2009 8
I don't think most Koreans INTEND to be rude. That's the key factor – getting bumped by a mom with a baby backpack and three kids she's trying to keep track of is one thing (true story); the ajosshi that simply MUST be the first on the subway while everyone else is trying to get off will get a forearm.
Just because someone calls something normal doesn't make it ubiquitous or done by everyone. Since when have Koreans done everything the government has ordered / asked / requested them to do?
11:45 am on October 20th, 2009 9
Can anyone tell me why should the Koreans listen to the lectures about how to run their own country, from the same people who have 11 trillion dollars in debt, whose national budget deficit this year is $1.5 trillion, and who have spent and partied their way into insolvency? Hmm?
I'll teach you an old common Korean saying.
"Nuh-na Jal-ha-seh-yo".
12:50 pm on October 20th, 2009 10
Tom is the poster boy of Korean rudness. He isn't the rule, there are many wonderful people, but every Tom cancels out the good deeds of 100 great Koreans.
1:02 pm on October 20th, 2009 11
So trying to counter the usual arrogance and rudeness toward Koreans, is being rude?
So you can't disagree with perfectly mannered gentlemen from America, otherwise you'd be labeled rude.
Where's the written rule that says you guys can bash Korea anytime, but I can't bash back America?
2:14 pm on October 20th, 2009 12
I don't think Korea has ever ran up a debt of $11 trillion foreign debt. US cannot use the IMF because IMF does not have that kind of money to bail out the US who was allowed to use the credit card without being questioned. The Chinese will tell you guys what to do and order you around. If they don't like how you talk, walk, and breath, they may not lend you any money until you have changed your ways to fit the Chinese ideal of how things are done.
5:03 pm on October 20th, 2009 13
The answer is this. It’s basically all in your head that you’re being victimized everyday, every minute. You have a chip on your shoulder that makes you imagine things that everything is bad and ugly.
So if things are so bad and terrible for you in Korea, what stops you from going back to your shangri-la?
Western guys are the biggest weakest whiner pussies you can find anywhere. They should just stay home and be comfortable. It’s impossible for them to adapt to anything that’s different. And if it’s not Western enough, they will demand the natives to change to suit their own needs. If they don’t get it, they’ll whine and whine like banshees.
It’s like me going to America and whining every hour of the 24 hour day, “there’s too many gun violence, please stop shooting each other.. why these barbaric bastards can’t be so civilized???”.. oh woe is me!
5:05 pm on October 20th, 2009 14
If you hate sitting beside Koreans, Korea is a wrong place to be living in. And who says Koreans don’t feel the same toward you, ugly one?
5:32 pm on October 20th, 2009 15
JohnT,
You must look asian or someway that people think they can push you around. In 15 years of living in Korea I can’t recall getting bumped or pushed. Tight fits on subways and crowded streets but never any problems.
7:39 pm on October 20th, 2009 16
The Koreans should listen to the U.S. because our Military has to help defend your country. You should listen to us because your economy wouldn’t be what it is today without us. Korea has never been anything but a blip on the radar, America is the most powerful nation in the world during our lifetimes. The U.S. economy has it’s ups and downs but Korea’s economy, like most other economies of the world, are dependent on the U.S. economy….as the U.S. economy goes, so does the world economy. Pretty powerful stuff if you ask me, Korea will never, and I mean never, have the impact on the world, both good and bad, that the U.S. has. We are #1 and have been for a long time and will be for the foreseeable future.
Oh, and as bad as things were in the States…we never needed an IMF bailout like your Country did.
7:55 pm on October 20th, 2009 17
The only reason why the US wasn’t IMF’ed long ago is that they are allowed by defacto, to generate money at will using their mainframe computers in the US Federal Board. But those days are coming to a fast end soon, as all the countries around the world will be fed up with the US financial shinanigans. Abuse your power long enough, and let’s see how long that will last.
If Korea has to take orders and change their life styles to suit American expat losers who think Koreans owe them something, then I wouldn’t mind seeing Korea go down, just to see arrogant American expats swim back home with their tails in between their legs.
Nuh-na-jal-ha-seh-yo.
8:08 pm on October 20th, 2009 18
Yes countering rudness with rudness is beign rude. If you want to make a point try doing it with a balanced argument. You pick a fight with everyone on the board and with anyone pointing out a comment about Korea with an attack on the US.
As I said before YOU give Koreans a bad name, no one who reads what you write will have a good impression of Koreans unless it is counterbalanced with a lot of examples from decent Koreans.
8:34 pm on October 20th, 2009 19
You have an excuse for everything. We haven’t used the IMF and you have…enough said. In every Asian Country I have visited I have heard the same thing, they like American people just not our Government and the two nationalities Asian Countries hate the most…Indians and Koreans. I still want to know why, if you hate the west so much, do you have a western name? Seems the west has influenced you also, I men, no American will name themselves with a Korean given name…why you? Like I said, America influences your daily life and will continue to do so.
9:18 pm on October 20th, 2009 20
Why do you think my arguments are not “balanced”? Am I the only poster here who is not “balanced”? How come I’m the only one considered to be unbalanced?
9:23 pm on October 20th, 2009 21
That last part of your paragraph sounds like what the U.S. has already done to South Korea. You are our puppets Tom, and that pisses you off. If you believe the last part of your paragraph then you are an idiot. China still knows who is the most powerful nation on earth or Taiwan would be in Chinese hands already. No doubting the Chinese are strong but we are stronger and again…that is something your insignificant nation will never be able to lay claim to.
9:54 pm on October 20th, 2009 22
Do you need a hug Tom? Come here tom, let me give you a big warm hug.
There there, little buddy…. there there.. let all the pain of being a lesser being go away… yes that is it.. ahhh.. feel better now little buddy? Good boy..! 
You too ‘theotherone’ come here.. come on.. come on.. ahhh thats it.. a big hug… feel better now?
I thought so 
HEY! Don’t try and put your finger there! That is a no touch zone!
Danger mouse, and benecio, come here.. its your turn for a big HUG. Ahh.. feel better? No? OK here is some midol.. yes thats it.. ahhh.. feel better now. Good girls!
Listen girls, the ‘big people’ world is complex and full of ‘big people issues’, you will understand one day.
Until then, maybe you should go back to the kids table and wait until you are ready to interact with big people. That way you won’t get your feelings hurt so easy.
11:44 pm on October 20th, 2009 23
The ones who are rude to me are so not because they walk on the left side but because they'd rather die than yield to a foreigner.
12:34 am on October 21st, 2009 24
Maybe you should offer their kids some dope or show them the gay lifestyle. When I see druggies I prefer to walk over them too. Society does not need them. AND NO I DONT HAVE ANY CHANGE FOR YOU.
3:03 am on October 21st, 2009 25
The only drugs I take are caffeine, alcohol, and aspirin. Gay? If I were gay, my wife would have left me a long time ago. Your change? Keep it. You probably need it more than I do.
5:22 am on October 21st, 2009 26
LordofE2,
A couple of comments…
I agree the "gay lifestyle" is no good…
…which is why I always say…
There is nothing wrong with sucking a diick…
…as long as you don't get all faggoty about it.
…ya gotta talk about NASCAR as you wash the taste out of your mouth with a cold brewski after you showed that little twink biatch the skills of a real man.
Also…
Why are you down on drugs so much?
Pot is God's gift…
… to those who don't use it.
Pot is what pacifies an entire underclass of sub-beings… content in their position in life to ask me if I "want fries with that".
Fighting to take this away from them is not only cruel… but counterproductive to living the service-infused lifestyle one has come to expect.
An increase in cheap pot availability would lower crime, violence and the general assshole attitude that is pervading American society.
…and what would be lost in productivity would be made up for in the increased number of slothy stoners happy to fill warm-body positions at minimum wage.
…and they would be happy doing it.
Coke and meth and heroin cause serious trouble… pot just slows trouble down so much that it might never get around to coming.
And, more importantly, pot benefits the non-smoker in Real Life.
Live and let live, brother.
6:43 am on October 21st, 2009 27
Korean rudeness? Please read carefully again the comments here and tell me who are rude ….
I think expats posting here have not realized that by trolling here they are just backing the arguments of those who criticize them.
In Latin America there is a saying that says: “En boca cerrada no entra mosquito” which means: in closed mouth don’t enter mosquito.
God bless all.
7:28 am on October 21st, 2009 28
"n Latin America there is a saying that says: “En boca cerrada no entra mosquito” which means: in closed mouth don’t enter mosquito."
Mosquito, eh? In Korea, it is called a cochu. I didn't know Latinos were so small.
…but that's good advice to avoid the gay lifestyle.
In America, we have a similar saying, too…
"Open wide, biatch… Daddy's got some swingin' meat for yer schnarlin' pleasure!"
How are you, Dr. Yu? Long time, no see.
Anyway…
It never ceases to amaze me how much traffic the Rude Korean posts get.
Yeah. Sure. Koreans do some rude things… like the guy who turned, covered a nostril and blew snot on the ground near me today. He made sheepish eye contact when he saw me inspecting his golden harvest.
I just shrugged, gave him a slow thumbs-up and wanly smiled at him like, "Hey, we all get the snots sometimes. Keep up the fight, ajushi."
Later, I met a Korean friend for dinner. He kept my beer glass full and tried his best to pay for the meal. He offered to let me use his website to sell some machines I manufacture. I didn't see anything rude in his actions all night.
I can't conclude that Koreans are rude.
Some are, some aren't and some just think differently than I do… though you kind of get used to it once you anticipate it.
Some have exquisite manners in one area and appalling manners in another.
I suspect that is everywhere.
I knew an American guy who always opened the door for women and carried little old ladies' shopping bags for them. When he got drunk and drove late at night, he sometimes shot at other cars.
He would have been angry if you called him rude.
9:50 am on October 21st, 2009 29
Gee Tom- when you look at the majority of who is shooting whom in the USA, it's usually a self-lickin' ice cream cone! The people shooting each other in America would do the same in other places, and they do… Sometimes they use big rocks or sticks but they get busy with it!
10:27 am on October 21st, 2009 30
Yes, Korean Rudeness. You can find the same talk on Korean blogs about American's. Koreans are rude by society standards, just visit any Asian Country outside of Korea and ask them who are their least favorite people and why and then you will understand why we say you are rude. Like I said above, for the most part the world likes American people, they just don't like American Government. If anyone outside of Korea spends any amount of time with a group of Koreans they will say the same thing we are… you people are rude. The sad part is only a very small percentage of Koreans realize that Korea as a whole is rude so change is very far away.
1:34 pm on October 21st, 2009 31
Koreans don't have the same culture as Americans about apologizing as soon as you bump into someone. From my own experience, if you accidentally step on the heel of an American walking in front of you then you can be sure they will turn around and expect an apology. A Korean whose heel is stepped on will just keep walking.
Put simply, Koreans don't really mind all that bumping. It's silly to say that Koreans are rude because they could just as easily say Americans are oversensitive.
2:30 pm on October 21st, 2009 32
Hello Chick,
Nice to hear from you.
So, we better keep our mouth closed in Latin-America and the USA right? hahaha !!!
The funny think about people complaining here is that they don`t realize the contradiction: they don`t expect to find only educated people in their own country, but they expect to find them in Korea.
3:30 pm on October 21st, 2009 33
Suddenly you don't do drugs and are promoting the gay lifestyle. Whatever….
3:42 pm on October 21st, 2009 34
I have to admit this is the most accurate explanation about Korean rudeness I've seen so far.
I live in Korea and I can confirm many Koreans are absolutely off the chain rude. However, it literally makes a world of difference if you learn (or try to learn) the language. Once I learned to speak Korean it was almost like the opposite of rudeness. Koreans just absolutely go bonkers when you speak to them in their own language. It's literally the key to Korea, just try it and you'll find out.
5:57 pm on October 21st, 2009 35
The real drug problems here in Korea are alcohol and nicotine (the leading direct/indirect preventable causes of death here, according to many newspaper articles I've read in my 6+ years living here).
And regarding the Korean rudeness issue – yes, many people in the countries I have lived in/traveled in over the years have made similar comments about Koreans rudeness (especially in the Philippines, UAE, Cambodia and Thailand).
"Spoiled mama's boys/farmers in suits/little kings" I tell them. They generally seem to understand this explanation.
Of course, I have also heard the "loud, obnoxious, demanding service too much" accusations made against Americans (the ugly American syndrome); the negative comments made about Israeli (Jewish) tourists everywhere (cheapos); the Germans (cheapos and expecting everything to be on time and done properly); the British (too fussy about decorum and too boring); and on and on.
But since the subject of this particular thread is "rudeness" I should point out. I am yet to hear/see anything on par with the negative Korean image, in this regard.
Yes, there are some polite Koreans, but the general stereotype (and all stereotypes are based on readily observable observations – that's how they become stereotypes, right?)is that Koreans are more rude than other people. They just aren't aware of it (they see it as normal)
My two cents worth anyway
5:01 pm on October 31st, 2009 36
Okay, I was told before I came here that Koreans are rude. I haven't seen that much rudeness but a couple of times I got on the bus I noticed that the Koreans would change seats if I sat near them. Now, I didn't just come up and sit right next to them, I sit across the aisle on the same row as them. It's not my imagination either. Someone please explain this to me, I'm not the ugliest 42 year old in the world but I ain't the handsomest. Would it matter if I'm younger? better looking? Better dressed?
2:13 am on November 1st, 2009 37
Do you smell? For example some strong aftershave. Koreans, for the most part, don't like abnormal smells. Do you have facial hair, wear biker clothes, have rotten teeth or red peppers stuck between your teeth, body piercing? I have never experienced Koreans getting up and moving away from me. I have had some get up and offer me their seat. Clothing is very important. If you look rich and educated you will be accepted quicker. If you look like an uneducated thief folks may try to avoid you. Sounds like this goes back to the old management concept of: what you know about yourself/what others know about you. What you know about yourself/what others don't know about you. What you don't know aobut yourself/what others don't know about you. And finaly what you don't know about yourself/what others know about you.
Wish you luck in the future.
5:40 am on November 1st, 2009 38
Me thinks TOM would be singing a different tune if the ol' days of the Korean war came around again. When the crap hits the fan, it's "oh please save us america!!" however when everything seems fine, you will thump your chest and mightily declare "We don't need america, get out and take your ideals with you". It's a good thing koreans like you don't run korea or it would probably be called "little japan", or perhaps a nice little addition to china.. or perhaps you might live the wonderful lifestyle that north koreans live. You can insult americans all you want on here, but if late one night the airstrikes come and you hear people screaming in the streets as North Koreans ransack your country, you'll think of the red white and blue, I would bet on that.
2:51 pm on December 8th, 2011 39
Well,some people say it’s just different in Korea.However,in the sense of the world and normality i found them rude.Bump& Shun, jumping the queue,loud & lousy, intrusive body language( back slapping, head tapping/slapping). From my own experiences and of whom i know,i still think thay are rude.One girl who’s not korean went to a bar with her korean female friend.Some korean dude touched her genital area.So the korean girl told him off and got punched in the face.The case involved police.I think koream guys don’t respect female at all.How on earth can a guy punch a woman???