By Matt over at Gusts of Popular Feeling has a very interesting look at English teaching in Korea in the 1980’s:
If memory serves me right there was a Frenchman who was arrested for illegally teaching. English I believe – this is long before Quebecois overran the place. There were allegations of sexual hijinks; not rape or molestation or train groping, but lots of consenting fornication with Korean women…who ought to have paid better attention in the Korean ethics class. They must’ve been worried they’d be caught outside after curfew, so they hooked up with him – those were the days. Anyway, upon his deportation at Kimpo the press (all of them, the entire nation’s) recorded him announcing how much he enjoyed banging their women. And how much the Korean women enjoyed being banged. He may have even declared, “I shall return. To bang again. Au revoir.”
The new laws effectively stopped future scandals.
Matt than tracked down the details of the “French Scandal” and ultimately discovered that the current treatment of English teachers in the Korean media is nothing new and really began 25 years ago.
Make sure to read Matt’s entire article. Like I said before very interesting reading.
3:22 am on December 22nd, 2009 1
Grande comédie! Bien joué …
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3:45 am on December 22nd, 2009 2
I read the original French text. The translation seems okay.
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9:18 am on December 22nd, 2009 3
Current treatment of Koreans by Westerners who think Korea is their play pen and place of frat boy parties where they can do anything of their desire without hindrance because the west is the best, is nothing new.
That’s been going on for many many decades. Nothing new.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
If memory serves me right? Is this French guy Iron Chef Korea?
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9:21 am on December 22nd, 2009 4
Current treatment of Koreans by Westerners who think Westerners are so superior to native heathens and think Korea is a place where they can get away with pointing, ridiculing, and showing contempt for the people and the country, is OK, has been going on for many many decades.
Nothing new there again.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
You mean there was a time when Koreans were not ridiculed?
If there were such a time, I’m sure Koreans would have put a stop to it.
“How dare they show us respect, and take our victim status away!”
Speaking of “pointing” and “showing comtempt”, reminds me of the way korean men treat their women when the women help an American with directions.
Not to mention the stabbings, beatings and kidnappings of Americans.
Not to mention the anti-American protest and flag burnings outside YongSan.
Not to mention the base breakins in 2ID.
Korea would still be a “third world” country like the Philippines if not for the 1988 Olympics. Korea’s big chance. Which they did well I admit, as I was there. Made possible by the presence of U.S. Military.
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10:15 am on December 22nd, 2009 5
“and showing contempt for the people and the country”>/I>
Is it possible some of this contempt has been well earned?
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December 22nd, 2009 at 11:38 am
Pray tell what that would have been in Korea 1981.
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December 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Acting like Koreans, as always.
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1:41 pm on December 22nd, 2009 6
[...] more here: A Historical Look at English Teaching In Korea | ROK Drop By admin | category: english, french, korean english | tags: english, french, gusts, [...]
7:12 pm on December 23rd, 2009 7
The beginning was over one hundred years ago when the original English mishionary educators arrived(late 1800’s, maybe 1890). At that time they were blamed for kidnapping Korean children and stealing the eyes of the Korean youth.
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3:38 am on December 24th, 2009 8
“mishionary”
I hope you are not an Engrish teecha… LOL But I know you are. You seem uneducated. No wonder Marmot banned you. Now run along and go get tested for AIDS.
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