He’s just trying to give us his best Tony Soprano impersonation.

…and that is no small thing to be ashamed of.

You’ve mixed two expressions—”nothing to be ashamed of” and “no small thing”—here, with the result saying something quite different from what you intended.

What you intended to say, I’m sure, is that saving lives is no small thing (i.e., not a minor matter; significant), and nothing to be ashamed of. But the blending of the two expressions yields the meaning “and that’s a significant thing to be ashamed of.”

I also enjoyed the article; thanks for drawing it to our attention!

Wish I could start a similar business in the Philippines, but alas, it may not be as easy to market that kind of service, what with all the muggings and thievery happening left and right especially at night.

LBA

I’m not aware of any similar business here in the US. Aside from likely legalities relating to local/state regulation of driving for hire, I suspect it’s not a viable US business model. I’m going to guess the insurance premiums involved in driving someone else’s car for hire would be astronomical.

Boy, are you right about that. This vignette is a good example of how Korea is different from America in dealing with problems. America would regulate such an activity out of existence and I do not think it would be an improvement at all. Try getting a cab, in most parts of the U.S., to see what I mean; it is a long wait if they come at all.

I’m not aware of any similar business here in the US. Aside from likely legalities relating to local/state regulation of driving for hire, I suspect it’s not a viable US business model. I’m going to guess the insurance premiums involved in driving someone else’s car for hire would be astronomical.

IMO “replacement driver” is a factually accurate (though somewhat awkward) term. Without looking at a dictionary definition, I think the word “chauffeur” in colloquial American English usage implies a driver hired on a more or less permanent basis by a wealthy person or family, to drive the family’s own vehicle(s).

I.e., “Paris Hilton’s family needs to hire a chauffeur to drive her around”.

If somebody in the US is too drunk to drive their own car, it’s generally assumed they’re supposed to get a sober friend to drive them (”designated driver”); if not they’re supposed to call a taxi (the driver of which is a “taxi driver”, never a chauffeur).

“Chauffeur” implies a certain aura of snobbery at odds with American egalitarianism. Limousine rental for special occasions or for business purposes is a well-established business model here in the US, but the drivers of these limos will want to be referred to as “limo drivers” — never as “chauffeurs”.

I think it’s too bad these “replacement drivers” are looked down upon in Korean society. Looks like they are filling a needed niche (the paragraph about Koreans drinking mandatory “group boilermakers” makes my stomach turn over). They appear to be hard-working people who have to be reliable, or they wouldn’t last long.

a chauffeur has class and dresses well. a 대리기사 has debt and my last one was rude and needed a shower.

I prefer the 대리기사 though. While it’s not their primary motivation, they save lives and provide an invaluable service.