Don’t get me wrong — what happened to this guy’s girlfriend is terrible, and I hope they find who did it — but sending a letter like this to the Korea Times was probably a poor decision.
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95 Comments
I did my first international traveling when I was 6 years old. My mother told me that I am a citizen ambassador for the whole country, and must be on my best behavior. That has guided me in all my travels overseas since. There are some foreigners like the one described in the article that bring down the reputation of foreigners that are doing nothing wrong, and I sincerely hope they find him.
However, when talking about the reputation of foreigners in Korea he should be cautious of adding more grist to the mill. I cannot help but think that his letter to the editor will be deeply misunderstood by Koreans that read it. This kind of letter is also likely to be picked up and translated by gesomoon, so it will probably be widely read. And when his talk of some foreigners being the problem is translated into Korean as 일부의 외국인, Korean readers are going to see it as “most foreigners”, regardless of the meaning of the words. Even the Korean media is careful to write 일부의 외국인 but the impression that Koreans are always left with is “most foreigners”.
At least she wasn’t raped because she has a foreign boyfriend. That can happen too.
robots have mothers?
that’s something new.
I thought you were just programmed to date-rape, and hate Korea.
seriously, dude, if you know so much about Japan, why are you hiding the knowledge about Japan’s sexual weirdness?
occidentalism–a blog about weird sexual things in Japan.
it might be a very frequently visited blog by Japanophiles.
never mind the fact that you can’t even speak Korean, nor even write Korean, but seem to be using a machine translator, all the more fascinating that your focus is Korea, Korea, Korea.
go buy a Hyundai, dude.
Hyundai–wjk approved.
Whether it be Koreans or US GIs, it’s roughly 10% total @$$holes causing 90% of the shit and making the 90% better behaved of their respective peoples look bad. Unfortunately, bad experiences oftentimes leave a stronger and longer lasting impression.
I think overall it is a good article, but here are the problems with it:
An assault on his girlfriend does not justify the claim that U.S. military bases in and around Daegu “cause nothing but problems for the citizens of Daegu….” The claim also ignores the fact that many of those military men and women are some of the “respectful and civil Americans living in Korea” he referred to.
He also wrote–
Who has claimed they were entitled to assault and rape Korean women? However, if someone were to claim that, would the writer understand it better if it were a Korean man rather than a “foreign man”?
He also wrote–
All right, for “once in my life” I will try to exercise some self-control.
wjk,
You frighten me. Seek help, and get it, before you become another Cho Seung-Hui.
I find it amusing that his girlfriend, who had “no plans to go out that night” wound up downtown at 3am “helping” a friend. My guess is, she was out with her friends, flirting with guys, and unfortunately, brought on the attention of the loser that assaulted her. Sucks to be her, but even more, sucks to be him.
wjk, you nearly had me convinced that you were making a mere a serendipitous non sequitur but it is in fact agumentum serendipium.
It is nothing less than a brazen appeal to complexity.
Defined as follows:
“If the arguer doesn’t understand the topic, he concludes that nobody understands it. So, his opinions are as good as anybody’s.
actually, I think this guy did nothing wrong.
it’s a great article.
I’d re-print it periodically.
# 7,
That’s a little presumptuous, don’t you think?
This guy is a loser. He’s been here for 5 months and is now ready to counsel all of us how to behave in a foreign country.
I wonder what his intention was — was it to educate Koreans about violent foreign men assaulting Korean women (because the Korean men don’t do this) –or was it to just whine and complain and tell the whole nation that his chick was assualted by another white dude… or was it to make sure that those foreign men who get drunk will think about his article at 3am right before they’re about to punch a woman in the stomach?
In any case, he failed.
But he certainly added fuel to fire of foreigner are dangerous and violent beat up women.
Good job, Hunter Davis.
wjk,
마신 번역이라구? 원죄하지마라고 이전에도 했잖아 씨~.
18쌔끼는 조 승희 처럼 정신병이 잖아. 심리 의사에게 상담하면 좋은 것 같아. 앞으로 날 인터넷 스토킹하면 나는 적당하게 대응할 거 야. 이해하나?
shakunaku will never even address the Japanese porno issue.
whatever.
selective neglect.
Mizar5, don’t bother me no more. You can become penpals with shaku. If you ever find out anything other than “Matt”, post it here.
I don’t think he’s a gay robot, so don’t take it too far.
Just imagine what would happen if a Korean man in Nebraska punched a white girl in the stomach and gave up on having sex with her.
I’m not going to speculate on what she was doing, let alone whether she “brought on the attention” herself.
wjk — please cease and desist with off-topic attacks on Shak. Thanks.
This made me rage so hard. I think it may actually be a real expat who is just trolling.
gbevers, you alarm me. This so-called “opinion” of yours, exposed for the verity that it is, transgresses the scope of normal discourse and converges on the province of the ineffable.
But this is only an opinion, and that alarms me too.
ok, RJK.
You have my word.
Mizar5, stop addressing me completely, por favor. I really don’t like you.
#7 I agree. I will add that perhaps she did something she regrets and made up a story. Some of these Korean women have more game than Tucker Max. That is not meant to be negative, but a new guy here is absolutely clueless with how some “relationships” are here.
Can we talk about Dokdo here too?
When you say “leave me alone, I really don’t like you,” you’re really saying “yes, I want it,” right?
You know, wjk a philosopher once said “a hole is nothing at all but you could break your neck in it. The same could be said about a sock.
WangKon936, sorry dude, but I would say that is EXTREMELY likely. I have seen it happen so many times. You saying you have never see this situation? Seems to be a common play.
Shakuhachi is right. This loser is obviously lying. No where in this article does he reveal that his GF is a transexual and therefore guilty of self-rape.
I believe she caught her reflection in an ally window and she frankly looked so fine she nearly raped herself and only narrowly escaped saving her virginity - for the next guy to come along with a twenty dollar bill.
Besides, that guy’s no real foreigner. He’s a whiteface clown pretending to speak without an accent.
#19 I meant “Dildo.”
Mizar5, have you been smoking crack?
# 22,
She may have been out with her friends, that certainly plausible. I for one won’t pretend that girls lie to the guys they are seeing. Happens all the time.
It’s one thing to say that, but to say that she may have done anything on her side to actually attract the attention of the would be raper is definitely presumptuous.
Besides, there may be a remote possibility that her original story is totally true. I’ve gone out late at night before to bail out friends that I wasn’t hanging out with and such (when I was younger).
Bye, Mizar5.
WangKon936, I don’t know about the attracting attention or not, but I think the idea that she told her BF that she is going at home and going to sleep and then went out after that makes sense.
However, stranger rape also happens to be very, very rare, both in Korea and in western countries. Acquaintance rape is the usual mode, and an acquaintance could be someone met at a bar, while drinking, for example.
In this case she may have met a guy that was not going to take no for an answer. Certainly not her fault, but she may have lied about talking with other guys to her BF.
I predict the immediate appearance of a Mizar5 sockpuppet that won’t even bother (this time) to pretend that he’s got some Hanin heritage.
@1:
“However, when talking about the reputation of foreigners in Korea he should be cautious of adding more grist to the mill.”
So out of all people, YOU are the first one to criticize this guy for making a negative sweeping generalization? That’s rich.
@29:
nice!
@5:
“All right, for “once in my life” I will try to exercise some self-control.”
Dokdo is undisputedly, undoubtedly Korean territory.
;) 
Just curious BUT - with all the strong opinions stated here about this guy writing this article - has anyone EMAILED the guy directly to express their viewpoints made here? Has anyone talked to this guy to mention how this kind of article can do more damage to the “foreignor image”?
I’m could care less about this guy’s article, personnally.
Again, with some such strong opinions (for or against) this article - has anyone here emailed the guy? Or are some people just coming here (to the Hole) to gripe about his “message” and do nothing about it?
I only bring this up cause often many of our complaints we cannot do anything about. Here is a situation, I feel, people could “do something about it”. That, and I am just curious.
Lazy_Contractor, better do it here because emailing someone can be misunderstood as overly personal or even stalking. Besides, here people have the opportunity to submit their opinions for criticism or discussion by the other readers.
Yeah, because emailing the dude would mean you actually give a shit.
Besides, here people have the opportunity to submit asinine jokes for criticism or discussion by other readers.
I agree with chiamattt. I’m just in it for the asinine jokes.
Speaking of which, I just had a post censored on the Lincoln thread by the R. Elgin Patriot Act even though the video link has something to do with Lincoln. I feel your pain, User-81. Anyway, I think it’s really funny (and I’m sure more people will click it now that it’s been censored, just like when the Korean Government censors books):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEm5F0m7HYY
Although, this one’s way, way funnier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr05-fwoOwY
As much as I don’t appreciate being given an unnecessary lecture on being a decent foreigner in Korea by a guy who just got here, I don’t doubt the validity of his story and can understand why he’s upset. Glad his girlfriend wasn’t too badly hurt. Fortunately, she wasn’t sexually assaulted. However, as has beem discussed here dozens (hundreds?) of times over the past few years, a person - male, female, Korean, foreign - is far more likely to be assaulted by a Korean than a foreigner, based on the simple fact that Koreans constitute 98% or 99% of people living here. (Assholes aren’t race, occupation, or citizenship specific, but the local ones just happen to outnumber the foreign ones in Korea.) If one is really concerned about speaking to the people who assault women in this country, perhaps letters like this one would be better addressed to all the drunk, aggressive, and violent men in in Korea, not just the small minority who also happen to be foreign and/or military. The same goes for people drinking more responsibly in general.
@ shakuhachi & chiamatt:
LOL! Good points.
I was just curious how far people go when they feel (seemingly) strongly bout any certain issues. 
39:
“perhaps letters like this one would be better addressed to all the drunk, aggressive, and violent men in in Korea”
That would be one BRAVE individual!
wjk?
Connasse ou enculé ?
-What I don’t understand is how a foreign man can justify an action such as assaulting or raping a Korean girl and think that they are entitled to do so?
-Who has claimed they were entitled to assault and rape Korean women?
He realized the letter was pointless so he made up some shit.
meh. I just got home after reading the letter and thought, “hmm. Bet that’s gonna be on Marm.”
Mizar5 took it south surprisingly quickly.
This one’s confusing, because it’s one of our own demonizing us, instead of The Big Bad Racist Biased Irresponsible Korean Media demonizing us. . . on the other hand, there’s nothing new anywhere in the article.
I’d worry, like Shaku, that he’s adding more grist to the mill of foreigner stereotypes, except that the only Koreans who read the KT are Koreans who have studied English enough, and in doing so, have probably met enough foreigners, to recognize that his generalizations about foreigners are just that.
I did take umbrage at being told to control myself for once in my life. Just for that, I’m going to rape three extra babies, club twelve extra baby seals, torch two extra national monuments, proposition and/or grope sixteen extra young Korean ladies, assault or harass seven more taxi drivers, and provoke eight more drunken old men, than I usually do on my AVERAGE weekend. You wanna talk self control? It takes serious self-discipline to wreak so much mayhem in a single two-day weekend!
Okay, all of you guys who are dissing this girl, pack you penises back into your pants. Speaking as someone who WAS raped walking home at 2:30am after getting off work, told by the police in the fine country of the U.S.A. that I was at fault BECAUESE I was walking home at 2:30am, and a CHILD resulted of this interesting union, where a knife was held to my neck, I am personally offended that YOU are blaming and QUESTIONING the girl. She was out late at night and therefore she was asking for it. Great. Have another beer, broaded your minds…..
#29 Robert
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!
I think I must have infected the Mizar program. Just call me “Agent Smith.”
Bye-bye, Mizar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMenB9Ywh2Q
Is it true that I just spent 30 minutes reading this complete bull shi@t?
It must be!
I’m an idiot.
I dislike Grammar Nazis as much as anyone. We all make mistakes. But considering our friend is here teaching English, it doesn’t reflect so well on him to write in Korea’s national paper of having a “better understanding of the basic principal” in the same paragraph that he’s telling us of the importance of “maintaining a positive public image”.
“I believe she caught her reflection in an ally window and she frankly looked so fine she nearly raped herself and only narrowly escaped saving her virginity - for the next guy to come along with a twenty dollar bill.”
Too bad Mizar5 couldn’t live by the same code of ethics he espoused on Koreans and their short comings. If he ever comes back, no-one should take seriously anything he writes.
Nooooo Mizar is gone. Where will I get my entertainment now?
I’m with 45 (and 48) here: Leave the girl friend alone, absent more evidence. And can the KT please stop publishing eanyone and everyone with a pulse?
oops, “anyone and everyone”
Not anyone and everyone with a pulse.
Just anyone and everyone with a pulse and an opinion about foreigners.
I call bullshit on #45.
None of that happened, and you’re probably not even female. Nice try, though.
Hear hear slim.
I initially thought it was one of those incidents caused by drunken Adjussis but was not if it was this comment section would be doubled or tripled by now just like the “Dokdo issue”.
#1 shakuhachi
Your mother was a wise woman taught you about it. But why not following her wise advise anymore?
And you made good point about term of “일부의 외국인” but again you are keep practicing it yourself to manipulate Korean or Korean society by using “일부 한국인의 “behaviors / incidents to impress others as “most Koreans”.
#44. roboseyo
Here in the MH, most commentators are adding more grist to the mill of Korean stereotypes, to generalize Korean/Korean society. Sometimes I even found myself hating myself that I feel like I’m one of those Adjussis by reading those generalized comments.
heh heh. rest assured, JiMong, it happens on the expat side, too. I think Robert and the other posters generally do a good job of staying even-handed, albeit with a bit of irony, sarcasm, or self-reference from time to time; the comment boards here, though, have a life of their own. The intriguing thing to me is whether there’s any rhyme or reason as to why some dokdo or creepy foreigner/media bias posts get 150+ comments, while others die out under 30.
Summary of comments: if a foreign man is suspected of beating up a Korean girl, cover it up so that the foreigner doesn’t get a bad reputation. Am I right or what?
What I don’t understand is how a foreign man can justify an action such as assaulting or raping a Korean girl and think that they are entitled to do so?
Who has claimed they were entitled to assault and rape Korean women? However, if someone were to claim that, would the writer understand it better if it were a Korean man rather than a “foreign man”?
The woman rejects the foreigner’s advances, and that blows a fuse in his Western privilege logic, and he reacts violently. That’s what he means by “entitlement”.
Here in the MH, most commentators are adding more grist to the mill of Korean stereotypes, to generalize Korean/Korean society. Sometimes I even found myself hating myself that I feel like I’m one of those Adjussis by reading those generalized comments.
Man, that is one of the most sad things I ever read. A sign of a weak mind. What happened? Your balls fell off or something? Have some damn pride, for God’s sake, you sound like a wimp.
#58 NetizenKimchiBastard
You didn’t get it did you? And what did you expect from a generalized adjussi in the cyber world of the MH? Arrogantly bashing back to those commentators to show your pride?
I believe her. Gillian’s experience with the police is unlikely nowadays, but judging her age by the fact that her brother was in Korea in the 1960s, Gillian came of age in the infancy of the modern women’s rights movement. Gillian was generous enough to share with MH readers links to her brother’s wonderful Flickr collection of photos from his stay, and she doesn’t need your ignorant sh*t.
You can say “shit,” Sonagi, it’s ok.
“The woman rejects the foreigner’s advances, and that blows a fuse in his Western privilege logic, and he reacts violently. That’s what he means by “entitlement”.”
“Western privilege logic” ie. Half the world has a sense of priviledged entitlement that causes them to react violently, and the other half do not.
“The woman rejects the foreigner’s advances, and that blows a fuse in his Western privilege logic, and he reacts violently. That’s what he means by “entitlement”.”
That was not in the letter, and it can not be inferred from the letter.
How did you come to that conclusion?
Well, the supposed ban on Mizar5 sure was short.
Although I don’t know what Mizar5 did to deserve a supposed ban.
#64
Supposed trolling on a supposed website, the supposed admin decided to cut off the supposed ban after supposedly receiving several tearful emails from the supposed troll, supposedly.
suppositions about supplicants? how superlatively superfluous.
“She told me that she had gone to downtown Daegu to help a friend get home that had had too much to drink. ”
BWAAAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA,…….HEHEHEHEHEHEH, ……TEEHEHEHEHEHHEHE,……WHAHAHAHHAHAHA,……HOHOHOHOHOHHO HHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
helping a friend at 3 am? total BS. anyone who has dated enough korean girls knows. seeing parents and last minute meetings with friends etc. are all coverups.
This has got to be one of the most non-sequitur/randomness heavy thread I have ever read here. Even the article in question barely makes sense after what happened to his GF thing. Oh, and pink pineapple babies skipping across the vast green ocean of monkeys.
Poor choice of adjective arrangement, roboseyo.
Foflappy indeed you must, or maybe dyslexic, if it took you that long to read it.
“That’s what he means by “entitlement”.”
No he mean’t what he said, and what he said was rubbish.
There’s a huge difference bwteween believing you are entitled and knowing you’re not but doing it anyway. Most criminals know they’re not entitled, but do so regardless.
As posted he’s just adding filler to the article.
“bwteween” => between
me dyslexic too
“helping a friend at 3 am? total BS. anyone who has dated enough korean girls knows. seeing parents and last minute meetings with friends etc. are all coverups.”
I agree. I think her real boyfriend (a Korean) found out she was dating a foreigner and then s-kicked her. To save face and cover her tracks she said whe was “helping a friend” at 3 am and it was a “foreigner” who hit her. Yeah, right.
I was once in a bar in Daejeon and two Korean girls were talking to two Americans. An ajoshi, angered by the Americans’ “audacity” to talk to a Korean girl, threw a beer bottle, hitting one girl in the face (drawing alot of blood) and narrowly missed the other.
Who got kicked out of the club? The Americans of course. The ajoshi kept drinking with the blessing of the bar owners. The girls seemed more ashamed or embarassed about being “caught” doing something “wrong” than angry at the ajoshi.
A very strange culture this one.
“I agree. I think her real boyfriend (a Korean) found out she was dating a foreigner and then s-kicked her. To save face and cover her tracks she said whe was “helping a friend” at 3 am and it was a “foreigner” who hit her. Yeah, right.”
WORD !
anunsaram - always willing to think the worst….
@fulminations outside of Korea
The Americans were “kicked out of the club”? Why would they stay around to drink beer when their friend was bleeding “alot” from a beer bottle? Didn’t the Americans try to take their friend who got hit in the face with a bottle to the hospital?
Did the ajoshi really use the word “audacity”?
What did you do about all this? Did you stay and drink? Did you call the police? Did you step in and defend the wronged party?
What words did the bar owner use when he gave his blessing? Was it in Latin or Korean?
What a bizarre thread.
Anyways the writer is a grade-A asshat for his generalizations and complete lack of anything resembling a decent argument/position. The sanctimonious feel just adds to the whole package.
Just another noob whining. Or perhaps he is a sex predator using the forum of the newspaper to show how much he cares in order to get her naked. Never know.
If it is the former, I have some words to heed…keep up the good work. We long timers really enjoy the comedy break that those kind of letters offer.
If it’s the latter, let us know how it worked out for you.
ps. I have no interest in trying to determine who was right or wrong or what really happened to the girl.
I find it suspicious that:
1. She was in for the night.
2. She didn’t go to the police.
A friend of mines girlfriend told the exact same story to him a while ago. She was out in a bar in Jongro, some Korean guys started to beat on her. Didn’t want to go to the police. In the end it had turned out her father had hit her in a drunken rage and she didn’t want to report him, but needed a cover story to explain the bruises.
This story sounds almost identical, and I would be much more willing to believe her version of it if she had gone to the police. I hate to see the writer stirring up all this shit when there seems to be so much misdirection in her story that he hasn’t looked into.
“This story sounds almost identical, and I would be much more willing to believe her version of it if she had gone to the police.”
Exactly. Why wouldn’t she go to the police? Something else happened and she didn’t want her western boyfriend to know about it.
By the way, regarding the earlier story I mentioned at the bar and comment #77, a group of westerners imcluding me tried to help the girls but were pushed out of the bar by the Korean owners. Should we have gone to the police? Would they have believed us or blamed us for what happened? Those with significant Korean experience know the answer to that question.
He did not use the word “audacity” — his actions indicated his feelings.
As for the blessing, allowing him to stay and drink suggests the owners saw nothing wrong with his behavior. They were mad at the “foreigners” and girls, though, although they had only been talking — not making out or groping (not that that warrants a bottle in the face either).
A Canadian fellow (not me) who tried the hardest to defend the girls was banned from the club. Hard to believe but it actually happened.
“Exactly. Why wouldn’t she go to the police? Something else happened and she didn’t want her western boyfriend to know about it.”
So you didn’t go to the police because they wouldn’t have believed you or would have blamed you BUT you think her not going to the police means “something else happened” and her story is not at all believable.
If he didn’t use the word “audacity” why did you have it in scare quotes? A little embellishment? What else is embellished?
“By the way, regarding the earlier story I mentioned at the bar and comment #77, a group of westerners imcluding me tried to help the girls but were pushed out of the bar by the Korean owners.”
So the girls stayed in the bar despite one of them bleeding “alot” from a bottle to the head? There are some things that don’t sound right about the details you’re giving.
“So you didn’t go to the police because they wouldn’t have believed you or would have blamed you BUT you think her not going to the police means “something else happened” and her story is not at all believable.”
Yes, that’s right. That is how it works in Korea. That logic would not make sense in N. America. But in Korea it makes perfect sense.
Actually, there was no reason for me to go to the police as I was not attacked and I coul dnot speak Korean back then. What about the Koreans in the bar? You should be asking about what THEY did. You make it sound like I was the guilty person when al I did was watch what happened.
“So the girls stayed in the bar despite one of them bleeding “alot” from a bottle to the head? There are some things that don’t sound right about the details you’re giving.”
I am not sure how long they were there. We were pushed out first. If they had any sense, they probably left right after us. I do know that they were banned from the club after that, though. I forgot to mention that.
As to why I put “audacity” in quotes if you thought it was a real quote you aren’t exactly on the ball. Where would a drunk ajoshi use such a word? I was suggesting an overall attitude of condescension and dislike of western men (especially those talking to Korean women, whom he appeared to have no luck with).
If I made up all of this I must be a pretty creative writer. The club was Saltang Subak and I think the year was 1997 or 1998.
Was the giant stone penis hanging over ice bar back then too?
I saw lots of shit go down in that bar. Mostly good but some nights were pure madness (2000-2001).
Tawana Brawly syndrome.
This letter was written by a Korean:
a)”Her article was published on the Korea Times online edition”
Most native speakers would say “published in.” Is it really published if it’s just online?
b) “better understanding of the basic principal that we are guests”
Basic principal? Or principle?
c) “drunken and disillusive foreigners”
Is disillusive even a word?
d) “I live an hour and half away ”
Very common Korean error. No, you live an hour and A half away.
e) “a foreign man followed her and assaulted her ”
Only a Korean would say “a foreign man” and think that was descriptive enough. Anyone else would say white, black, Arab, tall, short, young old. Koreans don’t care about the differences.
f) “Like I mentioned earlier”
Another common Korean error. Should read, “As I mentioned earlier” or “As I said/wrote earlier.” Or could just be taken out altogether. Koreans think this creates flow.
g) “the amount of time I have heard about assaults on Korean girls by foreign men is absolutely horrifying and despicable.”
The amount of time is horrifying and despicable? Times are countable and how can they be horrifying and despicable.
h)We all know that we will never find the guy who did this to her,
Uh, if he’s a GI (and just how do you know that he is a GI) you might try looking for him on the base.
Anyway, pure hit piece written by a Korean. Kind of creative but still kind of sad.
#83 “Was the giant stone penis hanging over ice bar back then too?”
Yes, it was. It was a pretty good club and known for being a place where Korean girls and Western men would hook up. That is what made the ajoshi so mad, I guess.
Note: My comment that it was a “pretty good club” has nothing to do with the hanging penis.
#77 User
Ask Metro on how to be arrested for the crime of being assaulted while a foreigner in Korea. He has a tape with all of the details that you want.
I don’t agree nor disagree with the assessments of the situation presented here. However, the alternative theories posited are at least plausible. That being said, those who posited the theories seem too sure of themselves.
#81 User
Truly excellent arguments.
#79 Madar
Korean women not going to the police to report an assault is very common, and oftentimes a woman who reports an assault or is found beaten and was also sexually assaulted will say that she was only beaten. This was more common in the past than now. Burglars used to rape a woman at a house being robbed in order to keep her from reporting the robbery to the police in addition to the more obvious reason.
Things are getting better with regards to women reporting crimes more often; however, many still refuse to report crimes, which is highly frustrating to us Westerners.
#85 MrMao
Good analysis. I think I’ll “vote” for your theory over the rest. Of course, the major caveat is that there are people like Scott Liam Soper:
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2008/.....-of-seoul/
#63 Mizar
Back already? Rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated. Of course, how can they possibly keep us sockpuppets out?!
Actually, NES, I agree with you.
Having not not gone to the police I am forced to conclude she is hiding something. It may well be the worst case scenario of rape, and she is protecting herself from public humiliation. However, it may be her attacker she is protecting, be that person family or friend. Most cases of violence and murder are perpetrated by a person the attacker knows, so this is likely as well.
My point was, using a potentially dubious second hand account, as the author does, to make his arguement, is a mistake, and a potential slur on the expat community in Korea.
I’m sure the author has feelings for the woman, and therefore believes her without question. I am also sure the woman was attacked. However, what little I know of her story of the attack has already raised my eyebrow. Before taking this 2nd hand account as gospel I would like to see at least a basic journalistic investigation of the facts, (which is not required in an editorial.)
Madar, I’m actually leaning towards MrMao’s analysis that this is something that a Korean writer made up. That being said, there are many cases where Koreans don’t report a crime committed against them to the police even when there would not be any reason to be embarrassed for doing so. It’s very frustrating. They always say “next time.”
#80 — Hard to believe? No, not at all. Anyone who’s been here for more than a couple of years has heard this sad story — or a similar variation of it –at least a few times.
My advice to any heroes out there: don’t bother. Don’t save a Korean woman getting beat up by her b-friend or anything else. Just stay out of their business, otherwise you’ll be blamed in the end.
I figured out that Koreans see themselves as one giant family, and as such more easily forgive each other for beatings, bribery, etc. However, if a non_korean does the same thing, it’s viewed as a much bigger deal. It’s the “one blood” thing. It also sheds light on the dealings with N. Korea.
If you get this key fact, this society will make much more sense, albeit it won’t be any more palatable.
#91
“My advice to any heroes out there: don’t bother. Don’t save a Korean woman getting beat up by her b-friend or anything else. Just stay out of their business, otherwise you’ll be blamed in the end.”
You are unfortunately correct. If I had gone to the police or tried to help more forcefully I would have gotten into trouble myself — and likely be blamed for what had happened.
The best thing to do is walk away and not get involved. I don’t believe the same advice in N. America, but in Korea I would say that is the wisest thing to do.
NES, I have a friend who works at the Korean times. I’ll ask him how possible it would be to slip an editorial in under a false name. I’d like to think they care about their work enough that it wouldn’t be possible, but on the other hand, are they going to drive across the peninsula to meet every submitter face to face? I’ll get back on this thread when I bump into him again.
As to the not reporting, that may have to do something with to do with the history of police corruption. I know that breeds cynicism, seen a lot worse corruption than Korea and the disconnect that brings. Something I didn’t consider.
I’ve heard that before too, but I often get the impression that there’s something else to the phenomenon. Reporting a crime makes many Koreans feel uncomfortable and as though they are reliving the experience.
Madar, I know a few people who worked at the KT, and un-vouched-for, unchecked letters to the editor have been published numerous times. I doubt they ever check the veracity of the letter writer or the content.
One guy told me he caught an editorial contributor plagiarizing when he was editing the piece and recognized passages from another writer.
And let’s not forgot the infamous Daniel Hong plagiarism episode:
http://rokdrop.com/2005/06/01/.....g-article/
The KT has all the credibility of a three-dollar bill.