The Korea Times reports an Indian professor is charging a Korean man for, well, something after the latter harassed the former on a bus:
According to Bonojit Hussain, 28, an Indian research professor at Sungkonghoe University, he was riding a bus with his Korean female friend in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 10 at 9:15 p.m.
As the bus traveled toward Bucheon City Hall, a neatly dressed Korean man, who was sitting behind them yelled, “What a disgusting odor! You’re dirty.”
The Korean, later identified as Park, kept shouting, “You must be an Arab. It’s dirty. F*** you!”
Park continued using offensive language and hurling four-letter words at him in Korean and English for about a minute, Hussain told The Korea Times, Monday.
When Hussain asked him why he was treating him this way, Park answered in English, “You Arab, you Arab.”
The Korean even insulted his Korean female friend, saying “Are you Korean? Are you happy to date with a black man?”
At which point, he asked the bus to stop and he took the guy — who apparently had a drink or two — to a nearby police station. There, the police reportedly encouraged the two to apologize to one another, which the professor refused to do. The complaint was filed and has now been sent to the prosecution.
A judge at Seoul Central District Court was quoted as saying that if the man is convicted, he could face a year in prison or a fine of 2 million won.
Mr. Hussein, who said the incident wouldn’t have happened to him “if I were a white man,” elaborated:
Hussain said, “Any behavior and language looking down on foreigners constitutes racial discrimination originating from an imperialist point of view, which should be eliminated.”
Got it.
Anyway, good luck with your case, Mr. Hussein — I don’t think “any behavior and language looking down on foreigners” should be illegal, mind you, but people can’t be harassing other people on a public bus, either. Would be keen to know more about the charges being pressed, though. Would also be keen to know what the police have to say, so I hope the KT stays on the story.
(HT to GI Korea)
{ 128 comments… read them below or add one }
What a butthurt sissy. I got sworn at plenty of times, but I never went crying to the cops about it. As long as they don’t physically assault you just ignore them. I’m sure all the other people on the bus thought the guy was a drunken assclown anyway.
You must have thin blood, KrZ. Nobody talks to me like that, the indian guy is absolutely right. If he will be successful is another story, but he did the right thing. Koreans like this guy in the bus need to learn one lesson or other.
However, if he had just turned and punched the k-guy on the nose and left would had also been nice…maybe a better lesson…
Hub.
“At which point, he asked the bus to stop and he took the guy — who apparently had a drink or two — to a nearby police station.”
I’m curious about how he actually managed to take the guy to the police station. I understand that he was drunk, but still. I mean did he lift and carry the guy? drag him? carry him on a magic carpet?
“What a disgusting odor! You’re dirty.”
In fairness to the accused drunk Korean guy, this might have been a completely accurate and truthful utterance. We’ve all encountered SIS (Smelly Indian Syndrome) at one point or another.
Can’t help but wonder if this little piece of business helped Mr. Hussain make his decision to press charges:
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2008/12/11/hebei-spirit-duo-get-lonestarred-shipping-industry-up-in-arms/
Also can’t help but wonder if Koreans would pull some of the crap they do if they didn’t have USFK to hide behind. Why bother to behave maturely and responsibly in the international community if you can always run inside to big brother…..
Krz,
The drunk got off easy. Many people would have just whooped his ass.
mkaplan,
“In fairness to the accused drunk Korean guy, this might have been a completely accurate and truthful utterance. We’ve all encountered SIS (Smelly Indian Syndrome) at one point or another.”
That’s plain racist.
And, ironically, the smelliest people I’ve ever come across were drunks on the bus.
Yes it is, but he does ask a good question earlier in the comment — just HOW DID Mr. Hussein get the guy to the police station?
and why did the cops ask the Indian to apologize to the prick? And what’s with Koreans and their hole “apology” crap.
Hussein is awesome – I wish I could have gotten 2 million won from drunk Koreans who have said abusive things to me as well. But Hussein is wrong, he thinks it’s because he’s not white, but it’s actually because he’s not Korean. As a white guy, I’ve been sworn at on buses and the subway, and spit at in a park.
As for getting the guy to the police station, it probably was a lot easier than you’d imagine – because Park, the Korean guy, was 1) drunk, and 2) certain that nothing bad could happen to him. From Park’s perspective it was probably just more entertainment at the foreigner’s expense.
So, I very much hope Hussein wins.
Well, I’m not sure how “awesome” Mr. Hussein is, really, although I hope he wins his case. Anyway, he appears to be an activist — see the following link for a better understanding of his world view:
http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/3023/html/focus.htm
(see “Migrant Workers’ Rights”)
Read the rest on your own.
I wonder if our Dear Blogger realizes the inherent contradiction in his words above.
Politics aside (I know that our Dear Blogger does not particularly like “activists” or “left wingers” from whatever country or ethnicity) I don’t think that his worldview differs that much from Mr. Hussein. Mr. Marmot has been quite frank in his beliefs that having pale skin and a pulse qualifies just about anyone in Korea for a job teaching English and reasonably good treatment, for a foreigner. Mr. Hussein is saying the same thing, but trying to redress the balance a little. I say good luck to him.
There’s a difference between saying I believe white people have it relatively good in Korea and tying in Koreans’ racial hang-ups with “colonialism, knowledge production, and hegemony.”
But I’d imagine you already knew that.
PS: I also suspect from what I’ve read that he blames whitey for Koreans being racist. In fact, I find it odd he would even bring whitey into the discussion just because he was harassed by a Korean for being dark-skinned.
Well that’s maybe so, but he isn’t taking whitey to court, so that’s moot. Let’s just wish the guy well, even if we don’t agree with all of his discourse.
“That’s plain racist.”
Basically noticing anything (like odor) about any group of people is considered and labeled “racist” by braindead political correctness.
Fact of the matter is, lots of Indians do smell, for myriad reasons. This doesn’t mean that all Indians smell bad (it’s annoying how you always have to say that you’re not suggesting that ALL the individuals of the particular group in question are this or that way, even though you never originally make such a universal qualification, because that’s always the first objection you get, i.e. “You’re racist because you’re saying ALL ‘blank’ are like ‘blank’!)
Go to Germany during the summer time. Better yet, go to Berlin or another large German city during the summer. Then you’ll notice that Germans don’t wear deoderant (even the women!) and that they generally stink, at least during the summer months.
There. You happy? I said something unpleasant about a group of white people.
I wonder what RJKoehler means when he says “I don’t think “any behavior and language looking down on foreigners” should be illegal.”
I can understand that he might be an absolutist in the area of free speech, even to include racist and incendiary speech, but does he also promote free behavior?
I didn’t think Robert was the one behind this writing, good grief!
“At which point, he asked the bus to stop… ”
What did the bus say?
“he appears to be an activist”
OMG, that MUST make him worse than “uppity!”
So Koehler is FOR discrimination…?
I don’t think “any behavior and language looking down on foreigners” should be illegal, mind you…”
Hey Koehler, why don’t you go on vacation?
“Also can’t help but wonder if Koreans would pull some of the crap they do if they didn’t have USFK to hide behind. Why bother to behave maturely and responsibly in the international community if you can always run inside to big brother…..”
This statement belies quite a bit of ignorance.
First of all, there wouldn’t be an “international community” if there wasn’t a post-WWII world order established and maintained by the USG and US military all over the world.
Secondly, you’re suggesting that the drunk Korean’s verbal abuse is the kind of uncouth behavior that the drunk Korean and Koreans in general are able to get away with because of the US. But the fact of the matter is, while the drunk Korean’s behavior was trashy and unpleasant, the reason this case is even considered some kind of greater offense of “racial discrimination”, rather than simply the base rantings of a drunk fool, is because of the US and the liberalism and cultural Marxism it has been exporting throughout the world for the past 50 odd years.
“…but does he also promote free behavior?”
This has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever read.
so, did he smell bad or not?
“there wouldn’t be an “international community””
Of course there would, there was before, there will be after.
The nature and form that it might take is however another thing…
mkaplan intones:
Thanks for your two cents worth. I think some of the things you have said above in this very thread are at least a tie.
Kaplan,
“Basically noticing anything (like odor) about any group of people is considered and labeled “racist” by braindead political correctness.”
Not braindead political correctness, by common decency.
“This doesn’t mean that all Indians smell bad (it’s annoying how you always have to say that you’re not suggesting that ALL the individuals of the particular group in question are this or that way, even though you never originally make such a universal qualification, because that’s always the first objection you get, i.e. “You’re racist because you’re saying ALL ‘blank’ are like ‘blank’!)”
So, how would you rationalize your use of that racial slur?
#12 You do indeed have to question whether mr Hussein doesn’t harbour some racist attitudes of his own, bring in the white man and imperialism (what empire does this korean guy come from?) into the equation where none is warranted.
I sure there are many of us who’ve been accosted by drunk koreans for the crime of being non-korean, and as for the comment to the korean woman, except for the reference to “black” we’ve had almost exactly the same comments thrown at us by sober koreans too.
Less likely to happen, yes, not going to happen, no, and in any case not relevant to his circumstance.
No. For that matter, I’m not sure I’m such an absolutist in the area of free speech, either — I’d have to think about it. But back to behavior. The fact that I wish the guy good luck in his case would seem to suggest I don’t believe one should be able to harass someone on a bus, and that goes for any reason — be it for being “Arab”, white, fat, a woman, a Buddhist, a Red Sox fan, etc.
For much of the day I’m surrounded by those from the Indian subcontinent. With the exception of my maid they are malodorous. Many are horribly so. It’ll curl your hair. Unlike the garlicly smoked soju smell of Seoul’s late night subway, this smell of the subcontinent I’ve never grown accustomed.
It’s almost intolerable on a crowded flight.
Keeping the bigger picture in mind, successful legal action is a great remedy against racist abuse like this case. And all of us minority, non-Koreans here can applaud that. As far as racism in Korea is concerned, it’s undoubtedly true that darker skinned Asians receive the worst treatment, but many of us Westerners have been treated similarly. And while hagwon teachers may have it better off than factory workers, most are marginalized from Korean society, earning lower middle class incomes in temporary positions – hardly a social elite!
Those who blame Western imperialism, Western media, etc, for racism in Korea – can’t explain acts of racism directed against Westerners. They also ignore the cultural legacy of two thousand years of social inequality, strict class division, and slavery in Korea, which also acts to hinder acceptance of different types and classes of people.
Actually, I’m not sure that his actions, even if successful, will help anyone. Rather than put Koreans off it may make them more indignent picking on a poor drunken adjoshi who should just have been ignored. Shaming by peers has more effect, and in this case I think many koreans who might have been sympathetic will think this guy has gone a step too far.
Yeah, right. First to comment on it!
Much like Koreans…or white guys in a locker room?
Fact, eh? Like the aliens hiding under your bed? The ones from the Tri-lateral Commission…
How is it some people don’t have a clue about how to construct a logical argument? Must be the cultural Marxism.
I suppose it reflects an inability to process complex information owing to a general habit of non-reflection. Those who have had some basic mental training such as Buddhist practice understand the difference between projection and observation, logic and proliferation. Some folks simply haven’t the background or proclivities to be able to recognize such distinctions. However, to quote Longfellow, a proper response to such individuals would be as follows:
I’ve never smelled a Korean as ripe. Whites can get a bit pungent, and I’ve come across homeless ones who really reeked, but nothing that matches the smell of the South Asians.
And when it becomes too much to endure I start farting a lot. It’s like dueling banjos.
He’s doing the right thing by prosecuting the guy, instead of whipping his ass, regardless of whether he wins or loses the suit. Hopefully it gets a little Korean media attention as well. I disagree with Dr. Hussein, though: Stuff like that happens to foreigners in Korea regardless of what country they’re from. It just takes on different shades. He’s doing us all a huge favour.
I’m surprised that the drunk didn’t spend more time harrassing the Korean companion. That’s what I would have expected. That’s what happens to white folk minding their own business.
It’s a lot of work trying to prosecute someone in Korea, with little hope of personal benefit. For 2 million won, he’s obviously not in it for the money. He’s a man of principles. I think he’s awesome, too.
Is it illegal in the west for someone to call someone else racist slurs too? Furthermore, be the cause to put the racial name caller behind bars for one year in maximum security prison, while the crime be in the headlines of a national newspaper?
Wow, if that kind of law ever got hold of in the west, we’d have prisons overflowing with name callers.
But I guess Korea is further along in prosecuting racist name callers.
Con. Law was a long time ago for me, but as I faintly remember, ‘fighting words’ – words inciting a fight or riot, are not protected speach. But, as the Skokie vs. Nazis case pointed out, ‘fighting words’ are narrowly defined, so even the Nazis had the right to parade with the swastika through Skokie Illinois, suburb of Chicago and home of the greatest number of American Jewish survivors of the holocaust. But speach which is not political, like calling someone ‘dirty’ etc, would not be protected speach under the first amendment.
Of course harrassment is illegal. It is also not tolerated in the workplace and is grounds for disciplinary action up to, and including termination.
The only adult people who call others such racial slurs as the n-word these days are blacks. It is considered a witicism when an ethnic group uses the slurs among themselves – it’s a matter of context.
Anyone can smell. Odor is not the point. Koreans are recognizable by the smell of garlic, and in crowds it can knock you over. People of various nationalities who do not shower regularly or use deodorants, as Westerners do, can also have acute body odor, which may be acceptable within their own cultures but offensive to people outside their cultures. It is not necessarily a racial slur to note this. The distinction is that to taunt someone because of it while associating it with his race/nationality is racist/biased.
Whatever sympathy I might have had for the guy’s case was instantly and irrevocably crushed into a million pieces so tiny that they could never be seen by the naked eye or even with a scanning electron microscope as soon as he said it wouldn’t have happened if he were white.
As others have noted, the very act of giving voice to that is indicative of broader issues. Sure dark-skinned people have some additional problems to cope with in Korea, but that doesn’t mean us whiteys are pulling things off without a hitch. I’ve had loads of stupid race-related shit happen to me, so the notion that those things wouldn’t have happened if I were white doesn’t offer much comfort at all.
Get bent professor.
I’m thinking that the odd ‘blame imperialism’ rationalization here is an attempt by Hussain to find common cause with the Korean NGOs who are supporting his case. Of course it’s easier to mobilize Koreans to fight racism when they can disassociate themselves from the perpetrators, who are blamed as being brainwashed by ‘imperialist’ outsiders. When in fact, Korea’s own home grown chauvinism, which has strong proponents on the left, can also morph into nationalist racism.
Dokdoforever hits the mark.
Apparently activist Hussein is blissfully unaware that whiteys and other Westerners teaching English illegally are rounded up and deported, too, and that the Korean media’s favorite guimul are Western English teachers, not South Asian laborers.
@Pohang
Recently, at Korea Beat, they posted an article on the “multi-cultural” families (in Korea this only means countryside Korean-SE Asian couples…not Korean-white couples, who are humorously considered “American” even if they’re from Canada, according to my sa-chons in the ROK), and I talked to my sa-chons about this topic, and they basically said they wanted those children and families out of Korea. Hey–their words not mine.
But when I pressed them about “American” couples, they lacked any sense of hypocrisy in saying those couples were mostly “okay.”
This is just one anecdote from my own ragtag family, I know, but challenge yourself. I do think most Koreans think like this, and if you were NOT a white guy, you’d know all about the subtle ways racism play out, in your home country and abroad.
While I’m sure you’ve had nights where people didn’t treat you nicely, can you say you’ve never had the experience where you’ve been treated disproportionately nicely for the exact same ethnic reason?
“Of course harrassment is illegal. It is also not tolerated in the workplace and is grounds for disciplinary action up to, and including termination.”
This was not in a workplace, it was on a bus, an altercation started by a stranger. And disciplinary action followed up by termination does not equal one year in prison.
I’ve never heard of anyone facing prison time for uttering racist slurs.
T Song -
First of all, the times when someone has sworn at you, spit at you, or otherwise been abusive due to reasons of race or ethnicity tend to be experiences you remember. Secondly, isn’t being ‘disproportionately nice’ also another kind of prejudice? Consider if a white student at school told you that they wanted to study with you because you were Asian American, and therefore must be good at math. When a Korean waiter gives you a fork and knife instead of chopsticks, or is amazed when you can say “anyunghaseyo” or eat kimchee, they think they’re being considerate. But this can feel pretty condescending from the point of view of a Westerner who’s lived in Korea for a while.
The point is to respect people as individuals and as equal members of society, rather than excluding them on the basis of race or ethnicity.
Yes, cm, which is why the word “also” is used as a modifier. Would you consider sparing people the trouble of having to repeat themselves by applying critical reading skills?
In answer to your question, the US has laws pertaining to “hate crimes” or “bias-motivated” crimes. Accordint to Wikipedia,
As metinoned, freedom of speech issues come into play. You can begin your research here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_crime_laws_in_the_United_States
In the article cited above, it appears to be a case of harrassment rather than hate speech as such, and it is not specified which laws apply.
Mizar5,
You really shouldn’t pontificate about proper logical reasoning, especially by citing Buddhist practice when Buddhism hasn’t even properly acknowledged or resolved the principle of non-contradiction.
@dokdo
My point exactly. You’re agreeing with me. White people are shoved forks and knives instead of chop sticks and feel they’ve been injusticed. That is actually a small thing, compared to what people of SE descent face every day. They are slapped with real condescension, Koreans believing they smell, are dangerous, poor, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrine_sweat_gland
“East Asians have fewer apocrine sweat glands compared to people of European or African descent, and it may be for this reason that they are less susceptible to body odor.”
I was verbally accosted at least a dozen times, elbowed hard and deflected a punch directed at my face once, solely for being white. The elbow was from behind and when I confronted the man he apologized sarcastically and then ran away. The near-punch was from a man who looked to be pushing 80 and was clearly drunk off his ass, plus he was also making very harsh remarks about some of the scantily clad women on the subway, so I basically just grabbed his hand when he tried to hit me and he was carted off the subway by the police later. If anyone was just screaming profanities or cursing me I tended to stare at them but not respond in any other way, really just watching to see if their verbal assault turned physical. To say that Korean on Caucasian racism consists of being handed a fork instead of chopsticks is a gross understatement. Though I admit the amount of abuse you receive is directly proportional to how hot the girl you are with is, so by that metric I deserved to be beaten to death and raped by a horse.
#48,
Are you sure that has anything to do with the horse that you’re with?
Oh, I see. Thank you for um clarifying that in such a um non-contradictory way.
Collect your stooge cheque on the way out.
Ah yes, all the things white people never experience in Korea…They are never told that they smell like cheese or that their body hair shows that they have not evolved far from the apes, that their cultures are more dangerous than Korea or that they are inferior to Korea which has the world’s higest IQs, cheung, superior food and culture and 4 seasons.
By this logic, Abraham Lincoln should have reassured the African-American slaves that they should be content with their discrimination because they were still better treated than pigs.
Prejudice has its own logic.
If it helps some of you to focus more on issues of interpersonal sensitivity, I will relate a recent lesson I received from a wise someone.
I had been discussing someone’s comment that “GW Bush had crawled up Cheney’s butt for 8 years.” One of the conversationalists faulted me for not categorizing it as hate speech, and I maintained that it was satirical. After arguing a bit he reminded me that:
We tend to judge others so harshly IN ORDER to avoid applying the same standards to ourselves.
Naturally anybody can understand such things except people of a certain race, right? After all, white people are not as sensitive as other folks. Their skin is made of rubber, and their brains are less developed. Did you honestly believe that white guys are magically exampt from things like prejudice?
Do you understand the subtle ways that racism is playing out in your comment?
The problem with this type of statement is that it is exclusionist in nature – it targets others for blame while absolving others. It denies the essential humanity that underlies all human beings.
You’re doing it again. And what is the significance of that statement? Do they demand to be treated as different and special? Do you think people enjoy being singled out or patronized because of their race, ethnicity or handicap? Do you think that this is not insulting to them?
What do you mean to imply by that statement? That certain people are less deserving of sympathy by virtue of their race or ethnicity. Look within, t_song. Somewhere within you’re better than that.
“that their cultures are more dangerous than Korea or that they are inferior to Korea which has the ”
I have never met any Korean who claims white people are inferior to Koreans. On the contrary, it’s usually been the opposite – where Koreans think White countries are superior to Korea.
I’ll have to side with the Korean guy on this – if a Korean can’t verbally abuse a foreigner in his own country, in what sense is Korea his country any more? If the odoriferous Indian guy wins, I’ll be very disappointed – it’ll be proof that Korea has become just another effete Western country. 5000 years of stiff-necked resistance to foreign encroachment from all directions (Chinese, Jurchen, Japanese, Mongolian) ends with a whimper, not a bang.
dokdoforever: I’m thinking that the odd ‘blame imperialism’ rationalization here is an attempt by Hussain to find common cause with the Korean NGOs who are supporting his case. Of course it’s easier to mobilize Koreans to fight racism when they can disassociate themselves from the perpetrators, who are blamed as being brainwashed by ‘imperialist’ outsiders.
Nah – it’s just standard discourse for people like him. When foreign men marry local Muslim girls in India, they must convert to Islam, in order to respect Muslim customs. If he marries a Korean girl, she must convert to Islam in order to respect Muslim customs. Western imperialism, in which Europeans forced their way into the South Asian subcontinent and toppled the existing monarchies, are evil. Aryan imperialism, in which light-skinned Aryans exterminated the dark-skinned Dravidians who made up the ancient civilizations of Mohenjodaro and Harappa (and enslaved those they didn’t kill and sent the remnants fleeing to the south to modern day Tamil Nadu and Kerala) are good. Muslim imperialism, in which Arab and Persian invaders slaughter their way across the Indian subcontinent, massacring, enslaving, looting and forcibly converting people to Islam (or imposing a special infidel tax, if they’re feeling charitable) along the way, was an act of charity compared to evil deeds of the Western imperialist.
“By this logic, Abraham Lincoln should have reassured the African-American slaves that they should be content with their discrimination because they were still better treated than pigs.”
Abraham Lincoln didn’t do anything about “discrimination”. And he seriously considered plans for setting up colonies for newly freed blacks, i.e. getting them out of the US.
Stop citing things you don’t know anything about in order to appear intelligent and erudite.
Well Zhang Fei, welcome to the 21st century – sounds as if you’d be more at home in the 1800s. You seem to have no problem with prejudice, abuse, and violence based on race, ethnicity, origin or class. The fewer people like you exist in the world, the better off we’ll all be.
@KrZ
If you’re with a Korean woman, that is a whole ‘nother matter.
Korean woman
Well, I just watched “Bruno” and he told me you guys were basically Chinese.
“I’ll have to side with the Korean guy on this – if a Korean can’t verbally abuse a foreigner in his own country, in what sense is Korea his country any more? If the odoriferous Indian guy wins, I’ll be very disappointed – it’ll be proof that Korea has become just another effete Western country. 5000 years of stiff-necked resistance to foreign encroachment from all directions (Chinese, Jurchen, Japanese, Mongolian) ends with a whimper, not a bang.”
Excellent point, Zhang Fei. Koreans would do well to remove and reject the pernicious influence of Western liberalism, cultural Marxism, internationalism, political correctness, etc., that seeks to homogenize the entire world (despite its incessant appeals to “Diversity”) and eradicate every last shred of independence and liberty. What does the West have to show for it anymore? Native Westerners (whites in the US and Europe) are projected to be minorities within their own nations in about 30 years or so. Koreans and East Asians still appear to have a healthy attitude towards cultural independence and a reasonable ethnonationalism, and thus are thankfully somewhat immune to such pernicious ideologies. Koreans don’t appear to desire to become minorities within their own country any time soon (this seems to be a probable byproduct of such ideologies), and so can be expected to better defend themselves.
‘Ethnonationalism,’ as you put it, or racism mixed with nationalism/patriotism has produced an incredible amount of human suffering throughout the history of mankind. Such as the Nazi holocaust, enslavement of blacks in America, Rwandan Genocide, slaughter of the Armenians by the Turks – well the list goes on and on. Mutual respect of culture, religion, and race, and the establishment of inclusive states based on principles beyond race is part of the key towards improving the human condition.
@51
One of my colleagues, after observing my abundant armhair, not only explained to me how white people are the least evolved of the humans, but also credited his Korea University education for teaching him this. SKY universities–leading Korea out of the 3rd World. Sparkling. This is okay, but the whole belief that foreigners don’t have 정… that’s dehumanizing.
So did we ever get to find out if she was happy being with a “black man”.
dokdoforever,
Please refrain from invoking red herrings.
Ethnonationalism, or just plain nationalism/patriotism, is not mutually exclusive with mutual respect of culture, religion, race, etc. Communist countries that were “inclusive states based on principles beyond race” were also responsible for millions of deaths.
“Koreans and East Asians still appear to have a healthy attitude towards cultural independence and a reasonable ethnonationalism, and thus are thankfully somewhat immune to such pernicious ideologies.”
If that is true. How is it that;
A) Korean newspapers report on the racist name calling?
B) The drunken Korean was charged with a crime, and will face a judge?
If what you say are true, there wouldn’t even be an issue because none of you waegooks would even know about it because;
A) Korean newspapers wouldn’t even bothered to report on it.
B) The drunken Korean would not have even been facing the police who would have laughed at the Indian professor.
You guys would like to look at this as a cup that is half empty. I look at it as a cup half full. The issue of racism has been raised quite frequently in Korea lately. Ideal of one blood, homogeneous, one people is stopped being taught in schools. Instead, Korean’s multi origin theory is being taught. In the news, there’s not one day that goes by that the media stresses Korea’s new multicultural direction. Of course, Korea still has lots of ways to go, but I see big progress being made toward western style open immigration, multi cultural mixing that most of you claim is a superior system.
Before you get offended, please, do not insult my intelligence by saying White English teachers are in the same boat as the colored 3-D workers in Korea. Victim complex much? It’s not just an insult to my intelligence, it’s an insult to the 3-D workers who are really being treated crummy. Puh-lease.
‘Ethnonationalism,’ as you put it, or racism mixed with nationalism/patriotism has produced an incredible amount of human suffering throughout the history of mankind. Such as the Nazi holocaust, enslavement of blacks in America, Rwandan Genocide, slaughter of the Armenians by the Turks – well the list goes on and on. Mutual respect of culture, religion, and race, and the establishment of inclusive states based on principles beyond race is part of the key towards improving the human condition.
This is yet another shining example of Godwin’s law, namely As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.
He was with a Korean girl, same as my cracker ass, and he got yelled at, BFD. Even if he had had someone take a swing at that’s no different from what I experienced. Unless you want to claim that Indians in Korea are getting the shit beat out of them on the streets, I think all foreigners have it pretty good, this guy is just a pussy.
cm,
My point is that they’re “somewhat immune”, not completely so. No doubt Korea is under pressure, and the things you point out in your comment are all manifestations of that. But certainly Korea hasn’t undergone a Gramscian “long march through the institutions” like the West has. I still believe that Korea and the other East Asian nations are “more immune” so to speak for a variety of reasons than the West was and is, and so there certainly is still hope. But I definitely don’t preclude the possibility that anything can happen.
“Korea still has lots of ways to go, but I see big progress being made toward western style open immigration, multi cultural mixing that most of you claim is a superior system.”
I’m not sure most of those here would necessarily claim that “western style open immigration” and “multi cultural mixing” constitute a “superior system”. Some certainly do, but I believe most just wish the verbal and or physical abuse against non-Koreans were toned down. This is of course a perfectly reasonable desire. Also, you really should ask them in about 30 years or so, when whites are minorities in historically white Western lands of Europe and the US. I think you’ll get a better answer then about “western style open immigration” and “multi cultural mixing”.
Yeah, just look at South Africa…..
What none of you white sissies mention is that this Indian guy probably gets shouted “You smell, Arab, go back to your country” in all your countries back home by drunken guys as well. Stop complaining, you white men, boo hoo..As for Indians and South Asians, we hear ya.
There’s my racist view.
dokdoforever,
Waiters bearing forks are getting rarer and rarer. However, some still seem to think Korean food is spicy, even too spicy for us.
…at least some ask…I’ve received some dishes with a half dose of gochu jjang, or none at all, despite the fact that I didn’t make a special order.
Maybe in the UK or Australia. I took a black friend, his white girlfriend, a Sikh friend, his white girlfriend, and a Korean friend to my place in the Appalachian mountains, one of the whitest regions in the country for a week. No one said anything to any of us the entire time, and we went out to plenty of local establishments, with my Sikh friend wearing his turban the entire time. He may have received a pretty large number of inquisitive stares, and one person at a bar did ask him where he was from, but that was the extent of the racism he experienced.
Everyone who’s lived in Korea has their own personal stories of racism that they’ve experienced, all equally legit. But come on: who would honestly say that a Indian guy doesn’t have rougher time of it in Korea?
I bet a lot less Korean guys try to punch him in the face because of some political USFK bullshit they saw on the news that day. Or because they think that “we are stealing there women,” a phrase that at root suggest they feel threatened by their concept of a attractive white person, like when the nerds in highschool are rude to the in-crowd.
Whites have it better than anyone in Korea, undeniably. Indians can’t get a job there just for being Indian like we can. Yes, we have dumb-asses trying to punch us in the face and say insulting things to our companion, but we have plenty of other stories of special treatment to go along with it. I bet Dr. Hussein probably hasn’t experienced much of that. I get more respect with my 4 year degree in Korea than the dear doctor Hussein, I presume.
Dr. Hussein did the right thing. His action will change Korea. Some day, Koreans will realize that they are part of the world. A small part of human race.
It has to start some where.
“Racially aggravated harassment” is a criminal offence in the UK as for the rest of the West I’ll leave it to others to comment.
However, I’m not sure one single short incident, such as this, would qualify.
#42 CM up to 2 years in the UK,
Racially-aggravated harassment etc (1) A person is guilty of an offence under this section if he commits—
(a) an offence under section 2 of the [1997 c. 40.] Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (offence of harassment); or
(b) an offence under section 4 of that Act (putting people in fear of violence),
which is racially aggravated for the purposes of this section.
(2) In section 24(2) of the 1984 Act (arrestable offences), after paragraph (o) there shall be inserted—
“(p) an offence falling within section 32(1)(a) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (racially-aggravated harassment);”.
(3) A person guilty of an offence falling within subsection (1)(a) above shall be liable—
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both.
“I have never met any Korean who claims white people are inferior to Koreans. On the contrary, it’s usually been the opposite – where Koreans think White countries are superior to Korea.”
What’s contrary, the two are entirely different issues.
Considering oneself superior and at the same time recognising that my homeland is not are not mutually exclusive.
“one’s homeland
“There’s my racist view.”
Indeed it is, showing your colours now Yuna.
Even, if you did, it’s entirely immaterial to the point, its wrong wherever it is. Hence, laws passed in the UK for example, to limit a free speech defence in such circumstances.
Makaplan, OK, you have proven your point. People expect you to just make things up rather than show insight, knowledge or intellectual integrity. False equivalencies are your common coin. You probably have your own reasons for your flagrantly illogical, emotionalist brand of jejune rhetoric. Like KrZ, it may involve a fixation at the anal stage. However, you do not really provide enough value to make me pay too much attention to your antics.
Zheng, you take hypocricy to an interesting new level. Given your insightful comments on your own blog, why display a side of yourself here that is so tellingly devoid of insight? Since, you otherwise display intelligence, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to an attempt to be provocative to make a point so far known only to yourself. .
Yuna, I was frankly embarrased for you. Unlike cm or makaplan people still take you seriously. It’s regrettable that you express that “racist view” when I know that you are better than that.
Badduk, on the mark again.
Wangta, you are one of the few to display actual compassion. What’s wrong with most of the commenters here anyway?
Lesson: If you profess that it is alright to promote hate speech against a particular contingent, you are merely expressing self-hatred. It doesn’t matter at all whether it is anti-white, anti-brown or anti-yellow – in any case, “same difference.” If you espouse such sentiments, do some self analysis.
My bet is on Jinro Fresh when LMB brings these guys together for a “teachable moment” at the Chongwadae to pound a couple bottles of ‘ju.
Good one, ziffel!
What “White Sissies” & “Boo Hoo” is a racist view?
To point out something as obvious as “Paki, Go home!” “Thank you, Come again, in the voice of Apu from The Simpsons” happens all the time in all the white countries I’d been, in is a racist view?
The reason that this thread is even getting to this length is that one half of you are reacting badly with ruffled feathers to what Mr Hussain said ““It wouldn’t have happened to me if I were a white man.” Otherwise, we’d all agree with RACISM IS BAD and leave it at that.
As for my “racist view” comment, can’t you tell that I was crying wolf to those who cry wolf?
Seriously…
Pohang:”Sure dark-skinned people have some additional problems to cope with in Korea, but that doesn’t mean us whiteys are pulling things off without a hitch.”
Yes, Pohang, that is a fallacy of false equivalence. It is especially insidious as the fallacy of false equivalence is often deployed by apologists or people who claim to be neutral or simply haven’t declared a stand. It is worth highlighting, I believe, once and for all that unless they are willing to examine the supporting facts and arguments, they are perpetrating nothing more than fallacious reasoning.
“Yuna, I was frankly embarrased for you. Unlike cm or makaplan people still take you seriously. It’s regrettable that you express that “racist view” when I know that you are better than that.”
And who take you seriously, Mizar5? Weren’t you banned once for race baiting comments against Koreans but managed to beg your way back in? Seriously, I don’t know why Robert bans people, only to let them back in later. Is there some kind of bribe that these guys pay?
Glad to hear it Yuna. I frankly disagree with your statements about “ruffled feathers.” People are simply decrying racism in any form. And if you profess to favor one sort of racism over another, you have committed a falacious argument and have failed to express compassion.
Although I have never heard anyone in the US use such language, given the level of immaturity some people on this thread display, I am not denying that it could happen. But the simple fact that it occurred in what you call “a white country” does not justify prejudice against white people, you see? When I say you are better than that, I hope that you will put aside your own “ruffled feathers” long enough to understand that point.
Who is “crying wolf?” If you fail to show equal compassion toward all, and fail to apply the same standards to whites, browns and yellows alike, then it is you who is crying wolf.
No, cm, that did not occur. And as I have been consistently outspoken in the condemnation of race-baiting from any side, that is a mistruth. Do you now see why you are not taken seriously?
cm, you should know by now, Mizar likes to enjoy a spot of what’s known as “comment-baiting”..sometimes he does it in style, other times no. For example, his comment #81, is what’s known as a “fish net”..He casts it and sees how many little fishies he gets..as opposed to a “fishing rod”… Sometimes he will employ the illegal “blast fishing” style, but not often.
You’ve done it again, cm. Robert is an honorable individual and to suggest such a thing is well, come on…deep inside, you are better than that, aren’t you?
Am I prejudiced against white people?
I am prejudiced against the white people who have a problem with what Mr.Hussain’s said and done for whatever reason. same as I would be against yellow people and black people and red people and blue people…
So you weren’t banned once last year, Mizar5? You are denying it??
True enough, Yuna. As long as it’s done with integrity and without malice, then it’s one means of challenging people to re-examine their premises.
Mizar5,
“Makaplan, OK, you have proven your point. People expect you to just make things up rather than show insight, knowledge or intellectual integrity. False equivalencies are your common coin. You probably have your own reasons for your flagrantly illogical, emotionalist brand of jejune rhetoric. Like KrZ, it may involve a fixation at the anal stage. However, you do not really provide enough value to make me pay too much attention to your antics.”
So I point out how you wrongly cited Abraham Lincoln in an unsuccessful effort to appear intelligent and erudite, and you respond with an ad hominem.
No, I was cracking nonsensical nonsequitor jokes manically and Robert felt it was disruptive to the thread. Since there was nothing hateful in it, Robert, who is a person of integrity, reconsidered. There is no need to spread false rumors, cm.
Why is it wrong to have a problem with people who want to trample on freedom of speech? If he didn’t touch Mr. Hussein then no crime was committed. It’s a very simple concept.
Nah, yuna. It was a verbal spanking. When Mizar delivers a verbal spanking, he takes out the big guns, consults a ballistics manual, and puts tweezers in his pockets before shooting so he can pick at the debris. He’s in a class by himself, really.
Nonsence, Yuna. What Mr. Hussain said was off the mark and deserves to be criticised by people of any race or nationality. But you chose to reduce it to a race issue.
Makaplan, that was not an ad hominem remark. Yours was. You fail to show that I, what? “wrongly cited Abraham Lincoln in an unsuccessful effort to appear intelligent and erudite” so your remark was not a valid argument but an insult. If you would like to counter someone’s argument, begin by focusing on the point itself rather than bringing red herrings to the table.
“No, I was cracking nonsensical nonsequitor jokes manically”
No, you were cracking nonsensical offensive racist jokes which lead to Robert posting Mizar5 is banned. Later, he obviously decided to forgive you and give you another chance, or you somehow weasled your way back in, like the other idiot, WJK. Only the joke wasn’t offensive to you because you do not realize what kind of a hypocrite you are.
To put it back in context, I offered the following analogy of the false equivalence argument:
To which a certain grandstander raised the red herring that Abraham Lincoln was not really concerned about the plight of black people and concluded with the straman argument “Stop citing things you don’t know anything about in order to appear intelligent and erudite.”
Rather than take the time to address the analogy itself, he interjected irrelevent insults for his own amusement. Which is fine with me. I have no intention of wasting my energy wrestling a pig. Those who understood my analogy and reacted to it with agreement or disagreement enjoy the opportunity for an interesting exchange, while those who fixate on the periphery and veer off-topic sadly must be content to amuse themselves.
OK, cm. Have it your way. Your lie will be allowed to stand. That it is inconsistent with the truth will be your own burden to bear.
“Those who understood my analogy and reacted to it with agreement or disagreement enjoy the opportunity for an interesting exchange, while those who fixate on the periphery and veer off-topic sadly must be content to amuse themselves.”
There really is nothing to understand. Unless of course you presume everyone else has the same mistaken conception of your analogy as you do.
Yuna, consistent with my point, there are certain prejudices that are somehow encouraged in American society today by people who otherwise do not consider themselves racists. What concerns me here is the treatment of Arabs by Hollywood – the video link we recently discussed in another thread showed this to be a fact. I consider this to be an insideous problem not because I have different standards toward different sorts of racism, but because 1. it is so surreptitious that it is not even recognized as racism; and 2. it perpetrates a dangerous divide between East and West that can manifest in global catastrophe. Any time we devalue another or condone the devaluation of another on the basis of race/ethnicity/gender, etc, we are guilty of an eggregious crime of prejudice.
Mkaplan, you may still redeem yourself. Simply display the aplomb and attentiveness to address the argument that is before you and address yourself to it with honesty and integrity. Formulate a counter argument and put it down in a manner that is focused and respectful of the right two people have to disagree. I’d be the first to applaud you for making the effort.
I wish.
I’d still like to know what Drunk Ajeossi ™ is being charged with.
“But you chose to reduce it to a race issue.”
WTF? He said “It wouldn’t have happened to me if I were a white man” and *I* reduced this to a race issue?
Mizar, you know, one can make sense from plain sentences..your bull crap gets embellished in an unflattering way when you use elaborate sentence structures.
Well done! Me as well. It’s also edifying to see the circuitous nature of these discussions. None of us are free of our passions and prejudices, and I believe it’s constructive to have a forum to discuss them.
Past my bedtime. Good night Mrs. Calabash…
Oh before bedding down, I just saw your statement, Yuna. I like your statement that “your bull crap gets embellished in an unflattering way when you use elaborate sentence structures.” Not that I disagree, but it is all the more amusing in response to my statement “But you chose to reduce it to a race issue.”
If you are no longer supporting Mr. Hussain’s generalization that the incident wouldn’t have happened to him “if I were a white man,” I stand corrected. We have both seen the light.
Good night. I wasn’t referring to that particular sentence but your other ones where they get the echo effect (speaking from a level of a Superior Being sprouting bull crap) in my ears…such as #85..It’s like your hand is moving but I ain’t hearing….
@t_song (comment #41)
It’s sad that, as you say, most Koreans are not very accepting of multicultural couples, and would prefer that such didn’t exist in Korea. I’ve run across these same notions even in young children. Makes me wonder if there is some wellhead of intolerance somewhere that is feeding this stuff, but anyway.
I don’t feel victimized, by the way. For the most part I think Korea and Koreans are fine, if a little backward. I’ve been here a while, so I know and have accepted the way things are. The point is, I’m not angry. I just think the offended professor overshot the mark in his racial treatment comparison.
If I have been treated over-nicely for being white–and perhaps I have–I think that this is just as bad, really, as being treated poorly. My issue is with being treated DIFFERENTLY, singled out, noticed and commented upon constantly, and always having assumptions and generalizations made about me that are mostly false.
But again. I just take it in stride, when I can. Korea is not Canada, and I would be a selfish fool to expect that things be the same.
Mizar5,
You’re right. When you’re excessive comments end up being nothing but long winded obfuscation, it’s about time for you to hit the hay and go to sleep.
Get some rest, and try better tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll be spared your verbose obfuscation tomorrow.
@Pohang
I don’t want to patronize you, but it is comments like this where you have justified your travels to Korea by coming upon this realization. You dislike being treated DIFFERENTLY, and I want to be sensitive to what must be those new experiences, assuming you’re white and male.
Still, talk to any minority — and probably this Indian dude has been one in his life, though to grasp my point, this Indian guy can serve as a proxy for any minority in pre-dominantly White countries — and what you now are going through, being singled out, noticed, is the minority experience in Canada. Or the U.S. Or Australia.
I want to avoid the “Hey, now you’ve walked a 100 yards in our shoes” comparison, but now you know what it’s like to be a minority. And it’s not a black-and-white issue (pun intended). Certain minorities are treated better — yet still treated ,DIFFERENTLY — than others. Surprise, surprise. It makes me sick to my stomach, but I remember stopping at a suburban gas station near Chicago, where I had assumed it was a pre-pay system (this is common in Chicago proper…you tell the attendant $20 and then you pump ‘er up). I went in to pre-pay, wherein, I was told that “No, it’s OK. You can go ahead and pump. I don’t trust them.”
Them of course being two black teenagers.
I’m Korean.
Needless to say, I took my money and went elsewhere. I am painting broad strokes with a few anecdotes, I know, but I highly doubt these anecdotes are not representative. I can walk into a store and not get trailed by employees or the cashier. Yet other minorities can’t.
Coming back to your situation, I would NEVER think about complaining how things are so much worse in the States than compared to blacks or Hispanics. Collectively, as a group, as minorities, we’re singled out, stereotyped, and generalized, but there’s shades of difference.
By coming to Korea, I’m happy you’ve experienced being in the non-majority, but I’d encourage you to take the time and sift through the differences in more depth.
“As for my “racist view” comment, can’t you tell that I was crying wolf to those who cry wolf?
Seriously…”
How was this Indian guy crying wolf, are you saying it didn’t happen.
]
If it happens to me, and it has “fuck off back to America”, and my wife insulted in much the same way as this guy for being with me, exactly how is it crying wolf? [Double insult, telling me to go home to America
How does the fact that it may happen elsewhere, somehow make it that we have no right to an opinion on it happening here. How is it that if its done to a white person its “crying wolf”.
Racism is fucking racism, Its wrong, but unfortunately for all its wrong it happens.
“Am I prejudiced against white people?”
Your next sentence confirms the answer to be yes.
“I am prejudiced against the white people who have a problem with what Mr.Hussain’s said and done for whatever reason.” Thereby confirming you are prejudiced against me for pointing out that Mr Hussien is wrong merely because of the condition also stated by you that I am white. Ergo you have taken a clearly racist stance that I am not entitled to an opinion on his words or actions because I am white.
I have a problem that with Mr Hussein saying it wouldn’t happen if he was white, because it is an unfounded supposition. Did he ask the guy – almost certainly not? Therefore if he is generalising, it is still unfounded since there are numerous white people who would be willing to testify to first hand experience of similar such harassment for being foreign and with a korean girl. My reason is simply that he is wrong.
At no point have I questioned, nor have most others here, that what happened was wrong.
At no point have I questioned, nor have most others here, the possibility, or even likelihood that he will encounter such racist attitudes more frequently.
I have questioned what relevance his apparently bitter remark about whites has to do with an incident in which no whites were involved or discussed and which was simply wrong on its own merits.
I have questioned whether marching a drunken adjoshi of to the police is likley to achieve any desirable result other than revenge on the part of this guy. I do not believe that marching a drunk into a police station and placing a heavy fine, or even worse jail time, is going to get sympathy for anyone other than the adjoshi from the larger korean public. Not to mention that he is probably quite lucky that several koreans didn’t come to the adjoshis aid, and is most certainly not an action I would recommend to anyone in his situation.
That was funny Ziffel –
To make the ‘teachable moment’ comparison complete, all we need is for LMB to have a S. Asian ancestor.
And, by the way, despite all the claims of Korean racial homogeneity, it’s a good bet there are plenty of outside contributions to the gene pool here. I remember one student in a class I taught about ten years ago who had a unique family name. He told me that his family was pretty certain they had an Arab merchant ancestor.
And actually, the whole notion of what even constitutes a ‘race’ is artificial, temporary, fluid, and politically motivated. Even the concept of ‘whites’ in America only developed in the last century. The idea of ‘Asian American’ is kind of odd if you think about it. How much in common does an immigrant from Korea have in common with an immigrant from Vietnam, or India for that matter? Very little. But it makes political sense to form a group large enough to exercise some clout. Consider the former Yugoslavia, where Croats, Serbs, and Moslems intermarried, lived next to one another and identified as Yugoslavs. The old racial/religious identities only surfaced when politicians sought to use racial based nationalism to mobilize support.
Race isn’t based on genetics or DNA – various ‘races’ have only minute, superficial differences – and the difference in DNA between any two individuals within any given ‘race’ is vastly greater than between any of the so-called ‘races.’ Race is an artificial creation of politics and culture, and we’d be a whole lot better off by simply eliminating the concept.
If English is in fact your second language, Yuna, then I am very much impressed with your mastery of it. You do a lot better than folks like makaplan, for whom English is ostensibly a first language, who does not appear to make a bona fide attempt to present a relevent concept, develop it logically, and support it.
It’s hard to express the range of one’s thoughts in terse, simple sentences. However, there are worse crimes than the use of compound sentences, which is not the bailiwick of Supreme beings but of people interested in the earnest exchange of ideas. If you require clarification, “ask and ye shall receive.”
Listen to this drivel below which I got from Dave’s ESL. I swear to god white expats sometimes live in a different parallel universe. I’ve actually watched Misuda and actually understand what they’re talking about. And the kinds of over-reaction and misrepresentations that surrounds this show from the expat community is simply amazing. One thing comes to my mind: mixture of paranoia and victim complex.
——————–
I want and try to like Korea. I am a fairly positive person, but not an apologist. I have lived all over Asia and have been in Asia for 24 years now.
That being said, once in awhile things take me back. Recently, I was on holiday in Thailand and they had a KBS World channel and the cable in my hotel. Chit=chat with beautiful women was on and was sub-titled. Out of curiosity I watched ir. The commentator asked a series of loaded questions:
What do you think of foreigners who do not learn Korean?
Tell is about some embarrassing things you have seen foreigners do?
Each question was to find demeaning examples of foreigners, especially foreign men.
These girls proceeded to give their examples and opinions, all of which painted foreigners in Korea in a very negative light.
They also took every opportunity to speak of how sparkling Korea is. many had Korean boyfriends.
I have never heard of a country that had a show whose obvious intention is to demean the foreigners in their country.
How can Korea be serious about improving their image abroad when they send the message that this show sends?
I can’t imagine this type of show being aired in any Western country, it would be banned.
The apparent fact that it is aired shows how out of touch the media is with the rest of the civilized world.
Sure, there are foreigners who do bad things. People do bad things. Even Koreans do bad things. Unfortunately, shows like this seem to paint all foreigners (especially men) with the same brush.
Personally, I do not like these girls!
That commentator provided some interesting observations, cm. However, would you mind delivering on your promise to print some juicy, salacious drivel from paranoid whites with a victim complex who live in an alternate universe and are over-reacting? I feel let down.
I haven’t seen the show in a while, but when it first came out, alot of the questions were aimed at inflating the egos of Korean men. And, the setting, of only Korean men asking questions to foreign women is kind of strange. Why not have both genders asking and answering questions?
The last time I watched the show it appeared to discuss a whole range of issues, but that was a change from the first few shows.
dokdoforever, the Korean panels are now usually Korean women celebrities. It has been that way for a while. They often have panels with foreign men too. They do discuss a whole range of issues (about 70% non serious cultural issues and 30% serious) including racism in Korea. Sure, time to time, there are questions from the panel who are fishing for complements for Korea, but that’s only a very tiny part of the show. Despite the accusations of Misuda members as foreigner traitors pandering to Koreans, they do criticize Korean culture and Korean society a lot. Most of the time, the Korean panels already know the shortcomings of Korean society and tend to agree with the girls most of the time. This kind of discussion fascinates Koreans because they really want to know what foreigners think of Korea, which always leads to pretty good discussions on cultural differences. It gives a chance for Koreans to understand where foreigners are coming from. I’m not saying there weren’t some embarrassing moments – like the time when one of the guest Korean male panelists made up a stupid song (possible motive racism) for a Kenyan Misuda girl. That one made the papers, and the Korean netizen commentators on the show had some nasty comments about the panelist, demanding he apologize to the girl. Still, moments like that are not even 0.5% of the show.
People should watch the show and understand it before just writing it off as racist Korean show.
The show has evolved in a better direction, but when it first started out, there was definitely was an aspect of ‘dating game’ to it. Don’t you remember the Kazakh girl, who’s main job was to try to turn on the male audience? A former underwear model – the name escapes me. So, it’s possible that the guy who wrote that was reacting to one of the earlier shows – likely an earlier show considering that he saw it in Thailand with English subtitles. Did you see this program when it first hit the air?
We need more drunk ajossi’s to keep the uppity waeguk’s in their proper places.
That’s racist.
That’s what drunken ajossi’s are for.
Firstly, I think that Mr. Hussein is a tool for bringing white people into this. Similar things have happened to white people in Korea (many have testified to it on this very site) and his comparison to white people is unhelpful, especially if he is to stand against racism.
I see this as a harassment issue. Mr Hussein was harassed and was the target of unwanted attention. His female friend was also harassed. I suppose that is intimidation.
If an incident, ie ajussi touching an agassi, pickpocketing, etc. occurs on a bus, the victim in question can ask the bus driver to stop at the front of a police box. The bus driver will oblige, because obviously it’s better to turn the problem over to the police rather than driving around with a messy situation in the back.
I live in Bucheon very close to the area in question and I also would like to know exactly how they got to the police station. I don’t think there are any nearby city hall… most of them here seem slightly off the main routes… convenient enough and within walking distance but I don’t think there are any directly on the bus routes in that particular neighbourhood.
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