• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 10:18
CEST 16:18
KST 23:18
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2914Serral wins Maestros of the Game 243ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play3Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12
Community News
SC4ALL II announced - $10,000 prize pool, Dec 5-63PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August)8Neeb returns to progaming; rejoins ONSYDE15Weekly Cups (July 20-26): Early returns on 5.0.16b8IntoTheTV X SOOP SC2 League : Weekly & Monthly5
StarCraft 2
General
August World Ranking: Clem climbs to #2 Life's Huge Gambling Spree After IEM Katowice 2014 Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Neeb returns to progaming; rejoins ONSYDE SC4ALL II: StarCraft 2 Player Announcement 1/8
Tourneys
RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event INu's Battles #19 2-Days Event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament SC4ALL II announced - $10,000 prize pool, Dec 5-6 PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August)
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 536 Railroad Switch The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 535 Assembly of Vengeance Mutation # 534 Burning Evacuation
Brood War
General
ASL22 General Discussion Making an Online Broodwar Manager Game BW Drama: Terror's Debt Incident + C9 disbanding BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues 2v2v2v2 Tournament Escore Tournament - Season 3 BSL LAN Party - Kraków 29-30 August - OPEN SIGNUPS
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Fighting Spirit mining rates Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation PvT advise for noobs
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Beyond All Reason Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile ZeroSpace Early Access is Now Live!
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish TSM pausing esports and CLG Dead
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Power Rank TL Mafia Community Thread NeO.D_StephenKing vs This Guy From 1 Million Dance
Community
General
European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread US Politics Mega-thread Artificial Intelligence Thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
The Scarlett Fan Club The IdrA Fan Club The HerO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 Formula 1 Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 McBoner: A hockey love story
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Simple Questions Simple Answers FPS when play League Of Legend on laptop
TL Community
Northern Ireland Global Starcraft The Automated Ban List
Blogs
What is a Gamer?
TrAiDoS
Hello guys!
LIN1s
ASL S22 English Commentary…
namkraft
Poker (part 2)
Nebuchad
An Exploration of th…
waywardstrategy
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 3164 users

Ask me Anything About Living in Korea

Blogs > SirJolt
Post a Reply
Normal
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 11:41 GMT
#1
So this is a topic we see come up an fair on TL, but there’s always far too much asked for one user to be able to answer every question with a satisfactory level of detail. I thought that I’d help lighten the load by offering my own experiences of life in Korea to the mix.

I’m doing this for the good of the community, and it probably won’t be as easy for me as for those other guys who are teaching or otherwise working in Korea. I’m writing this blog despite the fairly pronounced handicap of never having actually been to Korea. That won’t stop me doing all I can to answer your questions though.

[image loading]

“But SirJolt, how can you answer our questions without having been there ever?” I hear you ask.

Easy, I’m going to write answers based on whatever I think the user asking them will want to hear, and combine it with my own natural small-country prejudices in an effort to form what I hope will be a sometimes-accurate collage of misinformation. To be honest, it’s not all that different from my day job.

If anyone has anything they wanted to know about living in Korea then just go for it and I’ll reply as soon as I get a chance.

Before I go, did you know the Korean flag itself was based on Starcraft? Two eternally struggling zerglings, locked in combat. It's almost tragic in its beauty.

[image loading]


****
Moderator@SirJolt
ZeKk
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Sweden320 Posts
July 10 2010 11:43 GMT
#2
lol, bored?
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 10 2010 11:44 GMT
#3
Why is there a giant compass in the yellow sea?
aka myheronoob
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 11:45 GMT
#4
On July 10 2010 20:44 MyHeroNoob wrote:
Why is there a giant compass in the yellow sea?


I believe that compass was originally a massive Nexus monument, but due to issues of scale its construction had to be abandoned. So sad
Moderator@SirJolt
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 10 2010 11:51 GMT
#5
What is the average korean's opinion about living in Ireland?
aka myheronoob
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 12:03:26
July 10 2010 12:03 GMT
#6
On July 10 2010 20:51 MyHeroNoob wrote:
What is the average korean's opinion about living in Ireland?


I'll be honest, they're not mad for it. Sure, there are good things, but it's hard to ask for a Guinness in Korean. Instead they tend to focus on the fact that it's impossible to play StarCraft from most of the country because our broadband providers are rapacious vultures.

Invariably, they wither and die from BW withdrawal after a week or two of arrival
Moderator@SirJolt
Baksteen
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Netherlands438 Posts
July 10 2010 12:04 GMT
#7
Haha at that flag!

How does the korean food taste?
Derp Derp Derp
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 12:09:26
July 10 2010 12:04 GMT
#8
Korean food all tastes like kimchi! It's like all of the best feelings you've ever had were boiled down into one food that's available everywhere. It's amazing.

Also, there are noodles... but they give me a bad case of the vespenes (if you catch my drift).
Moderator@SirJolt
VorcePA
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States1102 Posts
July 10 2010 12:13 GMT
#9
Why is China purple?
Shitposting
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 12:13 GMT
#10
On July 10 2010 21:13 VorcePA wrote:
Why is China purple?


I believe it's a result of sexual frustration owing to their one-child policy, but I'm no scientist.
Moderator@SirJolt
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 10 2010 12:15 GMT
#11
What can you tell me about the scientists in korea?
aka myheronoob
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 12:27 GMT
#12
Korean science is a tricky thing. At the moment they're trying to figure out if kimchi can cure any diseases other than avian flu.

If it turns out that there's more kimchi can do, then it looks like they'll try to find a way to spontaneously generate it from urban centres, so that it gradually spreads out to cover the landscape. In the future, this kimchi-creep will ensure that Koreans are healthy wherever they go.
Moderator@SirJolt
moon`
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States372 Posts
July 10 2010 12:28 GMT
#13
On July 10 2010 21:13 SirJolt wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2010 21:13 VorcePA wrote:
Why is China purple?


I believe it's a result of sexual frustration owing to their one-child policy, but I'm no scientist.


Hm.

Do Koreans perceive Americans like many Europeans do (i.e. fat, stupid, ignorant, etc.)?
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like pandabearguy.
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 12:31:43
July 10 2010 12:30 GMT
#14
As a European, this is a somewhat difficult to gauge, as I'm already viewing the matter from somewhere off-centre, so to speak.

Most of the Koreans I've met have been friendly and outgoing. I should also point out that I'm kind of fat, stupid and ignorant, and they haven't made a big deal out of it at all.

By induction, it seems reasonable to assume that, if they do stereotype Americans in this way, then they probably don't treat anyone badly because of it
Moderator@SirJolt
arb
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Noobville17922 Posts
July 10 2010 12:31 GMT
#15
As a white man is it easy to get pussy in korea?
Artillery spawned from the forges of Hell
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 12:34 GMT
#16
On July 10 2010 21:31 arb wrote:
As a white man is it easy to get pussy in korea?


Like you wouldn't believe! I swear man, it's like there's some kind of freaky cross-species attraction going on. They're all over you the whole time you're there, rubbing up against you and doing that amazing little Korean purr they have going on.

If you wanted, you could have like, eight cats in Korea and all of them would love you just the same as long as you fed them.
Moderator@SirJolt
moon`
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States372 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 12:37:48
July 10 2010 12:37 GMT
#17
^What type of cars do they drive in Korea? (brand)

Oh yeah, and are academic standards really high? Do they have prestigious universities that are nigh impossible to make it into?
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like pandabearguy.
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 12:42 GMT
#18
On July 10 2010 21:37 moon` wrote:
^What type of cars do they drive in Korea? (brand)

Oh yeah, and are academic standards really high? Do they have prestigious universities that are nigh impossible to make it into?


Most of the people in Korea just ride bicycles everywhere. You might think it would be tiring, but whenever they get on their bikes they just take some stimpacks and they're away. It's something beautiful to behold, two hundred bikes at 60mph... of course, the accidents are hard on everyone, especially since the stims take off a few hitpoints to begin with

Academic standards aren't as high as you might think. As long as you've got an APM over 300 you can get a scholarship to a BW university and then you're okay. If your APM is too low, you pretty much need to be a genius though.

Life over there is hard.
Moderator@SirJolt
Atom Cannister
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
Germany380 Posts
July 10 2010 13:02 GMT
#19
I wonder if some of the posters will even read that you're just making everything up...

I hope someone posts before reading more than the title and then gets freaked out.
...
Scarecrow
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Korea (South)9175 Posts
July 10 2010 13:08 GMT
#20
Is there a correlation between average APM and kimchi consumption?

Does homosexuality exist in Korea?
Yhamm is the god of predictions
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 10 2010 13:14 GMT
#21
What is the difference between gg and ziziyo?
aka myheronoob
arb
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Noobville17922 Posts
July 10 2010 13:16 GMT
#22
What is the meaning of life?
Artillery spawned from the forges of Hell
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 13:20 GMT
#23
On July 10 2010 22:08 Scarecrow wrote:
Is there a correlation between average APM and kimchi consumption?

Does homosexuality exist in Korea?



These are two very good questions. I suppose I should answer them separately, because that's the normal approach.

1. That average APM rises with lifetime kimchi consumption is a known fact. This is likely how July got to where he is today. Of course, there is a certain amount of natural talent involved, but for July we can presume that he was less a product of innate talent than of Kimchi.

2. I like to think that all Koreans exist in a state of pansexual mystery. As such, there is no 'homosexuality' as we would understand it. Instead, sometimes a Korean boy will simply look and act more like a Korean girl. People try not to make a big deal of it.


On July 10 2010 22:14 MyHeroNoob wrote:
What is the difference between gg and ziziyo?


While we're all familiar with the usual GG, ziziyo is the 'gangsta' equivalent. Many westerners, myself include, have taken to using 'ziziyo' as a simply method of communicating to an opponent,

"I may have lost, but check out how cool I am when it comes to letters that don't build anything,"

Unfortunately, in Korea the term has far more nasty connotations, and harks back to the early days of professional StarCraft play. In the days before Brood War's release, SC was played dank underground clubs, usually run by the Korean mafia.

It was not uncommon for someone found to be maphacking to have their clicking finger cut off as a consequence.

"Ziziyo" basically says, "You may have won this time, but I will stab you in the kidneys as we leave the building and kekekekeke as you bleed out."

It's a sad truth.


On July 10 2010 22:02 Atom Cannister wrote:
I wonder if some of the posters will even read that you're just making everything up...

I hope someone posts before reading more than the title and then gets freaked out.


I included the impressive MSPaint pictures to help avoid that, but I'm kind of hoping people ask normal questions too
Moderator@SirJolt
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 13:21 GMT
#24
On July 10 2010 22:16 arb wrote:
What is the meaning of life?


I'm going to have to ask you to clarify. Do you mean the meaning of life in general or the meaning of life in Korea?
Moderator@SirJolt
gaizka
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States991 Posts
July 10 2010 13:29 GMT
#25
In a recent match a heard a vubuzela, is Korea being influenced by recent international events? if so please elaborate, or was the streamer just being funny?
valaki
Profile Joined June 2009
Hungary2476 Posts
July 10 2010 13:29 GMT
#26
North Korea is Best Korea. True or false?
ggaemo fan
gaizka
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States991 Posts
July 10 2010 13:33 GMT
#27
On July 10 2010 22:29 valaki wrote:
North Korea is Best Korea. True or false?

ziziyo ^^
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 13:44:31
July 10 2010 13:36 GMT
#28
On July 10 2010 22:29 gaizka wrote:
In a recent match a heard a vubuzela, is Korea being influenced by recent international events? if so please elaborate, or was the streamer just being funny?


In vuvuzelas as in so many other e-sports related noises, Korea informs the rest of the world, rather than the other way around. As a result, the stream you were watching had likely had vuvuzelas for a while, but we failed to notice it because we had no frame of reference.

When the Korean fans brought vuvuzelas to south africa, the rest of the world caught on.


On July 10 2010 22:33 gaizka wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2010 22:29 valaki wrote:
North Korea is Best Korea. True or false?

ziziyo ^^


This is just the kind of eloquence we need more of.
Moderator@SirJolt
GTR
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
51670 Posts
July 10 2010 13:38 GMT
#29
Explain why Korea must resort to slave-like ideologies to train their 'talent' in the music industry.
Commentator
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 13:42 GMT
#30
On July 10 2010 22:38 GTR wrote:
Explain why Korea must resort to slave-like ideologies to train their 'talent' in the music industry.


Again, the issue here is with the kimchi-to-talent ratio. The near-enslavement of musicians in Korea comes as a result of the fact that they really do need to eat about 4.5k calories worth of kimchi to stay at the front of the musical-arms-race they've built.

Those who get to the top usually do so by eating a monumental amount of kimchi. In order to maintain that solid Korean figure, about which we see so many blogs, need to work hard to burn it off. They need to work harder than any single person can make themselves work... so they have to be made work

It's a cruel and vicious cycle
Moderator@SirJolt
arb
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Noobville17922 Posts
July 10 2010 14:08 GMT
#31
On July 10 2010 22:21 SirJolt wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2010 22:16 arb wrote:
What is the meaning of life?


I'm going to have to ask you to clarify. Do you mean the meaning of life in general or the meaning of life in Korea?

Both.
Artillery spawned from the forges of Hell
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 14:10 GMT
#32
On July 10 2010 23:08 arb wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2010 22:21 SirJolt wrote:
On July 10 2010 22:16 arb wrote:
What is the meaning of life?


I'm going to have to ask you to clarify. Do you mean the meaning of life in general or the meaning of life in Korea?

Both.


The answer is always + Show Spoiler +
more kimchi
.
Moderator@SirJolt
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 10 2010 14:24 GMT
#33
How many % of Koreans know how to make kimchi?
aka myheronoob
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 14:27 GMT
#34
As I said before, I'm not a scientist, so I can't guarantee that the maths behind this are totally solid.

Still, I'm alright with statistics, so I'd feel pretty comfortable saying that around 105% of all Koreans know how to make kimchi, if you take foreigners living in Korea into account.
Moderator@SirJolt
gaizka
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States991 Posts
July 10 2010 14:29 GMT
#35
I have to go to a girl's birthday party in less than 3 hours, I have no idea what to get her, what can I do?
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 14:35 GMT
#36
I'm hesitant to say "make kimchi" since the blog is going in a very "kimchi" direction. There are a few things you can do. I would write her a nice poem or a letter (on paper). I'm quite sure Korean people would do the same, though they might do it differently (their ideograms are very strange).

Maybe you should write her a letter in Korean? Then you could say when she asks, "Oh, well I'm very good at ideograms."

Bitches dig ideograms.
Moderator@SirJolt
valaki
Profile Joined June 2009
Hungary2476 Posts
July 10 2010 15:24 GMT
#37
What is kimchi?
ggaemo fan
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 15:37 GMT
#38
As with soylent green, I have to tell you. Since I found out, I can no longer eat it + Show Spoiler +
it's people.
Moderator@SirJolt
n.DieJokes
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States3443 Posts
July 10 2010 15:39 GMT
#39
Can you describe the flavor of pocarii sweat?
MyLove + Your Love= Supa Love
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 10 2010 16:44 GMT
#40
Pocarii Sweat is hard to describe. There are those who say that it reminds them of vitamin water, and those who consider it a mild and watered-down melon taste.

In truth, I've always found it tastes a lot like a very cheap beer, with some caffeine added. This also explains Flash's horrifying tics.
Moderator@SirJolt
jjun212
Profile Joined December 2004
Canada2208 Posts
July 10 2010 17:04 GMT
#41
How is the racism over there?

I'm Asian but not Korean and I know from a lot of different Asian groups here in Toronto, sometimes they like to make fun of each other, maybe light hearted but I'm not sure how it is in Korea.
Myrkskog
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Canada481 Posts
July 10 2010 17:27 GMT
#42
Why does Justin Bieber hate Koreans?
Spiffeh
Profile Joined May 2010
United States830 Posts
July 10 2010 18:01 GMT
#43
How excited is North Korea to finally get to witness Justin Beiber live, in-concert??
serenidite
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Korea (South)505 Posts
July 10 2010 18:04 GMT
#44
how much is your rent?
" Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-10 23:34:10
July 10 2010 23:33 GMT
#45
On July 11 2010 03:04 serenidite wrote:
how much is your rent?


My rent isn't actually all that bad. When I first arrived, I was paying something like €100 a month. I spoke to a few friends and they told me that, even though my place was very nice, I was being kind of ripped off. Moreover, I had kind of gotten into a bit of a situation with my landlord's wife, so I wanted to get away.

When I told my landlord I was leaving, he was very insulted and asked that I explain. He said that even though he had seen the way I looked at his wife, he had charged me a reasonable rate.

We came to an arrangement whereby, if I cup his wife's breast once or twice a week, or kiss her a little, then my place is free. I'm not sure if it's like... prostitution or anything, but it's super cheap. She looks a bit like Ellie Saddler from Jurassic Park.



On July 11 2010 03:01 Spiffeh wrote:
How excited is North Korea to finally get to witness Justin Beiber live, in-concert??



On July 11 2010 02:27 Myrkskog wrote:
Why does Justin Bieber hate Koreans?


I'll answer both of these at once. First, I guess it's important to note that Bieber himself doesn't hate Koreans, it's just that his publicist doesn't feel that North Korea is what they could consider an "important growth region" for his particular brand of teen-pop stardom.

Apparently, North Korea's ongoing internet issues mean that he is unlikely to gain any more Twitter followers out of the whole business, so he's keeping away for now.

As soon as they deal with their famine issues I have a feeling they'll be getting a call from Bieber's agent though.


On July 11 2010 02:04 jjun212 wrote:
How is the racism over there?

I'm Asian but not Korean and I know from a lot of different Asian groups here in Toronto, sometimes they like to make fun of each other, maybe light hearted but I'm not sure how it is in Korea.



This is actually a really good question. As I said before, most Koreans have been friendly to me, but they do treat me like I'm a fat, stupid and ignorant man. I'm not sure if this is something they'll do to any westerners or if it's just me.

Being honest, I am a bit fat, stupid and ignorant, but it seems like it would just be good manners not to treat me like that
Moderator@SirJolt
kaleidoscope
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Singapore2887 Posts
July 11 2010 00:31 GMT
#46
The cost of living in korea, compared to Taiwan/Japan/Singapore?

Other than Kimchis and seaweeds, what else do they eat?
대지따라 돌린게 시간이다.. 흘러가고 돌아오지도 않고..
wanderer
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States641 Posts
July 11 2010 00:40 GMT
#47
What are the bathrooms like there?
Fuck you, I have a degree in mathematics and I speak 12 languages. (I called the World Cup final in 2008 btw)
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 11 2010 01:01 GMT
#48
On July 11 2010 09:31 kaleidoscope wrote:
The cost of living in korea, compared to Taiwan/Japan/Singapore?

Other than Kimchis and seaweeds, what else do they eat?


I find that the biggest problem with living is that it always tends to have a cost, and there's no real way to skip out on the bill. I know your question is a little complicated, but I think I'm well situated to answer your question, having spent an almost equal amount of time in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Korea.

Singapore and China can both expensive, because of their reputations as being "where the iPods come from." Fortunately, this means you can run a healthy side business shipping cheap iPods back home while you're working there. It's not ideal, but every little helps.

Japan, as well we all know, has a cost of living almost as high as its skyline.

Korea is a bit cheaper. In my experience, as long as you're willing to get a little too intimate with your landlord's wife, you can get away without paying rent. If you're willing to eat nothing but kimchi, you'll be fine on industry average.

For this reason, many Koreans eat nothing but kimchi. It's strange, a lot of the time, they just refer to kimchi as "supply." The number of employees a company can take is usually measured in terms of its access to kimchi.


On July 11 2010 09:40 wanderer wrote:
What are the bathrooms like there?


This is one that I hadn't expected anyone to ask. I'd known that Turkish bathrooms are often a source of consternation, but Korean bathrooms are something I hadn't been prepared for at all.

While the toilet looks like a normal European toilet, the bowl tends to be anywhere up to twice as wide around. Moreover, the water reaches almost up to the top of the bowl. Judging whether or not displacement will lead to an overflowing bowl is a delicate situation, fraught with social consequences.

One of the teachers who arrived at the same time as us, Dave, managed to block the toilet in his apartment. When he called a plumber, the man agreed reluctantly to come and fix it. When he saw what had happened, he gave Dave a really nasty look and said he'd come back later to, "address the problem."

We never heard from Dave again.
Moderator@SirJolt
Hidden_MotiveS
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada2562 Posts
July 11 2010 03:09 GMT
#49
can you live there in Seoul without knowing any South Korean for two months? Alone?
ooni
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Australia1498 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 08:52:39
July 11 2010 08:49 GMT
#50
On July 10 2010 20:41 SirJolt wrote:
Before I go, did you know the Korean flag itself was based on Starcraft? Two eternally struggling zerglings, locked in combat. It's almost tragic in its beauty.

[image loading]

Damn. I did not know this. I always thought it was based on taeguk, 'ying-yang'. Two colours making a metaphor, a sun rising over the ocean; Koreans will rise. And somehow I thought the surrounding stripes were 검리감곤, representing Earth, Metal, Fire and Water. How wrong I was... It makes a lot of sense now, Koreans predicted the rise of Starcraft more than 120 years ago.
Hi!
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
July 11 2010 11:38 GMT
#51
On July 11 2010 12:09 Hidden_MotiveS wrote:
can you live there in Seoul without knowing any South Korean for two months? Alone?


Yeah, you should be fine. In truth, it's not that everyone speaks English, or even that everyone speaks enough high school level English that you'll be able to get by. Instead, make heavy use of the general human fear of anyone who is clearly speaking very slowly and enunciating every syllable carefully, gradually escalating in volume.

Then, when they're at their most afraid of you, point at what you want, whether you're shopping or out trying to pick up chicks, and they'll usually be too scared to say no.


On July 11 2010 17:49 ooni wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2010 20:41 SirJolt wrote:
Before I go, did you know the Korean flag itself was based on Starcraft? Two eternally struggling zerglings, locked in combat. It's almost tragic in its beauty.

[image loading]

Damn. I did not know this. I always thought it was based on taeguk, 'ying-yang'. Two colours making a metaphor, a sun rising over the ocean; Koreans will rise. And somehow I thought the surrounding stripes were 검리감곤, representing Earth, Metal, Fire and Water. How wrong I was... It makes a lot of sense now, Koreans predicted the rise of Starcraft more than 120 years ago.


It's okay ooni, it's the kind of mistake that just about anyone could make. Don't be ashamed though, if anyone asks, you can still claim you're right, because the 'taeguk' could always just be a metaphor for the two zerglings, locked in eternal conflict.

Between us though, you're wrong.
Moderator@SirJolt
Terranlisk
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Singapore1404 Posts
July 11 2010 12:32 GMT
#52
what are the chances of getting mugged on the street at night?
aka myheronoob
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4014 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-11 16:27:41
July 11 2010 16:22 GMT
#53
On July 11 2010 21:32 MyHeroNoob wrote:
what are the chances of getting mugged on the street at night?


They're not so bad. For the most part people tend to be at home at night, working on their APM, or out at the club, also working on their APM.

Of course, this means that if anyone mugs you, they're probably not too familiar with StarCraft, and the chances of you being able to talk them out of it with your BW lingo probably aren't great. You should still try to "ziziyo" your way out of it, but if that doesn't work you could be in trouble.

Personally I favour the 5-pool approach to social interaction at night in Korea:

If you see someone outdoors at night, it's a reasonably safe assumption that they are going to mug you. If they haven't decided on it yet, then it's only a matter of time before they see you, realise you're foreign, and then decide to try to mug you. The best defense against this is to mug them first, preferably before they've scouted you.

The odds are that they're off their heads on stimpacks already.
Moderator@SirJolt
Normal
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 20h 42m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Serral 2618
Rex 149
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 68112
Bisu 2692
actioN 2554
Shuttle 2149
Hm[arnc] 1131
firebathero 962
EffOrt 796
Mini 746
Soulkey 481
Soma 430
[ Show more ]
Snow 172
hero 162
Rush 159
Last 118
Sharp 82
Hyun 73
Sea.KH 48
ToSsGirL 29
scan(afreeca) 26
Terrorterran 17
Rock 12
Sexy 11
Icarus 7
Dota 2
Gorgc12923
qojqva1591
febbydoto14
Counter-Strike
fl0m6220
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King124
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor211
Other Games
singsing2478
B2W.Neo1219
uThermal408
XBOCT340
byalli299
DeMusliM161
FrodaN51
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
Kim Chul Min (afreeca) 10
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 15 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH274
• Response 7
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• C_a_k_e 2568
• WagamamaTV584
League of Legends
• Jankos1722
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Weekly
20h 42m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 19h
INu's Battles
1d 20h
Percival vs Zoun
Cure vs Rogue
ByuN vs Classic
Clem vs NightMare
PiGosaur Cup
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
Kung Fu Cup
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
The PondCast
3 days
INu's Battles
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
[ Show More ]
IntoTheTV X SOOP
4 days
RSL Revival
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

ASL Season 22: Qualifier #1
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale

Ongoing

CSL 2026 Summer (S21)
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
ASL Season 22: Qualifier #2
K-JUNGMAN
RSL Revival: Season 6
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5
Escore Tournament S3: W6
Escore Tournament S3: W7
CSLAN 4
ASL Season 22
Escore Tournament S3: W8
Acropolis #5 - TRS
HSC XXX
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
PiG Sty Festival 8.0
Thunderpick World Champ.
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
Logitech G Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #5
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.