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On February 23 2011 03:35 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 02:40 The_LiNk wrote:
Status wise, how important is the university you go to? Especially if you're a foreigner and went to a university outside of Korea. In Korea EXTREMELY important, the only thing that trumps it is your actual job. But something like 50% of professional jobs are taken by Seoul national grads, and 30% by Korea and Yonsei and 20% all others and there are like 10 other respectable schools. If you are foreigner and went to university, then its great, you are considered an educated foreigner, and if you went to an ivy league, you are considered god-like.
Can I achieve at least Demi-god with University of Toronto? Best I can do unfortunately.
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MightyAtom-hyung,
I feel a bit down about a girl, despite having been convinced that I was over her. I'm convinced that I can get over this small bump in the road but I still sense a need to focus on and improve myself. How can I become a bad-ass like you?
감사합니다
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MightyAtom-hyung,
I'm feeling pretty depressed about the Nazis. I don't understand how man could do such a terrible thing. How can I restore my faith in mankind?
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On February 23 2011 03:48 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 03:11 thebteam wrote:
First of all, thank you for this thread. It has been a great read.
If you had 3 weeks to travel, would you rather spend all 3 weeks in Korea, or split the time between Korea and Japan? I have never been to either country, and I would be traveling solo. Part of me wants to see more new places, and the other thinks it would be better to spend more time in one place to get a more complete experience. Any other travel advice regarding Korea would also be helpful. Thanks. Spend 2 weeks and 3 days in Japan because many more sights, and spend 4 days in Korea. In Korea you can tour most of the attractions in Seoul in one full day; then catch a Starcraft match if your timing is good, but you should meet people in Korea, it not fun otherwise, The best thing about Korea is the food, its awesome, but you need someone from TL to guide you a bit. In Japan, wow, everything is a sight and you will amazed. Thing is Korea and Japan developed very differently for urban and traditional things because Korea got forced into modernization under colonization by Japan, then everything got razed down by the North Korean invasion so its like by 1955 things start to rebuild, but by the 1960's Philippines economy was probably three times the size of South Korea. While in Japan, other than the bombings, they have had over 130 year of urban development and their aesthetic taste is second to none.
Are there many cool historical sites or did those get razed to the ground as well? Any cool castles, temples, etc, or would you say China/Japan rank much better for historical tourism? What about scenery? Not sure if you're familiar with China tourism, but anything that can compare to Tiger Leaping Gorge or Emei Shan, Huang Shan, etc?
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(For comparison, don't mean to hijack your thread)
China is pretty amazing, certain parts that is.
I went to the huge clay army in Xian, it was kinda boring, too commercialized.
The great wall is an amazing experience, though, I'd recommend everyone go, if you visit China.
Also the Summer Palace, and Forbidden City are all pretty amazing.
Basically anywhere in Japan is really nice. I went to this one Shinto temple (I think), and it was amazing. Everything was so nice, and there was this foresty/lake place with little waterfalls, gorgeous scenery and foliage. I wish I got to see more of Japan, but I was only there for 4 days, most of which was spent shopping and eating.
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On February 23 2011 00:43 MightyAtom wrote:In Korea, beer is just beer, if you want to talk about a drink that defines a man, drink whiskey or mix the poktanju (the bomb): half a cup of beer with half of shot of whiskey downed in 1 shot, or drink your whiskey straight in sips if it over 21 years in age. Never drink less than 18 years if you over 30, if you're under 25, continue to drink beer and soju.
so your saying underage drinkin is bad? 
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On February 23 2011 07:15 mizU wrote:
(For comparison, don't mean to hijack your thread)
China is pretty amazing, certain parts that is.
I went to the huge clay army in Xian, it was kinda boring, too commercialized.
The great wall is an amazing experience, though, I'd recommend everyone go, if you visit China.
Also the Summer Palace, and Forbidden City are all pretty amazing.
Basically anywhere in Japan is really nice. I went to this one Shinto temple (I think), and it was amazing. Everything was so nice, and there was this foresty/lake place with little waterfalls, gorgeous scenery and foliage. I wish I got to see more of Japan, but I was only there for 4 days, most of which was spent shopping and eating.
Summer Palace and Forbidden City are nice, but Xi'an has way more than the Terracotta warriors. Did you get a chance to try the dumpling banquets or see the Muslim Quarter? Those were my favorite experiences when I went to Xi'an. It's one of my fav cities in China.
China also has some amazing nature scenery, especially the famous mountains, and the jungles of Sichuan province. Qinghai also has some gorgeous scenery (area right outside Tibet).
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One questions that bothers me (I have a korean girl friend as well): Why are there almost no couples with a korean man and a "western" woman even though there are plenty of the reversed combination?
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MightyAtom-hyung,
Where do you go to find pretty Korean Ladies? Are Karaoke Bars popular?
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On February 23 2011 01:41 MightyAtom wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 01:00 nayumi wrote:I have this little dilemma right now and from your previous blogs you seem like an experienced businessman so here goes (please bare with me cause this might be long): So basically I have been working for Ernst&Young for about a year as an audit associate. It's been really tiring lately due to OT and whatnot, even though I kinda like what I'm doing right now. On an average day I work for about 10~12 hours, and it gets worse during peak period (in Vietnam, it's from Jan to Mar as the stock exchange requires listed companies to submit their audited FS by the 31st of March for the 31-Dec year end). The pay is decent, not too high but definitely not shitty. I mean not like I have time to spend money anyway lol seeing how work has been treating me. Since college I've always had in mind that being an accountant would be my career path. I'm currently half way to get an ACCA certificate (only 5 more papers to go). My current goal is to become an audit manager (which is another 3-4 years to go at least). However, I suddenly realize that even if that happens, I will still have to work 12~14 hours a day. So I question the worthiness of moving on. At the moment I'm open to another offer to work for an consulting firm (McKinsey if you've ever heard of it). It's not technically an offer yet since I still have to go through the entrance test and interview. The pay there is much better, around 4 times what I'm getting right now. But I'm not sure if I'll like it there. So my question is: should I jump ship and take the risk? or should I just stick with it till the end? P/S: Please pardon my English since it's not my first language  Well since I was a senior consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, I can answer your questions ^^ Your work load is only really tough during Jan-Mar, otherwise you are doing inventory checks and onsite audits and maybe due diligence check ups or quarterly audits of divisions of public companies. Being an accountant at E&Y is a very good job and stable and once you get all your accreditation, you can look to be a senior manager and even a director and not have to work those hours at all as the mangers and associates do all the grunt work. Also, after 2 years, the work load is still heavy, but your know how is very good, so the task will become MUCH easier, 100%. You can look to go into controls and assurance or some other divisions where is not as heavy like taxes as well. But for your pay and work, this is what being an accountant is all about for one of the big 4 and E&Y is a great firm. 100%. Ah McKinsey, do you know they pay is 4 times higher? Take what you do in your busy months, then think 75% of that work load, 3 weeks out of every month for the entire year and that is the work load. BUT, if you can get in, wow, this is the cream of the crop of consultant companies in the world, after working here, they will support your MBA to a US school (if you agree to go back) and even if leave to do your MBA, being a McKinsey consultant will allow you to be a senior executive a most major firms and everyone will know you are the best of the best in human resource. So if you decide to be really ambitious, then go for it (but dont' quit until you have the job), but I would say, you're view on your current job will be 100% different in one more year, E&Y is a great firm and your pay will increase dramatically past manager level. But if youre looking to work less, no way is McKinsey for you, even the money wont' be enough. So look at your ambition, being at E&Y is a really great thing though, no one can sell that short, but its a different path all together, consultant or accountant. Do you see yourself as being a VP or CEO of a company later on? Then go for it! If you want to be a CFO, you can still be a great one with a background from E&Y. ^^
Thank you so much for the advice. I'll make sure to think this thoroughly 
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 06:13 MoonBear wrote:
Annyeong MightyAtom-hyung! I have a few questions I've been wondering about from all of the Korean Blogs on TL.
1) You mentioned earlier that Ivy-League people are considered God-Like. What about people from other top unis like Oxbridge, Imperial or LSE?
2) What is Dawn88 and ConditionF? I can't seem to find anything on Google.
3) The median national income in Korea is ~23kUSD according to Google, but it seems from your stories that lots of people in Seoul earn far more than that due to all the posh partying and the like. Is it because people in Seoul earn more in general, or do they spend more to keep up appearances?
4) What is considered the most important personal quality for Korean people (in general)?
5) How did you manage to prioritise between work and social life when you were at university and when you got a job? I always feel that I need to work more in order to get ahead of my peers but it constantly comes at a cost of reducing my social life and sleeping time.
Kamsamnida~
^^
1. LSE, kinda, but UK schools are not well known here because of the US influence in our modern development and most of our elite was educated in US schools.
2. There are anti hang over drinks,
http://www.seouleats.com/2010/07/koreas-ultimate-hangover-cure-dawn-808.html
sorry it was Dawn 808, been a long time since I needed to drink one (but boy have I drunk a lot of them)
http://seoulbuffoon.blogspot.com/2007/12/getting-rid-of-hangovers-in-korea.html
3. In a very small area of Seoul, called Gangnam, most of the entire country's wealth is heavily concentrated, but in terms of income via salary they dont have much, but in terms of investment income, they earn much more than the salary. Near the blue house (our equivalent of the white house) in songbukdong, is where the really old money lives, but its not densely populated.
But the stories from myself or Rekrul represent the top 1% of Korea,many Koreans will never experience the stories that myself or Rekrul share. There are probably hundreds of clubs and drinking establishments, but the 20 or so we go to are literally the most expense ones in the the country.
4. Korean's are over achievers, but there are two social qualities, good manners and a good ability to read the social situation without words. Someone like Idra would be very misunderstood in Korea, although I have found him to be quite nice and pleasant in person. Otherwise, Korean children are raised to be smart, athletic, mannered and artistic, leading to the highest youth suicide rate in the developed world (well on all age levels that is true) and leads to no one being really exceptional as well (but still well above the global average on all metrics).
5. You can't, social life and sleep will be sacrificed, but you will build character, work ethic and you will appreciate your studies more. Life is difficult always, but I'll say, when you graduate, you'll be leg up and if you remember this time and work that much harder when you graduate, success will be that much sweeter and greater.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 06:22 The_LiNk wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 03:35 MightyAtom wrote:On February 23 2011 02:40 The_LiNk wrote:
Status wise, how important is the university you go to? Especially if you're a foreigner and went to a university outside of Korea. In Korea EXTREMELY important, the only thing that trumps it is your actual job. But something like 50% of professional jobs are taken by Seoul national grads, and 30% by Korea and Yonsei and 20% all others and there are like 10 other respectable schools. If you are foreigner and went to university, then its great, you are considered an educated foreigner, and if you went to an ivy league, you are considered god-like. Can I achieve at least Demi-god with University of Toronto? Best I can do unfortunately.
No, but a nod of respect is all you get, that's all I get too. ^^
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 06:31 TheJoyBringer wrote:
MightyAtom-hyung,
I feel a bit down about a girl, despite having been convinced that I was over her. I'm convinced that I can get over this small bump in the road but I still sense a need to focus on and improve myself. How can I become a bad-ass like you?
감사합니다
^^
When you love passionately, only time can really make you forget or getting a new gf or end up hating your gf, but it starts by clearly saying you're moving on and while the memories were good, even you could get back together, you wouldn't.
But to do that, go out with you friends and get totally sloshed (in a safe way, don't get sick and make it a crappy night), but get happily drunk and joyful, maybe you'll tear a bit, maybe you say in your drunken state: that fucking bitch, damn I loved her,etc, but let the alcohol and good friends help you get it out of your system (don't call her afterwards drunk, bad idea).
Then, man up and throw yourself to your work and studies, repeat the MightyAtom mantra of the mind:
I AM A MACHINE.
And stop thinking and just work.
Eventually, you'll wake up and you'll feel free and that's it.
Depending on how long you've been together, sometimes, it does take a long time; I had one ex-gf, and it took about 2 years to fully get over her and I was honest with myself about it, we'd gone out for about 6 months but knew each other for about 2 years before then.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 06:47 Deadeight wrote:
MightyAtom-hyung,
I'm feeling pretty depressed about the Nazis. I don't understand how man could do such a terrible thing. How can I restore my faith in mankind?
Don't get caught up in impractical things of the past, that's for people with too much time on their hands. Go and do something productive like have sex with the woman you love or further your career. People are fuckers and they always will be, and
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
Forget about restoring your faith in mankind, that is a issue for pussies, go out there and make sure shit like this doesn't happen again, many great men, in the end sacrificed their lives. I'm not saying go out there and join the army, but be a protector, defender and advocate of humanity, not a pussy.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 07:55 T.I.P. wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 00:43 MightyAtom wrote:On February 23 2011 00:17 T.I.P. wrote:
whats the most manly beer to drink? In Korea, beer is just beer, if you want to talk about a drink that defines a man, drink whiskey or mix the poktanju (the bomb): half a cup of beer with half of shot of whiskey downed in 1 shot, or drink your whiskey straight in sips if it over 21 years in age. Never drink less than 18 years if you over 30, if you're under 25, continue to drink beer and soju. so your saying underage drinkin is bad?
yes, bad your growth and brain development, why stunt your mental and physical health, wait till you're the proper age.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 07:08 StorkHwaiting wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 03:48 MightyAtom wrote:On February 23 2011 03:11 thebteam wrote:
First of all, thank you for this thread. It has been a great read.
If you had 3 weeks to travel, would you rather spend all 3 weeks in Korea, or split the time between Korea and Japan? I have never been to either country, and I would be traveling solo. Part of me wants to see more new places, and the other thinks it would be better to spend more time in one place to get a more complete experience. Any other travel advice regarding Korea would also be helpful. Thanks. Spend 2 weeks and 3 days in Japan because many more sights, and spend 4 days in Korea. In Korea you can tour most of the attractions in Seoul in one full day; then catch a Starcraft match if your timing is good, but you should meet people in Korea, it not fun otherwise, The best thing about Korea is the food, its awesome, but you need someone from TL to guide you a bit. In Japan, wow, everything is a sight and you will amazed. Thing is Korea and Japan developed very differently for urban and traditional things because Korea got forced into modernization under colonization by Japan, then everything got razed down by the North Korean invasion so its like by 1955 things start to rebuild, but by the 1960's Philippines economy was probably three times the size of South Korea. While in Japan, other than the bombings, they have had over 130 year of urban development and their aesthetic taste is second to none. Are there many cool historical sites or did those get razed to the ground as well? Any cool castles, temples, etc, or would you say China/Japan rank much better for historical tourism? What about scenery? Not sure if you're familiar with China tourism, but anything that can compare to Tiger Leaping Gorge or Emei Shan, Huang Shan, etc?
Most got razed down but rebuilt, in Gwanghwa-moon, is where the imperial palace is as well as the princess's palace, lots of small temples, but not kept up like Japan, many truly great older temples, were dismantled and transfered to Japan during that period of occupation lol. Korea is fundamentally a folk culture, so our design level is not very high (but our engineer is very practical), so for historical tourism Japan and China are much better places.
BUT, as a man, there is no better place in the world to visit with friends, and the food is beyond tasty and well if you're looking for SC, where in the world is it better than in Korea? So if you have friends in Korea, this is the best place to be for a tour, but if not, then China/Japan much much better.
Also, I'm not that familiar with China tourism, but enough to say the above.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 07:15 mizU wrote:
(For comparison, don't mean to hijack your thread)
China is pretty amazing, certain parts that is.
I went to the huge clay army in Xian, it was kinda boring, too commercialized.
The great wall is an amazing experience, though, I'd recommend everyone go, if you visit China.
Also the Summer Palace, and Forbidden City are all pretty amazing.
Basically anywhere in Japan is really nice. I went to this one Shinto temple (I think), and it was amazing. Everything was so nice, and there was this foresty/lake place with little waterfalls, gorgeous scenery and foliage. I wish I got to see more of Japan, but I was only there for 4 days, most of which was spent shopping and eating.
Yes, nothing like that is comparable in Korea, except the shopping and eating.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 09:19 Irrational_Animal wrote:
One questions that bothers me (I have a korean girl friend as well): Why are there almost no couples with a korean man and a "western" woman even though there are plenty of the reversed combination?
Because Korean men generally only like Korea women. They love being called 'oppa' (what a girl calls an older brother), and Western women tend not to aggressive approach Asia men in general, unlike Western men who will seek out Korean women.
Also Korean women, being the wonderful creatures that they are, are open and giving and if they find love, they will be with any man who exhibits the same protective characters that Korean men have, AND may find it better because many Korean men are also protective as well as dominating.
The only place where I see this trend is bucked, is white women who have their Masters or PHD, they tend to be very attracted to Korean men.
For native Korean men, we generally don't care if Korean women date foreigners, but many overseas Koreans care if Korean women date foreigners.
My feeling is that, Korea women are wondeful and if you should lucky to have a Koren girlfriend and you can stand their irrational psychotic behavior once a week, then you're likely to have a great relationship as Korean women are very caring, beautiful and passionate. But in Korea, there are lot of women, so even if every foreigner who came here had a Korean wife, they'd still be lots of women left anyways. Also some Korean girls don't like Korean society, so they wouldn't be acceptable girlfriends or wives anyways because they would complain too much and be depressed and no Korean man likes a complaining woman.
But in foreign countries, the Korean men who are there also may not represent the best we have to offer, while the Korean women tend to get very handsome or well off foreigners. Personally, I have dated all types of women and honestly, I think that foreign women are very attracted to a Korean man's manliness, but we don't generally display that to these women.
1. Because these women are not really women to us (I hate to say it, but sometimes their proportions are too extreme)
2. Also, we are more concentrated on being polite than being social when overseas.
But usually after drinks all the women are charmed, but make no doubt about it; even with me, foreign women will look at me like someone 'cute' or 'intellegent' but not sexual, until after a bit of fun.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 09:34 Torte de Lini wrote:
MightyAtom-hyung,
Where do you go to find pretty Korean Ladies? Are Karaoke Bars popular?
Everywhere in Korea, not kidding.
For picking up, any drinking establishment which is in the HongDae, Gangnam and university areas.
Nora-bangs (singing rooms) are very popular but open mic Karaoke bars are not at all, but if you hook up with a lady and her friends, you will usually end up in a Norabang afterwards.
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MightyAtom-hyung,
What are some books that you believe that are essential to read?
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EPT
