The Marmot and the foreigner
Posted by ampontan on Thursday, December 27, 2007
WHAT IS IT ABOUT FOREIGNERS in Northeast Asia? Judging from this post at The Marmot’s Hole, called Foreigner Learns About Prostitution, Writes Letter to Editor, the outlanders in South Korea are every bit as clueless as their cousins in Japan.
Adding to the amusement is that the foreigner in question tries to act as if he is knowledgeable about Korean customs despite the fact that he is clearly oblivious to his surroundings. Factor in his deadly earnest attitude and a whiff of priggishness, and that wraps up the package.
It’s worth reading to see how deftly the Marmot handles it.
Aceface said
Reminds me of this incident.
From Reporters without borders 2004 Country Japan:
Harassment and obstruction
The British daily The Guardian revealed on 24 January 2003 that sports journalist Fred Varcoe was unfairly dismissed by the daily Japan Times on 4 July 2002 as a result of pressure from the South Korean authorities. The South Korean website OhmyNews launched a campaign against Varcoe after he alluded to Seoul prostitutes in a story a few weeks before the start of the football world cup. Varcoe’s wife, a South Korean national, received death threats by e-mail. South Korean diplomats went to the headquarters of the Japan Times twice to demand sanctions against Varcoe. Among the reasons the newspaper gave for firing him was “insulting the honour of Korean women.” Varcoe filed a complaint against the newspaper’s management, which failed to stand up to the South Korean government’s pressure.
And read this too
http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,881746,00.html
I was kind of mesmerized by the fact that the conclusion of the article was in a tone like “blame Japan too”.
I have no idea why Marmot chose to snipe at fresh off the boat.He’s gotta stalk bigger game like we do here.
Like NYT,WaPo and ofcourse,the shining shrine of international broadcasting journalism,BBC!
The Marmot said
Well, he wasn’t “fresh off the boat.” He’d been here several years. But since you asked, I read his piece while I was on the john, and I thought it might be fun.
Aceface said
Never knew.Just thought you are a black velt on Korean experience and obviously the author of the article is not.
No hard feelings.
ghoti said
What an annoying read that was! Reminds me of a guy I knew in Japan who walked into an image-club (adorned with provocative ads) just to innocently see what they were about. Like the writer in Korea, he of course had no intention of using the service, but was mightily upset that they refused gaijin – and required a half dozen police to escort him away. Shocking.
So many comments seem to think of discriminating manners as hypocritical. This is where the West gets into trouble. Anything that goes on in a private S&M dungeon should be fair fodder for grade school lessons. To do otherwise would be hypocritical, right?
bender said
How do the “international hotels” compare to those in the US or Japan? I’m sure you don’t look for prostitutes in Hotel Okura.
Dee said
I blame Al-Queda for the prostitution in South Korea.
I’m sure it’s all part of some long term Salafist plot, designed to keep us morally corrupt, whilst Al-Queda agents position themselves in positions of power throughout world governments.
Personally I’m surprised nobody blamed the US Army for it.