Would a Korean woman ever want to date an English teacher?

Only those that know what they want! Well what do Korean women want when they date an English teacher in Korea? Wouldn’t they want the same things that they would want from a local Korean man?

Not exactly – In fact you can boil down a Korean woman’s desires to these 4 things:

• an alternative
• an adventure
• Acceptance
• Activity

Soon you’ll discover what it takes to become the man that she’ll think about all day. All it takes is understanding and applying these 4 points.

Note that this also applies to women looking to date Korean men.

A Korean Woman Wants An Alternative

When she’s dating you she’s really interested in how different you are from Korean men. She’s tired of the same old dating routine. She’s at a point in her life where she finds local Korean men typical and wants an escape.

We’re talking more than just behavior. We’re also talking about expectations. Korean men typically became too domineering and intrusive for her. Not only that but she probably met them through her social circle and has to stay tied up to their expectations.

When she’s dating you she can relax because her friends and family don’t know you (she probably won’t tell them either.) She’s looking for a new experience and you can provide her with it.

So I recommend showing her your world and culture. Teach her your language. Dress like you would from you country and she’ll appreciate it (as long as it’s not TOO different.)

A Korean Woman Wants An Adventure!

In addition to an alternative dating experience she’s also looking for an escape! Your differences scream ‘adventure’ to her! A lot of Korean women are bored with their repetitive lives. They watch foreign T.V. and are curious about the experience.

This is where you shine! You can present yourself as an escape from her everyday life. This is something where Gyopos can actually shine more. Gyopos (foreign-Koreans) can provide her with the adventure AND make her feel more comfortable. This is because we are all more comfortable with what looks familiar.

A Korean Woman Seeks Acceptance!

There is an abundance of beautiful Korean women. Sadly they don’t pass the ‘standards’ of what Korean men want. Maybe they’re not ‘white’ enough. Maybe they’re not ‘thin’ enough. Perhaps their face isn’t ‘small’ enough.

So what can they do? They know that foreigners have different tastes than the locals. Korean women can land more quality foreign men than they could with a Korean man. It doesn’t mean that Korean men have more quality – it just means that they have a different taste.

This is why you can have a long term relationship with a Korean woman. She can have a much more attractive and quality foreign man than a Korean man.

A Korean Woman Wants Activity!

Sadly most Korean dating resorts around going to restaurants or movies (with their huge camera.) As a foreign man you can introduce her to new foreign experiences!

You can take her salsa dancing! Introduce her to darts and a Western sports bar! If you live in Korea you can bring her to Itaewon in Seoul (most Korean women haven’t had the chance to go.)

Get Started With Approaching Her!

If you want information on how to approach a Korean woman with success then I recommend going my site on dating Korean women. You can discover what it takes to meet and date Korean women anywhere around the world.

It’s All Fun And Games Until Someone Gets Hurt!

So you are an alternative experience but would she want to date you forever? Would you? She understands that as an English teacher you won’t be in Korea forever. You must understand that Korean women have social expectations – and they value those expectations.

That being said if you understand your relationship (or relationships) might not last forever then you’ll have a great time in Korea!

Have fun!

BlueM

dating tips site on meeting and dating korean women!

How well do you know Korea? Come and meet the charms of Korea at Touch Korea! You are warmly invited!

One of the largest and by night the most colorful cities in the world, Seoul is truly an eye-popping experience.  Whether you’re here for a month or three years, never hesitate to seize any chance to take a look around.  The following are 10 popular destinations.

1. Gyeongbok Palace.  Destroyed and reconstructed several times, Seoul’s grandest palace offers English tours (three times daily) for foreigners looking to learn about Korea’s history and architecture while admiring the stunning view.  It’s closed on Tuesdays and not far from the Blue House (the President’s seat).  You probably won’t have much trouble finding it, seeing as it’s at the north end of Sejongro, Seoul’s main thoroughfare.
2. Bukchon Village.  Nearby Gyeongbok and Changdeok Palaces sits this well-preserved village of traditional wooden homes (hanok) featuring small courtyards, beautiful outer walls, and tiled roofs.  Take your time through the neighborhood and admire the art galleries.
3. Eat.  A lot.  Anyone who’s ever had kalbi never forgets it.  The same can be said of doenjang jjigae (stew with bean paste, vegetables and/or meat, and tofu) and bulgogi (literally “fire meat,” marinated barbecued beef, chicken, or pork).  If you’re feeling brave, try the kimchi, although you may want a breath mint on hand.  For a full-course lunch, try heading to Baedongbaji in Samcheong-dong.
4. Shinsegae Department Store.  A stroll through here is a cultural lesson in itself.  A veritable labyrinth of shopping snares like fresh fish, beloved kimchi, and Ferragamo shoes will likely mesmerize you for (gulp) hours.  Prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer variety of goods offered and have a well-earned breath of fresh air on the rooftop.  Find it between the Namdaemun market and the Myeongdong shopping district.
5. War Memorial and Museum.  Sadly the butt end of countless foreign invasions, prepare for a sobering morning by visiting the museum ($3 admission) and learn about its military and cultural history.  Much of its current tensions with nearby neighbors (and those across the Pacific) make a lot of sense after some time spent here.  Head for Samgakji Station via subway line 4, and try to visit the place early in the day to give yourself time to cheer up.
6. Bugaksan.  Seoul is nestled in the mountains, so you might as well climb one.  On this one, you’ll find several trails to take you through reconstructed 15^th century gates along fortress walls.  About 40 years ago, North Korean commandos sent to assassinate the president climbed the very peak but were unsuccessful.  The Seoul Fortress is newly re-opened for touring (although you’ll want to make your reservations at least a week in advance) since its closing over security concerns.  Don’t forget to bring your passport on the trail.
7. N’Seoul Tower.  This 480m high beauty—complete with elevators and a chill lobby—replaced Mt. Namsan’s fortifications.  The area underwent a makeover in 2005 and now looks totally modern.  Take a seat in one of the many cafes and restaurants (try the revolving one) and admire the evening lights.
8. Namdaemun market.  The best place to get the best bargains in town is undoubtedly Namdaemun market.  You’ll find everything from household appliances to food, jewelry to fabrics in a stretch of street-vendor stalls.  Try some of the vendors’ food—mandu gook, a dumpling soup, is a widespread favorite.  Get to the market via subway line 4 to Hoehyeon Station.
9. Cheonggyecheon Stream.  It may not be a babbling brook in the woods, but this manmade waterway is the place to bring your romantic partner, although half of Seoul will be doing the same.  Whisper sweet nothings all the way to the stream, just off Sejongro.
10. Itaewon.  Even if you’re new to Korea, if you’re a foreigner you’ve likely heard of Itaewon’s bars, clubs, and shopping district near the U.S. Army base.  In the basement of the Crown Hotel is one of Itaewon’s most beloved clubs, Club Volume, where you’ll hear some of the world’s most celebrated DJs.  It’s not all late-night entertainment, though; have Sunday brunch at Le Saint Ex, a French wine bar and bistro.

Don’t forget that Seoul is also home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine, and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.  These are worth checking out, too.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and researcher for College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching African American college scholarships as well as college grants by degree level. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

1. They all like kimchi. Not too long ago, I saw an ad in a Korean magazine for a small refrigerator specifically for kimchi.  Since it said “#1 best seller,” I’m guessing it sells a lot.  Still, it’s kind of like saying all Americans love hamburgers, isn’t it?
2. They all know Tae Kwon Do.  I know Tae Kwon Do; I’m Japanese-American.  My half-Korean, half-German friend does judo.  For Koreans and all other Far East Asians stereotyped in this manner, consider responding, “Do you want to find out?”
3. They like golf.  I’m going to let Margaret Cho answer this one.  Regarding the stereotypes that Koreans all like golf: “Well, everybody does but me.  So, there is one Korean person who doesn’t.”
4. They eat dogs.  Yes, many of us have grown up with Fidos and Lassies, but the truth is that so have many Koreans, especially of the newer generations.  When it comes down to it, a dog is an animal like any other that is technically edible and is valued differently in the older Korean culture than in the American one.  Eating a dog in America would be similar to eating a beef steak in India—a huge no-no. Today, while some Koreans eat dogs, it might be safe to say that it’s a minority of the population.  The overall attitude in recent years seems to have gone from “personal choice” to “unnecessary cruelty” (and the issue of sanitation also comes into play).  The dogs that are eaten are supposedly killed by an electric rod rather than being beaten to death, so the issue of cruelty is as debatable as cow slaughter in America.
5. They work too much.  I came across a transcript to a KBC 9.9 podcast between 4 participants who talked about misconceptions of Koreans.  In it, the overall consensus seems to be that while Koreans do hang around the classroom or office long before and after working hours, their time isn’t always spent productively.  Whereas some Koreans consider Americans lazy and inconsiderate for “working” from only 9 to 5, Koreans see themselves as dedicated members of the workplace.  They arrive early so they’re not hurried before a class or meeting, and they stay late in case the boss needs someone to do something.  Meanwhile, many of them can be seen playing with their cell phones or browsing the web.  The issue here is availability and dedication, not always quality of time spent.
6. They’re terrible drivers.  When judged by North American standards, Korean drivers are rude.  Consider this, though: there are 47 million people in a 100,000 square km country.  There’s not a whole lot of space.  Those three inches between your car and the Korean guy who cut you off?  That was nothing.  Moreover, Daniel (on the KBC 9.9 podcast) says that Koreans are taught to drive that way in driving school.  They’re taught to drive “by instinct and that’s what they do when they get on the highway.”  When asked whether the concept of right of way has ever occurred to them, Daniel says that Koreans don’t have it in their culture, and it’s all about who steps on the gas first.  This isn’t rude.  It’s different.
7. They’re rude.  While we’re talking about rude, many non-Koreans complain when they go to the peninsula that nobody apologizes or thanks them for anything.  Let’s remember that 47 million people are crammed into a country the size of Tennessee.  If you apologized to everyone you bumped into or couldn’t hold the door for, you’d never get to the office before noon.  Perhaps Koreans can be found to be less friendly than “Western people” (although this statement, made by Chance on the podcast, is itself iffy, since many Americans find Brits unfriendly, and so forth).  Still, once you get to know a Korean, he or she is a friend like anyone else, yes?
8. Insert misconception here.  See Misconception 10.
9. Insert misconception here.  See Misconception 10.
10. They’re jingoists.  This one is sticky and long-winded, and because it plays into every other stereotype (and why I’m only writing on 8 instead of a clean 10), I’ve listed it last.
    Let me elaborate.  Until now, I didn’t know any Korean stereotypes.  As a Japanese-American, I’ve seen both sides of my heritage screw over Korean heritage pretty badly.  I should be full of ideas for stereotypes, right?  Wrong.  After a two-hour search on Google, I could gather no more than these 8 misconceptions of Koreans.  Here’s why.

In the June 30, 2002 article of the New York Times titled, “Soccer Must Keep The Ball Rolling,” the writer elaborated on a controversial referee call in the match between South Korea and Spain on June 22 in the FIFA World Cup of that year.  “Some fans and national officials see these questionable calls as part of a plot favoring South Korea, a blend of jingoism and paranoia that is quite unbecoming.”

If the writer intended to be subjective, fine, but let’s not pretend he’s calculated Korean history into his judgment that a) there was a plot, and it showed a blend of b) jingoism and c) paranoia that was d) unbecoming.  He might consider them “jingoistic” because he’s not used to a country stomped on for so many centuries utter a cry for unity.

On June 25, a writer of the Associated Press ends the article “Record crowds watch South Korea lose semifinal to Germany” by saying, “The success has been a huge boost in this land of 47 million that has long suffered from an inferiority complex, being squeezed between China and Japan, who often invaded and subjugated the country.”

Korea is often referred to as “the shrimp that gets caught in the middle of whales.”  China and Japan have both chewed on it.  But dear Associated Press writer, let’s not forget that whole Korean War bit.  The Korean Peninsula is the only remaining place in the world that remains divided since the Cold War thanks to the U.S. and Russia, according to Kosuke Takahashi, a journalist born to Japanese parents and raised in Koreatown near Tokyo.

Many people in the western world would dismiss Korean nationalism as jingoism because it’s been a long, long time since North America and England have been stepped upon by an outside empire.  Because Korea is often dismissed as a subjugated nation that influenced no country save its own (a crippling and false accusation), it lacks in resounding stereotypes, at least that a non-Korean and my sometimes-friend Google could find.  Most other “misconceptions” applied to Far East Asians in general, like enjoying rice and not being able to see out of squinty eyes.  If you feel the need to enlighten me, please do so.  I’d welcome a mature response.

Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go College, where recently she’s been researching disability grants as well as comparing student loans. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing, practicing martial arts, and taking weekend trips.

If you’re a teacher of any kind, you’ve probably experienced the sudden and frightening realization that you’ve got empty time to fill and no creative ideas for short activities. This can be especially difficult for ESL teachers because thinking on your feet to educate children who speak a different language is a unique challenge. One of the best ways to stay prepared for those surprising times when your lesson comes up short is to plan ahead and keep teaching tools within reach. If you’re not comfortable with building in activities on the fly, add optional material to the end of your lesson plan just in case. Either way, you can use the following tools to help you keep your students focused and learning for the full duration of the day.

1. Wordless Books
This tool is well-suited to teaching younger ESL students, but if you’re feeling creative, you can make a picture book for older classes using photos from magazines or other sources. You won’t have to worry about making up a story – that’s your students’ job. Whether your wordless book is purchased or handmade, it can be the perfect way to spend extra time once you’ve exhausted your lesson plan. For younger students, have everyone sit in a circle while you hold up the book for them to see and turn the pages, letting your students take turns making up a few sentences for each picture. If you have older students, pass the book around and have each student describe his or her page of the story in a few sentences. By doing this, you can have them explain what the background and characters look like before they continue the plot of the story. This makes for a slightly more advanced degree of vocabulary usage, verb tenses, and creativity.
2. Songs
If you’re musically inclined, keep a list of English songs that your students might like to learn. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare, you can either sing a song that you’ve already taught as review or teach part of a new one. Students often enjoy making music and are happy to participate in this activity. You can also take requests from your students if they know song titles that they’d like to learn, then have students vote on which song they want to learn next.
3. Question Cards
Keep a box of index cards that have simple questions on them and set aside some time each week to write new ones as you teach fresh material to your students. Whenever you find that you need to fill some time, take out a card and have students raise their hands to see who can answer the question correctly first. You can use the material on these cards for test questions or extra credit questions if you re-word them. It’s also a great way to keep track of what your students have learned over a semester, which can help you develop assessments and re-work your lesson plans based on student progress.
4. Monolingual English Dictionaries
If you have the funding, it’s a great idea to buy enough dictionaries for each of your students to keep in the classroom. If not, try keeping one dictionary for every pair of students or as many as you can get. Not only are monolingual English dictionaries excellent teaching tools on their own, but they’re also helpful to students while you teach and in short activities. For example, you can tell students that they’re allowed to look up unfamiliar words that you’ve used in your lesson plan. If you want to turn this into an activity, have students write down words they don’t recognize as you teach. At the end of the lesson, have everyone share their unfamiliar words and try to guess what they mean. Then, encourage students to race each other to see who can find each word in the dictionary first.
5. Newspapers
Having access to English newspapers is a great opportunity for developing short classroom activities for ESL students. If you can easily get enough for each student to have one, you’ll be coming up with creative activities in no time. If not, you can just get one or a few copies for everyone to share. Some examples of newspaper activities are:
• Go to the Sports section and read the first article, then write down five adjectives that describe a star soccer player.
• Skim through the Entertainment section and find two places you would like to visit, then write a short paragraph about why you chose those places.
• Find three new words on the front page, look them up, define them, and then write a short paragraph that uses all three words correctly.

I’ll get straight to the point.

If you’re coming to Korea and want a serious relationship with a Korean woman, think twice!

Contrary to what many clueless people say: dating or getting seriously involved with a Korean woman, isn’t easy at all. In fact it can be downright frustrating no matter how much you love each other!

I’ve been living in South Korea for more than 3 years, going on dozens of dates and then dating many Korean women not because I wanted to, but because of I had no other choice: I’m a foreigner.

I’ll explain.

I’ve read books about the country, am learning the language, and have helped both foreigners and Koreans with their dating lives. These are my conclusions:

Korea has some of the most beautiful and fun women in the world, but if you want to have a serious relationship with them in Korea you need to understand and accept a few things.

You need to understand that dating a foreigner is still seen as taboo here. On top of that, you’re going to have communication barriers beyond just language. Finally, you need to ask yourself how long you plan on living in Korea and if it’s worth it at all!

Dating a foreigner is still taboo!

When it comes to relationships, the only difference between dating in North Korea and South Korea is that both countries have different governments (Not that I’ve tried anything in North Korea! )

In spite of the “integration” that’s been happening in South Korea’s tourism industry, a Korean woman dating a foreign man is frowned upon and a woman’s peers assume that she is unable to find a proper Korean man so she has to settle for a foreigner.

I’m sorry, but that’s how it is in Korea. I told you, this is going to be brutal, but if you plan on coming here, I want you to know what I wish someone had told me. I want you to know just what you’re facing so that you won’t be as disappointed as I have been countless times.

To add to the fire, foreigners are harshly misrepresented in the Korean media, especially English Teachers. The standard viewpoint of English Teachers is that they’re “losers back home” who can’t get a proper job.  Armed with their fake degrees, they’ll come to Korea to make more money than they’re worth in the marketplace, or to spread AIDS with everyone who’s wearing a skirt.

I hate to say it, but foreigners will never be a part of Korean society as we know it: harmonious, functional, “pure”…

Discover the 3 main choices Korean women make!

So what happens? Korean women either:

a/ choose to go overseas and don’t tell their peers about their relationship(s) with foreigners
b/ choose to have a fling (or two) with foreigners just to satisfy a curiosity
c/ choose to go against their peers and thus against Korean society

When my Korean friends go overseas for the first time, I warn them. I tell them that they will not be the same person when they come back.

Like flying fish that jump out of the water for the first time, they will know that there is more to life than the society in which they grew up in (as for anyone leaving their native surroundings for the first time!)

Some of my Korean friends liked travelling so much that they never really came back. Their bodies might be back in Korea, but their minds and imagination is still overseas.

Choice (b) is very common in Korea. Now with an influx of foreign foods, goods, and people, both men and women are “sampling” foreigners to satisfy their curiosity.

This has hurt me the most. Many times I have had women leave our relationship simply because they never saw it as anything serious anyway (Not that there’s anything really wrong with that.)

Korean women are starting to explore their sexuality (which is great news) but they would not consider a serious relationship with a foreigner because of the reasons I talk about here.

For the last choice, Korean women must seriously consider what their peers will think of them. They have to deal with the stares that they’ll be getting on the street, in the subway, when they try to introduce you to their families.  Not to mention the barrage of questions they’ll be getting such as “Is he just another English Teacher?” or “Wasn’t he on T.V. For raping so and so?”

Note: I’m not even speaking for the foreigners who aren’t Westerners. If you’re from developing countries or aren’t white, then get ready to deal with worse than what I’m talking about here!

If you’re in Korea, you’ll have to accept the fact that some old man (adjoshi) might chase you down , yelling obscenities at your girlfriend just because she is with you. Sure, this is rare, but I’ve had it happen and have heard about it happen to too many friends to ignore it.

Just a few months ago, this article came out. Times are changing but are they changing fast enough so that your Korean girlfriend can feel comfortable enough to just walk with you?

Communication issues

Dating someone from another culture is challenging not only because of the ‘language problem’. You also have to understand and accept that the other person has other values and beliefs too! For Korean women, they hold values and beliefs that their society and culture have given them ever since they were little girls.

For one thing, many Korean women have the fears that I’ve talked about earlier.You also need to understand that in general Korean society tends to value:

-  harmony more than justice
-  the group more than the individual
-  conformity more than independence
-  silence more than sound
-  not being seen as wrong more than being right
-  social status more than the person who has it

These differences in values are what frustrates foreigners the most both in sexual and non-sexual relationships. If you plan on coming to Korea and what to date Korean women, you need to understand that in most cases, what they value and seek out of a relationship is different than what you might expect from your home country…radically different!

We’re not even talking about the language barrier yet. So imagine you are attracted to a Korean woman, and she is attracted to you. The fact of the matter is, if you can’t communicate with her then building anything ‘long term’ will be difficult, if not impossible.

Sure, you can get involved, and even have a relationship started, but eventually she and you will want to talk about deeper things and feelings. Not only that, but you will both have different expectations in your relationship.

Foreigners aren’t in Korea forever

Finally, you need to ask yourself one question: Is South Korea a place you plan on settling in or not?
Many foreigners choose to leave after a taste of Korea and that makes locals conclude that foreigners aren’t in Korea for the long term.

Many Korean women don’t want to get emotionally involved with a foreigner because somewhere in their mind, they figure that the foreigner will leave sooner or later.

What about you? Are you planning on making Korea a place to live in? Or are you just passing by? If you’ve just come to Korea, then don’t worry about this question. You’ll have plenty of time during your stay here to ask yourself that.

The reason why I pose this question to you because you have to be honest with both yourself and with the women you’re with. I personally believe that if you’re not planning on staying here for more than a year, then just have fun and enjoy your time here (just don’t lie to the women you’re with! )

Know what you’re dealing with and stay aware!

If you’re like me, and you’re seriously considering getting involved with a Korean woman, then understand the obstacles and roadblocks you’ll facing and start looking for that diamond in the rough!

Sure, my experience is that of a typical guy in his late-twenties living in Seoul. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to be a pessimist. In fact I believe that if you’re willing to accept these facts (with an emphasis on “accept”) you can find ways around it. Many people have and are both in happy relationships and happily married in Korea.

I’m also not saying that there aren’t valid reasons for the circumstances we face. Too many foreigners have been careless and foolish here. Too many Koreans got hurt and they don’t want others to suffer the same fate. That’s why I’ve chosen to share my thoughts with you and prepare you for this wonderful country with it’s own wonders and challenges.

Thanks for reading!

BlueM

It can be tough to relate to students when you have different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, but games are always a good way to break the ice and teach something at the same time. If you can get your students engaged in learning English while communicating to them that you’re interested in learning more about them as well, you’ll enjoy greater success and improve your rapport. The following are some fun games for any level that can help you learn more about each other and English.
Survivor Spelling

Make a list of the week’s vocabulary words, then have students line up along one wall of your classroom. Explain that you’re going to play a spelling game: starting at one end of the line, each student will say one letter of the word until it’s spelled correctly. For example, if you’re trying to spell “apple,” the first student will say “a,” the next will say “p,” and so on. Anyone who says the wrong letter sits down, and the last student standing wins. Once you’re down to a small number of players, students will be taking more than one turn in order to spell an entire word, so elimination will go faster. You can offer a small prize to the winner, such as a sticker or a new pencil.
Pictionary

Write your week’s vocabulary words on some index cards, then have students come up to the front of the room one by one. Show each student one of your “secret” cards and have him or her draw a picture on your blackboard that represents the vocabulary word on the card. You can decide whether or not to set a time limit or award points, but some students respond better to competitive games. For example, if the class can guess the word within 30 seconds, the student who drew the picture gets a point. You can have a “store” once a week where students use their points to “buy” small prizes if you want to make the game more motivational.
Runaway Story
In this game, you and your students review vocabulary words and have a great time making up a crazy story. Before you start, write down the week’s vocabulary words on index cards. Have everyone sit in a circle, then give each student a “secret” card that no one else can see. Start telling a story, and once you have something funny going, choose a student to continue your story with a sentence that uses his or her vocabulary word. Next, have the student choose a classmate to continue the story. After the last student ends the story, have everyone try to list all the vocabulary words in the story. Whoever can write down the most vocabulary words wins a prize.

Catch You Letter
You’ll need a small bean bag or soft ball for this game. Gather your students into a circle, say a word that starts with “a,” then throw the bean bag or ball to a student who has to immediately say a word beginning with “b.” There are lots of ways to vary this game:
• For beginners, write the alphabet on the board as a reference point.
• Time your game and see how long it takes to get from A to Z, then try to go faster.
• Tell more advanced students that their words have to relate to a certain topic (like food, movies, going to school, or doing chores at home). You can skip problem letters like X and Z.

Meet the Relatives

This game will require students to recall short words that they know in order to keep playing and can help with vocabulary retention. You’ll need a list of (innocent) four-letter words that you can use to start the game. For example, choose “RAIN” and write it up on the board. Have the first student go up to the board and write another four-letter word underneath “RAIN” that has only one different letter (for example, “GAIN”). The next student then does the same, but can’t change the same letter (“PAIN” would be wrong in this case, but “GAIT” would work). Now, the next student can change any letter but the last one (the first letter is fair game again). Keep going until your students can’t come up with any more words. If you like, you can award a point to each student for every word they write on the board and have the points count toward a prize later in the week.

Photo: Public Domain

Most of Korean philosophers have taken positions at government, so their philosophy reveals during tenure except Jung, Yak-Yong.

1. Jung, Yak-Yong: Jung is one of pioneer who virtually helped Cho-sun Dynasty civilians. He also wrote the book that covers ethics of officials, which called Mokminsimseo. He also invented Korean crane to build HwaSeong which is now located in Suwon.

2. Maeng, Sa-Sung: As a integrate person, he did not hesitate to scold king’s mistreatment and adulated as standard official.

3. Hwang, Hee: Also acclaimed as integrate prime minister at Cho-sun Dynasty. He set basic infrastructure of Cho-sun Dynasty and also made rule of courtesy among civilians.

4. Lee, Yi: He recommended raising hundred thousand militaries. In philosophy, he strongly claimed the accordance of human behavior and conscience.

5. Lee, Hwang: Asserted that reason and conscience were different but could make harmony.

6. Song, Si-Yeol: He is one of famous student of Lee Yi. He also claimed same as Lee Yi and in addition, he is very good at politics and rule of decorum.

7. You, Seong-Ryong: Although he was student of Lee Hwang, he showed his talent into politics. He followed Lee Hwang’s philosophy by subsidizing his subordinates.

8. Heo, Kyun: Although he died as who died treachery, he first claimed to break the rule of class, except the king. He wrote one of Korea’s famous novel, Hong Gildong. His portraits were all

9. Cho, Gwang Jo: Cho broke old and fabricated decorations to give chance to all the officials. In addition, he assigned many young civilian.

10. Choi, Chi Won: Choi is one of the most famous literary man and politician at Sinla Dynasty. Frustrated by his class that limited chance to expand his career as civilian, he came back to his hometown and taught peasants to cultivate wisely and economically.

Living in Korea is very challenging. Even more so, building a life is even more work, especially a dating life.

Unfortunately, foreigners who come here make big mistakes when it comes to meeting and dating Korean women. In fact, I’ve taken the time to write down what I’ve found to be the biggest mistakes that foreign men make, during years of living in Korea and professionally helping men date Asian women.

#5 Thinking that Korean women are easy
Before I came to Korea, I was very excited because I imagined that Korea was a lot like South East Asia: Just show up and women will be lining up to go on dates with you!

Ahem.

Korea, I soon found out once I arrived here, is on the opposite side of the dating spectrum. In fact, I’ll even say that foreigners have more hurdles to go through in Korea than anywhere else in Asia. This is especially true the darker you are. What can I say? Life’s tough for us (I’m darker skinned as well) but if you really want to find and date the ideal Korean woman for you, it’s definitely possible and we’ll make it happen!

#4 Forgetting that the East and the West are different

It doesn’t take long to figure out that Western women and Korean women look different. What does take an eternity for guys to figure out is that Western and Korean women think, act, and do different!

This is more than just about the women themselves, but also the society and culture in which they’ve grown up in.

Korean women think that the man is responsible for escalating the date into something more. Therefor they won’t necessarily give you any sign, clue, hint, or impression that they want you to escalate the interaction. If they find you not wanting to hold their hand, caress their hair, or even kiss them, they will assume that you are not interested, and will move on.

Another key note is that Korean women love knowing that they have control of the date. This is quite different from Western women who enjoy being on the saddle more and feeling like they are taking control of the interaction. So they will act like they don’t like things more, will throw comments about your choices, BUT ultimately they want you to be in control and are more comfortable with it as well.

Also, Korean culture is quite the land mine. Have you hung out with Korean women? How about co-workers? Do you get the stares? Sometimes. How about those moments when you don’t get the stares?

She’s getting them. Big time.

Now I won’t get into the ‘whys’ or the “it shouldn’t be that way” debates. I will get into how they need to be considered when you’re going out with a Korean woman. For them, being looked at negatively by an adjoshi (which means ‘uncle’ in Korean) who could be her own father with whom she’s probably living with, is painful.

You see, being with a foreigner is still very new and different for her, regardless of whether or not you’re a gyopo or not. You want to calibrate how much hand-holding, touching, and especially kissing when you’re with her.

This is even stronger for when you’re approaching a random woman at the bookstore, or coffee shop or even the subway. You want to assume that she will be shocked and even frightened when you are going up to talk to her. Even more so, you want to expect that she will feel uncomfortable with the situation. Be sure to calibrate how you’re talking to her based off of that, and make sure that she feels comfortable with talking to you first, before you escalate the interaction.

#3 Don’t take advantage of that first impression
Ever wondered why Italians and French were so successful at scoring dates with American or Canadian women? It’s because they take advantage of the first impression.
Have you ever met an Italian man? To other men, they look like a typical guy with dark features, a weird accent, a slightly aggressive vibe, and an edgy look. What do they look like to women? An adventure…
Unfortunately, when I ride the subway, take the bus, hang out in Itaewon I see too many foreigners who look the same! They don’t have a ‘look’ going for them. They look like English teachers who just got off of work and are about to go to a bar. In other words, they look generic. They remind me more of the typical businessman adjosshi than the exciting and mysterious foreigner.
Foreigners are seen as different and exotic., Then how about using that to our advantage? Take a step back and look at how you can separate yourself from the rest of the foreigners out here. How can you make yourself look different than the rest of us?
Think about your hobbies, passions, ethnicity, home country, and find your image that radiates from who you are.
Gyopos! This is even more important for you because otherwise you will just come across as an English-Speaking Korean. The reason why most Gyopos tend to be treated like Koreans who want to be foreigners is because they come across as Koreans who want to be foreigners. You need to make your distinction even stronger.
For example, I’m from Texas, am learning Korean as a hobby, and have lived in the Mediterranean. When I go out, I tend to wear a cowboy hat, a T-shirt with Hangul in it, and leave a rugged look, similar to an Italians’. Do you think that I stand out? You bet! Do women come up to me and start conversations with me? You bet! Am I different from the rest of the pack? You bet!
Show your unique self more aggressively, and allow that to make women and people, curious about who you are and wanting to learn more…

#2 Not wanting to learn about their world
One thing that just gets be cringing is how many foreigners I meet who have lived here for years and know nothing about the culture besides Chuseok and Chinese New Years vacation! Most foreigners here don’t even speak basic Korean! Most foreigners don’t even bother trying!
Think about it. Imagine foreigners coming to your home country and not speaking the language. Not even bothering to! This is a big mistake!

Learning Korean is one of the BEST things you can do for yourself even if you’re only staying here for a month! You see, it’s not that you speak the language that counts, it’s that you’re willing to learn about them and their world. This gets you lots of points when it comes to meeting and dating Korean women. I mean even reading Hangul was designed to be easy! And what a great skill to have when you go back home and share your adventures with your social circle.

#1 Not going out at all!
This is THE biggest mistake I see guys make, and yet it’s the easiest one to deal with. Most foreigners who come here choose to go from work or school to their homes and only go out to go shopping!

Granted, this might be because it’s intimidating to be a foreigner in this country, or they might have kept the habit from their home country.

Whatever the reason, this habit must go! And you don’t have to go to Hongdae, high-priced clubs or massive social events.
You can go to coffee shops, bookstores, parks (during this time of year it’s great), such as Namsan park. Personally, I like coffee shops as Korea has become a coffee-drinking country, which I am happy to see.

Thanks for reading my article and if you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at BlueMystery@PickupAsia.com.

Image by KRWonder.

I like pretty pictures and glossy paper. That’s why I enjoy the expatriate magazines in English in Korea. Most of them are free but some you have to pay for.

Here’s a list and their prospective websites in alphabetical order.

10 Magazine – Probably one of the highest quality magazines out there. You also have to pay for it. Free online after registration.

Eloquence – They don’t seem to have a website, but their quality has stepped up

Groove Magazine – This is your average party magazine with a lots of random information and things to do in Korea. You can read this online.

Seoul Travel and Culture – Also a very high quality magazine. It’s filled with the more cultured side of Korea. You can read this one online.