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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I've heard (actually from people on this forum like tiger beer and danielsa) as well as elsewhere on the net and on youtube that the majority of couples in Korea are between foreign men and Korean women. That Korean men seldom date foreign women. I've heard different explanations, including that Korean men tend to be conservative and prefer to date their own (but the women aren't??), to the large US military presence to the persistent idea that a lot of white women in particular still won't date Asian men.
But, I've also heard it's commoner in Japan so perhaps the first explanation might hold more water. I mean, K-pop is popular and I've met girls from all over the world who have said they find Korean men attractive. Korean men in other countries also seem to have more pretty good success with women. So could it also be the different ex-pat demographics in each country? Like fewer people in Korea wanting to go there for the experience or to teach English vs Japan.
What about other Asian nations where ex-pats might go, like China. Is China more like Korea or Japan?
Obviously Thailand, Phils.etc are a totally different kettle of fish.
I'm in Japan now, and see all kinds of foreign female / japanese men combinations. Quite common here. I think Japanese guys are just very pleasant to be around.
In Korea, I knew many western females who were attracted to Korean males, but it never seemed to work out. I can only think of only one marriage, and after two kids, they were divorced. I think partly it's because Korean men have some very rigid expecations of a wife/girlfriend, that just doesn't sit well with western females.
Ideas that the Korean male can do whatever he wants, the female stays home and takes on a mother role to the husband. Also within the dating process, the Korean male goes out drinking with friends regularly, than does what would be the western equivalent of a 'booty call' at 3am or 4am. All kinds of things that Korean women tolerate, that doesn't sit well with western women.
Another is pressure from the parents. The oldest male is suppose to take care of the parents into old age. This basically means that his wife must take care of the parents well into old age. This is another thing that doesn't set well with western women.
This is all just speculation based on years of obversation. If we were to meet a western female who'd also lived in Korea for a long time, it would be interesting to hear their observation. Actually, they are quite rare. I can't recall meeting many western women in Korea. The ones I did know, usually moved on, and are in completely different countries now.
For whatever reason, western female / japanese male seems to routinely work though. I think it's due to the passive nature of Japanese men, perhaps. They are just much less rigid as Koreans. Koreans can be very overbearing and overwhelming at times about all things always being done 100% Korean.
I've also known southeast asian women married to japanese males and korean males in both countries. In Japan, they seem to give and take more. When in Korea, the filipina wife had to almost 100% become Korean, cooking only Korean food 100% of the time, etc. Korean men were just more rigid and inflexible in regularly high numbers.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,034,272 times
Reputation: 11862
Oh yeah I didn't think of those things, but that makes sense. Japanese males traditionally also seem chauvinistic but I think less so than Koreans and they've probably changed more. I remember a documentary about a Korean man married to a Finnish woman living in Korea but I can't seem to find it.
Your comment on the Korean wife cooking Korean food all the time. Someone said that when Koreans move to a place they quickly open a ton of grocery stores/restaurants.etc because they much prefer eating their own cuisine. It seems that there's been an explosion of Korean businesses, restaurants.etc here over the past 10 years, catering largely to the student/working holiday population, since not many Korean people actually live here.
A lot of Japanese people in general also seem to be more enamoured with Westerners. I think in Korea, the men probably think they've got it made - then again, they seem to work like demons so maybe not, whereas Korean women might, dare I say, feel a little oppressed?
I've heard (actually from people on this forum like tiger beer and danielsa) as well as elsewhere on the net and on youtube that the majority of couples in Korea are between foreign men and Korean women. That Korean men seldom date foreign women. I've heard different explanations, including that Korean men tend to be conservative and prefer to date their own (but the women aren't??), to the large US military presence to the persistent idea that a lot of white women in particular still won't date Asian men.
But, I've also heard it's commoner in Japan so perhaps the first explanation might hold more water. I mean, K-pop is popular and I've met girls from all over the world who have said they find Korean men attractive. Korean men in other countries also seem to have more pretty good success with women. So could it also be the different ex-pat demographics in each country? Like fewer people in Korea wanting to go there for the experience or to teach English vs Japan.
What about other Asian nations where ex-pats might go, like China. Is China more like Korea or Japan?
Obviously Thailand, Phils.etc are a totally different kettle of fish.
That's not quite entirely true mate.
It certainly would be quite rare to see multiracial couples, where you have a Korean man walking around Seoul or any other city with a white or black etc girl in tow.
It is however quite common for Korean men to "Import" (I hate that word, but can't think of a better term) brides from poorer Asian countries such as Vietnam or the poorer parts of china etc. This is especially the case among the young men who still live on and work in farming communities. Korean girls are mostly not interested in that sort of life, and having being out there and done it for a few days i can see why.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,034,272 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by danielsa1775
That's not quite entirely true mate.
It certainly would be quite rare to see multiracial couples, where you have a Korean man walking around Seoul or any other city with a white or black etc girl in tow.
It is however quite common for Korean men to "Import" (I hate that word, but can't think of anything better) brides from poorer Asian countries such as Vietnam or the poorer parts of china etc. This is especially the case among the young men who still live on and work in farming communities. Korean girls are mostly not interested in that sort of life, and having being out there and done it for a few days i can see why.
True. I guess these Asian brides are more culturally similar to Koreans as well, few Western women would be willing to subject themselves to what TB was talking about above.
That's one of the problems with urbanisation too, less people to work the farms. People still need people to grow food.
In Korea, I knew many western females who were attracted to Korean males, but it never seemed to work out. I can only think of only one marriage, and after two kids, they were divorced. I think partly it's because Korean men have some very rigid expecations of a wife/girlfriend, that just doesn't sit well with western females.
.
I've come across some horror stories from Western women college students in Japan. I think most of what you wrote about Korean men applies to Japanese men, generally speaking, and I'm sure there are exceptions.
Doesn't Korea get along pretty well with the US bases there? US servicemen are NOT well thought-of in Japan, due to various scandals. Maybe that's one reason there's not as much of a Western male/local female pairing in Japan?
What about Taiwan? How does all this compare with Taiwan? Just wondering.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,034,272 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
I've come across some horror stories from Western women college students in Japan. I think most of what you wrote about Korean men applies to Japanese men, generally speaking, and I'm sure there are exceptions.
Doesn't Korea get along pretty well with the US bases there? US servicemen are NOT well thought-of in Japan, due to various scandals. Maybe that's one reason there's not as much of a Western male/local female pairing in Japan?
What about Taiwan? How does all this compare with Taiwan? Just wondering.
Well I didn't see many westerners in Taiwan at all, and most were probably tourists/business-people rather than ex-pats, although I did meet one lady on the train who was teaching English there. I didn't see any mixed couples there at all.
I've come across some horror stories from Western women college students in Japan. I think most of what you wrote about Korean men applies to Japanese men, generally speaking, and I'm sure there are exceptions.
Doesn't Korea get along pretty well with the US bases there? US servicemen are NOT well thought-of in Japan, due to various scandals. Maybe that's one reason there's not as much of a Western male/local female pairing in Japan?
What about Taiwan? How does all this compare with Taiwan? Just wondering.
Without getting into the politics of if, my general opinion is that from a social perspective, most Koreans view US servicemen the same way the Japanese do.
Itaewon (the district most known as a Hang Out for US Servicemen) is one of the very few districts of Seoul I have never being too.
Without getting into the politics of if, my general opinion is that from a social perspective, most Koreans view US servicemen the same way the Japanese do.
Itaewon (the district most known as a Hang Out for US Servicemen) is one of the very few districts of Seoul I have never being too.
Thanks for the response. I was wondering what the political view toward the American bases generally was.
I'm in Japan now, and see all kinds of foreign female / japanese men combinations. Quite common here. I think Japanese guys are just very pleasant to be around.
In Korea, I knew many western females who were attracted to Korean males, but it never seemed to work out. I can only think of only one marriage, and after two kids, they were divorced. I think partly it's because Korean men have some very rigid expecations of a wife/girlfriend, that just doesn't sit well with western females.
Ideas that the Korean male can do whatever he wants, the female stays home and takes on a mother role to the husband. Also within the dating process, the Korean male goes out drinking with friends regularly, than does what would be the western equivalent of a 'booty call' at 3am or 4am. All kinds of things that Korean women tolerate, that doesn't sit well with western women.
Another is pressure from the parents. The oldest male is suppose to take care of the parents into old age. This basically means that his wife must take care of the parents well into old age. This is another thing that doesn't set well with western women.
This is all just speculation based on years of obversation. If we were to meet a western female who'd also lived in Korea for a long time, it would be interesting to hear their observation. Actually, they are quite rare. I can't recall meeting many western women in Korea. The ones I did know, usually moved on, and are in completely different countries now.
For whatever reason, western female / japanese male seems to routinely work though. I think it's due to the passive nature of Japanese men, perhaps. They are just much less rigid as Koreans. Koreans can be very overbearing and overwhelming at times about all things always being done 100% Korean.
I've also known southeast asian women married to japanese males and korean males in both countries. In Japan, they seem to give and take more. When in Korea, the filipina wife had to almost 100% become Korean, cooking only Korean food 100% of the time, etc. Korean men were just more rigid and inflexible in regularly high numbers.
I think its because koreans are more culture driven
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