Staring contest
There are two things with regards to social interaction that unnerve me here.
Situation 1
INT. SEOUL SUBWAY TRAIN -- ANYTIME
REBECCA sits in the subway car, listening to her iPod or reading a magazine, minding her own business.
Across the train sits ANONYMOUS KOREAN, a middle-aged Seoulite.
ANONYMOUS KOREAN stares at REBECCA.
REBECCA makes eye contact, smiles to acknowledge their interest.
ANONYMOUS KOREAN does not respond.
*People may continue staring or look away but they never acknowledge me, even though 'they started it!' This can be partially explained by Situation 2 but it is still really shocking to me. I don't mind the staring but I do mind the fact that they won't respond when I make eye contact. The only exception is children. Often if they are staring I will smile and wink at them. They seem to like it!
Situation 2
INT. SEOUL -- BK HOUSE ELEVATOR -- ANYTIME
REBECCA enters elevator.
FELLOW RESIDENT is already in the small, confined space.
REBECCA
(smiles & makes eye contact as she enters)
The elevator begins to make the arduous journey to the seventh floor.
REBECCA
Hello.
FELLOW RESIDENT
(stares ahead and makes no response)
*It surprised me that acknowledging another person is NOT done here. When I asked my students about it they were shocked that I would even consider talking to someone that I did not know. I tried to explain to them the importance of acknowledging other people in Western culture. My Korean friends who have studied abroad remarked about how uncomfortable this Western social practice made them at first. I tried to explain to them how lonely and invisible the inverse practice makes me feel.
Situation 1
INT. SEOUL SUBWAY TRAIN -- ANYTIME
REBECCA sits in the subway car, listening to her iPod or reading a magazine, minding her own business.
Across the train sits ANONYMOUS KOREAN, a middle-aged Seoulite.
ANONYMOUS KOREAN stares at REBECCA.
REBECCA makes eye contact, smiles to acknowledge their interest.
ANONYMOUS KOREAN does not respond.
*People may continue staring or look away but they never acknowledge me, even though 'they started it!' This can be partially explained by Situation 2 but it is still really shocking to me. I don't mind the staring but I do mind the fact that they won't respond when I make eye contact. The only exception is children. Often if they are staring I will smile and wink at them. They seem to like it!
Situation 2
INT. SEOUL -- BK HOUSE ELEVATOR -- ANYTIME
REBECCA enters elevator.
FELLOW RESIDENT is already in the small, confined space.
REBECCA
(smiles & makes eye contact as she enters)
The elevator begins to make the arduous journey to the seventh floor.
REBECCA
Hello.
FELLOW RESIDENT
(stares ahead and makes no response)
*It surprised me that acknowledging another person is NOT done here. When I asked my students about it they were shocked that I would even consider talking to someone that I did not know. I tried to explain to them the importance of acknowledging other people in Western culture. My Korean friends who have studied abroad remarked about how uncomfortable this Western social practice made them at first. I tried to explain to them how lonely and invisible the inverse practice makes me feel.