The Rise of the Gyopos
Shelton Lee Bumgarner
Ahssa! Editor
Very interesting.
It appears as though there may be a growing trend on the part of hagwon
directors to hire gyopos (Koreans born outside of Korea).
Their thinking is this: "We know Koreans are hard working by nature and
expats are often lazy or crazy or both, so why not get the best of both
worlds and hire a gyopo?"
While I will be the first to admit that I have something of a vested
interest in this matter (if that thinking becomes conventional wisdom
among hagwon directors I'm out of a job), I believe I can honestly note
some flaws in this thinking without sounding too knee-jerk
scared-for-my-job.
The key is -- gyopos are only Korean by blood. In their noggin they're
Canadian or American or whatever. One of the teachers at my school had
a horrible experience with a gyopo boyfriend and you could tell she was
still in shock, that she had yet to gain any closure on the subject. He
treated her poorly and generally was an asshole, as I understand it. He
rang up a $200 bar tab on a date and demanded she pay for it with
little notice.
But that's just one instance, and I hate Newsweek-esque anecdotal
journalism as much as the next person.
The key thing I don't know yet -- am only now noticing that gyopos
exist or there actually more in Korea than before? And why? Is it money
or some sort of increased awareness of their Korean-ness of late?
I've heard rumblings that there is the belief that non-Korean wayguks
have some built-in hostility towards gyopos. I don't have any, but, as
I said, I am moderately concerned that I won't be able to find a job in
the future becuase hagwon directors will stop looking for cute wayguks
and start looking for "a gyopo."
Will all us wayguks lose our jobs to a sudden influx of gyopos? That's
how Korea works -- there is a sudden shift, a "tipping point," and
before you know everyone starts talking about, "Yeah, until X about X
years ago, X was true. It's only been Y for about 18 months, but it
just seems like it's been that way for ever."
# posted by Lee Teacher @ 9:46 AM :: 14 comments:
Shelton can you cite examples of this great shift towards hiring
gyopos? I don't really understand why you might feel threatened? Most
of the jobs I see posted out there still cite, "Native Speaker Wanted",
which does not mean "Gyopo" in the minds of the recruiter. As for
hiring gyopos, yes some recruiters and some hagwans specifically look
for gyopos as that's the request made by the end-customer. At least,
that's the response I get from the recruiter in terms of why they
blantantly tell me that they aren't interested in hiring gyopos.
There is this one instance for example where a recruiter had me come in
to interview me in person after a phone interview...in which I was
greeted with a big sigh and a, "Oh, you're not white at the front
door".
As for your analogy...that is very lame. Why try to transpose the
actions of one asshole onto a whole group of people? For every example
of that one asshole gyopo, I could cite 10 examples of non-ethnic
Koreans doing similar things.
The shift in native-English speaking gyopos coming to Korea is probably
more due to the fact that all the bulk of the 2nd-generation
Korean-Canadians/Korean-Americans are at an age where they finished
university (or still attending) and are coming to Korea to discover
their roots.
I realize you're just trying to report as you see it...but, let's pose
a few more questions before you start pointing fingers.
Do you really think that this sudden wave of English speaking gyopos
that you are referring to, who a good chunk of speak workable Korean
and understand the Korean culture slightly better being raised in a
Korean-Canadian/Korean-American household, will deter the bulk of
Koreans from wanting to learn English from a native-English speaker who
looks like a native-English speaker rather than another Korean? I think
not...
The thing you have to understand is that I use Ahssa! to write down my
thoughts on an issue and to try to understand things.
It's part of the process by which I eventually make up my mind on an
issue.
And I note that not only do I have only one negative instance of gyopo
behavior, but that I have a lot of unanswered questions about gyopos to
better understand what the heck is going on.
Because of my mindset when writing Ahssa!, that's why I'm probably
going to create my own Marmot Hole-like blog in the coming days.
At this new blog, I'll be writing much more straight-forward
journalism, even though I will continue to aspire to be just as snarky
as the Gawker Media sites that I love so much.
you're a honky loser!!!
go back to where you came from
Honky?
That is so 1970ish it's not even funny.
Settle down, guys.
I meant no harm.
And you should really work on your racial insults. grin.
Jun-ang. I can't believe you come here to post your slanted Kyopo views
when your blog prohibits others from freely posting their views on the
subject. I have tried to explain the ESL market and how it relates to
kyopos and all you did was hurl childish insults and ban me.
The gyopos I've met here are players. Many 'discover' their roots by
registering for language programs and then make good money while
goofing off. Kyopos that finished university are here to pay off
outstanding school debts, access the Korean education system, wife hunt
or just make money NOT on some holy pilgrimage. They are here for the
same reasons as white folks. Kyopos kids can study Korean language
through any Korean Community heritage progaram on Saturdays back home
for free. If they aren't reasonably fluent by their mid-twenties they
simply didn't try or care. The Korean language programs I attended back
home showed how truly uninterested in Korean heritage many second
generation kyopos really are.
Kyopos get some of the ESL jobs because they will accept less pay.
Hakwon owners hire them because they don't want to eat the cost of
housing/benefits/airfare and other hassles that go with hiring a
foreigner. In a sense kyopos are scabs as they drive down pay and
benefit standards that would normally draw other qualified foreigners.
Not all kyopos are native speakers. The term kyopos does not denote
native speaking ability. It only means they are foreign born thus their
market value is lower. I've met kyopos here who were as fluent as the
white boy next door and I've met kyopos who spoke poor English. As I've
stated I have taught privates to kyopo kids here in Korea. Kyopo does
not equal native speaker. Also many Korean parents want their kids to
be exposed to different races.
The ESL teacher market is supply and demand oriented like any industry.
Kyopos are a dime a dozen here and foreigners are less common. Relative
to other countries in NEA Korea can be a miserable place to live and
fails to attract high end teachers. As long as Korea doesn't offer a
comfortable lifestyle and competitive wages Korea will have to settle
for whoever will teach here. Kyopos find Korea easier to endure as they
often have relatives living here for support, have language ability,
and don't suffer the effects of culture shock. ESL teachers that would
have normally gone to Korea are now heading to Taiwan and even China as
wages there are gradually increasing
Kyopos won't dominate the ESL market in Korea because a lot of native
Koreans simply don't like them.
you're a loser
and your girlfriend's ugly
you think you're so cultured becuz you're a white boy who can use
chopsticks....
you're just another bozo who can't find work in your country, though
it's rigged in your favor...
If that's the best rebuttal the kyopos can muster it's no wonder they
can't land a good job in their own motherland!!
What kind of pathetic germ takes cheap shots at a guy's girlfriend?
Shelton, how many kyopo did you talk to in depth about this before you
wrote this post?
Oh, and lay off the guy's girlfriend.
face it, you're jealous of the gyopos. it bleeds right through your
post...
i'm sorry to say, but the truth is...gyopos generally come from better
schools and have the capability of "adapting" better to the korean
environment. that's why they get the jobs.
most have 1st generation parents so they are accustomed to the behavior
most white foreigners would quickly dismiss as "irrational".
i suggest you go out and meet some gyopos before writing next time.
you're writing from thet typical ignorant and wreckless manner most
foreign english teachers take.
I'm a gyopo. I speak better English than 99.9% of Americans. Reason? I
lived in the states all my life and studied my ass off like a typical
asian student and perfected the language (along with everything else).
I can probably crush you in any form of grammar or pronunciation exam.
Most foreigners in Korea don't know how good they "HAD" it. Too bad,
the koreans are starting to wise up and seek more qualified applicants
to teach their children. They don't want no community college dropout
from Canada or New Zealand anymore.