Sex and Foreigners

Here's his take on the English spectrum/Ask the Playboy "scandal" (check out Marmot for the full story)

I commented on this post (scroll down, look for the "scott" comments), particularly to how he tries to pin this scandal on America's "colonial view" of South Korea. His response stayed in true Benny form.

As for my take on this whole issue, for which I'm sure you have all been breathlessly waiting, here are some thoughts:

1. Playa Hataz

These "teachers" are lame. You want to be playboys? Fine, do it until your dicks fall off, but just keep it to yourself. To celebrate your conquests publically is just asking for it. You know how most Korean men feel about this and you had to know that sooner or later it would become known. It was dumb, and now you've jeopardized the safety of the girls in the pictures. Feeling good about yourself?

2. Throw another log on the fire

They've also added more fuel to the anti-foreigner fire that burns through a segment of Korean society. Life will be a little harder for all of us, particularly those in the education industry. I don't expect this to come anywhere near what happened in 2002, but it will have a noticable effect nonetheless. Any time we are out with a Korean female, be it a girlfriend, wife, co-worker or just a friend, we'll at least get more nasty looks and overhear more insults, the worst of which being directed at the woman who will automatically be regarded as a traitorous whore.

It's been 2 years since the 2002 protests, so perhaps we were overdue for some "kill round-eye" festivities anyway.

This is "빠알류치(Calpis)," who seems to be the person who started the "Anti-English Spectrum" website for the noble purpose of saving all the Korean women. I think it is safe to say that he is not, nor will ever be a playboy. Nor is he likely to be a person who has come even close to degrading (or even touching!) a Korean woman, or any woman for that matter.

For the record, I would like to add my support to his lofty cause to drive out the foreigners who degrade Korean women. I hope he doesn't stop there, but broadens the campaign to drive out ALL men, not just foreigners, who degrade Korean women. It would do wonders for the overcrowding problem in Korea and it would sure make my morning commute a lot more peaceful. 

3. The Girls Are Alright

As I noted on the Dog Stew site, as reprehensible as these supposed "teachers" are, they are not doing anything that the Korean girls are not allowing them to do. This is obviously the toughest thing for Korean males to swallow on this issue (and looking over the discussion boards, it still looks to be a 99% male response to this thus far), but that's the way it is.

A part of that might be the way that Korean men treat (or don't treat) them, but I think most of it is just curiousity and attraction to the exotic that most people of all countries have. Being a foreigner in the States from the right country certainly raises ones' stock with the opposite sex. The episode of the Brit who went looking for (and finding lots of) love in the States in the movie "Love Actually" may have been a slight exaggeration, but it is true that anyone a little different from the ordinary gets more attention. 

Also, the attention caucasian males get from Korean females is not anything more than what caucasian females get from Korean men. It's well known that Russian prostitutes make top dollar here ("ride the white horse," as they say). Korean men on "business trips" to the SE Asian countries often act in ways that make the supposed "sex party" from these ESL teachers look like a church picnic. They do it if and when they can and not much is really done about it. Why the double-standard?

So anyone who automatically brands these girls as "sluts" needs a good  kick square in his hypocritical nutsack. They are just curious and perhaps a little foolish, just like everyone else was when they were young (or even the older ones). They don't deserve any of the shit they are getting.

4. Will the Blogs be next?

I wouldn't be surprised if more attention was paid to blogs in Korea as well by the more xenophobic portion of the netizens looking for a hate-fix. We are certainly a more well-behaved and gentlemanly lot (ahem...), but it wouldn't be that hard to find something to distort and amplify.

In short, massive hits may be coming soon!