Christmas "cheer".... u__u;;

We had our annual work Christmas party this evening. It was supposed to run from 5pm to 9pm, but fortunately my co-worker and I managed to escape at 7.30. Basically we were there to exchange Secret Santa gifts, eat dinner, and then get the hell out before all the drinking shenanigans got ridiculous.

Korean work functions (i.e. ones that happen at night) usually consist of:

1. awkward moments where you're forced to make polite conversation with people that you may not be particularly fond of,

2. much ass-kissing and sucking up to the boss, and..

3. drinking. Because your boss tells you to.

In Korea, it's common for co-workers and their managers or bosses to go out together after work to have drinks (which usually means consuming soju until you're passed out drunk on the side of the road). I never used to think much about this Korean "drinking culture" until recently, when I realised that it's kind of ridiculous. People basically drink because of peer pressure, or wanting to suck up to their boss. If you don't drink with your co-workers, then you risk being ostracized. If the boss tells you to drink and you don't, then you stand to be misinterpreted as rude or not a team player.. even if it's only because you just generally don't like drinking, or can't handle alcohol well.

As an example.. One of the Korean teachers at the party actually admitted to us that she can't drink alcohol (how rare!), but finally gave in to peer pressure when all the other Koreans swarmed around her and started insisting that she chug down a glass in one shot. u__u

We are all adults.. Sure, go ahead and drink if you want to. But standing around like first year college students, chanting names, and booing people if they don't drink is really immature. Why should someone have to do it if they can't, or don't want to?

Below is a short video of some of the fun-diddly-un that took place before we left. Perhaps you can spot our bosses. Note all the pretentious smiles and obligatory, forced laughter at their "funny" annecdotes... as though people actually enjoy giving up their Saturday evenings to be in their presence.




I just feel sorry for the two children.. Unlike us, they weren't able to escape early. Poor kids. .__.;;