컬쳐쇼크 Korean Culture Shock!! "Teacher is fat today"

I'm gonna go on a limb and say almost everyone thinks they are fat in Korea. Even my 54kg teeny tiny students say they need to go on a diet for losing weight... it's insane. When I tell them they are not fat at all, they just go "NOOO" and point at the place where belly fat would be if they had any.

So, in this video I share a bit about my experiences about being not extremely skinny in Korea. I have a healthy body image, so please don't worry if some of the things I say sound like I think I'm fat. I don't think I'm fat, at all.

Female Korean friends of mine (the close ones) will often comment "You lost weight" or "You gained weight" upon first seeing each other after a while. It almost seems like it might be out of concern for each others' health, but I'm not totally sure. Maybe women hear these words from their mothers, and are just passing on to me what they're been taught. I really don't know... but I do know that I always make a mental bet with myself that she will certainly say I've gained weight or lost weight.

YAY for making bets with yourself.

And YAY for watching my video, subscribing for more madness in Korea, and feather earrings!

this is a response video to DURKEE's video: http://www.youtube.com/user/durkeeinkorea

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• korean
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• english
• expat
• kerri
• teacher
• fat
• skinny
• lose
• weight
• gain
• overweight
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• stress
• confusion
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[thomastran64]

I love that song! JYJ! Why are they playing it so loud?

[expatkerri]

@thomastran64 usually after the final afternoon class they play some music around 5 before they make the end-of-day announcements :)

[Taliana]

Living in Korea gave me a lot of selfconfidence for various things, but when it came to body image definitely messed with my mind. I was losing weight anyway so I never got the "Oh you gained weight!" comments, but I did have friends who would poke at my fatties, people commenting I should go on a diet, and old people (men and women alike) staring at my boobs. By the time our year abroad ended, my body image was pretty much shot. Now in the UK Im surrounded by ppl bigger than me & feel betterㅋㅋ

[expatkerri]

@Taliana ~ i can relate to that poking comment :) hehe, thanks for watching.

[youngk9lover]

Okay, I am adding one more.

(3) Please don't get me wrong. I am not trying to be biased to any side. Just stating things as they are.

So in terms of appearance, I am also a common object to be mentioned or asked by many of my Korean people. Why? I have my head shaved, I mean completely shaved, which is very uncommon and has a negative image in Korean cultural society. I might have more troubles finding a rent or something than foreigners with shaved heads in Korea. Isn't it funny or sad?

[expatkerri]

@youngk9lover ~ i think you wouldn't have too much trouble getting a job with a shaved head. i've worked with two men with shaved heads here in korea over my three years here.

[theramenninja]

2 seconds into the video ~ AUGH JYJ XD ~~~~!!!!

[indira8792]

lol "student, juggole?"

[sir34sky]

iv always been told im too fat though.... and i live in australia!

[meggssknighhtt]

I usually put more weight on if I go on a trip because I eat tons!

[PiroMunkie]

But ... but I don't gain weight. I can't. I've tried. :[

I wanna be poked.

[epicWINlol]

hhahahaha I'm REALLY sorry, but I couldn't think of anything other than JYJ.

[kjh4him]

@expatkerri I'm a Korean born American and I completely see what you mean... but I also see the opposite... we american are very 'fat' conscious. so any comment about our belly or our image is a 'no no'... but in Korea, I'm not sure if someone explained 'jung' to you... but those poking gestures and talk is a way of saying they are looking out for you. They are concerned about your health and image in a good way (even though they might be laughing).

[partygirl1508]

Here in California i see a lot of girls commenting on their weight n all n i do it myself but to my friends not to people i don't know cuz then it would probably be an uncomfortable topic hahahaha