It's 3:38 AM in the morning, my heart is racing, and I am trembling a little bit from fear. I woke up to the sound of someone pounding on my door and screaming stuff in Korean. It totally shocked me out of sleep. I looked in the intercom and saw the face of some random adjussi, who was clearly intoxicated. I ignored it, hoping he would just leave. He kept ringing to intercom like 5 times, screaming into it. I stood there, not sure what to do, and freaking out a little bit. He kept on trying to force the door open. Thank God for the three locks on the door, there was no way he would be able to get in. I got fed up, and told him in Korean to stop, and move away from my door, why are you acting like a crazy idiot. He kept ringing it so, I pressed the red button on my intercom, not really sure what would happen, but that my neighbor said to press it in an emergency, and this sure seemed like one. The security guard came, and I opened the door, but with the chain so I could just see through, and then the drunk adjussi came around the corner, and was smoking (I felt so much anger in that one moment, I shot him a death glare). He realized his error, and left to find his own apartment. I feel bad for whoever is there to meet his disgustingly drunk self. All dressed in a suit, but a total idiot. I think I am so angry, because he made me feel so afraid inside, and freak out to the point that I even found myself trembling. How dare he cause me to be afraid of living in Korea, and living alone. Ahhh...stupid drunk adjussi, now I cannot fall asleep, and I still have a good 3 hours before I need to get ready for work.
I feel better after writing that out, but I think I will leave the lights on for the rest of the night. I guess this will go in one of my bad experiences in Korea, but it won't keep me down, and I sure as heck won't let someone idiot make me feel fearful.
AJA AJA Fighting!!!
~Lola O.~
I feel better after writing that out, but I think I will leave the lights on for the rest of the night. I guess this will go in one of my bad experiences in Korea, but it won't keep me down, and I sure as heck won't let someone idiot make me feel fearful.
AJA AJA Fighting!!!
~Lola O.~
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Hi Lola, I hope this was a one time only thing for you. But I was just wondering, so the red button didn't do anything or was the other ahjussi the security?
-mud (from dramabeans)
This is one of the dark sides of this culture. IT happens a lot to us out here. You did the right thing. General rule of thumb: Never open your door for anyone..
But it might not happen again as more ppl see you come in and out of the building and know you are there.
Anyways I can imagine the horror.
mud: the other adjussi was the security person, he came when I pressed the red button on my intercom because the guy wouldn't take a hint and leave. I really hope this never happens again, and if I see this adjussi and recongnize him, I will be sure to put him in his place.
I never open my door if I don't recognize who the person is. I just hope this kind of thing never happens again.
You did the right thing - if the security guy hadn't come along, one of the neighbors probably would've said something if the noise had continued. No, there's little reason to open the door to any Korean voice after midnight...
Chris, I lived next door to a pair of newlyweds who fought (yelling, screaming, throwing things, etc.) every night from the time they got home after midnight until they would have to leave early every morning at 5 A.M. for my first month here. Not once did my Korean neighbors become involved until it was too late as the husband had been mortally wounded by his pissed off wife and was gushing blood all over the front of my neighbor's doorway trying in vain to get them to call an ambulance. To this day, I am ashamed that I didn't try and do something more to try and stop it, but I was new to the country and advised not to get involved by my boss and co-workers when I asked them for advice.
Just remember, as a foreigner you don't have the same rights as Koreans here, as I found out the hard way later. Always carrying a camera around with recording capabilities is a good way to try and protect yourself. And while you may be tempted to keep your windows open as the temperatures become more moderate, think about safety first, especially as there have been instances of foreigners being assaulted and robbed in their own apartments.
Wow, I've always heard about things like this but so far nothing like that has happened to me. Good for you, for getting up and investigating despite the jerk. I wonder how he'll feel when he sees you in the hallway or if he even remembers.
Like you said at least you are not the one he is coming home to. I fear for that person.
Yeah, I never expected this to happen to me, even though I had heard of it happening to other people. Hopefully, you won't have to ever deal with it. I haven't seen him, so hopefully we will never meet, and the guy was super drunk so he probably doesn't remember.
About a year after I'd moved in to my previous house, I had four gangsters come to my door looking for the tenant who'd lived there before me. Never ever open the door for people you don't know. I'm just glad I got to the door before halmŏni did.
Always know the way to contact the local police station or the apartment complex ajŏshis or whoever you would need to contact — ahead of time. That's a neat little red button you have there.