Foreigners in Busan busted for "anti-Korean" performance.

[Brian]

9 foreigners in Busan were booked and have been asked to leave South Korea after putting on a play that criticized some aspects of Korean society, such as eating dog meat, the fear of the number 4, and the competency of Korean immigration.  Ostensibly they were questioned by police because the performance violated the terms of their visas, as they charged 7,000 won a ticket.  However, some connected with the play suspect they were targetted because of the skit's content. 

During the actual sketch show, a police woman attended the second (of only two) performances on Saturday night. She sat through the whole show and said nothing. Aren’t police supposed to stop crimes if they see them being committed? Shouldn’t she have shut down the performance and acted immediately? At the very least you would think she would have asked the organizers to see their ‘performance permit’, but she remained silent. My opinion is that she wanted to see the content first. Oh, how do I know a policewoman attended the show? She was one of the interrogating officers who interviewed a cast member who actually had spoken to her the night of the show. She was sitting in the front row and afterward he went up to her and asked if she liked it. Did she then identify herself as a policewoman? No. She said she found the show offensive and that was it.

News and discussion on The Marmot's Hole: http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/12/15/foreigners-in-busan-busted-for-anti-korean-performance/#comments

News from Pusanweb: http://pusanweb.com/node/158

Commentary from show's producer: http://tharp42.livejournal.com/

Discussion on Dave's ESL Cafe: http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=73547

[Arsalan]

I think people are often offended when their negative traits are brought up to them, they don't want to hear it as it hurts their pride.

Unfortunately, I don't see police officers closing down the blowjob parlors that are around every damned corner.  Isn't that offensive to them?  The truth is that the state of things here is much like a massive blowjob parlor, where each underling caters to the wants of someone above them, without question and little or no room for honor, awareness, discernment, and understanding.

[AlexMokpo]

Yeah well, what do you expect?  It's Korea.  I find that I'm treated as a sub-human living here...for multiple reasons... 
1) I'm younger (5 whole years younger than any other teacher at my school, no less)
2) I'm not local
3) I don't eat Kimchi, and don't hide the fact that I hate it

My co-teachers are real great people, and so are the youngsters.  Personally, it's the Ajummas that I can't stand.  ANd the old men.  They're the a**holes who act like they're top-sh*t and give me dirty looks.

[Arsalan]

I understand.  My co-teachers, both in the highschool and middle school are really nice and great to work with.  It's the old, soju guzzling, egomaniacal principles that get on my nerves.  They seem to have no grasp of the idea that someone could disagree with them.

The last time I spoke to the principle, he had a mean look on his face, as though he really disliked me for my unwillingness to comply.  I couldn't help laughing, and then wishing him happy holidays.  He's an old army grunt.