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To: Joe 6-pack
The photo request was common in Japan as well. If you sought work though an agency, the photo was a requirement. Most companies also required them, but a few didn't as it was considered a rather archaic requirement by some who wanted a modern image.

Another weird and archaic thing is that many of them wanted your resume handwritten, particularly in Japanese. It gave them not only an idea of your skill level in their national language, but also (supposedly) your personality.

When I lived in Japan (1988-2002) and traveled to Korea on business, I'd say Korea was probably ten years behind Japan socially at first, but less than half that when I left.

Very funny thing about the Oriental mind. Many think they can see into your personality by looking at your photo. But it is the height of rudeness to make fixed eye contact. The Japanese even have a saying about the eyes being the window of the soul. But you learn quickly NOT to look people in the eye.

I spent some time on temporary assignment in Korea and my co-workers there tried to convince me to stay by saying I could become fluent in Korean within a few months because it was so similar to Japanese. There is more similarities between the two societies than either side cares to admit. And not just the languages and unwritten rules about eye contact.

27 posted on 09/06/2012 1:53:59 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Vigilanteman
I spent three years in Korea from '95 - '98 and concur. At that time folks my age (Gen X) and older, tended to be very anti-nork, and had no love for Japan. Those right behind us seemed to be embracing a lot of Japanese culture, music and tech. The tamagotchi was released about that time frame and you couldn't spit without hitting somebody with one. When I left the US in '95 cell phones were still something of a luxury and status symbol; when I landed in the ROK, every teenagere had one.
30 posted on 09/06/2012 2:00:44 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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