To Waeguk

way-guk

-verb

1. to assert one’s influence via physical size and strength, feigned ignorance of cultural norms, or any other advantage one can glean as a foreigner.

Origin:

2000-2010, Konglish

-Related Words and Synonyms:

-to guk

-waegukin

-to BFI(Brute Force and Ignorance)

-gaijin smash(Japan only)

Waegukin is a commonly used word among foreigners in Korea. We use it to describe ourselves despite the fact that we do not always like it when Koreans use it to describe us. There is not another word that encompasses our situation any better. Foreigner is too broad and unspecific and using a nationality is too specific since there are English teachers from so many different countries. The word gets thrown around a lot and its versatility has led to some interesting variations. My favorite is using it as a verb: to waeguk. I heard it used as a verb for the first time quite recently so I thought it would be fun to write up the definition as I see it.

To waeguk can be used in a variety of situations that can be quite different from one another. The first use concerns physical size and strength. Think of this by picturing a big, happy, Black Labradore in a room full of fine furniture with expensive lamps. It makes you cringe, but you cannot fault the Lab. Just look at him, he doesn’t know any better… It feels like sometimes I get a wide berth because I am a very tall waegukin. At this point, I don’t really mind taking advantage of it.

Feigned cultural ignorance is a personal favorite of my friend. His signature move was at Beer Hofs. These places usually make you order food along with beer. This is not a problem for Koreans since they always eat something while they drink. Americans, however, cannot stand it. I spent a very long week herding around class after class of little semi-lingual monsters. I don’t want any french fries or fruit platters slowing down my self-medication. My buddy and I know the run-down and we know enough Korean to understand “You must order food, too”, but he would just smile and nod and say ‘Mekju du-byeong juseyo’(two beers, please). Then it becomes a battle of wills. The waiter always loses.

Another common situation is at the bank. Banks have these ticket machines like you see at a deli counter. You take your ticket and wait for your number to be called, right? Not if you are a waygukin. You walk in, look lost and maybe a little scared, and wander aimlessly until a staff member that speaks English comes over to ask ‘May I help you?’ Game. Set. Match.

This next one was especially effective during the swine flu scare. This is a match made in heaven between two seemingly unrelated truths in Korea: 1. it can be hard to get a seat on the subway. 2. Foreigners are viewed as plague rats. Fourteen stops to Itaewon and no seats are free? Start coughing(make it good) and then take your pick.

This all may seem strange and just plain wrong if you have not lived here. I think this kind of behavior stems from two things i have touched on before. The first is that as foreigners we are subject to a different moral standard that functions like a pick-your-own adventure novel. The second is that, in Korea, maintaining one’s mental health means taking control of the small situations in anyway you can. Get out there and start wayguking. It is your birthright.

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