[HanSpot Ep. 11] Power Tripping // 갑질
Daily Injustice
Have you ever been told to kneel in public? Or prostrate yourself on the ground in front of some one screaming at you? Have you experienced humiliation at the hands of someone who believe themselves to be “above” you?
This sounds like a nightmarish and fictitious scenario, doesn't it? In an age where the world tries to uphold democratic freedoms and rights, it seems unthinkable that such blatant dominance can be exerted between two people outside a dictatorship.
Unfortunately, this is a not-so-uncommon situation in South Korea. Today, I'd like to share with you my first encounter with this practice in Korean society and explain what we might be able to do.
Today, we look at 갑질//Gabjil, the culture of Power Tripping.
A Culture of Capital
When South Korea ushered in a free market throughout the late 20th century, a strange generation of “rich people” suddenly appeared. Farmers who were sitting on to-be-developed land suddenly went from poverty to profit. Political abetters became millionaires overnight. Gangster culture emerged and established an industry of brute force. All of sudden, money just appeared in the pockets of those who were never used to earning more than a modest stipend.
The reason I give this historical backdrop is to make a point – great sums of money were abruptly placed in the hands of citizens who were not accustomed to handling wealth to any degree.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2016/04/19/77660801.1.jpg)
Money had a strange effect on a nation that until recent decades was considered 3rd-world. It empowered people, at least mentally. It fostered a sense of entitlement, of being above other peons. Money bought luxurious items, big homes, 3-piece suits, and unforeseen educations for their children. Every aspect of their lives became the envy of those who didn't reap any rewards; Money became the new goal of “success.”
Because money in South Korea afforded you everything you ever aspired for. You could have fancy things, travel to fancy places, and go to fancy schools. It has nurtured an entire cultural Zeitgeist hinging on “specs.” As a result, we have significant population of people who believe they are one cut above the rest, someone inherently more special.
And when a “special” person meets the average Joe?
Power Tripping
Gab-Jil // 갑질 is the practice of “Alphaness” onto another human being. In a stereotypical situation of Gabjil, someone of supposed wealth and/or influence exerts their dominance over another. They make them kneel, they make them grovel, they make them beg to keep their jobs and livelihoods.
Every so often we hear about these stories on Korean news channels. “Department Store Shopper Demands the Firing of Employee” or “Business Official Sues Taxi Driver for Insult.” The most famous international example is the “Peanut Scandle” when the “heiress” of Korean Airlines inadvertantly made a plane re-land into JFK Airport when a stewardess didn't pre-open her bag of snacks. It's as ridiculous as it sounds, read about it here.
These seemed to be crazy, almost mythical stories. But last winter, I saw it happen for myself. Eating in a Korean BBQ restaurant with my wife, I witnessed a young lady slip by herself onto the floor (not unexpected in a place where animal grease splatters off open table-grills onto the ground). Everyone assumed that she would get up and continue out of the restaurant. Instead, she doesn't budge, screaming for the nearest employee (a young man) and demanding an apology. He stood there silent with his head bowed, more shocked than sorry (and why should he be? It was absolutely no fault of his). After a 10-minute fit fueled by embarrassment, she scribbled down the waiter's personal info, proclaimed his future firing out-loud, and stormed back to the clinic where she worked (she was wearing an all-pink skirt-suit uniform typical of skin-treament centers).
I replay the day every so often in my head, kicking myself for not responding to the incident. I had no real idea what was going on at the time as it was my first experience seeing Gabjil happen and I couldn't quite understand what was happening through her screeches.
Anyway, point is, this shit happens. It is one of the most despicable actions I've seen one person do to another. The basis of this action is ridiculous – just because you went to a renowned school, have a schmancy car, or wear high-end fashion, you get to treat another in this manner?
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPgb3eqPudNFmaDWaQJUqNMNoRGxujjnJenygWLm1bi6S/image.png)
As you can see, this week's post is quite the rant. I'm sure this doesn't happen just in Korea. And so the purpose of letting you all know what “Gabjil” means is so that if you ever see a Korean act this way, in or outside of the country, you'll at least have a word to slap onto this ugly practice.
But we from @hansikhouse want to leave you with good vibes... so take our good vibes~~~. Steem on!
이번 한스팟 에피소드에서는 한국의 '갑질' 에 대해 소개했습니다. 2015 여름 한국 방문 때 고깃집에 갔다가 한 손님이 실수로 미끄러지고 그것을 갑자기 아르바이트 하는 학생 탓을 하며 소리지르고 혼내기 작한 것을 보았습니다. 그 때 저는 너무 놀랐습니다. 경험을 공유하니 곧 친구들과 와이프가 '갑질' 이라는 단어를 통해 한국에는 그런 일들이 종종 있다는 것을 설명해 주었습니다.
누군가가 상위관계에서 복종을 요구 하는 경우는 어느 문화를 가던 있다고 생각합니다. 하지만 경제적 능력, 직업 위치, 스펙 때문에 상대에게 권위나 파워를 가지고 아래로 보며 부당한 행동을 하는 문화는 부끄러운 부분이라고 생각합니다. 하지만 '갑질'이라는 행동에 대한 사회적 인식이 국내에서 뿐만아닌 국제사회에서 높아질 수록 점점 더 고쳐가며 좋은 방향으로 바뀔 것이라 생각합니다.
HanSpot Episodes
Episode 1: 꼰대: Kkondae // The Korean Curmudgeon
Episode 2: 성괴: Seonggwe // Plastic Monsters
Episode 3: 깡패: Kkangpeh // Korean Gangsterisms
Episode 4: 듣보잡 // Name Value
Episode 5: 팩트폭행 // Fact Violence
Episode 6: 혼밥혼술 // "Alone" Culture
Episode 7: 읽씹 // Eat Your Texts
Episode 8: 떼창 // Karaoke Krowds
Episode 9: 웹툰 // Korea's Vertical Art Form
Episode 10: 아재 // Korea's Mister
I used the #kr tag on my new post @hansikhouse. The model in Korean.
https://steemit.com/entertainment/@randompic/korean-model-photoshoot
Are you going to cry now and flag it?
See you in NYC!!!
You want to abuse the flag @hansikhouse? Fine. You want a flag war? You got it.
How is this spam @hansikhouse?
https://steemit.com/kr/@elegente/10
It is all about Korea. South Korea and North Korea.
So, why did you flag it? Why are you picking on a woman from the Philippines? I am poor here and trying to earn money in this rough country and you are draining my earnings with your nonsense flagging.
Your earnings?
The only reasons you were flagged by @sesangsokuro in the first place is because you inadvertently received a substantial upvote by deliberately mis-using the #kr-newbie tag. These posts were designed to leech away earnings from others.
It seems you've finally stopped spamming the tags. Friendly word of advice - you'll earn more and avoid flags if you don't spam, copy, and translate others' content.
Hi Mr. @hansikhouse. I would like to post an article in your exclusive #kr tag that you seem to own are in complete control of what content is allowed to be posted.
Should I show you the article first so you can approve it?
Also can you give me your list of rules pertaining to the #kr tag?
Thank you so much and please, do not flag this reply, I am only seeking your approval because you are in charge of the #kr tag.
Thank you so much Mr. @hansikhouse, I shall wait for your response.
@Elegente I've only been flagging your other responses since they are devolving the conversation into a more violent situation.
I don't own nor presume to own any tag. A number of Korean curators and moderators have been asked to make sure "tag abuse" and "spamming" doesn't occur. You're more than welcome to use the tag (not that I have to give permission) as long as the post doesn't plagiarize, is relevant in some way to KR, and follows the general guidelines of posting in Steemit (i.e. cite sources, accredit quoted work, etc.). Flagging has been used to make sure tag spamming does not "harm" the community. To give you an example, Google Translated Korean very often times mistakenly becomes overly sexual and inappropriate, as such the KR community has been strongly against it. This pushes out other new authors that want to earnestly engage the group and appropriately use the tag to find a community on Steemit.
If you honestly want to send a draft for review, sure I'll have a look. If you're honestly a young woman in the Phillipines looking to learn Korean and engage the community, you have my support.
I have looked over the "rules" for Steemit in the FAQs section and here is what it says about rules:
Is there an Etiquette Guide for Steemit?
There are no official rules for participating on Steemit.com, but one of the users @thecryptofiend has created an Etiquette Guide for the community. While it is not required to follow the suggestions in the guide, they are standards that many users in the community choose to follow.
https://steemit.com/faq.html#Is_there_an_Etiquette_Guide_for_Steemit
I do not think any member can make up their own rules on this site @hansikhouse. So, the flagging you have done on my post has been wrongly flagged.
The bot @blacklist-a blacklist members who abuse the flag:
The Steemit @Blacklist uses a range of metrics to determine who's a repeat offender of plagiarism, hate speech, bullying, ongoing power-abuse and so on. The Blacklist is computer-generated and is updated irregularly to make sure bad behaving accounts get a quick flag so that other upvote-bots can avoid upvoting the blacklisted accounts and simply skip to the next post. The @blacklist-project is a much wider and further stretching authority than any of the singular up or downvoting guilds currently running on steemit, it is also complimentary to current projects in the same genre which are to keep the steem-blockchain unattractive for scammers, spammers and miserable trolls who are caught bullying or go after steemians in a power-abusive behaviour and so forth and so on.
https://pastebin.com/h1unSks2
Your recent behavior @hansikhouse, falls under "power-abusive" and you are making up your own rules and imposing them on other Steemit members.
I am telling you this to help you out, whether you see it that way or not. If you continue this "power-abusive", don't be surprised if the blot blacklist you.
This is to prevent Steemit from becoming like other mainstream social media sites that censor their members. Here on Steemit, we all have the right to free speech and to post whatever we want to post and as I showed you above, there are no official Steemit rules.
There is a etiquette guide that no one is required to follow but, you have broken a few of the etiquette guidelines such as abusing the flag. Also according to the unofficial guide, you are required to post a reason why you flagged someone and you or the others have not done that.
I did post the reason in the post where you lashed out at @marginshort and @sesangsokuro. I removed the flag when you stopped spamming KR in your latest post. But you continue to attack members on their post walls and that is catching the attention of people much more powerful than me.
Well first of all, I appreciate you saying you removed the flags, however, Steem Now shows no record of you removing them.
https://www.steemnow.com/
And second, you don't have any power on Steemit so what do you mean by "more powerful than me"?
Third, it does not matter who the so called "powerful" members are because there is no such thing. It is just a bunch of nonsense power trippers who need to get over themselves and realize we are all equal here. THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL RULES.
ATTENTION @ned, this member @hansikhouse, is making up his own rules on YOUR platform and is imposing them on the members when you have no official rules yourself for YOUR own platform.
Your flag abuse and authoritative attitude @hansikhouse has done nothing but make you look like a fool, just being honest so don't flag me for speaking the truth.
Maybe you want to be known as someone who bullies and tries to intimidate women because you have not responded to the men who have called you out. And I can see that you would like to have members think you have some power and authority on here but that is nonsense, foolish and funny too.
Let me know when you really remove your flags for real and I will bring it to the @blacklist-a bots attention because you are about to be blacklisted.
So where is your power now?
Now you have another bully @oldstone flagging me. Have you looked what you have done to my rep score because of your power trip?
ALERT @blacklist-a
Woman being bullied and account has been wrongly abused.
Oldstone? Well now you've got a giant to worry about.
Btw I removed my flag on your post a while back when you stopped using the tag. Your activities seem to have stirred the Korean community from many weeks ago. I really suggest you stop lashing out.
So, the so called "giant" @coldstone actually went through and flagged every single one of my post and comments. That is crazy and a bunch of nonsense. This Korean community is ridiculous and nonsense.
Who do you think you are to come on someone else's platform and make up your own rules and bully other members?
Can you answer that question?
Excuse me??? What in the world are you talking about? I have "for weeks" stirred the Korean community??? I used the #kr tag a couple of days ago for the first time and you and a few others had a bitch fest like a bunch of girls and flagged my Korean related post.
You only flagged them because you didn't approve of them which is complete nonsense and you really need to stop making up rules on someone else's platform. Go create your own platform and you can add all the silly rules you want but don't do it on @ned 's platform where he has no rules.
You're a bully @hansikhouse. You bully and intimidate women, lie about removing flags that you should have not flagged in the first place and you're a wanna be robocop.
You should be ashamed of yourself @hansikhouse .
Shame on @hansikhouse and others in the "Korean community" for bullying a little poor woman.
Are you all proud of yourself now?
You are making Steemit look bad with all this nonsense. @marginshort @sesangsokuro @hansikhouse @oldstone @claudia, you are all enemies of Steemit and what this platform is about.
This platform was created mostly to get away from nonsense like this and the censorship on other sites. So now you join here and make up rules that don't exist and impose them on members who just want to enjoy the site and earn a little money like all of you want to.
Your foolish nonsense is only going to hurt you, Steemit and most importantly, Steem currency. Steemit represents Steem and has a big effect on the price so people like you need to follow the no official rules or leave and go create your own platform and your own stupid, imposed rules.
We want Steemit to be known for an open source, non censorship platform that is for everyone. For the common man like @ned, the creator and owner, says it is. It is not for the Korean community to come on here and ruin it with your nonsense, made up rules that do not exist on this platform.
Now stop your nonsense rules and stop flagging members to purposely censor them. It is not your place to do so. We do not want members spreading store about your nonsense and give Steemit a bad name. Steemit is different from all other platforms with no official rules and no censorship so FUCK YOU and stop your nonsense or LEAVE.
"Oldstone? Well now you've got a giant to worry about." @hansikhouse said.
What??? a "giant to worry about"??? Yeah, a GIANT bully who needs to leave @elegente alone and mind his own business.
Your silly nonsense, authoritative attitude is nothing but foolish, childish garbage.
And you told @elegente that you removed your flags which is a LIE. You owe her an apology for lying to her or go remove the flags like you say you did.
And tell your Korean bully buddies to stop all this nonsense flagging. STEEM investors and traders do not need your childish nonsense.
You are so very knowledgable
Oh excuse me Mr. Steemit, you must be the founder and owner of this site, right?
NOT. We all own it so get over yourself. We are all here to earn money so stop trying to ruin it for others because you don;t agree with their opinions.
You are nothing but a tyrant and bully and maybe you belong in North Korea with the other narcissistic maniacs.
Your opinions have no merit here, you're just a cry baby looking for attention and trying to be in charge when you are far from it.
Karma is coming your way, you fool.
You such an awesome steemian @hansikhouse. You are so awesome that I am coming to see you in person to get your autograph.
Yes, I want the autograph from the little man who bullies women from the Philippines. Can't wait. It will be such an honor to be in your presence.
GO CRY TO YOUR MOMMY
https://steemit.com/life/@hansikhouse/happy-mother-s-day-to-all-the-steemit-mothers
한국에 갑질이 사라지는 날이 오긴할까싶네요 ㅠㅠ 회사생활하면서도 고객사 갑질이 너무 힘들더라구요 ....... 고객사에서 갑질하면서 한다는말이 '저희지금 이거 갑질하는거 아닌거 아시죠?' 이러던데참 어이가 없어서....그말은 자기네들도 찔리니까 하는말이겠죠??ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ그건 누가봐도 명백한 갑질이였거든요 ㅠㅠ (그리고 보내주신 작가 보상금 잘받았습니다 ㅎㅎ 감사합니다 ^^)
정말 그런 말을 합니까? 너무 합니다. 그때 혜란님이 아니요? 라고 하셨으면 어찌 되었을까요. 최근 글 보니 회사 끝나신것 같은데 스트레스 프리로 쉬시길 바랍니다~ ㅎㅎ
Cry to your mommy.
https://steemit.com/life/@hansikhouse/happy-mother-s-day-to-all-the-steemit-mothers
서로 상호작용을 할 때 가장 중요한 걸 잊고 있는 거 같아요. 상대의 인격을 존중해주는 거 말이지요.
돈의 정도와 스펙이 인격을 잊게 하는것이 참 비극이라 생각합니다 ㅠㅠ
You should bully a man and stop bullying a young lady like @elegente.
뉴스나 인터넷 커뮤니티 글들을 읽다 보면 굳이 재벌이나 부자들이 하는, tv에 소개될 정도의 심각한 갑질이 굳이 아니더라도 일반 사람들 사이에서도 갑질이 일상화 되어있다는 느낌을 자주 받습니다. 스팀잇에는 그런 분들이 없기를 바랍니다...
저도 그런것을 witness한 경험에 정말 충격 받았습니다. 학생 파트타임 에게 소리지르는 식사하시는 분들... 일상에 이런것들이 베어있는데 갑질이라는 것을 알까요?ㅠㅠ
캐롯님 새로운 프로필 사진 귀엽습니다
개인적으로 갑질하는 사람들은 지능이 조금 낮지 않을까 생각합니다. ㅎㅎ
아니면 가정환경이 정상이 아닐거라 생각하네요.
제 주변만 봐도 뭣도 없는 것들이 갑질이 더 심합니다.
반대로 관대하고 조용한 사람들이 내공이 가득한 더 무서운 사람같습니다.
enomujjass님 근데 아이디가 이노무자스? ㅎㅎ 재밌습니다
You should bully a man and stop bullying a young lady like @elegente.
정말 돈이면 다 된다는 사고방식을 가진 사람들이 만들어진 이상한 사회구조를 바꿔야 합니다. 점점 변화되는 대한민국이 느껴지고 있습니다만 꼰대들이 꼰대 자녀에게 물려준 이상한 가치관을 없애려면 지속적으로 이런 부분을 거론해줘야 할 것 같습니다. ^^
맞는 말씀이십니다. 꼰대는 그 단어에서 오는 부정적 느낌이기에 사람들이 더 노력하는 것 같습니다. 하지만 갑질 이라는 것도 얼마나 부끄러운 일인지 사회적 인식이 깊이 퍼졌으면 합니다.
한국의 갑질문화, 얼른 사라져야 한다고 생각합니다 ㅠ
동감합니다. 송이님 스팀챗 체크 해주십시옿~ ㅎㅎ