New Employee's "Joseonjok" Comment to Superior… Intense Criticism Online

A controversy has erupted after a new employee made a remark to their superior, asking, "Aren't you Joseonjok?" during a conversation at the workplace.

The incident occurred when a manager used the expression "clear weather," to which the new employee responded, questioning, "Aren't you Joseonjok?"

Once this story was shared on the online community Theqoo, it rapidly spread, garnering over 60,000 views and more than 600 comments.

"Uneducated and rude"… Citizens Express Outrage

The majority of citizens expressed their anger towards the new employee's attitude.

Comments like "If they heard a word they didn’t know, they should learn it instead of belittling their superior," "They are both ignorant and rude," and "This shows a lack of common sense" were common reactions aimed at the new employee.

Especially noteworthy was the criticism that the employee belittled their superior without even understanding basic Chinese characters like "clear weather," with many pointing out, "They lack awareness and basic manners." Some even suggested, "Perhaps due to not reading books nowadays, more ignorant and impolite people are emerging," extending the conversation to generational issues.

Outrage Over "Joseonjok" Comment… Distortion of Sensitive Images

The level of criticism intensified with the emergence of the term "Joseonjok."

The image of Joseonjok in South Korea is generally not positive. It often leads to 'discrimination,' and labeling someone as Joseonjok is perceived as an extremely hateful expression.

Citizens expressed their disbelief, stating, "To connect their superior with Joseonjok was a serious rudeness," and "This not only displays a lack of knowledge but also reveals social prejudice." One citizen remarked, "If there hadn't been a negative image of Joseonjok, such a comment wouldn't have surfaced. The HR department within the company needs to take appropriate actions."

Some citizens even suggested that "Chinese character education should be strengthened" in light of this incident, pointing out that many Korean vocabulary words are derived from Chinese characters, and it was evident that the employee responded with an incorrect attitude without understanding this.

Ultimately, this incident is being viewed as a case where the new employee's actions exceeded a mere mistake, exposing ignorance, rudeness, and societal prejudice, leading to intense scrutiny from online public opinion.

Image source: Reference images to aid understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank, Reference images to aid understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank