What's up with Koreans not closing doors?

So this is a generalization. So anyone who finds offense at this because it's a generalization and thinks Koreans can do no wrong and wants to point out the fact that this is a generalization as if you're the first to discover this notion, please don't bother.

But anyways...what's up with Koreans not closing doors?! I live in an apartment building where the front doors have these signs on it that say "Close the doors. When the doors are open, feral cats are coming in and pissing and shitting in the hallways." I think, "Damn, a good reason to close the door; I don't want my hallways smelling like shit (which they already do because of this problem)." But every time I leave the building or come home, the doors are wide open.

I have students that come into my classes late when the door is closed and they come in and just throw the door open, don't close it, and sit down acting as if we've just been waiting for him to arrive. Then, he has a little temper tantrum when I ask him to get up and go close the door, as if this is the worst thing he'll ever have to do. More broadly, why does it cross none of these people's minds to close the doors in the first place?

I've noticed this too. I've just chalked to one of the cultural norms in Korea.  In America we were ingrained with the phrase "What were you raised in a barn?" every time we left a door open.

I'll often walk into the teacher's office and the door is wide open and I think "Wait should I close this?" "Maybe someone wants to air out the room?"  "Maybe someone is carrying something heavy and can't be bothered to close it?"

It's just one of those things you have to deal with here. Like making noises while eating (something I'll NEVER get!!!)

Yes it is mind boggling to me as well. especially in the winter or dead of summer when you have the AC on and they are always telling you how expensive AC is. I have 2 doors in my classroom so my KT will come in one, not close it and leave the other one, not close it. This is always in the winter. I don't get to keep my heat on unless I have a class so I like to trap the heat in.
I just leave the doors open in the teachers lounge. It honesty doesn't seem to annoy them like it does me, to get up and close it every 3 minutes.
When my 6th grade class would do the same, burst in and leave the door open letting all my heat or cool air out, I would use the lesson we learned "How about closing the door?" on them only to discover they really didn't learn it. :(

Koreans are preoccupied with air flow.

On hot days when the a/c is on I am constantly having to tell students as they arrive: "Close the door". Each time they are like "oh" surprised, then do it.

I have two cats in my apartment and fear one day they will learn/inadvertently open the window screen that leads to the hallway, stairs and front door. Hence, at least a couple of times a week, when I come or go at night, I have to close the glass door to the building that is left flung open.

Don't get me started on local elevator door entry/exit habits!

My GF has the opposite problem. She'll have a shower and then make sure the bathroom door is closed.

Like............... . It's wet in there. It needs to air out. We had showers at 11 last night. Woke up at 630, open the door and there's still water on the floor.

I'll need to talk to her about this soon. Very gross. haha

My GF has the opposite problem. She'll have a shower and then make sure the bathroom door is closed.

Like............... . It's wet in there. It needs to air out. We had showers at 11 last night. Woke up at 630, open the door and there's still water on the floor.

I'll need to talk to her about this soon. Very gross. haha

Keeping bathroom doors open during the night circulates bad air/energy. (Not my opinion; what l’ve heard.)

don't you have a squeegy to move the water down the drain on the floor? this seems like a new concept to most people

Keeping bathroom doors open during the night circulates bad air/energy. (Not my opinion; what l’ve heard.)

it comes from the toilet. so close the toilet lid.

You can't generalize people, but you can certainly generalize cultures and cultures can have a profound influence on people's behaviour, particularly in a homogeneous society.

Everyday, I find myself stuck behind someone who hasn't noticed that the light's been green for about 8sec, drivers changing lanes without looking or parking like absolute douchebags.

Never have I come across so many grown adults leaving doors open, leaving lights on... those same adults (at every school I've taught at) who've been reminding me, every other week for years to turn off the lights, aircon and close the windows when I go home, like I'm 9yrs old. Not once have I forgotten to do so.

Yesterday, we took our Sunday stroll through our favourite little park on the foot of the mountain (they really made it look great by adding ponds, waterfalls, tress and wooded obstacle courses for kids). First thing I noticed, a bunch of assholes had, had a picnic beside the pond and left every bit of trash right there. The wind had blown their paper cups, ramen containers and miscellaneous packets into the fish pond. I'm no Captain Planet, but this is really one of the worst sides of this country; don't preach your nationalist BS on how great Korea when you're not bothered to keep it clean and tidy.
I took off my shoes and spent a quick 2min wading through the pond and getting everything before it sank to the bottom... a few people spotted me and looked on as if I was burying a corpse I'd just murdered.

I believe all this can be traced back to Korean culture. Sure, the West has its cultural frustrations (contrarian culture, perverse desire to be unique etc.)  but this is Korea's paradox; a collective culture that's also encourages one to be incredibly selfish, by not having any concern or awareness for what happens past one's nose... unless it's on a smartphone.

it comes from the toilet. so close the toilet lid.

nah i'll just aim badly and piss on the floor. and not wash my hands

don't preach your nationalist BS on how great Korea when you're not bothered to keep it clean and tidy.

This is the thing I never get when Koreans have 나라사랑 drummed into them from school age upwards.  Loving your country DOES include doing the basics, like making sure it doesn't look like a shit hole. 

We have it drummed into us to not misquote people and own up to your mistakes, but you don't care about that, so... I guess these days changing your gender is widely accepted though so I guess you pretending to be a woman is ok.

Colburnnn, you're not a bad person, and I'm not angry, but can you fukking drop it?

Just stop.

This is the thing I never get when Koreans have 나라사랑 drummed into them from school age upwards.  Loving your country DOES include doing the basics, like making sure it doesn't look like a shit hole. 

"Shithole countries"
Seem to recall that phrase causing a problem...

Question for Aristocrat, when everyone used to litter back home before what, the early 1980s, was that Western culture or not?

The open door thing drives me nuts. Nobody here closes doors either.

My father used to yell at us, "Shut the door! It's not a bumhole, it won't shut by itself."

I use it today.

You can't generalize people, but you can certainly generalize cultures and cultures can have a profound influence on people's behaviour, particularly in a homogeneous society.

Everyday, I find myself stuck behind someone who hasn't noticed that the light's been green for about 8sec, drivers changing lanes without looking or parking like absolute douchebags.

Never have I come across so many grown adults leaving doors open, leaving lights on... those same adults (at every school I've taught at) who've been reminding me, every other week for years to turn off the lights, aircon and close the windows when I go home, like I'm 9yrs old. Not once have I forgotten to do so.

Yesterday, we took our Sunday stroll through our favourite little park on the foot of the mountain (they really made it look great by adding ponds, waterfalls, tress and wooded obstacle courses for kids). First thing I noticed, a bunch of assholes had, had a picnic beside the pond and left every bit of trash right there. The wind had blown their paper cups, ramen containers and miscellaneous packets into the fish pond. I'm no Captain Planet, but this is really one of the worst sides of this country; don't preach your nationalist BS on how great Korea when you're not bothered to keep it clean and tidy.
I took off my shoes and spent a quick 2min wading through the pond and getting everything before it sank to the bottom... a few people spotted me and looked on as if I was burying a corpse I'd just murdered.

I believe all this can be traced back to Korean culture. Sure, the West has its cultural frustrations (contrarian culture, perverse desire to be unique etc.)  but this is Korea's paradox; a collective culture that's also encourages one to be incredibly selfish, by not having any concern or awareness for what happens past one's nose... unless it's on a smartphone.

Only thing missing is a mention of it being the fault of Confucianism

Question for Aristocrat, when everyone used to litter back home before what, the early 1980s, was that Western culture or not?

Yeah, that was a facet of western culture at the time. What's your point?

Colburnnn, you're not a bad person, and I'm not angry, but can you fukking drop it?

Just stop.

Sure man, no problems moving on at all... Once Ronnie acknowledges it and admits making a mistake it will all be forgotten.