It's been a while since I've posted anything that would be besmirching to Koreans.  So here goes.

I'm not sure which is more annoying, hearing a cell phone go off at maximum volume (and it's never a ring, it's
always some inane melody) or hearing the grunts that is essentially a Korean phone conversation.  It goes like
this -- someone's phone rings.  They let it ring for a long time and then answer "Yoboseyo." Pause.  "Uhn."
 You can't hear, but you assume somebody's talking on the other end. 
Meanwhile the only sound uttered by the answerer is "Uhn"

"Uhn"  Pause to hear more then again "Uhn."  But is not really an uh, it's a gutteral grunt, 'Ouhn."  Difficult to 
fully capture using the English alphabet.   The grunt, 'Uhn' is a positive response like yes, or okay.  

All you hear in the typical Korean phone conversation is a string of grunts and then the hangup.  Again, if this
happened once or twice, I wouldn't care.  But it's like the only conversation you ever hear.  Uhn. 

That's the crux of it -- uhn.  And the final uhn is a little bit longer and it trails off.  Uhhhhnnnnn, which I guess doubles as goodbye.

Now, since I don't use public transportation anymore and since I generally wear headphones while I'm in the
office, I don't hear this so much anymore.

What I do hear that is even more annoying is everytime I walk into a store, there is a chorus of 'Ososeyo'.  Which
basically means welcome.  Now that's a pretty short word which can be said quickly, but it is not.  It is a robotic
"Ososeyooooooooo" which trails and which sounds identical no matter who the clerk may be-- be it teenage  girl
or boy, man or woman, chicken bbq restauraunt or 7-11.  It's as if every retail employee in this entire country goes
through the same training where they have to say "Welcome to wherever!" in the most annoying voice humanly
possible.  

If you were in LA and walked into a BK and some kid behind the register shouted 'Welcome to Burger King' in a high shriek which trailed for a few seconds, you'd probably think he was high on something.

But I get it, it's the boss telling 'em to do that, so it's excusable.   I firmly believe they have training seminars where
they have to practice, "Ososeyo, Ososeyo."  Or the departure salutation Doh-oseyo (come again).
And during the training,  the boss just stands there, nodding his head, "No, do it again." Until the correct of
amount of annoying enthusiasm is employed.  Again, if this happened once or twice, I wouldn't think twice about
it, but it is the same voice in every retail business in every city in Korea.  And I've lived in 5 of them, so I know.  It's
the same voice everytime.  Again, business is business.  So it's excusable, like that poor shmuck (or shmuckette) whose job it is to stand at the entrance of E-mart and bow to everybody who enters.

What is not excusable is walking down the hall of my high school and having students greet me in that same
voice.  Annyong Haseyo with the annoying trail at the end.  Annyong Haseyoooooo.  Do they think that is more
polite?  I look at them like they are  idiots whenvever they do it, which is daily. 

Let's manufacture a voice that is totally unnatural and use it when speaking to our elders (or customers) as a sign of respect.  I just don't get it.  And I find it really annoying.
 
I have a word for it that I coined a few years back.  I call it PROFESSIONAL DISCOURTESY
and it can be found wherever Koreans are found.  Being spoken to in an annoying robotic voice, out of respect.

Or the other professional discourtesy -- being treated like a 4 year old everywhere you go. 
Just once when I'm in a public place and I asked where the bathroom is, or in a supermarket, when I ask where
the margarine is, I'd like to have the person just point. "It's over there."  Or, "Isle 7," instead of taking me by the
hand and walking me over to within inches of the door and then pointing to it like I'm a fucking idiot and wouldn't
be able to find it unless they point it out.  I feel like saying. 
"Where is it?  I still don't see it.?  Can you be a little  more specific." 

And it's always the extended open palm.  The sign of professional discourtesy.

This professional discourtesy is learned at an early age and I don't see any end of it in sight.  It's the result of
parents treating their children like they''re brainless idiotic 4 year olds up until they're in their 40's.  And then
still treating them like idiotic 4 year olds.  And worse.  40 year olds accepting the role of idiot, out of respect for
their elders.  Professional discourtesy.

It's one of those things you just learn to live with.

Like there NEVER being toilet paper in public restrooms.  Or having Koreans clap and say, "Oh you can speak
Korean," if you've mastered the phrase, Annyong Haseyo (hello).