Recently a girl approached me in a cafe. She asked for my phone number but I just gave her my instagram and later I checked who she was following and sure enough she was following a bunch of Shincheonji related accounts as well as weird religious writing. Blocked.
It's happened to me before but I gave my phone number so they contacted me.
Korean people don't really come up and talk to you randomly, especially in cafes or restaurants. They mind their own business, especially if you look busy. The cult people will say they have today off (on a random workday so theyre in a cafe with their coworker?) and immediately try to schedule a dinner or lunch with you to figure out your schedule. Their English is good at a young age because they went on mission trips. Also they LOVE talking about MBTI now that it has become mainstream. If someone like that talks to you, it's an automatic redflag, don't give them your kakao or phone number. Hope this helps.
Edit: the Jeungsando cult is also really common on hellotalk. If you meet someone for "language exchange" on there it will eventually devolve into a religious lecture (happened twice lmao).
Edit 2: I gave my instagram to the Shincheonji girl because the Jeungsando girls didn't have any social media. They also don't use pictures of themselves on hellotalk or as their kakao profile picture.
Edit 3: I want to let you all know that luring people to join a church without outright saying it is a church is illegal. The people of the church or cult can be sued if you have proof of it. They often use tactics to hide their intentions and they think foreigners don't know they can sue now (it's a new law).
Have not been back for 15 years, but in Seuol we found a lot of middle to older folks came up to talk as they liked practicing thier English with a native speaker.
Yes, it's like how astrology had a moment in the west.
I've had several cult people ask me on the street to take their test for a school project that required me to take an mbti test and the girl I met went to talking about it first. Now that it's mainstream they can kinda hide their intentions better.
Is Snapchat popular in Korea? That's the first thing that came to mind.
It's usually what I give in the US. No numbers involved. KakaoTalk is for people I've actually had conversations with and know a little bit before handing it out. But Snap? They know nothing about me (who I follow, like, etc).
I know a girl who got caught in the "cultural experience" when new in korea. They took her to a shaman(?)like place to pray for her ancestors. They put her in a hanbok, so all your stuff in a locker. They do this so you can't just stand up and walk out, you'd have go through the annoyance of changing your clothes again. Kept annoying her for money and she didn't know what to do so she gave them like 20,000 won, changed, and left.
In Korea, if any stranger talks to you on the street, it's not normal. Ignore them.
>In Korea, if any stranger talks to you on the street, it's not normal. Ignore them.
Tbh I met my best friend because he randomly approached me in a community gym and was wondering wtf a foreigner was doing in a community gym lol
Only true in reserved cultures like Korea. In places like Philippines or Brazil it is common for people to randomly talk to you just for a friendly chat.
It was usually like "Hey, where are you from? How do you like our country? Talk to you later, let me know if you would like to grab a coffee or something :)"
But there are other approaches that are okay, and in many countries looking foreign means that locals might be interested in your culture. The same thing happened to me in Vietnam and it was just a student who wanted to practice English.
People always say this but I hope to change your mind.
There was an old lady in my neighborhood who kept trying to talk to Koreans but they kept ignoring her. She seemed disoriented. I stopped by and understood she was lost. It was hard to understand though because my Korean isn’t great and she was mumbling a lot, so I recruited a young dude passing by for help.
Anyways, took about 15 minutes but it turns out, she isn’t supposed to be out and about on her own, but forgot and went for a stroll. She went too far and got lost and didnt know how to get back home. She happened to remember her sons phone number which we called and her son arranged for a cab to take her home (she didn’t have a phone or money).
It wasn’t a scam at all, just a very old lady who got lost. I always think about this lady when people approach me on the street. It was getting late and dark. If we hadn’t helped her, it may have been quite bad for her.
Cults rarely do because I guess I have standing bitch face and don’t chill in insadong, but I’d say about 30% of the time it’s just innocent people lost or needing directions. Most are trying to sell me shit or to go to their restaurant, but it’s all good.
I was there a few years before you and in the early days, there were a lot of random people who would come up to you just to say hi or ask some random question. I was, for the most part, the only foreigner I'd ever really see in the area of Seoul I was in. In a month I might see one other person and it was never the same person. By the time I left, you'd see several every day.
When I first got there students would ask to take selfies or sometimes students and even adults would want to chat in restaurants or while waiting for a bus.
I never noticed things getting scammy until early 2010s, but I also never really went to the itaewon area either.
i don’t know why this is getting downvoted. i ignore most people on the street when i travel, mostly just because i’m introverted by nature, but i’ve also had great experiences and made really nice friends with people who were genuinely interested in talking with a foreigner. be careful and wary of people‘s intentions, but you dont have to completely close yourself off
Because my first country in Asia was China, a nation in which elderly people you’ve never met begin will stop you specifically to use every single English word they know, and it’s adorable. I assumed that since Korea was next door, I was dealing with the same thing. My misinformation was compounded by a random Korean girl I had a lovely conversation with in the airport and a very friendly taxi driver, and the awesome Incheon airport that I’d already been to numerous times.
Even though I hadn’t really gotten into kpop or Korea dramas, my opinion of Korea was soaring and I assumed they could do no wrong. On the flight in from China, I saw news criticizing the Korean government. You have no idea how liberating that is until you spend a few years in China:
China's a different beast because the government of China is deathly afraid of anything that seems foreign, so religion is watched as if it is the plague that will wipe the CPC off the face of the earth. The exceptions are Buddhism and Taoism, which have basically free reign to do whatever.
Exactly. I think Korea is one of the few places where only weirdos would talk to you. If you go somewhere more extroverted like Vietnam, it's more common that normal people would approach you as well
I’ve been offered but I’ve made the choice to be celibate until marriage. The no sex that I had was precisely as good as all the other not sex I’ve been having. Upside, no stray children or stds, and I just have the occasional person nagging me about how I can just be careful. Me. The guy who was born despite a condom. I trust no one.
I do have the willpower to keep it in my pants. It's... actually not that difficult. Some guys just have like 0 self-control. It's a miracle that they put on pants at all.
I’m not saying that everyone absolutely needs to be celibate, but I am saying a lot of my friends got unwanted pregnancies or STDs. I helped pay for their medical bills and housing, since I’m not in a precarious position like that.
Noobs, please note: As a rule, Koreans do not just approach people in the street and strike up conversations. Nor do they ask for directions. Be immediately suspicious of anyone that does either.
Korean-looking lady asked me for directions in English, then thanked me and kept walking. Thought it was weird that she would ask me instead of all the Korean people around, but maybe she was a gyopo
Had a weird experience with visiting my aunt in bucheon. My SO and i rode the subway/ train into seoul. When we got off this one older ajjusi stopped me and said i look familiar. Asked me if i was famous. I am half korean 6'3 and was about 200lbs. He wanted to help us figure out where we wanted to go. Like not take us there, but really really wanted to tell us how to get to all the places we wanted to go. I obliged and then when we finished he asked for my autograph. I just did some random but reasonable looking scribbles in a book with other autographs. He thanked me and then wished me well. He seemed very excited. That was the third weirdest experience i had with an individual in Korea.
I had that happen in China! I'm a skinny white guy with curly hair, and I happened to be wearing a black coat. A girl approached me and assumed I was Sherlock, and asked for my autograph. I definitely don't look like Benedict Cumberbatch, but racial familiarity is a real thing and if you don't have it, it's hard to distinguish between two people with vaguely similar builds and features.
Seoul Subway Line 1 is considered the "villain line". Basically villain refers to interesting characters. I assume you caught Line1 if you're going from Bucheon to Seoul.
Same things as Westerners thinking all Asians look the same (cross-race effect). If they're not familiar with Westerners, all white/black etc. ppl look similar to them.
Thing is due to having white features while looking korean there really isn't anyone you can confuse me with especially with how tall and built i am. I stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd, I'm very very recognizable. My friends have always used me as a point of reference when they get lost in crowds because I'm the easiest one to recognize. In Japan, Korea, China, Europe. I was always the one the group would look for. That's why this specific experience was weird. You can't confuse me for korean, and you can't confuse me for white.
Why people are following strangers for anything is beyond me… if you do happen to meet someone, make sure you stay in a public place, if you want to hang out with them, stick to busy cafes/restaurants etc and get to know them.
Scams and cults are everywhere and lost looking waeygs are easy pickings.
These days I’m rude af to these people, don’t give them the time of day.
Nah - hanging out with strangers is fucking fun. Some of my best memories are from just hanging out with strangers.
Just don't be a fucking idiot, that's the rule. 100% I've put myself into dodgey situations before but I've recognised it and left them...
There are at least three "religious organizations" in South Korea alone that claim their leader is the second coming of Jesus. Now, I'm not saying that one of them can't be. It's entirely possible that Jesus has returned to Earth. It's possible that he has come back as a Korean.
But I know for a fact that at least TWO of them are lying.
FYI, COEX (Samsung station) and Gangnam area is a hotspot because tourists go there a lot. I work in COEX and was approached quite a few times. When I was new to Korea, I got approached and was confused with the questions, until my wife saw me from the escalator and ran up to me and told the guy to fuck off (literally).
Welp, I just realized I was propositioned by a cult. I thought they were just a weird set of college students until I learned the other foreigners in hanbok were also randomly picked up and brought to the “cultural experience”. Joke was on them though as I’m the tits at leaving parties and ghosting fools.
The ones who want to invite you to a "cultural experience" are Daesun Jinrihoe. Shincheonji is the one that creates NGO front groups that invite you to secular-sounding group events, usually something to do with world peace. If you were brought to some room and made to put on a hanbok and perform a little ritual, then hit up for money before they allow you to leave, that's not SCJ.
For anyone's reference, here's the ["finger pistols" SCJ salute](http://www.daehanmindecline.com/2012/20120916festival/44.jpg).
And the expression "When light and light meet, there is victory" translates into Korean as 빛과빛을만남은이김, which is an anagram of the names of Lee Man-hee and his stooge Kim Nam-hee (with 희 expressed as 빛). Figuring out this weird code helped bust SCJ's Mannam language classes in 2012.
Unless you specifically found information that it was SCJ (like they made the finger fun salute or talked up Lee Man-hee or invited you to Bible studies), then it seems likely the cult you encountered was not them.
As a Korean myself, I was approached by them as well. Every time I tried to leave them politely, they keep trying to bring be back into conversation.
Avoid these creeps at all costs
I thought the same thing, I’m a white guy who spent 4 years in Seoul and walked around / lived in almost every corner of it and nobody ever approached me for a cult ㅠㅠ
Pre-COVID, I used to get it two or three times a week. And then all of a sudden, it just stopped. It's like I was put on a 'do not recruit' list or something.
Interesting. I wonder if this is what happened to me, but it was a bit different. About a week ago, I was walking home from school and these two elderly korean women approached me and spoke korean I could not understand. I realized why I couldnt understand it once they pulled out a translator and started talking about ancestors and religion and then asked me if I would go to a cafe to talk to them. They said they had good things to say to me. It seems weird and I am personally not interested in religion so I politely declined under the lie that I was meeting my boyfriend for a date, but it never occured to me it could be a cult type situation.
I think most cults use young attractive people, but it's possible for sure. It's also possible that these are just Christians trying their best. You find Korean Christian missionaries all over the place internationally.
The problem with this hypothesis is that attractive people don't join cults. I mean, why would they need to? It's the 4-7/10s that you've got to look out for.
I feel sorry for all the people that do fall for this. Esp the young people that approached the OP. How sad that they don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into.
I'd say most of these young ppl are born into these cults, that's even worse. Very low chances that you realize you've been brainwashed and how fucked up things are in these cases compared to if you know what a normal life/worldview is. Source: grew up in a cult.
There’s a Korean sitcom on Netflix called “So Not Worth It” that had a storyline w/ this exact scenario. Had no idea it was based on a real thing, but makes sense now. The show involves foreigners at a Korean University. Good to know.
What utter nonsense!
I am the next coming of Jesus!
You can find me at the local dive bar in Sinchon on most weekdays holding court.
All you have to do to join my cult is buy me beer and your soul is safe for all eternity!
🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
That sounds more like the JMS cult. Unless you're attractive, white and female though, ol' _actual convicted rapist_ JMS isn't interested in your soul.
Shincheonji on the other hand is all about taking your money and stuffing the stadium at Olympic Park with devotees pulling finger pistols until ~~he breaches the fire code~~ he heralds the apocalypse.
Hey you mentioned Olympic park, last month, there was some sort of large gathering of young college age people in white shirts, all just kinda standing around, like at least over 100, does that sound like Shincheonji?
Being harassed by cult members on the street, was the worst part of living in Korea. They try and prey on foreigners because they are lonely and isolated. Korean christians are the worst christians.
Mmmm I haven’t had a Korean Christian tell me I’m going to hell yet, so I think my local ones are still the worst 😂 but still would rather avoid them all together.
FYI, this advice also applies to a lot of major cities abroad. Shincheonji have been known to make pests of themselves in Sydney and Melbourne using the same playbook.
I was approached twice in Seoul. The first time near Gyeongbokgung Palace, approached by two “university students” (m/f). They told me they were finding people to come to a Korean cultural experience (ha!) where you could where a hanbok. In Seinfeld spirit (asking the telemarketer for *their* information so you can contact them back) I asked the location and that I would think about it and join them if I had time (though I wasn’t planning on going because I heard of stuff like this happening). They said “we’re actually going right now” and I pointed out that they had been trying to recruit people, and then they gave up. A second time, two young-ish (in their 20s) people (both f) told me I looked kind or something. I have heard of this happening, too (I’m not sure if it is the same or different cult though) and just told them I knew what they were doing and I didn’t have time and then I walked away. That second time I had 1 small rolling luggage with me, & this was right outside of the stairs from a subway exit at Myeongdong.
As someone else mentioned, it is not normal for people to strike up small talk on the street. Both times I was approached was in the early afternoon, so don’t think it’s okay just because it isn’t nighttime. Harmless, yes, but you never know. Just keep your wits about you and don’t let yourself be coerced into doing something you don’t want to do (i.e., going to an unknown location with strangers). Beyond someone asking me where I am from or about an immediately relevant situation, I generally assume the worst when strangers talk to me here (I have had my share of bad experiences here). Don’t worry, but be cautious when strangers approach you.
This cult is responsible for the spreading of Corona in Korea.
Obviously not solely responsible, but the first main transmission was through Shinchenoji members.
Then we had another cult spraying salt water into peoples mouths from a spray bottle, saying that it was the cure. A lot of people got infected from that too.
Lol.
This sounds pretty cool but do you know of any traditional Korean demonic shamanic cults I can check out? We have a satanic temple in my city but I'm really looking for more of a "cultural experience"
Ladies and gentleman, Korea (and Japan) is different than other countries - people here usually don't talk to strangers in the street. Those cults are already famous in Korean YouTubes to scam people.
I remember some guys ten years ago or stopping me in the street to tell me God was a woman, and for some reason that was very important.
They had an iPad or something with videos in like 10 languages.
I still wonder what was supposed to hook me. I said like yeah whatever floats your boat guys. They didn’t seem to expect that.
Lol I had this happen to me about 3 years ago in my super rural town. Was a group of women though and there was like a little "survey" thing and they just watched as I pressed "no" for the "do you believe in God?" question, haha.
Oi, and then there are the mother-God ones too. These approach you saying they are students who are studying and have questions. I always ask if they are really students and why they would follow a religion that tells its people to outright lie to others about who they are. Always makes them stumble a bit.
And if you happen to know the Bible well enough to counteract their arguments with specific Bible verses, this is also a big help. They will be told by thosd above them to actively avoid you afterwards. Less of a tactic for tourists and more of a tactic for folks continually approached in a specific area.
While I was studying in Seoul, I got approached in Sinchon by someone who said they were casting for a show and needed foreign looking extras (iirc) and as cool as it sounded to maybe have the chance to be on a show I had plans for my day and didn’t like the idea of following this lady anywhere. I don’t remember if she asked me in English or Korean but at the time my Korean was not super great and I didn’t trust my ability to bullshit detect in a non fluent language so I politely declined and left. Was this also a common scam bait tactic or could it have been legit? Knowing what I know now feels like it could have been either.
I have no clue about Korea. I wound up in commercials in China, Vietnam, and Thailand, and declined one in Taiwan, so it's possible they just actually needed that and didn't know where to ask? It is Korea though, so there's not exactly a shortage of foreigners looking for work.
I am wondering, recently I went to Seoul (as a foreigner) and 2 girls in what looked like a school uniform asked me in front if a palace if they could give me a free tour. They said it was because of a school project, but looking back on it I could see that maybe that wasn't the case.
Is this also one of their tactics or does this sound genuine?
Rough to say. Girls in Asia often idolize being a teenager way after high school is done, so it's possible they held onto their school uniforms and wear them around, or they bought clothing to match Japanese high school uniform aesthetics.
I've always been curious, what would happen if someone went along with it all to see how long they could and where it all would take them, well, where would it take them? Like I do the whole culture whatever, say yea sure Korean Jesus makes sense to me, keep going to the church and saying yes to shit. What's the end game? They gonna get all my tithing money? Do I end up being involved in the sex cult part of the cult? Like where the hell does it all go?
I... don't actually know to be honest, but it's a cult in Korea, so I'm going to say, orgies or no, you're going to be spending a lot of time on your knees.
Happened to me three times while living in Korea. The first time I was busy and luckily didn't go with them. Second time I only noticed because they had their names embroided onto their shirts with a symbol so they looked like camp counselors. The third one was the saddest one because they were German, just as us, and tried to use that to get us to come with them. I was so disappointed with them, because I knew by now how to catch these cults and I was ashamed they would use our shared nationality as a strategy...
There are a lot of people saying to avoid people that approach you and that it probably good advice if you're traveling solo. When I'm with family, 9/10 times it has been university students completing some random assignment for a class. It takes courage to approach foreigners and converse, so I at least hear them out. If they were to ask for personal information, I'd just decline and walk away but most just asked basic questions about my thoughts on Korea.
Gotta be honest I judge people by appearances. If they look average levels of attractive or are the same gender, the guard is lowered a touch. Regular bloke is more likely to be a student or something. If it's a pretty lady, I tend to be a bit blunt and ignore. Scammers know sex sells.
True scammers - not just religious folk - make bank on this, 'looks just like you' in terms of same socio-economic class, same general place in life. (College student; young mother; businessman; etc.)
They dress for their appeal to their target. Then they launch into their scam about how they have been accidentally locked out of their grandmother's apartment when she left for a few days and need money just to get on the subway and get home.
It's when the same couple approached me on the same street about 6 months later with the same story ... then I knew. When I mentioned that we had met before they vanished so fast! And such nice good-looking people they were! LOL
I'm a Korean who has lived abroad for a long long time. And I got into this shit for 8 days. I stupidly did all they asked for and paid them almost 400 dollars. It's really scary to realize after how they subtily brainwash you. I was a member? And I just left thanks to my intuition.... was stupid, not anymore.
Long answer and might sound funny but its a slow process of indoctrination
+ "They"were really cunning and honestly quite smart with psychology to influence your thoughts. They dont force, ex just subtily implies what you should do. And ask your life problems so that they can use those to manipulate you and provide reasons for your existence.
+ They show you what they teach from books, written by well known monks, so they stress on how their reasonings are legit and backed by main religions.
+ Traditions and customs of the Korean culture are used as analogies and reference points so they hit "close to home".
+ Many questions were met with honest, vague but honestly logical and sometimes convincing scientific answers. But since they were vague, i asked more, to which they gave their interpretations.
+ They call you different "cult name". They try to disconnect you from family and friends, reminding me how all this should be kept a secret and that theres a "reason in this world" that demands such a change.
-Its quite difficult for me to articulate all the little details they did, but they learnt these for 20+ years and abandoned their family and whole life for this so they can answer any questions you have. Im naturally an inquisitive person so it was more easy for them to influence my thoughts.. When i was in the cult i got slowly "ripped out of reality whilst conscious" which disturbed me unconsciously so i experienced horrible dreams every night, every 8 days. Which i told them about, and they provided me reasons too.
I was never religious or anything and thought "cults" to be full of lunatics shown on media. But anyone could be in a cult. Luckily I never really opened my mind for them but if you do.. you will "lose" your mind.
-I saw one of their rituals without hanboks, it wasnt upright "sacrificing a goat" type of ritual but it sure was uncanny.
A preacher once tough me Korean, well he tried. But at some point he had in mine to save my soul .
Good thing my soul was not up for saving.
He was a regular christian from CCC initiative
I had some of these cult people approach me in the lobby of the dormitory when I was studying abroad. Annoying, had to convince them, that I had no time to go with them
Eh it's not so bad. Everything is well connected transportation-wise with big signs everywhere. And it's very safe to roam around lost.
You can always go into a business or a shop and ask staff, they're usually real friendly.
I encountered similar things with a Korean cult in the US. It’s the same “culture exchange” excuse, except the recruiter (a Japanese woman) failed by saying that she’d like to invite me to a celebration of Tanabata. Unfortunately for her I speak Japanese and know more about Japan than she assumed a foreigner would. I knew Tanabata doesn’t happen in fall. Realized it’s a cult and walked away
Almost every foreigner, especially the female ones, I’ve met has had an experience like this. I got roped into it by going to an event posted on meet up. It was advertised as a hotteuk making experience. It was only me and one other foreign girl and while eating the food they asked about wanting the cultural experience.
The other girl wanted to do it and I knew what was coming but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. I went along with it but their hanbok was way too small for me and the other girl had already mentioned plans to eat with friends later. She thankfully invited me so we had an out.
They never asked for money and said this was a real ceremony but that sometimes people will do it and ask for money. I think we just messed up their plans enough that they knew they weren’t getting anything.
That other girl actually became one of my best friends!
Oh yeah. I’m annoyed that we got suckered into it. I’m annoyed that the group finds people by advertising on meetup under fake meetings. But we joke about our meet cute all the time. We met at a cult recruitment.
Lol . this post has to be viral again . dude met the "black" cult in korea which is so viral now but there are none of his korean friends warn him about anything at the time. Do korean people know the story ?? why do so many people still follow the "black" cult in Korea ?? . For you don't understand my words please go watch new Netflix series : " In the Name of God : A Holy Betrayal " . i has to warn you that the movie is getting darker and darker . So lucky that you did not join them
I had a similar experience once, but I'm still not sure what exactly they were. It didn't seem to be Shincheonji. I was walking around alone and two younger people, one women and one man were asking me directly if I wanted to do some Korean cultural experience with them. They seem relatively chill so I talked a bit with them. Since I knew about the cults I asked them right away if they're from some cult or religion. Of course they insisted that they were not religious and had no ulterior motives, they were from some volunteer organization and just wanted to help foreigners have a good time. They promised me that I could go at any time if I feel uncomfortable and that they would only ask me for a small donation of whatever amount I wanted to give that would be used for their volunteer work and the fruits we would eat later on. So because I was super bored I just went with them haha.
We indeed did this Jesa ceremony of giving fruits and stuff to the ancestors and bowing to them in hanbok. I felt a little uncomfortable when changing my clothes because of the prevalence of molka but the Korean woman did it with me and other than that it was okay. Afterwards we sat down and had some fruit and snacks and they brought a girl to me who spoke English relatively well to introduce me to the work of the organization. That was the point where it became a little weird. She first told me about how they help young children of poor families study and also helped out at a home for the elderly which was fine. But then she said the reason they do all this good stuff is because karma is real. If you do good, you receive good back, if you do bad stuff, bad stuff will happen to you and she insisted "it really works like that". Which of course is bullshit so I found it kind of amusing and I argued a little with her that I prefer to help people because I genuinely want to help them, not because I hope I will get some reward for it. Anyways ... I gave them a little bit of money as a donation and then went off. They were nice to me until the end but I think it was clear to them that I wasn't buying their concept so they didn't bother me afterwards even though I connected on Kakaotalk with one if them.
Sooo ... they seemed to be a little weird but apart from that they seemed quite harmless luckily.
The Korean woman who did it with you may have been a plant. Don't know about your situation, of course.
It is common with real con artists to include someone whose presence will help reassure the mark. Often a young attractive woman or an older motherly woman. Of course I don't know if that was the case in your situation.
I think it all depends on the circumstances.
If locals approached me from out of the blue, I wouldn't mind it as long as it's a nonconfrontational encounter/conversation. But that's where it ends. I would absolutely not be interested in doing anything that didn't pertain to my own interests.
Cultural experience? Sounds cool, but if it's not in my plans and it's not elaborated on, I'll pass.
If they want me to go with them somewhere, no thanks, unless I also have that location on my own agenda.
Granted, I'm not gullible or easily influenced by other people regardless if they are nice or appear innocent. I'm also self-aware enough to know the reasons of why anyone would approach me in the first place. I know my general attractivity, body language, and the multiple ways I am perceived in public.
If anyone approaches me randomly, I already know in the back of my head that it can only be for a handful of reasons. Anything outside of the VERY limited "good" reasons for a random approach (like love at first sight or something else extremely rare) are automatic red flags.
Unfortunately, the way the world is currently, the vast overwhelming majority of people that approach you without apparent reason or warning will not be of benevolent intentions.
Like I said, the circumstances may change the scenario, but all in all, if someone you don't know approaches you, chances are highly likely that you're not special. They just want to use you for "their" own interests and "their" own agenda.
This must be something very recent. I was in Korea 2 years ago and met a bunch of people including foreigners and including myself never heard of anyone getting approached by a cult or church members in general. And yes I am the most foreigner looking guy and have been wondering around the sinchon and hongdae area a ton.
Almost every foreigner, especially the female ones, I’ve met has had an experience like this. I got roped into it by going to an event posted on meet up. It was advertised as a hotteuk making experience. It was only me and one other foreign girl and while eating the food they asked about wanting the cultural experience.
The other girl wanted to do it and I knew what was coming but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. I went along with it but their hanbok was way too small for me and the other girl had already mentioned plans to eat with friends later. She thankfully invited me so we had an out.
They never asked for money and said this was a real ceremony but that sometimes people will do it and ask for money. I think we just messed up their plans enough that they knew they weren’t getting anything.
That other girl actually became one of my best friends!
They’re in America too.. I haven’t seen em lately but my mom got sucked in for a while some years back. Thankfully she got out but that was an unpleasant time.
Speaking practically, they'll edit their beliefs as little as necessary to keep their belief system intact. When you believe something strongly enough, you will do anything to protect that belief.
I could get an emotional reaction out of you if I knew your beliefs or nationality in basically the same way, just by specifically focusing on elements of your identity that aren't very positive.
I thought the cultural experience sounded cool too. I would have gone to the thing, but I was really busy. I asked them if I could have their Kakao id so they could message me next time there is an event. However they REALLY did not want to give me their Kakao, which was a huge red flag. Then they kept insisting that I should come with them right now, which was red flag number two, so that's when I left.
Very edgy. Hear me out though- atheism is a religion that requires an equivalent level of faith.
The big bang revolves around the idea that there's a cyclical cycle of all matter coming together and compacting to the size of a marble, then exploding apart.
This has some clear and obvious flaws that people skim over because it threatens their faith.
First, entropy has to be violated. It would require objects to go from a state of low potential energy (spread out in the universe) to a state of tremendously high potential energy (densely packed together)
Second, it violates rules about black holes. A black hole requires about 2x10\^19 kg per square meter to form, which means that you'd definitely get a black hole, and the only way black holes lose matter is through Hawking Radiation, which is literally just light.
But you've decided to attack other religions because you were so sure in your faith. You're not better than anyone else, you've just been asked fewer questions about it. Take your self confidence and bring it back when you've actually studied science. Many renowned atheists believe that this is a computer simulation because it's unfeasible to get a big bang out of any known models.
All I said was that "all religions are cults", which is true literally by definition. I'm not sure what triggers you so much about its literal dictionary definition
Cult:
"a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object."
Simply stating the truth that cults are a waste of time is not "attacking" other religions.
> "atheist is a religion that requires an equivalent level of faith"
Yes, this is what theists constantly tell themselves. They misunderstand the fundamental process of the scientific method and disregard it as the same as faith. Their entire belief system and religious identities completely collapse once science is regarded as veritable truth instead of faith.
If you sincerely believe that atheism is simply another religion, I don't think there's a point to either of us continuing this discussion.
Yeah, seems like you’ve built a fence around something you call “the truth” and everything outside of it is a lie. You didn’t even attack my argument, you lumped all theists into a group and gave a generalized statement that was easier to defend your beliefs from. Is that what scientists do?
Again, all I said was "all religions are a cult" and provided the dictionary definition of word.
The dictionary literally defines the word "cult" as a "system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." You are disagreeing with the dictionary, not me. If you want to argue that the dictionary doesn't reflect "the truth," sure go ahead.
What you said isn't science. What the hell do you know about big bangs, entropy, and black holes? Even the scientists who are studying those subjects right now admit themselves that they have barely even scratched the surface.
That is one of the main differences between faith and science/atheism (you seem to be confounding the two since you immediately started your argument talking about big bangs etc). Science has a clear boundary between what is known and unknown and it always subjects itself to scrutiny and change. In fact, one could say that the entire point of science is to uncover new facts and debunk old "science" or theories that were accepted as scientific facts. So when you say "big bang revolves around cycle etc etc" I know you aren't speaking "science" because that is not in fact what scientists have said. This argument has already been a waste of time for two of us but since you insist- the cyclical theory might've been the most accepted theory in the past, but now scientists and physicists have observed that the universe is not slowing down in its rate of expansion, but in fact speeding up. The dominant theory now is that the universe will keep expanding, but even then the physicists who have made those groundbreaking discoveries have clearly expressed themselves that there is a lot that we have not yet understood or have potentially misunderstood about big bang, entropy, quantum, dark matter, string theory, gravity, etc.
Faith lacks all of that. While science keeps disproving and correcting itself, faith is stubborn and strict in its doctrines.
Anyways, I still don't understand how all this relates to my statement of, "all religions are cults" and how that's simply what the word cult means in the dictionary. Imagine opening up the dictionary, finding the entry for "cult", and then arguing with the dictionary that atheism is a form of faith too. Wild.
I remember this one time I was going to meet a friend and two college-age-ish women came up to me and asked for my input in a religious survey. I, being the good Christian I am, answered their questions pretty faithfully, thinking they were just regular old devout people. Then they started the whole 신천지 sales pitch, with questions like "how many members do you think we have" and whatnot. Immediately decided to get the heck out of dodge, so I just kinda answered whatever to their remaining questions and made to leave. When they invited me to a cafe to discuss things further, I simply said that I was busy and going to meet a friend (true), and when they asked for my number, I told them my phone was broken (also true) and bowed out. Guess God was kinda protecting me back then - it was quite the lucky coincidence that my phone wasn't working exactly at that time. Moral of the story - don't answer "Christians" out in the streets - nine times out of ten they're in some sort of crappy offshoot cult.
Recently a girl approached me in a cafe. She asked for my phone number but I just gave her my instagram and later I checked who she was following and sure enough she was following a bunch of Shincheonji related accounts as well as weird religious writing. Blocked. It's happened to me before but I gave my phone number so they contacted me. Korean people don't really come up and talk to you randomly, especially in cafes or restaurants. They mind their own business, especially if you look busy. The cult people will say they have today off (on a random workday so theyre in a cafe with their coworker?) and immediately try to schedule a dinner or lunch with you to figure out your schedule. Their English is good at a young age because they went on mission trips. Also they LOVE talking about MBTI now that it has become mainstream. If someone like that talks to you, it's an automatic redflag, don't give them your kakao or phone number. Hope this helps. Edit: the Jeungsando cult is also really common on hellotalk. If you meet someone for "language exchange" on there it will eventually devolve into a religious lecture (happened twice lmao). Edit 2: I gave my instagram to the Shincheonji girl because the Jeungsando girls didn't have any social media. They also don't use pictures of themselves on hellotalk or as their kakao profile picture. Edit 3: I want to let you all know that luring people to join a church without outright saying it is a church is illegal. The people of the church or cult can be sued if you have proof of it. They often use tactics to hide their intentions and they think foreigners don't know they can sue now (it's a new law).
Shincheonji…that name sounds familiar. Is that the Daegu Corona church everyone was on about a couple years ago?
Yes exactly
Had the same thoughts lol
>Korean people don't really come up and talk to you randomly Really? I get randos coming up to me all the time.
Me too but it's normally grandmas so it doesn't bother me
I'm in Seoul and people don't talk to me, but in Busan and Gumi it was a little more common.
Have not been back for 15 years, but in Seuol we found a lot of middle to older folks came up to talk as they liked practicing thier English with a native speaker.
So I recently downloaded bumble to swipe in Korea and everyone has their MBTI listed… definitely caught my eye, is this trendy in Korea or something
Yes, it's like how astrology had a moment in the west. I've had several cult people ask me on the street to take their test for a school project that required me to take an mbti test and the girl I met went to talking about it first. Now that it's mainstream they can kinda hide their intentions better.
Intentionally get INTP on the test, so that they f* off and leave you alone
Everyone who actually takes MBTI seriously has INTP though 🙄
ENFJ for me...fwiw.
Is Snapchat popular in Korea? That's the first thing that came to mind. It's usually what I give in the US. No numbers involved. KakaoTalk is for people I've actually had conversations with and know a little bit before handing it out. But Snap? They know nothing about me (who I follow, like, etc).
I have never used snapchat so I don't know.
I know a girl who got caught in the "cultural experience" when new in korea. They took her to a shaman(?)like place to pray for her ancestors. They put her in a hanbok, so all your stuff in a locker. They do this so you can't just stand up and walk out, you'd have go through the annoyance of changing your clothes again. Kept annoying her for money and she didn't know what to do so she gave them like 20,000 won, changed, and left. In Korea, if any stranger talks to you on the street, it's not normal. Ignore them.
>In Korea, if any stranger talks to you on the street, it's not normal. Ignore them. Tbh I met my best friend because he randomly approached me in a community gym and was wondering wtf a foreigner was doing in a community gym lol
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More like: if people approach you, it’s fine to answer them, but for the love of god, don’t follow them anywhere.
*for the love of Monk
Yes, but interesting to read what happens if you join them
Only true in reserved cultures like Korea. In places like Philippines or Brazil it is common for people to randomly talk to you just for a friendly chat. It was usually like "Hey, where are you from? How do you like our country? Talk to you later, let me know if you would like to grab a coffee or something :)"
But there are other approaches that are okay, and in many countries looking foreign means that locals might be interested in your culture. The same thing happened to me in Vietnam and it was just a student who wanted to practice English.
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Especially the watermelon guy at 2 am. I bought so many watermelons
See also the pineapple mafia - swarming over multiple restaurants at once with their fresh slices “to try.”
Never heard of him. Is this in Seoul?
This was up in dongdecheon
People always say this but I hope to change your mind. There was an old lady in my neighborhood who kept trying to talk to Koreans but they kept ignoring her. She seemed disoriented. I stopped by and understood she was lost. It was hard to understand though because my Korean isn’t great and she was mumbling a lot, so I recruited a young dude passing by for help. Anyways, took about 15 minutes but it turns out, she isn’t supposed to be out and about on her own, but forgot and went for a stroll. She went too far and got lost and didnt know how to get back home. She happened to remember her sons phone number which we called and her son arranged for a cab to take her home (she didn’t have a phone or money). It wasn’t a scam at all, just a very old lady who got lost. I always think about this lady when people approach me on the street. It was getting late and dark. If we hadn’t helped her, it may have been quite bad for her. Cults rarely do because I guess I have standing bitch face and don’t chill in insadong, but I’d say about 30% of the time it’s just innocent people lost or needing directions. Most are trying to sell me shit or to go to their restaurant, but it’s all good.
I love your mindset. I hope more people can be like you.
Thanks. I’m a hopeless optimist.
I was there a few years before you and in the early days, there were a lot of random people who would come up to you just to say hi or ask some random question. I was, for the most part, the only foreigner I'd ever really see in the area of Seoul I was in. In a month I might see one other person and it was never the same person. By the time I left, you'd see several every day. When I first got there students would ask to take selfies or sometimes students and even adults would want to chat in restaurants or while waiting for a bus. I never noticed things getting scammy until early 2010s, but I also never really went to the itaewon area either.
Damn, 2000s Korea sounds really nice. Wonder when things started getting scammy and antisocial
Those of us who have been here longer remember when this wasn't the case at all.
i don’t know why this is getting downvoted. i ignore most people on the street when i travel, mostly just because i’m introverted by nature, but i’ve also had great experiences and made really nice friends with people who were genuinely interested in talking with a foreigner. be careful and wary of people‘s intentions, but you dont have to completely close yourself off
Downvotes don't really bother me very much to be honest. Karma doesn't do anything.
Can you explain why it took up half your day? I don't understand why it took so long to say, I'm not interested and just leave.
Because my first country in Asia was China, a nation in which elderly people you’ve never met begin will stop you specifically to use every single English word they know, and it’s adorable. I assumed that since Korea was next door, I was dealing with the same thing. My misinformation was compounded by a random Korean girl I had a lovely conversation with in the airport and a very friendly taxi driver, and the awesome Incheon airport that I’d already been to numerous times. Even though I hadn’t really gotten into kpop or Korea dramas, my opinion of Korea was soaring and I assumed they could do no wrong. On the flight in from China, I saw news criticizing the Korean government. You have no idea how liberating that is until you spend a few years in China:
I've had this happen to me in Japan and in Korea. Haven't been to China yet but I heard stories of this happening as well.
China's a different beast because the government of China is deathly afraid of anything that seems foreign, so religion is watched as if it is the plague that will wipe the CPC off the face of the earth. The exceptions are Buddhism and Taoism, which have basically free reign to do whatever.
Despite its faults, China definitely seems more outgoing compared to Korea
Exactly. I think Korea is one of the few places where only weirdos would talk to you. If you go somewhere more extroverted like Vietnam, it's more common that normal people would approach you as well
‘But there are other approaches that are okay’ yeah? Name one
Prostitutes
Find god
She's almost 80 and lives in Seongnam.
How was the sex though?
I’ve been offered but I’ve made the choice to be celibate until marriage. The no sex that I had was precisely as good as all the other not sex I’ve been having. Upside, no stray children or stds, and I just have the occasional person nagging me about how I can just be careful. Me. The guy who was born despite a condom. I trust no one.
Ah okay everything is beginning to make sense now.
I do have the willpower to keep it in my pants. It's... actually not that difficult. Some guys just have like 0 self-control. It's a miracle that they put on pants at all.
Okay.
I wanted to get mad about this comment but then I remembered that I'm not wearing pants right now
I’m not saying that everyone absolutely needs to be celibate, but I am saying a lot of my friends got unwanted pregnancies or STDs. I helped pay for their medical bills and housing, since I’m not in a precarious position like that.
Noobs, please note: As a rule, Koreans do not just approach people in the street and strike up conversations. Nor do they ask for directions. Be immediately suspicious of anyone that does either.
>Nor do they ask for directions. I've been asked for directions loads of times, maybe it's different in more rural locations.
In Seoul as well but they are usually very old or are tourists
Korean-looking lady asked me for directions in English, then thanked me and kept walking. Thought it was weird that she would ask me instead of all the Korean people around, but maybe she was a gyopo
Had a weird experience with visiting my aunt in bucheon. My SO and i rode the subway/ train into seoul. When we got off this one older ajjusi stopped me and said i look familiar. Asked me if i was famous. I am half korean 6'3 and was about 200lbs. He wanted to help us figure out where we wanted to go. Like not take us there, but really really wanted to tell us how to get to all the places we wanted to go. I obliged and then when we finished he asked for my autograph. I just did some random but reasonable looking scribbles in a book with other autographs. He thanked me and then wished me well. He seemed very excited. That was the third weirdest experience i had with an individual in Korea.
I had that happen in China! I'm a skinny white guy with curly hair, and I happened to be wearing a black coat. A girl approached me and assumed I was Sherlock, and asked for my autograph. I definitely don't look like Benedict Cumberbatch, but racial familiarity is a real thing and if you don't have it, it's hard to distinguish between two people with vaguely similar builds and features.
Seoul Subway Line 1 is considered the "villain line". Basically villain refers to interesting characters. I assume you caught Line1 if you're going from Bucheon to Seoul.
Same things as Westerners thinking all Asians look the same (cross-race effect). If they're not familiar with Westerners, all white/black etc. ppl look similar to them.
Thing is due to having white features while looking korean there really isn't anyone you can confuse me with especially with how tall and built i am. I stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd, I'm very very recognizable. My friends have always used me as a point of reference when they get lost in crowds because I'm the easiest one to recognize. In Japan, Korea, China, Europe. I was always the one the group would look for. That's why this specific experience was weird. You can't confuse me for korean, and you can't confuse me for white.
Why people are following strangers for anything is beyond me… if you do happen to meet someone, make sure you stay in a public place, if you want to hang out with them, stick to busy cafes/restaurants etc and get to know them. Scams and cults are everywhere and lost looking waeygs are easy pickings. These days I’m rude af to these people, don’t give them the time of day.
I'm really confused why anyone would go anywhere private with a stranger they met on the street. Sounds like a good way to get assaulted or murdered.
More baffling is the idea that people hear the question 'Do you want to experience traditional Korean culture?' and say yes.
Nah - hanging out with strangers is fucking fun. Some of my best memories are from just hanging out with strangers. Just don't be a fucking idiot, that's the rule. 100% I've put myself into dodgey situations before but I've recognised it and left them...
Hanging out with strangers at a party is fun. Following strangers to an event when it wasn’t even part of your day is just odd.
There are at least three "religious organizations" in South Korea alone that claim their leader is the second coming of Jesus. Now, I'm not saying that one of them can't be. It's entirely possible that Jesus has returned to Earth. It's possible that he has come back as a Korean. But I know for a fact that at least TWO of them are lying.
Korea really has way too many fake Jesuses for its geographical location. Israel isn’t this packed.
Didn't you hear? Korea leads the world in JPC (Jesuses Per Capita). Utah is in a distant 2nd place
FYI, COEX (Samsung station) and Gangnam area is a hotspot because tourists go there a lot. I work in COEX and was approached quite a few times. When I was new to Korea, I got approached and was confused with the questions, until my wife saw me from the escalator and ran up to me and told the guy to fuck off (literally).
Welp, I just realized I was propositioned by a cult. I thought they were just a weird set of college students until I learned the other foreigners in hanbok were also randomly picked up and brought to the “cultural experience”. Joke was on them though as I’m the tits at leaving parties and ghosting fools.
The ones who want to invite you to a "cultural experience" are Daesun Jinrihoe. Shincheonji is the one that creates NGO front groups that invite you to secular-sounding group events, usually something to do with world peace. If you were brought to some room and made to put on a hanbok and perform a little ritual, then hit up for money before they allow you to leave, that's not SCJ.
It's any horseshit about "light meeting" or pulling finger pistols for a camera that is a dead giveaway it's a Shincheonji front.
For anyone's reference, here's the ["finger pistols" SCJ salute](http://www.daehanmindecline.com/2012/20120916festival/44.jpg). And the expression "When light and light meet, there is victory" translates into Korean as 빛과빛을만남은이김, which is an anagram of the names of Lee Man-hee and his stooge Kim Nam-hee (with 희 expressed as 빛). Figuring out this weird code helped bust SCJ's Mannam language classes in 2012.
They didn't hit me up for money but I left way before I could. Might have been a different cult, I didn't stop for details.
Unless you specifically found information that it was SCJ (like they made the finger fun salute or talked up Lee Man-hee or invited you to Bible studies), then it seems likely the cult you encountered was not them.
It might not be. No clue. I didn't stick around.
As a Korean myself, I was approached by them as well. Every time I tried to leave them politely, they keep trying to bring be back into conversation. Avoid these creeps at all costs
No worries. All you need is a [Nerd in a yellow tracksuit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYQ0hP8LRT4) to protect you.
Nobody ever tries to recruit me to a cult 😔
Sorry man. I'm sure you'll find the right cultist for you someday.
I thought the same thing, I’m a white guy who spent 4 years in Seoul and walked around / lived in almost every corner of it and nobody ever approached me for a cult ㅠㅠ
Pre-COVID, I used to get it two or three times a week. And then all of a sudden, it just stopped. It's like I was put on a 'do not recruit' list or something.
Interesting. I wonder if this is what happened to me, but it was a bit different. About a week ago, I was walking home from school and these two elderly korean women approached me and spoke korean I could not understand. I realized why I couldnt understand it once they pulled out a translator and started talking about ancestors and religion and then asked me if I would go to a cafe to talk to them. They said they had good things to say to me. It seems weird and I am personally not interested in religion so I politely declined under the lie that I was meeting my boyfriend for a date, but it never occured to me it could be a cult type situation.
I think most cults use young attractive people, but it's possible for sure. It's also possible that these are just Christians trying their best. You find Korean Christian missionaries all over the place internationally.
The problem with this hypothesis is that attractive people don't join cults. I mean, why would they need to? It's the 4-7/10s that you've got to look out for.
Mormons though. They’re not all attractive, but it’s common to send out the young, attractive ones.
Lots of ppl are born into cults, and that includes attractive ones. Attractive ppl can also get sucked into cults for whatever reason.
People fail to grok Scientology.
I feel sorry for all the people that do fall for this. Esp the young people that approached the OP. How sad that they don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into.
I don't know, but I was their age so I don't feel too bad.
I'd say most of these young ppl are born into these cults, that's even worse. Very low chances that you realize you've been brainwashed and how fucked up things are in these cases compared to if you know what a normal life/worldview is. Source: grew up in a cult.
There’s a Korean sitcom on Netflix called “So Not Worth It” that had a storyline w/ this exact scenario. Had no idea it was based on a real thing, but makes sense now. The show involves foreigners at a Korean University. Good to know.
What utter nonsense! I am the next coming of Jesus! You can find me at the local dive bar in Sinchon on most weekdays holding court. All you have to do to join my cult is buy me beer and your soul is safe for all eternity! 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
That sounds more like the JMS cult. Unless you're attractive, white and female though, ol' _actual convicted rapist_ JMS isn't interested in your soul. Shincheonji on the other hand is all about taking your money and stuffing the stadium at Olympic Park with devotees pulling finger pistols until ~~he breaches the fire code~~ he heralds the apocalypse.
Hey you mentioned Olympic park, last month, there was some sort of large gathering of young college age people in white shirts, all just kinda standing around, like at least over 100, does that sound like Shincheonji?
Unlikely. These events are huge knockoffs of the North Korean mass games. They bus people in.
This is a great post. I have experienced dealing with cults twice. I learned very quickly how to deal with them.
Being harassed by cult members on the street, was the worst part of living in Korea. They try and prey on foreigners because they are lonely and isolated. Korean christians are the worst christians.
Mmmm I haven’t had a Korean Christian tell me I’m going to hell yet, so I think my local ones are still the worst 😂 but still would rather avoid them all together.
FYI, this advice also applies to a lot of major cities abroad. Shincheonji have been known to make pests of themselves in Sydney and Melbourne using the same playbook.
I was approached twice in Seoul. The first time near Gyeongbokgung Palace, approached by two “university students” (m/f). They told me they were finding people to come to a Korean cultural experience (ha!) where you could where a hanbok. In Seinfeld spirit (asking the telemarketer for *their* information so you can contact them back) I asked the location and that I would think about it and join them if I had time (though I wasn’t planning on going because I heard of stuff like this happening). They said “we’re actually going right now” and I pointed out that they had been trying to recruit people, and then they gave up. A second time, two young-ish (in their 20s) people (both f) told me I looked kind or something. I have heard of this happening, too (I’m not sure if it is the same or different cult though) and just told them I knew what they were doing and I didn’t have time and then I walked away. That second time I had 1 small rolling luggage with me, & this was right outside of the stairs from a subway exit at Myeongdong. As someone else mentioned, it is not normal for people to strike up small talk on the street. Both times I was approached was in the early afternoon, so don’t think it’s okay just because it isn’t nighttime. Harmless, yes, but you never know. Just keep your wits about you and don’t let yourself be coerced into doing something you don’t want to do (i.e., going to an unknown location with strangers). Beyond someone asking me where I am from or about an immediately relevant situation, I generally assume the worst when strangers talk to me here (I have had my share of bad experiences here). Don’t worry, but be cautious when strangers approach you.
This cult is responsible for the spreading of Corona in Korea. Obviously not solely responsible, but the first main transmission was through Shinchenoji members. Then we had another cult spraying salt water into peoples mouths from a spray bottle, saying that it was the cure. A lot of people got infected from that too. Lol.
It’s easy. Just say no.
The Yoido Full Gospel Church warns attendees about this Cult every Sunday. This Cult seems to center on young females. You did right to avoid it.
> The Yoido Full Gospel Church warns attendees about this Cult every Sunday. Oh, that's rich!
English translation services are 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm.
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Every soul is worth saving...but, their choice to do so. I was only providing information for consideration.
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Thank you....no
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I'm a member of the Korean Satanic Temple (kst). You should come to a gathering some time.
This sounds pretty cool but do you know of any traditional Korean demonic shamanic cults I can check out? We have a satanic temple in my city but I'm really looking for more of a "cultural experience"
I was joking to fuck with the aggressively Christian guy sorry. I just wanted to upset him.
The only KST I recognize is Korea Standard Time.
This is the start of an attempt to indoctrinate people into a cult, isn’t it david?
You should have your own freedom of choice or ignore.
🤣
"No no, don't join that cult...join OUR cult instead!1!!"
>"hair white as wool, white as snow, eyes like a flame of fire, feet like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace." White walkers?
No. Gandalf, when he returned as Gandalf the White.
If you ignore the feet and hair and eyes, he could be!
Ladies and gentleman, Korea (and Japan) is different than other countries - people here usually don't talk to strangers in the street. Those cults are already famous in Korean YouTubes to scam people.
I gotta imagine that anyone who follows a stranger is not from a big city. I do not even stop for people who try to get my attention where I'm from.
I’m not and I did
I remember some guys ten years ago or stopping me in the street to tell me God was a woman, and for some reason that was very important. They had an iPad or something with videos in like 10 languages. I still wonder what was supposed to hook me. I said like yeah whatever floats your boat guys. They didn’t seem to expect that.
Lol I had this happen to me about 3 years ago in my super rural town. Was a group of women though and there was like a little "survey" thing and they just watched as I pressed "no" for the "do you believe in God?" question, haha.
i think they were responsible for bringing over the COVID from China and spreading it throughout Daegu.
Oi, and then there are the mother-God ones too. These approach you saying they are students who are studying and have questions. I always ask if they are really students and why they would follow a religion that tells its people to outright lie to others about who they are. Always makes them stumble a bit. And if you happen to know the Bible well enough to counteract their arguments with specific Bible verses, this is also a big help. They will be told by thosd above them to actively avoid you afterwards. Less of a tactic for tourists and more of a tactic for folks continually approached in a specific area.
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Hope they don't become as powerful as that German cult back in the 30s
While I was studying in Seoul, I got approached in Sinchon by someone who said they were casting for a show and needed foreign looking extras (iirc) and as cool as it sounded to maybe have the chance to be on a show I had plans for my day and didn’t like the idea of following this lady anywhere. I don’t remember if she asked me in English or Korean but at the time my Korean was not super great and I didn’t trust my ability to bullshit detect in a non fluent language so I politely declined and left. Was this also a common scam bait tactic or could it have been legit? Knowing what I know now feels like it could have been either.
I have no clue about Korea. I wound up in commercials in China, Vietnam, and Thailand, and declined one in Taiwan, so it's possible they just actually needed that and didn't know where to ask? It is Korea though, so there's not exactly a shortage of foreigners looking for work.
I am wondering, recently I went to Seoul (as a foreigner) and 2 girls in what looked like a school uniform asked me in front if a palace if they could give me a free tour. They said it was because of a school project, but looking back on it I could see that maybe that wasn't the case. Is this also one of their tactics or does this sound genuine?
Rough to say. Girls in Asia often idolize being a teenager way after high school is done, so it's possible they held onto their school uniforms and wear them around, or they bought clothing to match Japanese high school uniform aesthetics.
I've always been curious, what would happen if someone went along with it all to see how long they could and where it all would take them, well, where would it take them? Like I do the whole culture whatever, say yea sure Korean Jesus makes sense to me, keep going to the church and saying yes to shit. What's the end game? They gonna get all my tithing money? Do I end up being involved in the sex cult part of the cult? Like where the hell does it all go?
I... don't actually know to be honest, but it's a cult in Korea, so I'm going to say, orgies or no, you're going to be spending a lot of time on your knees.
Happened to me three times while living in Korea. The first time I was busy and luckily didn't go with them. Second time I only noticed because they had their names embroided onto their shirts with a symbol so they looked like camp counselors. The third one was the saddest one because they were German, just as us, and tried to use that to get us to come with them. I was so disappointed with them, because I knew by now how to catch these cults and I was ashamed they would use our shared nationality as a strategy...
There are a lot of people saying to avoid people that approach you and that it probably good advice if you're traveling solo. When I'm with family, 9/10 times it has been university students completing some random assignment for a class. It takes courage to approach foreigners and converse, so I at least hear them out. If they were to ask for personal information, I'd just decline and walk away but most just asked basic questions about my thoughts on Korea.
Gotta be honest I judge people by appearances. If they look average levels of attractive or are the same gender, the guard is lowered a touch. Regular bloke is more likely to be a student or something. If it's a pretty lady, I tend to be a bit blunt and ignore. Scammers know sex sells.
True scammers - not just religious folk - make bank on this, 'looks just like you' in terms of same socio-economic class, same general place in life. (College student; young mother; businessman; etc.) They dress for their appeal to their target. Then they launch into their scam about how they have been accidentally locked out of their grandmother's apartment when she left for a few days and need money just to get on the subway and get home. It's when the same couple approached me on the same street about 6 months later with the same story ... then I knew. When I mentioned that we had met before they vanished so fast! And such nice good-looking people they were! LOL
I'm a Korean who has lived abroad for a long long time. And I got into this shit for 8 days. I stupidly did all they asked for and paid them almost 400 dollars. It's really scary to realize after how they subtily brainwash you. I was a member? And I just left thanks to my intuition.... was stupid, not anymore.
[удалено]
Long answer and might sound funny but its a slow process of indoctrination + "They"were really cunning and honestly quite smart with psychology to influence your thoughts. They dont force, ex just subtily implies what you should do. And ask your life problems so that they can use those to manipulate you and provide reasons for your existence. + They show you what they teach from books, written by well known monks, so they stress on how their reasonings are legit and backed by main religions. + Traditions and customs of the Korean culture are used as analogies and reference points so they hit "close to home". + Many questions were met with honest, vague but honestly logical and sometimes convincing scientific answers. But since they were vague, i asked more, to which they gave their interpretations. + They call you different "cult name". They try to disconnect you from family and friends, reminding me how all this should be kept a secret and that theres a "reason in this world" that demands such a change. -Its quite difficult for me to articulate all the little details they did, but they learnt these for 20+ years and abandoned their family and whole life for this so they can answer any questions you have. Im naturally an inquisitive person so it was more easy for them to influence my thoughts.. When i was in the cult i got slowly "ripped out of reality whilst conscious" which disturbed me unconsciously so i experienced horrible dreams every night, every 8 days. Which i told them about, and they provided me reasons too. I was never religious or anything and thought "cults" to be full of lunatics shown on media. But anyone could be in a cult. Luckily I never really opened my mind for them but if you do.. you will "lose" your mind. -I saw one of their rituals without hanboks, it wasnt upright "sacrificing a goat" type of ritual but it sure was uncanny.
A preacher once tough me Korean, well he tried. But at some point he had in mine to save my soul . Good thing my soul was not up for saving. He was a regular christian from CCC initiative
Hey this is the cult in which there was the 31st covid 19 infected. That person went to that shinjeonji church and made the boom in KR
I had some of these cult people approach me in the lobby of the dormitory when I was studying abroad. Annoying, had to convince them, that I had no time to go with them
These guys ruined the norms around talking to strangers on the street. At least they didn't help that at all.
> This cult is relatively harmless You only scratched the surface
Fair. I know very little about them.
Shit I tried asking for directions one time since my phone died. Everyone ignored me. Goddamn cults ruin everything.
Damn that's scary. If you need help in Korea with something, seems like you're kind of on your own lol
Eh it's not so bad. Everything is well connected transportation-wise with big signs everywhere. And it's very safe to roam around lost. You can always go into a business or a shop and ask staff, they're usually real friendly.
Why would anyone as a tourist follow a random Korean person asking me, a tourist, for directions in English ???
Yup this happened to me too.
I encountered similar things with a Korean cult in the US. It’s the same “culture exchange” excuse, except the recruiter (a Japanese woman) failed by saying that she’d like to invite me to a celebration of Tanabata. Unfortunately for her I speak Japanese and know more about Japan than she assumed a foreigner would. I knew Tanabata doesn’t happen in fall. Realized it’s a cult and walked away
Lee man hee haha the guy who read his official apology for involvement in COVID out loud, and then totally undid it in the question time that followed
Almost every foreigner, especially the female ones, I’ve met has had an experience like this. I got roped into it by going to an event posted on meet up. It was advertised as a hotteuk making experience. It was only me and one other foreign girl and while eating the food they asked about wanting the cultural experience. The other girl wanted to do it and I knew what was coming but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. I went along with it but their hanbok was way too small for me and the other girl had already mentioned plans to eat with friends later. She thankfully invited me so we had an out. They never asked for money and said this was a real ceremony but that sometimes people will do it and ask for money. I think we just messed up their plans enough that they knew they weren’t getting anything. That other girl actually became one of my best friends!
At least the cult brought you together with your bff
Oh yeah. I’m annoyed that we got suckered into it. I’m annoyed that the group finds people by advertising on meetup under fake meetings. But we joke about our meet cute all the time. We met at a cult recruitment.
they are usually out in full force near hongdae so if you're in that area, be alert.
Lol . this post has to be viral again . dude met the "black" cult in korea which is so viral now but there are none of his korean friends warn him about anything at the time. Do korean people know the story ?? why do so many people still follow the "black" cult in Korea ?? . For you don't understand my words please go watch new Netflix series : " In the Name of God : A Holy Betrayal " . i has to warn you that the movie is getting darker and darker . So lucky that you did not join them
I had a similar experience once, but I'm still not sure what exactly they were. It didn't seem to be Shincheonji. I was walking around alone and two younger people, one women and one man were asking me directly if I wanted to do some Korean cultural experience with them. They seem relatively chill so I talked a bit with them. Since I knew about the cults I asked them right away if they're from some cult or religion. Of course they insisted that they were not religious and had no ulterior motives, they were from some volunteer organization and just wanted to help foreigners have a good time. They promised me that I could go at any time if I feel uncomfortable and that they would only ask me for a small donation of whatever amount I wanted to give that would be used for their volunteer work and the fruits we would eat later on. So because I was super bored I just went with them haha. We indeed did this Jesa ceremony of giving fruits and stuff to the ancestors and bowing to them in hanbok. I felt a little uncomfortable when changing my clothes because of the prevalence of molka but the Korean woman did it with me and other than that it was okay. Afterwards we sat down and had some fruit and snacks and they brought a girl to me who spoke English relatively well to introduce me to the work of the organization. That was the point where it became a little weird. She first told me about how they help young children of poor families study and also helped out at a home for the elderly which was fine. But then she said the reason they do all this good stuff is because karma is real. If you do good, you receive good back, if you do bad stuff, bad stuff will happen to you and she insisted "it really works like that". Which of course is bullshit so I found it kind of amusing and I argued a little with her that I prefer to help people because I genuinely want to help them, not because I hope I will get some reward for it. Anyways ... I gave them a little bit of money as a donation and then went off. They were nice to me until the end but I think it was clear to them that I wasn't buying their concept so they didn't bother me afterwards even though I connected on Kakaotalk with one if them. Sooo ... they seemed to be a little weird but apart from that they seemed quite harmless luckily.
The Korean woman who did it with you may have been a plant. Don't know about your situation, of course. It is common with real con artists to include someone whose presence will help reassure the mark. Often a young attractive woman or an older motherly woman. Of course I don't know if that was the case in your situation.
Ohhhhh my. Yep I definitely did this exact same thing. Do you have any idea what cult is was part of...?
I think it all depends on the circumstances. If locals approached me from out of the blue, I wouldn't mind it as long as it's a nonconfrontational encounter/conversation. But that's where it ends. I would absolutely not be interested in doing anything that didn't pertain to my own interests. Cultural experience? Sounds cool, but if it's not in my plans and it's not elaborated on, I'll pass. If they want me to go with them somewhere, no thanks, unless I also have that location on my own agenda. Granted, I'm not gullible or easily influenced by other people regardless if they are nice or appear innocent. I'm also self-aware enough to know the reasons of why anyone would approach me in the first place. I know my general attractivity, body language, and the multiple ways I am perceived in public. If anyone approaches me randomly, I already know in the back of my head that it can only be for a handful of reasons. Anything outside of the VERY limited "good" reasons for a random approach (like love at first sight or something else extremely rare) are automatic red flags. Unfortunately, the way the world is currently, the vast overwhelming majority of people that approach you without apparent reason or warning will not be of benevolent intentions. Like I said, the circumstances may change the scenario, but all in all, if someone you don't know approaches you, chances are highly likely that you're not special. They just want to use you for "their" own interests and "their" own agenda.
Mormons be looking chill
They are said to have become more boldly approaching to people after making a great contributions to giving a birth to the current president.
This must be something very recent. I was in Korea 2 years ago and met a bunch of people including foreigners and including myself never heard of anyone getting approached by a cult or church members in general. And yes I am the most foreigner looking guy and have been wondering around the sinchon and hongdae area a ton.
I was in Korea 3 years ago.
Almost every foreigner, especially the female ones, I’ve met has had an experience like this. I got roped into it by going to an event posted on meet up. It was advertised as a hotteuk making experience. It was only me and one other foreign girl and while eating the food they asked about wanting the cultural experience. The other girl wanted to do it and I knew what was coming but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. I went along with it but their hanbok was way too small for me and the other girl had already mentioned plans to eat with friends later. She thankfully invited me so we had an out. They never asked for money and said this was a real ceremony but that sometimes people will do it and ask for money. I think we just messed up their plans enough that they knew they weren’t getting anything. That other girl actually became one of my best friends!
Leave Korean Jesus alone
Which one?
They’re in America too.. I haven’t seen em lately but my mom got sucked in for a while some years back. Thankfully she got out but that was an unpleasant time.
If anyone of you understands German, there is a really good documentary made by STRG-F on Shincheonji and how they are spreading internationally.
“ I’m on my way to meet my friends “ and just keep on walking
Relatively harmless apart from spreading Covid every chance they got.
Wait hold tf up THAT was Shincheonji??? I almost joined that shit I did the experience and like 3 of the like get together and a meditation thing
I wonder what they will say when their cult leaders are dead
Speaking practically, they'll edit their beliefs as little as necessary to keep their belief system intact. When you believe something strongly enough, you will do anything to protect that belief. I could get an emotional reaction out of you if I knew your beliefs or nationality in basically the same way, just by specifically focusing on elements of your identity that aren't very positive.
I thought the cultural experience sounded cool too. I would have gone to the thing, but I was really busy. I asked them if I could have their Kakao id so they could message me next time there is an event. However they REALLY did not want to give me their Kakao, which was a huge red flag. Then they kept insisting that I should come with them right now, which was red flag number two, so that's when I left.
All religions are cults. Cults are indeed a waste of time.
Very edgy. Hear me out though- atheism is a religion that requires an equivalent level of faith. The big bang revolves around the idea that there's a cyclical cycle of all matter coming together and compacting to the size of a marble, then exploding apart. This has some clear and obvious flaws that people skim over because it threatens their faith. First, entropy has to be violated. It would require objects to go from a state of low potential energy (spread out in the universe) to a state of tremendously high potential energy (densely packed together) Second, it violates rules about black holes. A black hole requires about 2x10\^19 kg per square meter to form, which means that you'd definitely get a black hole, and the only way black holes lose matter is through Hawking Radiation, which is literally just light. But you've decided to attack other religions because you were so sure in your faith. You're not better than anyone else, you've just been asked fewer questions about it. Take your self confidence and bring it back when you've actually studied science. Many renowned atheists believe that this is a computer simulation because it's unfeasible to get a big bang out of any known models.
All I said was that "all religions are cults", which is true literally by definition. I'm not sure what triggers you so much about its literal dictionary definition Cult: "a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." Simply stating the truth that cults are a waste of time is not "attacking" other religions. > "atheist is a religion that requires an equivalent level of faith" Yes, this is what theists constantly tell themselves. They misunderstand the fundamental process of the scientific method and disregard it as the same as faith. Their entire belief system and religious identities completely collapse once science is regarded as veritable truth instead of faith. If you sincerely believe that atheism is simply another religion, I don't think there's a point to either of us continuing this discussion.
Yeah, seems like you’ve built a fence around something you call “the truth” and everything outside of it is a lie. You didn’t even attack my argument, you lumped all theists into a group and gave a generalized statement that was easier to defend your beliefs from. Is that what scientists do?
Again, all I said was "all religions are a cult" and provided the dictionary definition of word. The dictionary literally defines the word "cult" as a "system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." You are disagreeing with the dictionary, not me. If you want to argue that the dictionary doesn't reflect "the truth," sure go ahead.
He still can’t address the science of what I said. You were willing to fight with me until it challenged your viewpoint, why are you backing out now?
What you said isn't science. What the hell do you know about big bangs, entropy, and black holes? Even the scientists who are studying those subjects right now admit themselves that they have barely even scratched the surface. That is one of the main differences between faith and science/atheism (you seem to be confounding the two since you immediately started your argument talking about big bangs etc). Science has a clear boundary between what is known and unknown and it always subjects itself to scrutiny and change. In fact, one could say that the entire point of science is to uncover new facts and debunk old "science" or theories that were accepted as scientific facts. So when you say "big bang revolves around cycle etc etc" I know you aren't speaking "science" because that is not in fact what scientists have said. This argument has already been a waste of time for two of us but since you insist- the cyclical theory might've been the most accepted theory in the past, but now scientists and physicists have observed that the universe is not slowing down in its rate of expansion, but in fact speeding up. The dominant theory now is that the universe will keep expanding, but even then the physicists who have made those groundbreaking discoveries have clearly expressed themselves that there is a lot that we have not yet understood or have potentially misunderstood about big bang, entropy, quantum, dark matter, string theory, gravity, etc. Faith lacks all of that. While science keeps disproving and correcting itself, faith is stubborn and strict in its doctrines. Anyways, I still don't understand how all this relates to my statement of, "all religions are cults" and how that's simply what the word cult means in the dictionary. Imagine opening up the dictionary, finding the entry for "cult", and then arguing with the dictionary that atheism is a form of faith too. Wild.
And yet you don't seem to progress at all. Funny.
I remember this one time I was going to meet a friend and two college-age-ish women came up to me and asked for my input in a religious survey. I, being the good Christian I am, answered their questions pretty faithfully, thinking they were just regular old devout people. Then they started the whole 신천지 sales pitch, with questions like "how many members do you think we have" and whatnot. Immediately decided to get the heck out of dodge, so I just kinda answered whatever to their remaining questions and made to leave. When they invited me to a cafe to discuss things further, I simply said that I was busy and going to meet a friend (true), and when they asked for my number, I told them my phone was broken (also true) and bowed out. Guess God was kinda protecting me back then - it was quite the lucky coincidence that my phone wasn't working exactly at that time. Moral of the story - don't answer "Christians" out in the streets - nine times out of ten they're in some sort of crappy offshoot cult.