Elevators

There are horror stories about elevators here. The first day of training a woman just barely missed being crushed by slamming elevator doors. Immediately another woman who was more familiar with Korea told us that elevators here don’t have sensors, so stay out of their way and don’t try to hold the elevator for anyone. The elevator sage then told us that people have lost arms to Korean elevators. This could be nothing more than a Korean urban legend, but regardless I stay out of the way. Elevators here have stickers warning about the doors, and I take that warning very seriously.

The potential to be crushed by the elevator has an affect on the culture here. Frequently at the grocery store people enter the elevator before those already in can exit. My initial thought was, “that’s rude!” But then I realized that everyone is afraid to get slammed in the doors.

I’m not here to judge Korean elevators but it does seem paradoxical that cross walks have sensors and cameras while elevators are dangerous.