What's wrong with your face?

What I've had to be convinced over the past four months is in Korea bluntness is not meant to be mean it is supposed to be a way to express concern for friends and co-workers. The frankness in combination with the language barrier, however, is something that has to be taken with a large lick of salt and a thick skin.

About two months ago one of my bosses needed to take a picture of me for an ID card. For two days she came into my classroom, looked at me, and actually refused to take my picture......... The same boss took a picture of my friend Paul when he was growing out his beard for his ID card and when he got it back the picture was a picture she had photoshopped out of a group photo taken a month before when he was clean shaven.

In the past week, especially, I've had to daily prepare myself for the onslaught of comments from my Korean staff as soon as I get to work. Since last Wednesday I have had the flu. (I was so sick I had to hang up my party dress and drag out the NyQuil and Gatorade on new years eve!Bummer, I know.) So the comments have been free flowing. Comments such as, "What's wrong with your face Dan-e-yell?", "Are you sick? You look terrible?" or the classic "You look really tired."

So the question is...plain rudeness? or true concern? I'm still in need of more convincing for the later.