I had an interview for a t-t position today and left with a bad taste in my mouth. The SC asked some very good questions, but mixed with them were really rude ones like, "why were you so confident in your research that you've already published a monograph?" and "why didn't you do all of your degrees at the same school?"
Also, at the end I was told that I would be contacted by the university weeks from now because the department needs to make its decision, send it to the university, etc. etc. I find this really unnecessary--why can't they just call me after their meeting and tell me their decision? The shortlist consists of two people, and the other also interviewed today, so I see no problem with a polite phone call.
Finally, they STILL haven't told me how much the job pays.
You were in the room and I was not, but based on your description I do not find this all that antagonizing.
I don't have experience with Korean practices, but my experience with other East Asian cultures would have led me to conclude that "why are you so confident" is a way of asking, "Are you another arrogant hotheaded Westerner who will follow your own interests, or are you going to put group harmony first like the rest of us?" "Why didn't you go to the same school" also suggests to me a difference in cultural values, that we value movement in ways they do not, and the institutional hierarchy is not as rigid in the US as in Korea.
The "it will take weeks" is not unknown in the US either. Very few institutions respond as quickly as they COULD respond; as many a wise forumite has said, the search committee is interested in its own convenience, not the convenience of the candidate. Also, salary discussions are frequently postponed in the US until the offer is made.
So it may not be as bad as it seems. Hang in there.
Sibyl has said exactly what I wanted to say once you clarified, E_H. In short, hang in there. I suspect you're in a very good position to get that TT job.
