Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Drakoi]

The exclusivity of Corean culture manifests itself in ways that are strange and often shocking to outsider-and no people are more shocked at this cultural exclusivity than those of Corean ancestry who were born and raised outside Corea. When Corean-Americans, Corean-Canadians, and so forth go to their homeland to work or just to visit, it is a pilgrimage that affects them deeply. they are going back to their roots and arrive in an emotional high that makes them extraordinarily sensitive to every sight, every sound.

But much to the shock and chagrin of most "overseas Coreans," especially those who have gone to Corea on job assignments, they quickly discover that they are not always welcomed back as long-lost sons by Coreans in general. Some Coreans, in fact, treat them with the kind of disdain usually reserved for traitors. Few, if any of the returnees speak Corean fluently, and what they do speak is old-fashioned. They also do not know, or are awkward in using Corean etiquette in their personal and business relationships. As a result they are often looked on by strangers and newly met acquaintances as curiosities at best and as cultural dummies at worst.

When native-born Coreans encounter people who look exactly like they do but who talk like and act like foreigners, they are first of all surprised and then disbelieving. Among some Coreans-taxi drivers are good examples-this disbelief can readily turn to anger because their spontaneous reaction is that the individual is putting on air, pretending not to be Corean. Corea's efforts to globalize its economy and internationalize its people are thus at odds with the emotional reaction of those who have not yet accepted these principles.

Because of this ongoing cultural exclusivity, foreign-born and -raised Coreans do not automatically benefit from the special guest category that Coreans almost always extend to non-Corean foreigners, especially Caucasian Westerners. Instead they are seen as Coreans who willingly gave up their motherland and their culture and in doing so have diminished themselves.

However, if overseas Coreans are aware of the cultural barriers they face in trying to "fit" into present-day Corea, have pleasant personalities, and are deliberately humble and polite, they can eventually earn a status that is known as 'uri nara saram' which means "our country's people." This label is something like being given the status of "honorary Corean." But it is generally effective only among an individual's circle of friends and associates on whom one has already worked his or her charms. The individual has to go through the same complex routine of developing an uri nara saram relationship with each new person met.

...

-Boye' Lafayette De Mente, 1998

This pretty mcuh rings true in my experience. Unfortunately De Mente makes no mention of adoptees who neither left willingly nor were given ANY instruction in Corean etiquette. For this subgroup within a subgroup within a subgroup, the challenge is even greater. But there is help,

http://www.goal.or.kr/

[Tiger Beer]

Pretty interesting stuff.. and yeah, I can definetely see that as applying.

Generally, Koreans put people in very specific boxes.. if you are caucasian you are expected and its very shocking if you do anything seemingly non-western -- eating kimchee, using chopsticks, knowing how to read Korean letters, etc., the list goes significantly more in depth. Each and any one of these is incredibly shocking to the extreme. We're all suppose to eat hamburgers everyday, couldn't possibly have bothered to study even basic Korean, have never heard of or considered going to places like NoRaeBangs, Videobangs, tried kimchee, etc. How do we even find our way homes when we leave the house? Its all just astonishing to the extreme.. and.. have we ever tried Korean food before? (despite having lived here a long time).

On the other hand, for a Kyopo, their box is to know every single detail in minute detail from Day 1. Anything less to exact perfection is considered a shock and just simply unbelievable and un-understandable. How can anyone who is Korean not be 100% Korean? Why would he pretend or be ignorant of these things.. its just not possible? Exact opposite.

Infinitely easier to be the obvious looking foreigner..

I've also heard similar things among the African-American population who hope to go to a land dominated by African people.. only to find a completely different mindset than they expect and the exact opposite of what they had in a utopia 'motherland' kind of wishful thinking mindset..

I think this happens on many levels.. also interesting is caucasian people after spending significant time in places like Korea.. trying to readjust back to life in the West.. and all the memories and realities of the place kind of jar you and throw you off and nothing like you had remembered or expected upon returning.. hard cold reality

But with anything.. if you go 'back' and anything you do whatever it is.. at a certain point you just kind of 'fit' into things somehow or another.. or in whatever you do for that matter..

[eamo]

I sympathise with the status of the Korean gyopyo. It seems like you guys are in an in-between world where you are not fully accepted by your adopted country or Korea.

It reminds me of the North-Americans who visit Ireland on the basis of their Irish ancestory. Many believe they will be accepted as a fellow Irishman. It doesn't really work like that. They don't share the experience of growing up in Ireland.

I prefer it when Korean-Americans (and Irish-Americans) simply describe themselves as American. I think it's easier for all parties that way.

[crazylemongirl]

[eamo]

Where you grew up is what you are. I don't put much store in genetics relating to cultural awareness.

[buddy bradley]

Boo hoo hoo! That is so tough! *sniff* How do you cope? *snort!*

[Yaya]

[Tiger Beer]

[dogbert]

[Corporal]

Um, Drakoi, I liked your post, it was very nice, except I didn't understand the constant mentions of "Corea" and "Coreans". I looked these words up in the dictionary, but they're not there. Why is that?

[little mixed girl]

.....

[whatthefunk]

[posco's trumpet]

[Corporal]

[Corporal]

I love Kanada. I miss seeing other Kanadians. I hope when my daughter grows up she will not be a whiny cyopo. Any suggestions on how to raise her so that as an adult she is not a konfused khameleon?