Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Goku]

Before this get's into a Korea bash fest, let me make clear it's not. Merely a question poised to entertain my curiosity.

Has anyone thought that Korea is a more expressive emotional culture than the West?

I mean, both negative and positive (mostly negative like complaining). I've seen students publicly display their dissatisifaction and I've seen it in college students too. Adults... not so much.

Generally, the type of behavior I'm talking about is the "Ahhh... Shiii...." kind of things that I hear. I've seen students display to me and other teachers a complete disregard for hiding the very least their emotions, or at least holding it back.

In the west generally we consider hidiing our feelings a necessary part of human interaction. In Korea I feel it's much more expressive and no fear of reprecussions from other people. I don't know why some of the students I've seen think that they can give a "this blows" kind of face to their teacher and that's ok.

I've also seen some of my Korean college aged friends do similar behavior.

To say the least this was a culture shock to me. Is it just the people I'm encountering? Or is this truly a cultural difference?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

For a culture that makes so much ado about holding back one's feelings there seem to be a lot of people who are prone to emotional outbursts at the drop of a hat. Very childish antics by kids in late adolescence also appears to be much more culturally acceptable here, too.

[afsjesse]

I notice it a lot also. Especially in Korean girls who don't get their way. They seem to do the "wayyyyyyyy" while stomping their feet. But it's the students that really get annoying, especially with the "hurghhhhh"

[eamo]

I've noticed that Koreans have a need to have their dissatisfaction about even minor things be heard by someone.

So, for example, if they're in a rush but somebody else is slow getting on or off the elevator, you'll hear some grumbling under the breath after the offending person has left the scene. But who's that grumble for? The person who annoyed them has gone! Is it just talking to oneself? Or is it for the benefit of those people left within hearing distance?

This old guy in my building always does this. He apparently hates dogs. Or he hates that I have a dog. I dunno. Anyway, after, only after, I leave the elevator or pass him at the building entrance does he give out a low aiissshh, and grumbles something. He's too wussy to complain straight to my face, but he has a need to vocalize something.....

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

"Loudest Voice Wins" in whatever form.

[Joe666]

Yu_Bum_suk wrote:

[Geckoman]

[Seoul'n'Corea]

Look up parliamentary democracy, it is a democracy but in order to call a federal election we need the Queen or the Queens representative (Governor General) to close the house.

It is still a democratic process.

[VanIslander]

Korean men use the emotion of anger to bully others into getting their way; no way would that work back in Canada

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[fermentation]

[Unposter]

Without going into individual differences and contrasting, complex examples which sometimes are antagonistic to each other, I have heard Koreans talk about themselves as being emotional. You can take that for whatever it is worth.

I personally think that in some ways Koreans care more about justice and they personally get upset when they feel injusticed than people from Anglo-American backgrounds.

Many Anglo-Americans take on a more individualized sense of injustice. They see acts of injustice as a sense of personal responsibility. Such people think that so and so is actually their own fault or I should just find an alternative solution. So, there is little concern if government or companies do something wrong; I should just be concerned about me and not others.

Koreans, in general, see things as more group oriented. When things go wrong, it is not individual, it is because someone or something in the group did/went wrong, thus the group needs to work better. So, they are more likely to voice their concern that something has gone wrong. They are more likely to criticize others - see others faults as a threat to the group.

On the positive side, I think Koreans are more likely to stand up to social injustice. On the negative side, they sometimes seem whiney.

People from a more Anglo-American culture, on the other hand, tend to be more accepting of others faults but seem to care less about others problems.

Of course, these are broad generalities, and every individual is more or less similar to cultural stereotypes.

And, remember that culture is most likely an integrated whole and not a list of traits. Cultural traits can exist for unforseen reasons and you cannot simply change one trait without possible unforseen side-effects. And, of course, culture is very conservative. There is little question culture changes but it often does slowly.

In the end, we are both individuals and products of our culture. We make choices and develop personalities which at times seem similar to others but when closely examined generally different than others.

Interest in "culture" seems near universal yet understanding of "culture" is vertually non-existant, maybe the source of our interest.

Basically, I can say Koreans do things. It seems to be different than I would do things but I can't say why.

Good luck understanding why you do things. When you understand why you do things maybe you can understand why others do things, maybe not.

I do agree Koreans like to complain. In my mind, they do seem more sensitive to acts of injustice. Sometimes I think I am more calas (sp?) about others but I think I am also more tolerant. Who knows what that means? It is probably just me and not my culture?

Have fun and enjoy your cultural interest. But, wondering why people do things differently than you is a sign of culture shock. Wait! They do things differently here! Who would have thought?

[Jane]

Koreans are more emotional, and this assertion can be explained through advertisements and commercials.

TV commercials here in Korea are designed to evoke emotion, in other words, the function of a product is less of a concern than how that product makes one feel. Why is this so? Koreans are in general more passionate (look at K soap operas or dramas, what with all the crying! or beef protests!). Second, perhaps these pleas for emotion are directed to the 'nouveaux riches' and their propensity for 'conspicuous consumption'.

Western commercials, in contract, are designed to give information about a product, or to grab attention (through use of comedy or outrageousness).

Edit:

Good post, Unposter..I think there is a lot of truth to what you mention...one point to add: Korea's tumultuous history (with something like 1000 invasions over history) means that Koreans are used to melancholy. Much of Korea's traditional songs are about losing loved ones, dying, etc.; very emotionally-driven subjects.

May also be a reason why Muhan Dojeon--a complete ridiculous show from my perspective--is such a hit here. It's light heartedness makes people laugh and forget about the hardtimes. It's easy to forget sometimes that the grumpy, greedy old people here are emotional, but they did had to survive a war.

[flakfizer]

Koreans just seem to express themselves all the time, and not just out of emotional need, but simply to hear themselves talk or break up anything close to silence. If it's hot outside, almost every Korean seems the need to say that it is hot to no one in particular. Of course, many bring their trot music up the mountains or on the bike trails too. I really think the modern Korean (or at least, Seoulite) can't stand silence.

[harlowethrombey]