Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bruce W Sims]

Agreed, and I think that matter of HOW a culture is represented by its people is every bit as important. Here in the States, the on-going conflict with Middle Eastern cultures has produced an odd assortment of very vocal antagonists. Probably the single loudest voices come from the Christian Right who vitriolic diatribes proceed---of all things--- from a b elief in loving one's neighbor.

In my limited experience with Korean culture I have very often seen the same sort of misrepresentation, usually when interacting with other cultures. Such tenets as "knowing ones place", respecting authority, respecting elders, fidelity to ones friends are very often conditional and subject to the advantages to be garnered by the individual espousing them.

IMHE this sort of thing makes it very difficult to know which is the "real" Korean culture.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[Bruce W Sims]

Agreed, and I think that matter of HOW a culture is represented by its people is every bit as important. Here in the States, the on-going conflict with Middle Eastern cultures has produced an odd assortment of very vocal antagonists. Probably the single loudest voices come from the Christian Right whose vitriolic diatribes proceed---of all things--- from a b elief in loving one's neighbor.

In my limited experience with Korean culture I have very often seen the same sort of misrepresentation, usually when interacting with other cultures. Such tenets as "knowing ones place", respecting authority, respecting elders, fidelity to ones friends are very often conditional and subject to the advantages to be garnered by the individual espousing them.

IMHE this sort of thing makes it very difficult to know which is the "real" Korean culture.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[rainism]

oh, please don't get me started on religious boobs and especially the "Religious Right"

don't take what I said as hating on Korea, Koreans and their culture.
I am extraordinarily fond of almost all Koreans I work and interact with and go out of my way to be as polite to them as I can be, so long as no one blatantly messes with me, or disrespects me, which none of them do.
No one expects me to be culturally Korean, nor reproaches me for it, which is one reason I am that much more fond of them and in return extend them every possible courtesy and politeness, while learning and taking into account their cultural norms.

there are even certain aspects of their culture which I quite enjoy. For e.g. on some days I hate bowing.. usually those are the days I simply don't want to deal with people or acknowledge them.. on the other hand, on other days I find bowing a really quick and cool way to acknowledge someone else's presence and really enjoy it.

that said, the bottom line and issue with Korean "culture" and why/how it differs so significantly from 90% of other foreign cultures is the following:

what is society, what does it mean, who are you and what is your place and meaning within that society. Their interpretation of this simply runs completely counter to my most of my interpretation. This is far deeper and more important than current pop trends, fashion, what people wear, their music, their food, even their language (though there is an inextricable link between language and culture).

what's interesting is that Korea is changing. in fact, rapidly so.
Most of the cultural changes are "Western" in nature. Whether this is good or bad I will leave for others to argue over. The cowardly yet probably the best answer is that it's both. It'll be very interesting to see Korean society in about 25 years or so.

[Ramen]

more ￦ they have more westernize they become in korea. they just love to immulate the u.s.a. and tries to compare their staus with us. poorer folks on the other hand are locked up in a hermit kingdom preserving their tradition and culture.

[rainism]