Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mortilap1]

Hi all,

After telling a couple friends here in the US that I would be teaching in South Korea, a few mentioned to me how it was an extremely superficial, vain, materialistic, money-driven culture. Is this mostly true for South Korea, or is it just a stereotype? I'm assuming the larger cities would tend to fit this stereotype more?

I'm curious to hear the opinions of people who have lived in SK for a few years.

I am aware of all the plastic surgeries that women have, so I guess that my friends' arguments...

[joelove]

Is there any culture much different? I guess as a foreigner you will notice things from a different background than local people, and you might say, "How different it is!" -- but the background you come from is not much different, is it? The struggle to be somebody, to make money, to show off, envy, greed, competition, and the rest of the pressures and compulsions you were brought up in will be apparent in the Korean culture too.

[optik404]

Not any more materialistic than the West. Like most things in Asia, people tend to exaggerate. I would say places like Gangnam, cheongdam, and sinsa are similar to Los Angeles in terms of materialism. Bunch of rich kids with way too much money walking around.

[Zyzyfer]

I normally don't participate in threads like these because they've been done to death and I think I said my current opinion on like five different threads more than 10 years ago, and don't want to spoil the fun for other posters by repeating myself ad nauseum! But I don't want anyone thinking that I am not against people calling Koreans superficial, and possibly even supportive of the notion, so I guess I had better put in my two cents and make my stance perfectly clear!

[happiness]

I think Korea has the lack of the western concept of a Judeo-Christian ethic in terms of what we would see as humility/pride/empathetic (all to a degree, natch). Their whole ethic is their Conufician Hierarchy, coupled with the limited resources, as well as with their education system, being extremely trained to have tunnel vision. That makes the drive for success for them to be based around position, and appearance of position. The lack of divulgence from this modern Korean ideal makes things seem to the outsider as very materialistic and money driven, but even if you look at their dramas, compared to western rich, its not that impressive (maybe the car). The houses in the dramas are kind of like a average middle class dwelling, maybe a bit fancier.

I dont think koreans are that materialistic, but I dont see what they want to own. They say Im materialistic (because I have 2 leather jackets, ooooooh) They just are always after that position, and they want to be in groups. I think thats it.

[joelove]

You can meet intelligent people too, born in Korea or elsewhere.

Note: This is everybody, according to his/her own opinion.

[atwood]

I say yes. As it says above, there's little morality in Korea. Thus money and appearance become the most important values in Korean society.

Some may mention family, but that's based on money too, beginning with bowing for money on holidays to being judged by how much money you spend on your family to who gets the old man's money, if after being retired at the age of 50 by a chaebol he has any left.

Now I'm not saying the West is not materialistic, but there are values there, especially religious ones, that undercut its influence. For example, think of how much more common and important charity in the U.S. is compared to in Korea.

[cj1976]

It is probably related to urban living and high disposable income. Seoul is a fast-paced city where trends appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. People do appear to be relentlessly consumerist here in Seoul, but people in the countryside seem much more down to earth and less concerned with overt displays of wealth.
That probably stands for most modern societies. However, Korea might be a little more materialistic than most due to the utter misery of Korean life. From what I have learned reading trashy women's lifestyle mags, shopaholics tend to be quite depressed and are trying to fill a void.
How else can you be happy in the global suicide hotspot?

[nate1983]

I would say that, on average, Koreans tend to be somewhat less practical in their consumption habits than Americans (and I'm sure others in the west, but I'm from the US so that's my natural frame of reference). I don't think the typical American 20-something spends as much - as a percentage of income - on "materialistic" things, e.g. beauty creams, plastic surgery, designer handbags, lavish smartphone. It's bad in the US, but Korea takes it to an even higher level.

[cj1976]

[No_hite_pls]

[jazzmaster]

Compared to where I grew up, Koreans are very materialistic and superficial. Looks are far more important here, and keeping up with the Jones/Kims seems to be more widespread than back home.

[Old Painless]

What's really funny is how the Koreans that carry fake LV purses actually know that 90% of the women on the train/bus can spot a fake a mile away, and they still proudly carry them .

[optik404]

[andrewchon]

extremely superficial, vain, materialistic, money-driven: what's so bad about it, anyway?

Consider a country that isn't then. Switzerland for example. 'Exciting' isn't the word ususally used to describe that place. Belgium is another. Finland, Norweg, Cambodia, New Zealand, Uruguay... all very sensible countries. Nothing much happens there, either.

When returnees say: extremely superficial, vain, materialistic, money-driven etc. they are describing is 'karma'. Their life ain't that exciting anymore.