Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Hammer]

The purpose of this thread is to help others understand how to have better relations with Koreans.

What do you know about Korean culture?

What are the differences between your culture and Korean culture that can lead to unwanted misunderstandings and conflict?

[essexboy]

If you own a hagwon/school etc, never, ever say a positive word about any of your employees

[The Hammer]

[HapKi]

I know that a little bow and "anyonghaseyo" can go a long way.

[hubba bubba]

Discrimination is legal, openly practiced, and apparently nothing to be the least bit ashamed or embarassed about.

This includes discrimination based on:

Age
Gender
Skin color
Country of Origin
Weight
Hair color
Eye color
Accent
Most likely sexual orientation, but I've never heard of this coming up at the job.


Did I miss anything?

[The Hammer]

My country�s culture is the polar opposite of Korea with respect to several different social dimensions.

In general...

My country vs. Korea

Individualistic vs. Collectivist
Direct vs. Indirect
Masculine vs. Feminine
Short-term vs. Long-term orientation

These differences sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Knowing about them can help avoid conflict.

When you first came here you knew a lot less about Koreans than you probably know now. Also, you probably learned the most about Korean culture by accidently breaking their rules.

So what cultural faux pas have you committed and learned from?

[HapKi]

Before coming here, I had read that blowing my nose at the dinner table was rude. However, having done so, have found that it's no big deal.

Over-all, if you endear yourself to Koreans, most faux pas will go by without a notice.

There are things that Koreans won't allow. I've found that speaking 반말 to elders will get you a scolding.

[Qinella]

[The Hammer]

Qinella,

I agree that this thread has the potential to be really good if people post with positive intent.

Here are my observations and opinions. If anyone thinks I am wrong please set me straight, so I can learn.

Individualistic vs. Collectivist

In my country we learn to be independent and to take care of ourselves from a young age. I look out for my interests and make an effort not to be a burden on others. I am an individual and do what I want to do.

In Korea, I see that Koreans tend to be very dependent upon their families and friends. They will defer to the group even if it is against their personal desire. For example, drinking with the team well into the night even though they would rather be home sleeping.

Direct vs. Indirect

People in my country generally expect to be told to their face directly about problems. In Korea, if someone has a problem with you, you'll hear it through the grapevine.

Potential conflict:
If people don't tell me directly, I find it difficult to trust them.


Masculine vs. Feminine
Men in my country tend to be tough in comparison to Korean men. Many Korean men are what I would consider to be feminine.

As far as I know individualistic cultures tend to be more masculine and collectivist cultures tend to be more feminine.

I need to study Hofstede more to understand masculine vs. feminine. Actually, I just started reading his book Cultures and Civilizations Software of the Mind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede


Short-term vs. Long-term orientation

In Incheon there are banners everywhere expressing the desire to host the 2014 Asian Games. I've never seen anything like that in my country. Our time horizon is much shorter.


Hofstede http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede

[Satori]

One thing I would add is that Korean culture is very heirachical, while western culture tends towards being more egalitarian. This relates with the collectivist versus individualist model. In Korea people want to know where everyone fits in the heirachy and authority is often based on arbitrary concepts of seniority while in the west we lean more towards a meritocracy.

[The Hammer]

[Len8]

The collective thing sometimes mean they have no frame of reference with which they can deal with a non Korean, so exclusion is the name of the game in more cases than one

The hierarchy things a joke though, because age merits respect regardless of wether one has earned it or not.

The masculine versus feminine thing works both ways. Koreans can look out for the underdog at times and that's the nurturing femine aspect of our natures. On the other hand they are very ambitious and at times can be quite brutal when it comes to pursuing goals of their own, and that's theirs and our masculine side.

Hoefstedder said Koreans are high on the low conflict high avoidance thing. That means that they don't like to risk themselves with the unfamiliar. They would rather pretend you the Waegukin didn't exist than to meet you front on and socialise as an equal. Hence the tendency for many Koreans to pretend they don't understand your Korean, when in fact they do.

[EFLtrainer]

[hubba bubba]

RE: Korean being a feminine society.

Were you talking about this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4cL-R6U1G0

[jajdude]