Hello! I am a college student in South Korea. I am attending a coures named intercultural communication. The professor of this course asked students to share cultural information with foreigners. I brought some topics we could share. It will write the culture of Republic of Korea. It would be thankful for you to share the idea what people of your country think about.
1.balance between family and work.
South Koreans tends to consider work important than family. This is because of the hard times in South Korea. In 1950, ther was a outbreak of the Korean war. After the war most of people were poor. So working hard was the only way to support their family. Also, South Korea underwent the IMF crisis. The IMF crisis made lots of people unempolyed and people tried very hard not to lose jobs and to get a job. These kinds of historical reasons led to culture that consider work more important than family. So, still many people take working overnight for granted.
2. Respect for age
People in South Korea show respect for the elderly. You can see this in daily life of South Koreans. Younger people say hello with a bow to people who are older. Also, in Korean the language, words and forms differ depending on whether the listner is older or not.
It would be great if you share your culture by replies!! :)
Replies
balance between family and work.
Thai consider work more important than family too in previous time. Nowadays, Workers tend to try to balance their work life. Still, It is quite hard to do that because most company try to use their worker as effective as possible like giving more jobs that they certainly have to do after work hour, Not hire more man even having manpower shortage. By the way, Those mostly happened when it is foreign company or big company but not with small Thai company which mostly treat their workers as their family.
Thank you for all the replies you wrote!! I didn't have much chance to know Islamic culure. So it was great to know Islamic culture. Well, I a going to post another writing concerning other cultural topics. It would be great if you tell me about your culture again.
Rosemary :) said:
Gamza hamnida Younghwan Park. It is no problem. You can reply anytime. I hope you add me. thanks
Hi Dara Gino! Sorry for a late reply. Well, the topics I wrote were so common that they were probably mentioned before. However, the report I have to submit for the course should include records of communication. That was why I telling you cultural features and asking for yours.
Also, yes it would be great to be friends! It would be wonderful to know each other.
dara gino said:
I do agree with this Rosemary's reply! But we don't kissing the feets... :)
Rosemary :) said:
This is from Islam being a giving hand
Work is important but not more than ur family . People work here and according to Islamic values must be honest and accomplish their works accurately :) :) :)
The 2 cultural values , which , u have had mentioned above are universal , they are everywhere with slight differences or some specifications . But of today's modern fast material life many values and family bonds are decaying among the new generation .
In Islam respecting and helping the elderly is a core principle . Arabs and Muslims kiss the hands , foreheads and heads of the elderly as a specific way of honoring them . When it comes to mothers and grandmothers , their feet are kissed . It is a social stigma to leave ur parents in a nursing home , u should take care of them until their death
Aniyan hashimi ka Younghwan? Gva gamza hamnida. Most of the previous aspects of life you have mentioned are done here. The respect of the elders, greeting them. In our culture, we like to know other people and gain some information from them. We visit one another during the weekend. hey, Younghwan is it possible to be one of your friends.