It’s a given that you’ll encounter cultural differences that you just don’t understand when you move to or visit another country. In other cases, you may run into things which you think one other nation really does much better than your personal.
I think it’s super neat to discover other cultures and how they differ from us whichever it is. Understanding our distinctions is fascinating and provides us more persistence when we experience social bumps into the road.
Today we’re likely to have a look at 10 of this biggest social distinctions that I’ve noticed during my time residing right right here in Southern Korea. Keep in mind my hometown in the united states is Seattle, therefore several things about this list may well not connect with you if you’re from a state that is different nation (duh).
Dining dining Table of articles
1. The Hierarchy
In the us, it is common for teenagers as well as young ones to phone their elders by their very first names. Whether that be step-parents, aunts/uncles, friend’s parents, etc, utilizing very very very first names is normal and frequently motivated. This can be in stark contrast to Korea, where there was a very nearly reverential respect for elders and superiors.
Korean tradition was highly affected by Confucian philosophy and another of the most extremely obvious of their impacts could be the presence of filial piety—a respect for parents and elders.
It has lead to a hierarchy in Korean culture where you must show some degree of subservience to those who find themselves older or perhaps in greater company roles.
This exhibits it self in everyday life through such things as which can be the formal language that is korean on elders or superiors.
Another every time life situation to look at hierarchy for action is whenever you’re consuming down. Usually, the earliest individual present is allowed to be 1st someone to consume in the dining table, as well as the youngest individual is meant to provide the others by pouring drinks and grilling the meat. And since investing in the dinner is one thing individuals frequently battle over (since it’s considered a privilege or solution to “gain face”) it’s commonly the earliest one who picks up the check (since I’m often the youngest individual in the dining table, we undoubtedly support in this manner of doing it).
2. Dating Culture
Personally I think like in the US, having an important other is not almost because crucial as it’s right here in Korea.
Korean partners have tradition all of their very very own. You can find holiday breaks for boyfriends, and vacations for girlfriends. They celebrate being together for 100 times as though it is their anniversary. Partners wear matching clothes even right down to their footwear and underwear, simply just simply take huge amounts of selfies to consider each outing together, and you’ll realize that there’s never ever too little things you can do as a couple of in Seoul.
Go anywhere scenic or sweet in the week-end and you’ll end up with countless partners experiencing the scenery, taking place picnics, or walking together.
The few tradition in Korea is unlike other things into the global globe, therefore I’m fortunate to be right here with somebody!
3. Lookism
In the usa, personally i think that we now have a lot of different definitions of beauty, since there are incredibly people that are many a wide variety of places and backgrounds. Regardless of your system kind or ethnicity there may be people who always believe that you may be breathtaking.
Now let’s explore Korea…
I favor that Koreans are concerned with health insurance and having bodies that are healthy. I believe that America could do with some more veggies and general public work out playgrounds myself.
Nevertheless, i really do genuinely believe that Korea goes a touch too far, making not merely wellness, but appearance that is also physical obsession more than simply an issue.
We don’t think (personal viewpoint right right here) so it’s a very important thing for the tradition become therefore consumed in real beauty, to the level where literally every person, including young children, constantly complain about their appearance and state exactly how fat these are generally.
A typical example of so just how far lookism in Korea extends are the method that you have to submit a photograph along with your application whenever trying to get work. Of course the business does not see you since gorgeous (suitable in to the extremely difficult margin that Koreans call beauty) you are refused through the job.
Other for example just how K-pop movie movie stars promote terribly diet that is unhealthy, exactly exactly exactly how eating problems and starvation as a way to lose surplus weight are neither uncommon nor regarded as negative things, and just how it is considered “empowering” to tell ladies to surgically alter their health.
The consequences of this are making Korea one of several plastic cosmetic surgery capitals associated with world, having a extremely questionable to constantly look breathtaking. It really isn’t unusual for moms and dads to purchase cosmetic surgery for his or her daughters (usually the dual eyelid surgery) as being a highschool graduation present. As well as in center school young ones already are planning the alterations they will make for their faces or figures.
I think that when a lady decides that plastic cosmetic surgery could be the route she wants to simply just take, this is certainly her option. However when surgery that is cosmetic forced on girls inside their very very early teenagers and it is presented much more of absolutely essential than an option, I think there’s a challenge. Something such as that ought to be a individual choice, not a thing you will do as you feel forced into it by culture.
I will be certainly not the skinniest or palest Asian on the market (both things which Koreans think become of this importance that is utmost regards to beauty). Staying in America, we never ever once felt judged for the method we seemed. My fat, the real way i dressed, therefore the color of my epidermis had been all subjective whenever it found the matter of beauty.
Nevertheless, whenever I relocated to Korea, i truly struggled because of the proven fact that in most Koreans’ eyes, I became perhaps not considered “pretty.” This might be made painfully apparent whenever Korean friends let me know to obtain surgery treatment to correct specific flaws about myself, or let me know that i must drop some weight, and even once I go searching for makeup products while the shop associates take to attempting to sell me personally lighter makeup and whitening cream.
Even though we find these circumstances hurtful and ended up being originally actually defer by Korea due to them, I’m sure that becoming an actual Korean (and never a foreigner) will be a great deal harder in this respect.
I really could carry on all about the negative effects of the extreme looks based culture in Korea but I’ll stop here so that doesn’t happen day.
4. Security
I am able to state without doubt that i’m 100 times safer in Korea than i did so back in the usa. Personally I think totally safe walking the roads of Seoul or my rural city very long after dark. The only times we have actually thought uncomfortable or remotely wiccan seznamovacГ sluЕѕba unsafe right here have been around in circumstances involving other foreigners rather than Koreans.
Petty crime is practically unheard of here—I don’t think I’ve ever heard about someone getting mugged or pick-pocketed. This is why, it is actually typical to attend a cafe or restaurant and find out individuals keep their phone and bag sitting at their table—something you would back NEVER do home.
And while you’re out and about it’s very likely that someone will turn it over to a lost and found, rather than back home where someone would probably steal it if you happen to lose something on the subway or.