The Korean People - Part I

I’ve been meaning to post (on numerous occasions) about my thoughts on the Korean people as a whole. I think I’ve held off for so long because of my very meager knowledge about Korean culture and society. But, I’ve been doing some reading since I’ve arrived in Korea. So, hopefully I’ll be able to express some thoughts without critical or overgenerous overtones.

Just as any religion has a large affect on a country’s people, Confucianism has been an elemental part of Korean society. Over 35% of the Korean population claims to hold to Christianity. The five largest protestant churches in the world are located in Seoul. (Rhie, 86). While Christianity is currently the reigning religion in South Korea, Confucianism has affected Korean society much longer and deeper than Christianity has.

Before getting too far, let me give a quick summary of Confucianism. Confucianism developed in China and holds that one must govern him/herself prior to any other governance. Personal cultivation, hierarchical relationships, and filial piety are just a few of the tenets and results from Confucianism.

As a result of China’s relationship with and rule over the Korean peninsula for some period of time, Korea has adapted this form of Confucianism. Throughout Korean history, Confucianism has found itself as government-mandated practice. With its great emphasis on relationships, Confucianism has continued to affect every person that comes in contact with Korea culture – be it within the borders of Korea or not. I say this because Koreans are often closed off to those relationships that are not beneficial for them. Even when accidentally bumping into a person on the street, or associating with a server at a restaurant, Koreans are not as likely to say “sorry” or “thank you” as much as a westerner is accustomed with.

Also key in relationships is the hierarchical relationship. The elderly are given much greater respect than in the west. The elderly have much more independence and authority. In the short time that I’ve been here, I’ve been surprised at the number of elderly men and women that walk the streets working or pinching the cheeks of children they’ve never met before. In the west, most of the elderly are cooped up in nursing homes where their families visit them once a month. Here, they live with the eldest son – until death do parts them. They rule the country.

The relationship between a student and teacher is often a long-lasting one. Students tend to stay friends with their classmates from their grade school years until adult years. The strength in these relationships depends on their respect and hesitancy to deface the character of the friend. Once a friend, always a friend. Once a brother, always a brother - which leads to the topic of North Korea. But, it’ll have to wait for the sake of my sanity.