AnthroScope Korea

After spending years of my life in the United States, I’ve had some trouble adjusting to a specific Korean cultural practice: using formal speech as I address my elders. With its deep Confucian roots, Korea has long developed a firm age-based social hierarchy in which younger individuals are expected to speak to older individuals using the honorific form of the language. I do think the United States does share some similarities regarding this, but not to the extent that this hierarchy involves using the formal tense of the language. 

I’ve noticed myself feeling limited when faced with having to be careful about the type of Korean I need to use around my elders in Korea. The main distinction between this formal usage of speech is that in Korea, when younger people are talking to the elders, they have to put a “yo” or another complementary word that makes a sentence sound polite. In contrast, there are no such complementary words in the United States (or any other English-speaking country) when speaking to the elders. Every time I return to Korea during school vacations, adjusting quickly to this cultural practice or ritual feels awkward. 

Another cultural element that I’ve had difficulty adjusting to in Korea is the widespread belief in gender roles. As I mentioned previously in one of my blogs, I tend to shock people in Korea when I tell them I enjoy playing ice hockey. I met with my grandparents during my visits to Korea, and they asked me what I’ve been up to lately. When I told them I’ve been dedicated to ice hockey, their initial response was, “Wow, you’re trying a boys’ sport”. Because Korea holds rigid beliefs in what girls and guys should do and what’s suitable for each gender, my family members, and not to mention even my friends, were surprised that I wasn’t doing something a “normal girl would do”. 

Rather than confusing my cultural identity, these Korean cultural practices and beliefs have strengthened my understanding of Korean society and people. I have become more reflective of the two different identities I have gained from my experiences in both the United States and Korea. In the end, my difficulties in adjusting and the unexpected reactions from family members have helped me broaden my cultural perspective and to stay open-minded when toggling from country to country.