https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCu5oKwRP0U
To prepare for my first cultural post, I watched Youtube video called “Common Mistakes Foreigners Make in Korea” by Rachel Kim. Although the video is only nine minutes long, it provided very useful and interesting information that is applicable to not only non-Korean foreigners, but also Korean ones that were born outside of Korea.
For her first tip, Rachel advised foreigners not to drink all the alcohol that people pour for them. She states that it is not actually rude to turn down drinks. Rather, she states that it is incredibly rude for the pourer to constantly pour drinks even when the receiver feels uncomfortable. I was surprised about this because the information she provides differs from the research that I conducted about Korean drinking culture. According to several cultural blogs, Korea’s “hweshik” or corporate drinking culture encourages employees to constantly take drinks from their superiors to create a corporate bond. While I do agree with her statements it is incredibly rude to pour drinks for an individual who is uncomfortable, I think she does not provide a holistic perspective on drinking culture. In my opinion, her views on Korean drinking culture are mostly applicable to the casual drinking sessions among friends and acquaintances.
For her second tip, Rachel teaches her viewers Korean table manners. She states that an individual should bear partial responsibility to distribute utensils, napkins, and water to members of the table. For example, if an individual is busy passing the utensils, another may pour water for other members of the group. This shows that he or she is considering the other members of the group. As a Korean who has eaten Korean food his whole life at home and at church, I agree with her advice completely. Offering to help to set the table is a sign of humility and respect for other people. She also advices a person to wait to eat before an elder or a group begins. She states that this is also a sign of respect and an acknowledgment of the unspoken social hierarchy in Korean culture.
For her third tip, Rachel cautions foreigners from calling a person they just met by their first name. Rather, they should attach suffixes such as “oppa” or “unni” if the person they met is older than them. This is especially important when socializing with people in Korea as this is also a sign of acknowledging the social hierarchy in a group. In my experience, calling a Korean by his or her first name without attaching a suffix is not the most shameful behavior, but if it is repeated, he or she may feel disrespected. I personally advise people to follow all of Rachel’s tips because they effectively cover the basic social skills needed to interact with Koreans.
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