SDLC 110 Third Cultural Post: Cultural Topic of Your Choice

[Taiyaba Ali]

I want to talk about the importance of family in South Korea. The way South Koreans view their family is the polar opposite of how Americans view their families, and as such, I found this an interesting topic to research and talk about. In American culture, independence, both emotionally, physically, and financially are highly stressed upon children. American families wish their children to support themselves at an early age, and live their own lives separate, but still close to their parents. Most Koreans believe that independence from family is cruel, and lonely fate. Koreans are unfamiliar with the idea of autonomy, and a life independent of family. Dependency is a strong virtue in Korean culture. The moment children are born, they are expect to fulfill filial duties. These duties include; treating their parents with respect at all times, doing what is asked of them, and taking care of them in their times of need. Fathers have the say of how the family operates, and what the elder son should be doing to take care of the mother and other siblings. However, I believe that the idea of a traditional Korean family is changing, as technology and a global world allows for different opportunities that weren’t available a few years ago.