Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
South Korean culture can be tough for the outsider to grapple with. It's heavily influenced
by the country's early contact with China and Japan but contains elements that its Asian
neighbors would find almost unrecognizable, shaped by the nation's very unique experien-
ces with shamanism and subjugation and its relentless recent march to prosperity.
On the surface it can be a very space-age, highly Westernized place—there are few coun-
tries that are better wired or where the Internet and next-generation mobile phones have as
prominent a role in everyday life and social debate. South Koreans, especially the young,
seem to have wholeheartedly embraced most of the trappings of globalization, including
lattes, hot dogs, hip-hop, and designer clothing labels. Take away the signs in hangul script
and parts of Seoul and other big cities could easily be mistaken for New York, Berlin, or
Calgary.
But newcomers shouldn't be fooled by appearances. The Koreans adopt plenty of the
trappings of other cultures but are staunchly determined to preserve and pass on their own.
Many of the unspoken rules that continue to govern relations between managers and em-
ployees, husbands and wives, and Koreans and the rest of the world remain largely un-
changed from centuries ago. The lives of many continue to be swayed by traditions, beliefs,
and rituals some foreign residents find outdated, puzzling, and even offensive.
