Westernization Of Korea Essay

While majoring in East Asian Studies at the University of Kansas I have been granted many opportunities to study the situation of South Koreas political, social, and cultural practices. Consequently, I have researched and written numerous papers, including my undergraduate thesis, on the influence of English language acquisition among South Korean college and elementary students. One of the most profound conclusions regarding English education in South Korea that I have come across is its direct correlation with the future and success of young/adolescent English learners. Whether young Korean students are preparing for college entrance exams, making arrangements to study abroad, or entering the workforce, English is a driving force behind

Cultures around the world are divide by their distinctive characteristic of people, and how people interact within their society. Most cultures are driven by the way their environment has been set for them. Many of cultures have to adapt to the way their environment are due to the conditions that are set for them and the amount of resources that they are provided. The biggest drive for culture are the historical custom. Most countries continue to carry their ancestor custom so that the tradition may stay with them throughout their years, in which making other countries distinctive from one another. One of the particular country that will be discuss in this report is North Korea. In this report, I will be discussing the North Korean culture, with describing their living condition in the country, common issues that they face with on a daily bases, and common threat that they pose on other countries.

Although China’s influence over Korea has waned severely since the dynastic years we find the Confucian system of virtues and behaviors, China’s chief export from that time, still very much alive. Korea highly values the extended family, education, personal discipline and public order. In South Korea Confucian temples continue to be maintained throughout the country. The tenets of Confucianism are seen as antidotes to social ills and therefore education is thought of as a means of building character, not simply of intellectual formation. The values of Confucianism are promulgated throughout Korea in places as diverse as school, the office and the home. Television programs often portray Confucian merits such as filial piety and harmony. However

Today, Japanese and Korean civilizations are advanced, wealthy, and independent with their own system of government and religious beliefs due to the influences from China. The majority of Asia experienced changes in government and dealt with inter and intra state conflicts when the countries were most susceptible to influences from alliances made with other countries. The Tang Dynasty/ Silla alliance shaped the future of Korea’s religious and government movements. Art and literature from China also greatly impacted Korea’s and Japan’s society and provided new insight into literary expression through new forms of poetry and a new system of writing. Religion was also a major influence because of

The Korean War was the historical event that most shaped Korea’s identity. It affected many areas of Korea, such as the economy, government, and the involvement of the United States. There was an economic crisis causing many people to suffer, a government was established, and because of the involvement of the US, Korea got lots of western influence. The essay below will explain how the Korean War affected Korea’s economy, the government, and the involvement of the US.

I have not participated in any Korean extracurricular clubs because of the fact that I participate in many other clubs such as chess, health and fitness, code interactive, and board game club. However, I have participated in Ms. Kang's Movie nights in 9th grade. In these movie nights, we would watch Korean movies in order to expose us to Korean lifestyles and improve our ability to better listen to Korean. Through these movie nights I learned of the vast differences between Koreans and Americans. One very important difference being Korean’s importance in respect. Korean people are respectful to everyone they meet and are happy to do so. There are even two ways to talk in Korean that are considered respectful, those being informal polite and formal polite. In my everyday life I see Americans disrespect one another for the smallest things such as a little accidental push, or forgetting their name. However, in these movies I noticed how passionate and excited both are on their culture. Korean people become siblings in their Chuseok, just as Americans thank everyone and everything for their lives in Thanksgiving.

Colonization is the action or process of a foreign culture “settling among and establishing control” over a native culture of a particular geographical location. This is a simplistic and perhaps innocuous description of the colonization process. In fact, all colonization has some aspect of physical coercion as part of its methodology, practice, and progression. The exertion of physical force by one culture upon another may be sufficient to establish initial or sporadic control by the colonizing entity. However, the constant use of physical force as a measure of control is arduous and maybe impossible to sustain long term. Therefore, a successful colonization must be achieved not just by the implementation of physical coercion, but by fundamentally changing aspects of the native culture. In other words, although brute force may be used at the inception or during the process of colonization, for it to be successful, colonizers must effect changes within the native culture that will lead its members to acquiesce, support and aid in their own colonization. A strong historical example of this was Japan’s colonization of Korea. Although aspects of Japan’s colonization of Korea was militaristic in nature, its eventual success was possible through psychological, educational and cultural means of control.

Understanding how North Korea as a country defines itself in a changing world. Where do they derive their customs and practices, political standings and military power? Define North Korea’s history leading into the modern age and define its culture and characteristics and how they interact with the world today. Understanding a subject as broad as the term culture begins where the culture began with the birth of civilization and the people that influenced it. There are many factors that play a role in the shaping of a nation none so much as turmoil and conflict and the Korean peninsula saw its fair share for the better part of a millennia. A complete statistical breakdown of North Korea shows a struggling nation that strongly depends on

When I was my 15 years, I watched my first Korean dorama. Then I did not know how it would exert an impact on my fate and view of life. This was the world-famous “Boys over flowers”, which became an occasion of my acquaintance with the country of morning freshness. I strongly believe that my life transformed for better and blossomed after watching this Korean dorama was watched by everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. It drew me in this world – the world of Korean drama, Korean pop and Korean cinema. Knowledge about Korea was increasing more and more gradually and new sides of Korea were opened. I found out the country is famous not only of the Korean wave, Hallyu, but also of kimchi, various traditional food, colorful nature and combination of tradition and modernity. And some pieces of the Korean culture and language are quite similar

"South Korea is a country with a population of 50,924,172 and counting" ("The World Factbook: KOREA, SOUTH"). It is a nation that has been the center of many tug-of-wars. It is a nation that has had to fight in order to survive independent. Years ago, no one thought much of this country. So what is it about this little place now, that sets it apart and breaks it out of the mold of just another Asian country? Though South Korea may be a small country, the style of cuisine, community culture, and generosity are just

This was a threat to Japan but even more so was the belief in Korea

South Korea is one of the most homogeneous countries in the world, in which it has its own culture, language, and customs that are different from other Asian countries. In South Korea, the citizens greatly value hard work, filial piety, and humility in their daily lives. South Koreans are very proud people in which they pride themselves in their traditional culture and their financial success.

Manners represent an individual by the way they dress, behave, communicate, and their etiquette, while customs refer to the traditional way that a culture is practice individually, or by a group of people. Workers are expected to bow to their seniors when they greet them, and to use only formal language to their seniors, as it is rude to speak informally to someone of higher rank. In Korean businesses, meetings are often held in evenings at a restaurant or bar. Drinking is part of the Korean culture, as Koreans believe that drinking helps to bond colleagues in the company, and an offered drink must never be refused as it is considered to be rude. Along with drinking, Karaoke is a popular activity after meetings. People who attend the meeting are usually expected to sing a solo song.

My return to Korea in the summer of 2001 was nothing short of a culture shock. I was in a country I thought I had learned by heart. It was the country I always rooted my identity and pride from. I wasn’t ready for the shock. I

South Korean love their country very much that they tend to buy national made products than foreign products. For example, a Germany brand called MCM able to regain their status after been taken over by South Korean company after it went bankrupt in 2005. They prefer Samsung over iPhone, LG over Philips, Hyundai over imported cars.