Thompson Deufel

TESOL Korea
Dr. Cho and Dr. Peter
Cross-Cultural Narrative
Recognizing Cultural Trouble Spots in Korea
1. When the behavior in culture A is identified by an observer from culture B as being the same
as in his/her own culture, but actually has a very different meaning.
As I reviewed the ideas and values of South Korean culture to prepare for our program, I
was aware of the belief held in many Asian countries that writing a living persons name in red
ink has an extremely negative connotation. Yet without ever experiencing this phenomenon
directly, I did not understand the true significance of the association until I asked students at
Kyunghwa about their own thoughts and experiences relating to it. They explained to me how
the meaning suggests a foreshadowing of bad luck more so than a sign of death, but because
Korean history is embedded with frequent occasions of the negative connotation it continues to
be recognized in Korean culture today. An American in South Korea may assume red ink does
not have any unusual implications because none are recognized in American culture, but in
reality the negative connotation of red ink is still widely acknowledged.
2. When different behaviors in culture A and B actually have the same meaning.
When someone is first introduced to an individual in a professional business setting in
America, a firm handshake conveys mutual respect and symbolizes a cordial relationship
between the two people. Likewise, a bow (the deepness determined by situation) is utilized in
Korea to portray the same concept of friendliness. The importance of each behavior is highly
regarded in both cultures, and the rejection or absence of the interaction can be just as
informative. If a handshake is refused, it reveals an individuals lack of respect and is viewed as
severely inappropriate. Refusing to or simply not bowing when being introduced to someone has
a similar meaning in Korea, the disrespect implied perceived as very dishonorable. Handshakes
and bows are different behaviors but have the same meaning in American and Korean culture.
3. When the behaviors in cultures A and B have the same meaning, but are distributed differently
in time and space.
When in search of a snack at a convenient store in Korea, the majority of chips, cookies,
crackers, and the like all share the quality of being sweet. The degree varies in relation to the
type of food and its corresponding production company, but the expectation for food to be sweet
is universally accepted and considered normal in Korea. In contrast, the number of American
snacks that include this fixation on sweetness is drastically less. My personal experiences in
Korea have revealed that snacks expected to be salty in America are actually sweet in Korea
because the salt is replaced with sugar. The behavior in both cultures is the same, but the
distribution and expectation for snacks to be sweet is vastly different between the two.

4. When members of one culture assume the way they do things is the correct way
(ethnocentrism).
It is not uncommon for American citizens to exhibit an ethnocentric mentality and
attitude, the unfortunate quality frequently causing cultural distress and significant social
challenges when traveling abroad. One idea often discussed is that of the structure of the
educational system in America. The design promotes high school education to be easy so
graduation rates remain high. A much harder educational setting is established at the university
level, resulting in consistently low graduation rates. This system is flawed in many ways and is
considerably different than the Korean educational structure. In Korea, the roles of high schools
and universities is the opposite, the former crafted to be the most academically demanding
setting while the latter is built to be much easier with a better chance of graduating. This system
also bares flaws, as students are likely to lose the motivation to pursue higher education in their
respective fields of study. A large population of both Americans and Koreans hold their
individual educational systems in high regard, believing their own to be the correct way to teach
youth. By looking at both cultures together, it is clear that each structure has an equal number of
academic benefits as well as crucially needed improvements.
5. When members of culture A assume that culture B is uniform (stereotyping).
In America, it is easy to find oneself in the midst of countless inaccurate stereotypes
about foreign cultures. The true difficulty lies in the realization of this situation and recognizing
that a more genuine and sincere comprehension of a foreign culture is required before one is able
to fairly state opinions critically scrutinizing any unfamiliar culture, people, profession, or
behavior. One such stereotype largely believed in America is the misconception of the
authoritarian classroom environment found in South Korea. The overgeneralization of Korean
education is reduced to nothing but the sheer austerity that is presumed to be a mandatory
attribute of every teacher.. Supposedly they are all brutally harsh to students because they lack
consideration for their academic and personal well-being, do not support their motivation for
learning, forbid the hope for achievement of individual goals, and are explicitly transfixed with
the success of university entrance exams.
As an American myself, I will happily be the first to exclaim the undeniable and
appalling faults present in this culturally insensitive mindset. Aspects of these statements may be
true in some Korean classrooms, but my individual experiences observing, interacting, and
conversing with Korean teachers at Kyunghwa has revealed the complete opposite to be true.
The disposition of teachers required no outward justification, the compassionate relationships
and strong commitment to students success and happiness the only confirmation needed to
verify the true character of the teachers. Every faculty member I directly encountered at
Kyunghwa cared deeply for their students and worked hard to help them achieve success. The
prejudice contained in the American stereotype is unsupported and does not give an honest
interpretation of a typical classroom environment found in Korea. I realize that Kyunghwa is
only a single school and is unable to provide a perfect representation of what a standard Korean
classroom environment might look and feel like. But that being said, the teachings and
educational discussions I shared with the teachers at Kyunghwa provided a culturally sensitive
understanding of their educational system and offered a much more realistic perception of the
Korean classroom environment.