When I first arrived in Korea, I was surprised by how similar everything in Korea is compared to the US (at least when it comes to living in Seoul). Not only is Seoul a fairly modern city that has many similarities to a city like New York, but you can also find just about anything that you can get in the US. In fact the only thing that I haven't been able to find is deodorant. (I brought a lot with me when I came).
However, one big difference between American culture and Korean culture is that Americans typically value individuality and uniqueness, whereas Koreans typically value group mentality and conformity.
For Americans, while we try to become part of a group as a way of receiving social acceptance, such as joining a club or a sports team, we also value uniqueness. At least for me I often dress a certain way or act a certain way because I might be part of a group, but I also am valued because there are certain things about me that stand out, and that make me different from my piers. My choices as an individual are what make me special in my own way.
Conversely, standing out is something that is often times seen as a negative thing for many Koreans. Instead of acting based on personal preferences, it is more common to see Koreans act based on what the group decides to do as a whole. Essentially, there is more emphasis on being part of the group, and not try to deviate from the group mentality. However I do have to mention that it isn't like anyone can't make individual choices. But more often than not, people will do things because they want to fit in with a certain group.
This became an interesting revelation, and it actually explains a lot. For example if a Korean person bought a red car, it would be really strange, whereas if an American decided to buy a red car, it reflects positively on them because they made a choice based on their individual preference. If I were a company worker working at a place like Samsung, driving that same red car would draw attention to me in a negative way, and could possibly hinder my ability to climb up the corporate ladder.
Another example is when Koreans do many active sports (such as hiking, skiing, or biking). It's very common to see Korean men and women decked out in all the gear for whatever activity they might be doing. Usually when I see people going for a hike, they have everything from the hiking boots to the matching hat, shirt and pants that go with it. The same goes for biking and skiing. One thing that I wonder though is whether their apparel has any indication of their skill level. I know for Americans, if you dress like your good at a sport, it's probable that you are, and if your not you might be victim to criticism.
Now some of these examples that I highlighted are all based on speculations made based on what I've observed, but at the same time it gives me a possible reason why people here do certain things.
When I think about this difference in values, I don't think about it as though the Korean way is a bad thing. It's just different. Also, saying every Korean does these things is also untrue. There are many people who make choices based on their own personal tastes rather than on group mentality. However, it's not as common as what you might find in the US.
I'd like to conclude by thinking about it this way:
Both Americans and Koreans seek out being part of a similar social group. The difference is that Americans tend to deviate from the group because uniqueness is valued by Americans, whereas Koreans tend to conform to the group because conforming to the group standards is what is valued.
Very interesting!
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