Yoonsoo Kim

English 111

9/19/19

Project 1 Assignment Sheet

Hofstede’s Dimensions: 1

I agree with most of Hofstede's dimensions except the level of masculinity. And I would like to
explain why I think that way using my experience.
When I was in high school, I joined the 'Gayageum club' which played Korea traditional musical
instrument. The club was composed of sophomore and first-year students, and I was a freshman.
Since it was a performance club, we needed to practice for the periodical concert. Therefore, the
upper grades made rules about participating in practice. Every student should be joined in
training once a week, even though there were exams. However, when exams came, some
freshmen hadn't come to practice and after all the upper grades gathered first-year students to
scold them. Although I participated in all practices, I was scolded by sophomore as a chain of
responsibility. After this, some of the freshmen complained about the practice during the exam
period, but it wasn't changed.
I think my experience shows Korea's six values very well. The event that sophomores scolded
first-year students showed the example that Korea has a high level of power distance. Since
Korea has a long history and was a hierarchical society, we still act polite to the elders. It is kind
of traditional Korean value that be polite to the elders.

1
Hofstede’s Dimension retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/models/national-
culture/
We can find a low level of indulgence from my experience. The sophomore didn't change the
existing rule. Probably because of the convenient. The sophomores already made the rule and
noticing several times to first-year students was inconvenient to sophomore. Performing
ancestral rites is another example of the indulgence. Even though Korea has more Christian than
Buddhist, ancestral rites still remain as traditional rite.
And related to the indulgence, the elders don't want to change the rule. They already knew the
outcome of their experience. It means they don't want to start with the new method and the elders
scared of trying with new ways. That reason explains uncertainty avoidance with the elder's
preservation tendency. Since they already knew what they already had is convenient, elders don't
prefer changing. For this reason, the high level of uncertainty avoidance is explained well by the
old way of the Korean.
Being scolded as joint shows Korea's collectivism. From old-time, Korea government
emphasized the importance of cooperation as a group. Because Korea was undeveloped country
didn't have capital and knowledge about techniques. The government insisted that working hard
as a group and putting heads together solving problems are the only way to catch up with the
dominant nation. Through hard work, Korea became one of the strong and developed countries.
That's why Korea has a low level of individualism.
The history of Korea shows both masculinity and femininity very well. It means I disagree with
the low level of masculinity. Korea became a powerful country having a high level of IT
techniques, and Korea achieved it fast. Cooperation and caring for the weak are not the only
value to make a powerful country. The desire for being rich and being eager for success helped
Korea became a powerful country with high masculinity. In my experience that I explained
above, if my club didn't want to be passionate, the sophomore would leave the freshmen aside.
Since the club wanted to achieve good results with the instrument, we can find the masculinity.
Even though Korea became a big country, the government and Koreans still worried about the
future. Because this country became one of the most powerful country too quickly. And the long
history with Japanese colonial era awakes us to prepare for the future. For example, nowadays
Korea educated computer coding in the elementary school. It is big change for the future since
coding and making logic with the computer are essential work with future job.

Cultural Values:

- Collectivism: Korean version of Collectivism is unique. Koreans use the specific word
‘Woori’ with the object or people. For example, Koreans called their house ‘Woori zip.2’
‘Woori’ means ‘us,’ and it shows Collectivism. This word makes Korean became the one
with strong solidarity. I think this culture begins at a difficult time, such as the Korean
war. At that time, Koreans were too poor to eat and overcome poverty. Neighbors helped

2
Woori: https://www.naks.org/jml/community-teachers/1649-2016-07-31-22-16-09
 each other to overcome the difficult time together, and that culture remained as the strong
characteristic of Korea. And This cultural value is strongly related to Korean style
informality ‘Jeong.’ By the experience, we knew that several people’s idea or action is
stronger than the one. And it became a representation of Korea.
- Quickness, impetuousness: If you have been to Korea, you will be surprised by the
fastness of the Korea service. I think the characteristics of quickness started 30 years ago.
Because at that time, Koreans think we were underdeveloped country, rapid advance
needed to develop our country. For that reason, the results of the development plan
should appear quickly under the government. After we became one of the most developed
countries, we still insist that we should give fast service and feedback to our publics.
- Korean version of Kindness ‘Jeong3’: I think this is the unique value that Korea has.
Any other countries don’t have this kind of kindness. This value appears well with the
food. When you go to your grandparents’ house, you can get a bunch of produces or food
they made. Koreans express their emotions or feelings through meals. Even though
Koreans were not your family or relatives, they will ask about your family or favorite
things. They do not violate your privacy but show how much they are interested in you.
And this value is one-sided, so don’t feel pressure to get some present from Korean.

Language:

Original phrase Translated phrase Analysis

친구 따라 강남 Going to Gangnam follows It means following the trend which is

friend. popular and famous these days. And it
간다. shows the Koreans’ collectivism. The
group where I included in have
something or decide to do something
then following them. This idiom used
when parents don’t want their child to
imitate their friends.
한솥밥 먹고 산다. Living and eating the same mess. Living under the same roof, and it
shows the importance of the family.
And it also shows the Korea unique
value ‘Jeong.’ Even though foreigner
and I are not a real family, living
together and eating a meal make us
feel like a real family.

3
Jeong: https://brunch.co.kr/@onestepculture/208
 쇠뿔도 단김에 Strike the iron while it is hot. It shows the Korea’s Quickness culture
very well. Even though the iron is hot
빼랬다. and need lots of time to cooling it,
Koreans usually cool the iron. Because
we decided to cool it.

가재는 게 편이라. Like draws to[attracts] like. This proverb shows that the culture of
the collectivism. If we have two
choices to help foreigners, then we will
usually help Asian people because of
this proverb and culture. And also, we
usually help our neighbor.

가까운 이웃이 먼 Near neighbor is better than a This proverb shows if our family or
distant cousin. relatives lived far away from our town,
친척보다 낫다. then neighbors who lived near our
family should be better. I think it
shows the Korean Jeong culture well.
Because I grew up with the neighbors
and they felt like a real family.
사공이 많으면 Too many cooks spoil the broth. This is quite common proverb shows
collectivism. But in Korea we usually
배가 산으로 간다.
used nature things we can easily see
around us. I think this is also kind of
culture we have. In America they used
soup they usually eat in the morning or
before the main menu. This is
America’s food culture.

Frayer Models:
- Collectivism
o Definition: the practice or principle of giving a group priority overreach
individual in it.4
o Characteristics: The characteristic of the collectivism is the term Korean used
‘Woori’. And Koreans bind people together with this term. Korean bind not only
people but also objects they have.

4
Collectivism: Definition of Collectivism by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/collectivism
 o Examples:
 When you go to Korea, you can easily find the flower pattern clothes from
a clothing store.
 In order to impeach the corrupt president of the Korea, the publics came
out to the square and protest to the government. And finally, we changed
the president.
 Korean called their car ‘Woori car’.
o Non-examples:
 Koreans are big fan of Mac book. But that doesn’t mean they buy the Mac
book because of the trend; they just buy for their use. – Example of
specific usage. Not related to collectivism
 Gathering to see the soccer play with friends, family. – It is common
phenomenon of the world. If you are big fan of the soccer, then going to
see the soccer with your friends doesn’t mean the collectivism.
- Quickness, impetuousness
o Definition: The quality of being prompted to understand, think, or learn5
o Characteristics: Doing or thinking quickly. Koreans cannot wait for a little thing.
And it is related to the fast internet speed, service, and fast feedback.
o Examples:
 When Koreans pay using credit card, the storekeeper signing instead.
 Koreans run to take the subway or the bus.
 Some Koreans leave the movie theater before the movie ends.
o Non-examples:
 Hospital in Korea works fast not because of the characteristics of Koreans
but Quickness is essential for examining their patients. – It is very
common all around the world if it is emergency
 When fire breaks out, fire fighter came to place and quickly decided to put
out the fire. – Also, situation for emergency
- Informality, ‘Jeong’
o Definition: relaxed, friendly, or unofficial style or nature; absence of formality6.
o Characteristics: This is the feelings not only limited to the people but used to the
object. One of unusual point of this value is that jealousy can become Jeong.
When we see someone, who makes us angry several times, we irritate a lot. But if

5
Quickness: Definition of Quickness by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/quickness

6
Informality: Definition of Informality by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/informality
 I cannot see that person anymore, then I felt shame. Not happy to see that person
but also feel sad not to see is the Korean style informality.
o Examples:
 When going to the Korean traditional market and buying food, merchant
will give you more and explaining about the food.
 I felt sad when I sell my old car.
o Non-examples:
 Buying meals to sister or brother. – It is just an expression of familiarity
 Asking for salary and property. – It is invasion of the privacy.

Case Study:

In Korea, it is widespread that elders bought the meal to their younger sister or brother, even
though they are not their family. And that is an expression of familiarity, Koreans call it as
‘Jeong’. When I made an American friend, I wanted to buy whatever she wants. Since creating
an American friend was hard for me, I thought to buy whatever she wants was the only way to
show how happy I was. From my country, I got treated a lot of meals from sisters who I met in
college, and I wanted to show this is my country’s culture. But my friend Jasmine said she felt
terrible when I bought too many meals for her. She felt like owing money.
This case makes me think about the America value ‘independent’. I got money from my parents,
but Jasmine earned her own money and bought what she needs. So, she understood how hard to
make money, and spending money in the right place is essential. It isn’t mean that I spend money
unnecessarily. The way that I express my happiness and the idea of showing my culture weren’t
good.
For the solution of this case, I think about making a meal together. I tried it a few weeks ago. I
mostly bought a Korean lunch; however, the Korean food in this town is quite expensive. It
makes Jasmine felt sorry that I paid a lot of money. So, we decided to go to Walmart or Hana
market and bought some ingredients for the Korean meal. It wasn’t a big deal comparing to the
food that I purchased from the Korean restaurant. And after she experienced a Korean meal that I
made, she will introduce traditional American food or the food that she usually eats. Her parents
are from Mexico, and sometimes she presents some Mexican food for me. It works for both of
us. This method is how we solve the cultural clash.

References:
- Hofstede’s dimension: National Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019, from
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/models/national-culture/.
- Collectivism: Definition of Collectivism by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/collectivism
- Informality: Definition of Informality by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/informality
- Quickness: Definition of Quickness by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/quickness
- proverb of the Korea: 한국의 속담문화. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019, from
https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=dibrary1004&logNo=30094808309&pro
xyReferer=https://www.google.com/.
- proverb of the Korea: 우리나라 속담 100 가지. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019,
from https://m.blog.naver.com/sport_112/221185051545.
- Woori: 권예순 . (2016, July 31). 권예순. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from
https://www.naks.org/jml/community-teachers/1649-2016-07-31-22-16-09.
- Jeong: 정(情)이란 무엇인가? (2017, September 15). Retrieved November 23, 2019,
from https://brunch.co.kr/@onestepculture/208.
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