DIFFERENCES

IN
BANGLADESH
& KOREA’S
MARRIAGE
CULTURE
NUDRATH ALINA RAHMAN
2374878
Table of Contents

SETTING / PROBLEM & SOLUTION SOURCES

CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Setting / Context :
Marriage is a significant part of everyone's life and society since it
is the first step in two people coming together, the beginning of a
new family, and the beginning of a possible new generation in the
future if the couple wishes to have children.
Marriages can be challenging in general because of the variances in
personality that people inherently have, often known as the
Gunghap "(marriage compatibility)’.
This becomes much more challenging when there is an interracial
marriage, which may not be welcomed by many parents of the older
generation who are not as open to the notion of their kid having a
spouse from a different culture. This is reasonable given how tough
it is to adjust to a new culture.
Setting / Context :
In this Mid-Term, I will explain the
cultural problems that may develop if
someone from my culture, Bangladesh,
marries someone from South Korea, as
well as the issues.
Although both countries are in ASIA, they
are very different in certain ways which I
will explain furthermore .
These issues may arise accidentally as a
result of our traditions, culture, way of
thinking, way of living, and so on.
Setting / Context :
Although it may be an uncommon to see a Bangladeshi-
Korean Marriage , there are some famous couples for
example on YouTube who can be seen living as a
successful interracial couple through the support,
patience and understanding of their family.
These types of channels make it easier for people in the
same situation to understand the challenges and issues
they may face in the future by spreading awareness
through their videos . They also make it set an example
which can make other parents who are skeptical more
accepting of an interracial marriage .
Setting/ Context :
Certain similarities between Korean and Bangladeshi Marriage Culture :
In Both countries , Filial Piety and Hierarchal Relationships are
important for families . In Korea it can simply even be seen by how
respectfully children talk to their parents using the cheondaemal 존 대
말 . In Bangladesh also familial ties are really important , it is also
common for many people to still live in joint families . Naturally in this
way the family can be very involved in the couples married life and
children and so on . It is very different to the western individualistic
culture .
In both countries , the parents tend to carry the burden of the wedding
expenditure . Weddings are a very large events , where we invite all our
relatives etc. in Bangladesh , it seems to be a large and important event
in Korea aswell . On both sides it seems that families may feel pressure
to host an impressive and lavish event to impress their guests and uphold
their reputation.
Wedding gifts or congratulatory money are also prevalent in both
cultures.
Problem & Analysis 1:
Language Barriers and Educational Differences :
It will be difficult for an international marriage to continue if there is a considerable educational
discrepancy between the two parties. By considerable, I mean that one spouse has a college degree while
the other has only a few years of elementary school.
If both spouses are unable to read or write in the language of the nation in which they are dwelling, they
may have significant difficulties in daily life. For example if the Bangladeshi woman is living in Korea
however does not know how to speak, read or write Korean , it will be difficult to read emails , and
handle some important documents such as a lease or insurance etc. It will create more pressure and
workload for the husband.
In the future aswell , the spouse may not be able to understand the culture of the education system to
teach their children , speak to their in-laws or relatives of the other side etc.
Problem & Analysis 2:
Differences in Religion and Beliefs:
Religion is another source of hardship in intercultural relationships. Religion,
like many other parts of society, is frequently ingrained in children at an early
age. Religion frequently governs most other aspects of life, such as attitudes
on what is right and bad. Religion can also often be a large part of culture .
In Bangladesh, for example, the majority of people practice Islam or
Hinduism, with smaller minorities practicing Christian or Buddhism. However,
in Korea, a huge part of the population is atheist or primarily Christian, with
some being Buddhist, and so on.
Differences in religion may lead to disputes in topics such as the pair requiring
one to convert, or they may disagree on whether the kid should be raised
religiously, or they may argue over whose religion should be taught, and so on.
A lot of times even if 2 people like each other , they cannot get into a
relationship due to different religions of the fear that their parents will not
accept their partner .
Problem & Analysis 3:
Differences in Culture , Expectations and Lifestyles :
When you are coming from different cultures , you are bound to see different things growing up and have differences in
expectations from your spouse .
For example, in Bangladesh it common for the wife to expect the Husband to pay for everything and for the Husband to expect the
wife to be the homemakers and stay at home moms . Men are expected to provide the wife with all that she needs both in terms of
the society and religiously , all of what belongs to the husband is the wife's as well .Men are sometimes also expected help the
wife’s family financially .
However , In Korea it is common for both partners to be working and for the couple to be sharing the responsibilities and expenses
equally amongst each other .
As men are expected to be more financially capable in Bangladesh it is also normal for the husband to be a bit older and successful
than the wife leading to an age gap in the marriage, however in Korea normally you will marry someone of a similar age group. Age
differences can lead to clashes as different generations of people will have different interests ,hobbies and ideas .
If not discussed properly of the expectations in lifestyle , it can lead to a failure of marriage .
Problem & Analysis 4:
Approach to Problems :
Reasons for an unhappy marriage can be endless and can lead to divorce over the years.
Some reasons include factors such as domestic abuse, financial instability, infidelity,
and basic unhappiness.
However due to cultural differences and educational differences it may be seen that
Korean people may be more open to a divorce as both partners may be more financially
independent, whilst in Bangladesh the woman may be dependent on the Husband.
In my Culture it is quite rare to have a divorce due to the strong familial ties and
usually families try to solve the issue or pressurize the couple to stay together even if
they are unhappy ( specially in the case that there is a child ) .
According to statistics shown below , the divorce rate in Bangladesh has doubled yet it
is still lower than that of Korea’s per 1000 people . This may show us that there is
difference in thinking and solving issues .
The gross rate of divorce rose to 1.4 per thousand people in 2022, compared to 0.7 per
thousand the year before, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
In 2022, the divorce rate in South Korea amounted to 1.8 divorces per 1,000
inhabitants, slightly lower than the previous year. The divorce rate shows slight signs of
decline, which reflects changes in the country's social norms.
Solution 1:
Improve Communication :
One of the most important and effective ways in my opinion in order to avoid problems in
regular and intercultural marriage is proper communication .
The main strategy to address miscommunication, the most frequent challenge indicated by
people, was for couples to improve the clarity and preciseness of their communication. Specific
ways to enact this strategy included couples paraphrasing their partner’s statements to verify
that they understood them correctly or relying on low-context communication.
Participants said that adopting integrative strategies—remaining calm, being empathic, and
addressing the issue from both perspectives—was a key technique to resolving
misunderstanding that they had found beneficial. This is especially vital during arguments, since
ignoring each other would only exacerbate the situation.
It is critical to be clear about what you want from your spouse and your life together as a pair,
and to avoid rushing into the relationship in order to maintain a long and healthy partnership. It
is also critical that your family members understand the couple aswell.
Solution 2:
Improve Understanding :
Adaptability helps multicultural couples to better grasp their differences. Couples may improve problems by being
open-minded and speaking about their differences to deal with cultural differences.
Couples should face their challenges head on and together , some couples may find that challenges such as their in-
laws may affect their marriage satisfaction and that issues affected their marriage negatively , however some people
may feel that challenges can bring the couple closer by giving
Marital therapists, counselors, or clergy could stress the importance of discussing culture and the need to learn how
to navigate cultural differences constructively. Furthermore, intercultural training and a better understanding of
effective intercultural communication could be useful for intercultural couples. Individuals in intercultural marriages
could deliberately cultivate their intercultural communication competence to learn how to navigate communication
challenges more effectively them an opportunity to grow as a couple. In simple words , couples should put
themselves in each others' shoes to improve understanding .
Solution 3:
Educate + Create a safe distance from family :
When you are in an intercultural marriage, it is obvious that you are together because you love one other and
appreciate each other's cultures, but many times a third person such as family may make some rude remarks if they
are not accepting of the marriage.
One common example is Korean seniors not wanting a daughter-in-law with a darker skin tone since they don't want
their grandchildren to be dark as well; they are also extremely straightforward about such statements..
In such instances, it is critical that families are taught on the fact that it is not acceptable to treat someone differently
because of their ethnicity or religion in order to foster harmony. If someone is extremely stubborn, it is critical to
maintain a safe distance from that person in order to keep the relationship healthy. Although there is a culture of filial
piety in both nations, children should know when to face their parents if necessary. If conflicts continue to arise, one
might either try to avoid their parents or prepare well before visiting them.
Another option is for the pair to understand more about their parents' disapproval and seek methods to improve
themselves. For example, they may study one other's cultures better and demonstrate to their parents the efforts they
have made and that a foreign spouse can be just as excellent as one from our own culture.
Sources:
https://www.newagebd.net/article/181413/bangladeshi-model-weds-korean-youth
https://youtu.be/PeuDMHrcF7Y?si=mUtpTqCX-DObtfNe
https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/83pbk7udwe
https://www.statista.com/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20the%2
0divorce%20rate,in%20the%20country's%20social%20norms
.
https://discover.hubpages.com/relationships/Eight-Reasons-Why-Some-Intercultural-Marriages-Fail
file:///C:/Users/SAMSUNG/Downloads/8047-Article%20Text-98681-3-10-20230620.pdf