By Andrew Salmon
There are definitely "old" and "young" Koreans. Are there "old" and "new" Koreans? This was a question I pondered when asked to join a recent Korea Times forum on the issue.
Certainly, the turbulence that rocked this peninsula in the 20th century, and the pace of economic, political and social development in the second half of the century has opened chasms between generations.
A Korean born in 1900 would have grown up in the twilight years of a medieval dynasty. He would have experienced colonization, national division, war and devastation. If he had lived until 2000, he would have witnessed breakneck industrialization, the struggle for democracy and the creation of a high-tech nation that is today one of the richest on earth.
Naturally, those raised at different points on this time span would also have grown up with different life experiences. This is critical, for different life experiences engender different values and aspirations.
Take the historical sphere. Very old Koreans who lived through the colonial period tend to be less anti-Japanese than those who grew up after it ended, who learned about it in an educational system which paints it as Korea's darkest period. Or take the political sphere. Many older persons who lived through the Park Chung-hee years revere the man for lifting Korea out of poverty and giving it a future. Many younger persons despise him for his dictatorial rule and the creation of an unjust society.
So, it is fair to say that South Koreans, more than most peoples on earth, are, indeed, divided along generational lines. I know of no other country where generations are so clearly defined.
At the forum, I was asked to discuss "The pros and cons of the ‘New Koreans.'"
This was tricky. It necessarily requires generalizations of very broad-brushstrokes. I chose to answer it by defining (very, very broadly) a characteristic that defines both old and new Koreans; how this has been made "new;" then opining on how this characteristic is both a pro and a con.
A highly noticeable characteristic of Koreans is their group mentality. Anthropologists and historians state that Asian rice-growing societies were forced to be more communal/cooperative than European shepherdic societies, which bred individualists. Arguably, political developments in the millennia since have buttressed these differences. Today, Korean society focuses very, very strongly around the group family, hometown, school, university, workplace, nation.
The positives of group-centricism are manifold. In the 1960s, a powerful nationalism was inculcated via education, the military and corporations.
This national team spirit was a core driving force behind the "economic miracle." It altered the national psyche: A once cowed people became fiercely ambitious. And group-think formed a powerful social gel: Arguably, the low rate of street crime in Korea is due to its close-knit society, with its sharing culture, which obviated social security, and its shaming culture, which militates against those who disgrace the group.
These are significant pros. However, the cons are the other side of the same coin particularly as, among "new" Koreans, traditional communalism has been boosted by technology. In the past, one could close one's door on the world at day's end. No longer. Digital devices inform and interconnect people, 24-7. New messaging and communities are enabled via websites and apps.
In an era where nationalism is being superseded by globalization, nationalism can, ironically, be a negative for the nation. In an era where services and creative industries add increasing value, personal creativity, rather than group-think, is of rising importance.
Perhaps most importantly for the average Korean, the social gel has become stifling. The immense pressure to conform to ideals set by group- think ― educational standards, professional standards, even personal appearance standards ― has created a society of colossal stress in which the urge to conform has become competitive. Those who refuse or fail to conform are at massive risk ― as witnessed by educational stress, cyber bullying and youth suicide rates.
The new Koreans have massive potential thanks to their cultural genes. But simultaneously, the magnification/acceleration of traditional social culture via high technologies forces them to shoulder a massive burden.
Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk.
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Certainly, the turbulence that rocked this peninsula in the 20th century, and the pace of economic, political and social development in the second half of the century has opened chasms between generations.
A Korean born in 1900 would have grown up in the twilight years of a medieval dynasty. He would have experienced colonization, national division, war and devastation. If he had lived until 2000, he would have witnessed breakneck industrialization, the struggle for democracy and the creation of a high-tech nation that is today one of the richest on earth.
Naturally, those raised at different points on this time span would also have grown up with different life experiences. This is critical, for different life experiences engender different values and aspirations.
Take the historical sphere. Very old Koreans who lived through the colonial period tend to be less anti-Japanese than those who grew up after it ended, who learned about it in an educational system which paints it as Korea's darkest period. Or take the political sphere. Many older persons who lived through the Park Chung-hee years revere the man for lifting Korea out of poverty and giving it a future. Many younger persons despise him for his dictatorial rule and the creation of an unjust society.
So, it is fair to say that South Koreans, more than most peoples on earth, are, indeed, divided along generational lines. I know of no other country where generations are so clearly defined.
At the forum, I was asked to discuss "The pros and cons of the ‘New Koreans.'"
This was tricky. It necessarily requires generalizations of very broad-brushstrokes. I chose to answer it by defining (very, very broadly) a characteristic that defines both old and new Koreans; how this has been made "new;" then opining on how this characteristic is both a pro and a con.
A highly noticeable characteristic of Koreans is their group mentality. Anthropologists and historians state that Asian rice-growing societies were forced to be more communal/cooperative than European shepherdic societies, which bred individualists. Arguably, political developments in the millennia since have buttressed these differences. Today, Korean society focuses very, very strongly around the group family, hometown, school, university, workplace, nation.
The positives of group-centricism are manifold. In the 1960s, a powerful nationalism was inculcated via education, the military and corporations.
This national team spirit was a core driving force behind the "economic miracle." It altered the national psyche: A once cowed people became fiercely ambitious. And group-think formed a powerful social gel: Arguably, the low rate of street crime in Korea is due to its close-knit society, with its sharing culture, which obviated social security, and its shaming culture, which militates against those who disgrace the group.
These are significant pros. However, the cons are the other side of the same coin particularly as, among "new" Koreans, traditional communalism has been boosted by technology. In the past, one could close one's door on the world at day's end. No longer. Digital devices inform and interconnect people, 24-7. New messaging and communities are enabled via websites and apps.
In an era where nationalism is being superseded by globalization, nationalism can, ironically, be a negative for the nation. In an era where services and creative industries add increasing value, personal creativity, rather than group-think, is of rising importance.
Perhaps most importantly for the average Korean, the social gel has become stifling. The immense pressure to conform to ideals set by group- think ― educational standards, professional standards, even personal appearance standards ― has created a society of colossal stress in which the urge to conform has become competitive. Those who refuse or fail to conform are at massive risk ― as witnessed by educational stress, cyber bullying and youth suicide rates.
The new Koreans have massive potential thanks to their cultural genes. But simultaneously, the magnification/acceleration of traditional social culture via high technologies forces them to shoulder a massive burden.
Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk.
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