It is not a secret that South Korea is currently one of the most developed and progressive Asian countries. Being technologically advanced and having quite a stable income level, Korea still keeps on growing. Despite all this, Korea has an ancient history that carries outplaying role in modern culture. Being educated and innovative, Koreans do not stop maintaining their traditions and customs and combining the old with the new as much as possible. The custom of respecting the elders, specific to the Asian culture restraint, competitiveness and love for spicy food are transferred to the new generation.
How the Korean culture spread in Armenia.
In relatively large countries such as the USA, Australia, Canada as well as in some European countries, Korean culture began to spread after the Korean War through migration and later on with the Korean TV channel (한류 Hallyu). The Armenian youth got acquainted with Korean culture in this way, too. K-Pop and Kdramas are worth to be mentioned. The influence of some unique musical groups in the role of spreading Korean culture is undeniable.
Differences and similarities can be found between any culture, and if we talk about Armenian and Korean cultures, we can, eventually, conclude that those similarities are also differences.
- There is a respectful attitude towards the people is highlighted both in Armenian and Korean cultures.
- Devotion to education and work which is inculcated from an early age in Korea needs to be specifically mentioned.
- To the majority of Koreans, life is a competition in almost every aspect, and one should not be off track from others.
- Every member of Korean society realizes his/her place and role, no matter how difficult it is. This is one of the conditions that lets the country prosper and develop.
The most interesting and strange facts in Korean culture
- Koreans are considered as one of the nations that have the highest IQ, but still are very superstitious. As an example, one should not write people’s names in red ink as it is believed as a bad sign. Leg shaking while sitting will presumably bring bad luck. Number four (사 – [sa]) is considered to be a bad one as it sounds like the Chinese word for “death” which is used in Korean.
- In Korea, people try to do everything as fast, productive and well as possible saving time. This lifestyle got its name as 빨리빨리 ([ppalli-ppalli] – quickly-quickly) which describes the principle of Koreans not only in work and education but also in everyday life.
- Language and culture are closely interrelated, and the Korean language is the best example of this. There are three types of speech in Korean: formal, slightly formal and informal. Polite speech in Armenian is defined by the plural address and relatively literary speech, but in Korean, these three styles are completely different, i.e. depending on whom the speech is directed to. They use different pronouns expressing the same meaning as well as sometimes nouns, grammatical structures that make formal speech more gentle and polite. Hence, it is very normal for Koreans to ask about the age when meeting for the first time as they need to understand which style must be used.