A Social Distinction and Cultural Understanding
A social distinction refers to the constructs that society is built on, such as profession, gender, family, and race. As a result, it is critical to learn and understand different cultures because they promote cooperation among people from various cultural backgrounds. Today, the globe is linked, and those who enjoy unique cultural settings are thought to benefit greatly from the rapid pace of globalization. Furthermore, while there is a need to consider other cultures, each person must remain the custodian of his or her own learning.
Cultural Differences between South Korea and the US
Therefore, the paper will fundamentally address the cultural differences between South Korea and the US with the emphasis on family, marriage, races, and gender roles.
Changing Family Structures
In this postindustrial globe, families are consistently changing (Rhee). In the US, sexual characteristics, family stability, cohabitation, and child upbringing is the central role attributed to marriage. In contrast, in South Korea, citizens frequently engage in premarital sex this, however, has led to the increased number of the unmarried matured teenagers and as a result, those who get married divorce easily unlike the American citizens. The South Korean government has recently reported an increase in fertility rates (Rhee). Similarly, the role of parents in both countries is rapidly changing. The family is the chief agent of change and is centralized to the society. Chang asserts that, in this current century, a family is a primary institution experiencing profound adjustments.
Work Culture and Social Structure
South Korea culture is based on communities and groups (Chang). Therefore, the pride and self-satisfaction of people are within the limits of the class you belong to. In the US citizens look for their satisfaction by focusing on their aspirations. For example, in South Korea, an employee may work in one company for his/her entire working life until he/she attains the age of retirement. Thus, promotion and loyalty are considered by the seniority in the company. In contrast, the US citizens focus independently on their careers for organizations they are working in and often change corporations throughout their working life. In this nation, an employee is promoted from tier to another on merit (Chang). In Korea, the people's lives in society are influenced by the way they are recognized in their working institutions. As a result, the citizens strictly adhered to the rules dictating how they should socialize with one another.
Social Structure and Racism
Southern Korea has a hierarchical and formal social structure (Park, Vinai, and Yoshi). In this nation, citizens have a clear understanding f where they fit and the rules they are supposed to abide by. Also, no citizen is supposed to cross his or her boundary. In contrast, the US has an informal and loose social structure. It is rare for citizens of different social values to interact freely. Only little class of people is lawfully allowed to cross their socializing boundaries. Social problems are likely to arise when people from different social structures mix (Yoshi). Racism in the US is not a severe issue unlike in the South Korea where it is given much attention. Therefore being widely spread in nature, the Americans believe that the Koreans are 'pure blooded in race' and they consider themselves to be superior to the foreigners and this belief has occupied them since the early years. The Americans are tolerant to the foreigners, unlike the South Koreans. Despite the South Korean being endowed with the natural resources, ethnically homogenous people, and well-educated citizens, all these are considered to be the coincidence with the racial tolerance (Gendron, 149). For example, out the three Koreans, you meet only one of them will say they love people from the different ethnic race. This is in line with the South Korean's belief on the racial identity to be distinct unlike in the Americans who treat people equally without considering their race.
Gender Roles and Time Consciousness
There is a similarity in social framework between South Korea and US societies, but the difference is reflected on how they impact family life from social context and cultural history (Gendron 149). Korea was ranked at position 101 on the international gap in gender and US came at position 22 (Gendron 150). In South Korea, female politicians are few unlike in the US where many women are holding political offices. There is the perception that when women in becoming in the position they are likely to quit due to pregnancy or when they get married and thus they are not given senior offices in South Korea. In the US, this belief is considered to have been passed by time. US citizens are time conscious; they keep time when the meeting is scheduled and ensure they meet deadlines of their projects. For example, if the session is set at 3:00 pm all parties find themselves seated by that time. In contrast, the Koreans view time as a person's suggestion and not as the main idea to focus on. For example, when they a meeting everyone comes at his or her own time and leave the boardroom at their convenience even before the meeting is adjourned. Similarly, when a report is expected let say on Monday, the US citizen will deliver the news by that day, but a Korean will present days later.
International Traders and Racial Hierarchy
In southern Korea, international traders were restricted from accessing specific areas of the Peninsula before the Korean themselves could later learn the better ways of evaluating the globe in the racial groups from the Americans (Gendron 150). Therefore, it was not easy to assess if the discrimination of the foreign traders in southern Korea was based on nationalism or xenophobia. In contrast, in Japan, there is a given particular hierarchy of the races unlike in the US. The Koreans are treated with utmost respect for the Americans who treat people equally irrespective of the race. In particular, this behavior from Korea is based on the moral hierarchy and physical superiority with less emphasis on the intellectual conviction.
Conclusion
In summary, there are more differences between the social life in South Korea and the US. In fact, they are genuinely varied in some situations. Therefore, is the need for the workers in this contemporary world to understand cultural differences from different countries provided that the world today is connected and anyone can work in any country with the emerging of the globalization. However, if Korean's employees cannot understand and fail to recognize the different races, then it becomes challenging for them to work with their expatriates. Understanding of cultural differences promotes acceptance and cooperation among the workers hence working in a constructive manner. In my opinion, if citizens from different races can form a partnership based on understanding, then it becomes straightforward for expatriates in foreign nations, thus promoting competitiveness hence leading to the faster globalization of the organizations.
Works Cited
Chang, Xue Ling Melissa. “Understanding depression across cultures: a social identity perspective.” (2017).
Gendron, Maria. “Revisiting diversity: cultural variation reveals the constructed nature of emotion perception.” Current Opinion in Psychology 17 (2017): 145-150.
Park, Joonha, Vinai Norasakkunkit, and Yoshi Kashima. “Cross-Cultural Comparison of Self-Construal and Well-Being between Japan and South Korea: The Role of Self-Focused and Other-Focused Relational Selves.” Frontiers in Psychology 8 (2017): 1516.
Rhee, Stephanie L. “Acculturative stress and coping among Korean immigrant elders residing in non-Korean ethnic enclaves.” International Social Work (2015): 0020872817741183.
