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But in a more specific way to the Korean culture, this also illuminates the particular difficulty of retaining a valued heritage while finding ways to gain greater cultural comfort in the United States. Kim-Rupnaw (2001) points to this as promoting a tension not just between Koreans and other ethnic groups in the U.S. But of further challenging the cherished unity of Korean communities themselves. For many younger Koreans who recognize the value in adopting some aspects of the western cultural identity, there is a mounting sense of disconnect from those from prior generations who have sought to maintain distinct elements of the Korean culture and its attendant philosophies. Thus, Kim-Rupnaw reports on this disconnect that such is the natural product of the sharply differing value systems of Americans and Koreans. Of the latter, Kim-Rupnaw notes, "they have strong ties to family, and value education, hard work, and ambition to excel. Commonly cited virtues in traditional Korea include filial piety, respect for elders, benevolence, loyalty, trust, cooperation, reciprocity, and humility (Hur & Hur, 1999). These traditional values are often challenged, however, by younger generations influenced by western culture." (Kim-Rupnaw, 1)
That said, evidence also suggests that the strong family structure and sense of spirituality which permeate Korean-American culture do help to bring compromise, if not harmony, to this mounting generational divide. The research by Kang et al. (2010) points out in a survey of college-age Korean students, "findings suggest the possibility that narration of positive change is a culturally salient process by which many Korean-American emerging adults come to terms with early family challenges." (Kang et al., 441) This is to suggest that in spite of the cultural differences which are emergent amongst younger Koreans, culturally and ethnically defined communities and customs promote a continued...
As the research also points out though, ensuing generations of Korean-Americans are finding more and more in common with their western counterparts. Ultimately, it seems likely that several more generations in the United States will erase many of the cultural barriers which make psychological adjustment difficult for so many in the United States. However, for Korean-Americans, close contact with others of their ethnicity is an important way of preserving the unique identity made by the merging of Korean and American experiences.
References
Carey, W.P. (2006). Take Off Your Shoes and Ask for Slippers: Integrating Corporate Culture in Global Business. Arizona State University.
Chang, E.T. (1998). Toward Understanding Korean and African-American Relations. Organization of American Historians.
Cresswell, J. (2008). Cultural Differences. Ask-ETO Recruiting.
Danico, M. (2006). Korean-American Diaspora: Transcending Cultural Boundaries. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
"For Koreans, there exists a strong belief in filial duty - treating parents with respect and obeying them, caring for them when they are old, giving them a proper burial, and even worshipping them with ceremonies after death. All of these are incorporated into the fundamental ideas of strong kinship values and family ties from Confucianism." (Beller, Pinker, Snapka, Van Dusen). As much as the Koreans transmitted their strong
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Still those who stayed in the Los Angeles area formed in solidarity Koreatown even though many were brutalized as being seen connected to the Japanese (Kim and Yu par. 5). During this time, settling in the United States meant many benefits to the Korean-American. It meant they no longer had to put up with Japanese imposed laws where traditional Korean language and culture was prohibited. In many cases, they could
Soon Ja Du was the Korean-American owner of a liquor store in South Central Los Angeles. As if by fate, African-American Latasha Harlins walked into Soon Ja Du's store a few weeks before the Rodney King beatings. Like King, Latasha Harlins became a victim of white hegemony. Soon Ja Du shot and killed Latasha Harlins. Like the five police officers who were acquitted for their brutalizing Rodney King, the white
The cultural practices are evolved and based on the financial, social and moral understanding and capabilities of the local population, and it has been observed that Americans, Asians and Africans share extremely different perspectives and understanding on these issues, therefore the cultural adoption has been intense in countries where the technological revolution has been of the same intensity as in North America (Zelli, 1993). In some of the cases,
Korean Peninsula and World Politics: A study of North Korea Having been described as one of the most secretive states in the world, where even calculations of economic indicators is a difficult job to attain, there seems to be two very different perspectives of what North Korea is and the sentiments towards it. One is obviously the sentiments of the West, which has long considered it as an enemy state due