From the podcasts it seems like altruism/softheartedness to me.

I think is Compassion.

I just found this old lesson about “정” on the korea times ^^

(407) 정이 많이 들었어요

정이 많이 들었어요.
I’ve become too fond of (Korea).

A: 마이크 씨, 정말 오늘 미국으로 돌아가요?
A: Mike, are you really returning to the States today?

B: 네, 10시 비행기예요. 미국 본사에서 근무하게 되었어요.
B: Yes, my flight is at ten. I’ve been reassigned to the headquarters in the U.S.

A: 그렇군요. 잘 되었어요. 하지만 너무 서운해요.
A: I see. That’s great. But I’m going to miss you.

B: 저도 기분이 좋지 않아요. 한국에 정이 많이 들었어요. 모두가 보고 싶을 거예요.
B: Yeah, me too…it’s sad to go. I’m going to really miss Korea. I’m going to miss all you guys.

The Korean expression “정[jeong]” suggests the meaning of “feelings” based on special bonds.

Koreans say, “정이 들다” when they feel that they’ve spent a great deal of time together. Lovers, families or co-workers at work can use the expression.

Also, one may say, “정이 가요” to mean that someone seems friendly and kind for no apparent reason. Just the opposite would be “정이 안가요.”

Source: The Korea Times

Does anyone have any personal experiences with 정 (jeong)?

In Korea, I see it a lot on the trains and buses. Whenever I see someone carrying something heavy, and young adult will always offer to help out someone who needs the help.

Once I saw a grandmother carry watermelons on the train, and as she was walking my friend just walked up behind her, and held the watermelons up and they were going up the stairs. My friend didn’t even ask, and the grandmother wasn’t really surprised, but just smiled and said thank you. This is something really simple, but it’s something that I see all the time!

I was kind of… surprised… at how natural this was. it was so natural for my friend and for the grandmother. And after seeing that I wanted to help people all the time, so that it just becomes natural to me. I’m almost there

Anyone have any personal experiences?

Is there 漢字 for 정?

And I didn’t know it, but apparently I have developed 정 with some of my students. A few of them wrote about it in letters to me. I’ll try to find some examples and post them later on… give me a day or so!

아마 이제 이명박은 정 떨어지는 것 겉아요……특히 촛불십희 모이는 사람이랑!

lol! Austin….

In Bali, there are many words that capture this sense of interpersonal bonds.

In fact, the best one for a non-Balinese to hear is that they are manyama or masemeton (literally ‘like family’), meaning that they understand not only how to behave in an appropriate manner on their own, but they also understand how to relate to other people.

But the most important for the Balinese themselves is suka duka, which basically means ‘We share in your happiness; we share in your sadness’. Suka means ‘happiness’, while duka means ’sadness’. This is the ultimate way of saying that you fully empathize with your fellow human being. In Bali, the ultimate expression of suka duka is a cremation: families, while saddened by the fact that they have lost loved ones, are happy that their souls are to be released from their earthly shells (i.e. bodies, remains). Such an undertaking requires entire villages to help out. And everyone around, and I mean everyone (even tourists) is welcome to attend.

Just check out one of the biggest cremations (i.e. of a royal family) that Bali has hosted in a long time - it just happened last week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/world/asia/16indo.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Can 정 be a double-edged sword? Can it be used to either build up or tear down someone’s reputation?

I mean, can someone accuse another person that “그 사람은 정이 없어…” or “정이 안 들어요” and then use that accusation as a reason for not helping (or acting civil to) that person?

In Bali, this would be a serious charge (if a person did not help out in communal activities or obligations). If a person does not fulfill his social obligations, s/he and his/her family can be kicked out of the village, therefore becoming socially “dead”. This would mean that they could not get any assistance for cremation, or even be interned in any village cemetery - it basically leads to public shunning.

필리핀 에서 똑아타요… i guess there is some kind of connection among people…in the Philippines the concept of Bayanihan, pakikipagkapwa tao and kawang gawa may be the same as 정…

Shena,

Doesn’t the term “pakikisama” also apply here?

BTW, “kapwa” and “sama” are very ancient words/concepts in insular SE Asia. “(Ka)pwa” originally used to refer to “two” entities together, while “sama” possibly comes from Sanskrit.

Daniel, I think that’s a perfect example of 미운정! I’m always interested to hear about what’s going on with my ex-girlfriends, but not exactly excited when seeing them again.

Ed, I don’t think someone not having 정 would be such a serious offense, but just a person’s opinion of that person. When someone says “그 사람이 정 없어요” (that person doesn’t have jeong), it’s not an attempt to insult someone, but rather a serious comment about that person’s character. But the concepts that you listed sound very similar to 정! Thanks for sharing

Emily - I think Korea’s group centered culture is extremely key in the concept of 정. Korean’s traditionally consider the “group” before the individual… and that’s where all the sharing and caring for other people come in. Do you have any experiences you can share with the Korean people in your life?

Shena - I think Asian cultures have similar concepts, they’re just worded differently or have different nuances.

Maxie - I know you have a lot of Korean people around you. Do you experience 정 in some way with them? And I glad you can even feel the 정 over the internet!!!!

Thank you everyone for sharing!

Of course I do Keith 선셍님! I’d say that it’s the friendliness and how they instinctively get along which is why all we non-Koreans are so keen to learn the language.

Thanks for sharing your stories, Emily ! - Korean people (of all ages) always tell you to eat more, right? Haha. That’s (not because they really want you to be more full but) because they’ve grown up getting asked that question and learned it as a way to take care of other people. It’s interesting sometimes when you get help when you didn’t even ask for it because if you’re not used to it, you might think they’re bothering you while you can handle your own matters - but I really think this kind of 정 makes it easier for people to get along, although it takes some time and 눈치 (wits and intuition) to learn to be very natural in it ^^

I really think it means compassion, too. It’s like the all-encompassing love for everyone. Whether you like someone or not, we should love them and care about them. I believe that is compassion…or jeong!:)

I think the closest word in English is “charity.” (I say “closest” because jeong does not require action or proof… like in ways, having a heart for people is good enough.)

This is a generalization here, but I think jeong is popular in America mostly around the holidays - When I think of jeong, I think of Tiny Tim or “the Spirit of Christmas.” People will deliver food to neighbors or give of their time and love more freely to all humankind - from those at soup kitchens to strangers and neighbors we hardly know. Even a mailman we do not like may get a nice gift during the holidays. People will treat one and other with more kindness. And despite some people’s skepticism, the kindness is actually sincere. (See the movie Scrooged.)

A good example of “losing jeong” would be how people act in January when the holidays are over.

Jeong is also seen in people after tragedies. After 9/11 in New York City, the jeong came back very strongly.

Older American will say jeong was big in the 60s. People picked up hitchhikers, kept doors unlocked and helped out one and other. There are similar words in Indian culture (I wish I knew them) which point to a “love and a service to humankind” and of course, is be something people have all year long. Maybe “character” is another word in English used. This is goeunjeong.

I love that you call jeong sticky, but (as an American) I can’t quite figure how that is a good thing. I would tend to look at it more as a light… because light is hard to hide and even harder to hide from. But also because people who are full of jeong have a certain “glow” about them.

Thank you very much for this beautiful word.

LaLa

I have also had experience with 정 which kinda confuses me. That is with a couple of my female Korean friends who sorta hate their boyfriends and the only reason they can give that they don’t break it off is: 정. Maybe it’s just an excuse to not make a difficult choice, or maybe it really is 정. Any comments?

[…] Now, 정 is its own blog entry - and one that I will surely butcher. I have carefully avoided writing about 정 because it’s mad detailed and frankly, above my level of description. Even my roommate has trouble explaining it - in either Korean or English. Just know that it’s on my to-do list so expect an entry about it sometime around the next time Halley’s Comet passes by Earth. In the meantime, KC101 did a fine job of introducing the subject. […]