What Korean Movies Have Taught Me About Korean Culture

[robleeteach7418]

***I KNOW MOVIES ARE FICTIONAL AND NOT A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF REALITY***

I decided to write down my observations because these have been constant themes in the 40+ Korean movies I've watched in the past few weeks.

If I were to believe everything in Korean movies, this is what I would conclude.

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-It's okay to think that the poor are inferior.

-The innocent are always screwed over, punished, or end up dying.

-Fighting for what's right or moral is frowned upon if it causes trouble for other people, especially the wrongdoers. Instead, you should not fight for what's right and feel guilty about doing the right thing.
-Making a valid complaint is selfish and will get you and your family in trouble.
-Just take the unjust punishment to make other people's lives easier.

-Everyone is corrupt (cops, politicians, teachers, school administrators).
-Bribes and gift giving is the only way to get ahead in life.
-Merit has no value.

-Detectives regularly falsify proof.
-Detectives & prosecutors decide if you're guilty regardless of proof.
-It's okay to beat suspects, regardless of proof.
-Street cops don't have any real authority and civilians don't respect them. They're treated worse than American mall security guards.

-Everyone is a 'bastard' and calling each other that, even strangers, is okay.
-Korean people on a whole are very mercurial. They go into a psychotic rage very easily over little things without reason or proof of any wrongdoing against them.
-Hitting/slapping/kicking someone is an allowable response to someone you don't like or to someone you think that has wronged you.
-No one ever looks at all the evidence. Jumping to conclusions is the norm.

-It's always someone else's fault. No one ever takes responsibilities for their actions.
-No one ever apologizes for their mistakes.
-Apologies that are made are meaningless. Bowing your head and apologizing is a sufficient apology.
-No one ever makes any real amends.

-There's a sense of entitlement amongst those who feel they are superior (the rich, politicians, superiors at the work place). There's a "Do you know who I am?" attitude.
-Having a certain occupation makes you "better" than others.
-Having a higher rank at work means it's okay to demean your subordinates.

-No one wants to do the work for anything, but expects the reward. People, especially in higher ranks, expect others to do the work and feel entitled that others do it for them.
-No one can be bothered to do something for someone else, even if it's their job to do it.

-There's an "everyone is out to get me" attitude. "The world is against me." "Woe is me."

-The government doesn't care about its citizens, especially, the impoverished, mentally handicapped, or victims of crimes.

-It's okay for teachers to hit their students.
-It's okay for superiors at work to hit their employees.

-Korean culture is all about social status.
-Koreans are a materialistic society.
-There's a name brand status mentality.

-Parents and teachers always know what's best for children.

-Female bullying at school is prevalent and reaches near death levels.
-Bullying is okay.

-Koreans are opportunistic and take advantage of other people, especially the weak and poor, and feel no guilt about it. It's all about seeing what they can get out of someone else.

[phoenixroo7239]

Haha.. Pretty good.

I'd like to add...

-Rich families are run like the mafia.
-If you try to divorce your husband, your in-laws will have you declared insane and take away your children.
-If a boy and a girl pretend to be dating to please their families, they will eventually fall in love.
-Girls pretend to be boys all the time.
-Boys will always fall in love with other boys who are actually girls in disguise.

Edit: Almost forgot
-A poor orphan girl is always secretly the princess.

[trutherous]

Wow! Too Funny!

Yeah Korean movies and drama are gross exaggerations of certain aspects of Korean society. In no way should they be considered accurate. It's like the Hollywood movies that make you think all Americans run around with guns and that there is a running gun battle with explosive car chases every other day.


Other K-drama fiction points:

According to K-drama - Korean parents will always oppose a marriage to anyone except a secretly narcissistic psychopath that they, being utterly deceived by his/her charms, have selected as spousal material.

According to K-drama - Parents always approve a candidate for marriage based on the wealth, power, and fame of that candidate's family.

****

Possibly more true than not --In Korea if you don't have a university degree you are no better than dirt.... unless, of course, you have a lot of wealth, power, or fame... then you're ok. So young people, let this be a lesson, stay in school and get that degree!

[kc101com]

Hi trutherous,

That's a really big points to go over! You must watch a lot to even analyze Korean dramas!wow

A lot of Korean actions movies deal with guns and car chases!haha with a lot of cursing of course

I just don't understand this point!

secretly narcissistic psychopath?haha What does that even mean! i don't get it for spousal material...

Dramas always reflect reality and i wouldn't lie about watching out all qualifications when it comes to marriage candidates! So true as I am a Korean gal. haha

University degrees are very important as well.. You know the big difference is it's not as expensive as Americans at all! It's probably one third or something.

It's always good to have a degree than not right?

I guess that we do not really have well-made vocational schools unless it comes to arts, nursing, engineering, or something like that.

I can tell Koreans have really unique culture!


Thank you

Madison
Team Koreanclass101.com

[trutherous]

secretly narcissistic psychopath?haha What does that even mean! i don't get it for spousal material...

lol --guess I wasn't thinking clearly perhaps it would have been more accurate to say "sociopath" than psychopath but it still conveys the idea of someone who is emotionally handicapped, or selfish to the point of criminal disregard of other people's feelings or well being.

a sociopath who manages to hide his narcissism from everyone just long enough to ALMOST marry the 주인공 of a Korean drama


spousal material - 신랑/신부 감

한국 드라마에 부모들은 항상 (실수/ 속임 때문에) 저런 사람을 사위/며느리로 원하는 것 같아요. 그 말이었어요.

[kc101com]

Hi trutherous,


Okay! So you mean they get deceived!! That makes sense

There is always scheme to twist the real love or the real 주연 being in love.

Now I completely understand!haha



Thank you

Madison
Team Koreanclass101.com