Are Koreans more traditional in their morals?

Question

It seems to me that Koreans seem to be more conservative than their very liberal western counterparts. Is that true?

Answer 1

What Koreans SAY and what Koreans DO are two totally different things!

For example: Honor your parents.

Sure. When Koreans are at home with their parents, they respect them, but when they are away from them (say, at university) they almost always lie to them about what they are doing and how much they are studying.

Girls are virgins until they get married/Guys only want virgins for a wife.

Truth is, uni students OFTEN live together (without the knowledge of their parents) and guys don't care if their wife is a virgin or not!

Korean guys hate girls that smoke.

Truth is that guys don't care if girls smoke...just not THEIR girlfriend!! (Talk about a double standard!!)

Korea is becoming a LOT more Westernized these days. Women are a lot more educated and a lot less apt to let their husbands get away with the "boys will be boys" attitude. Most women work after marriage AND after having children and most of them won't put up with their husbands doing nothing around the house (childcare/cleaning/routine chores etc).

There recently was a huge debate about "forced" office drinking after working hours.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2875246

Things are changing here.

Answer 2

From the koreans whom I know and work with, I cannot agree with you in most areas. I have been working with people and companies in major asian markets for more than 10 years

- in term of business practice, they are very aggressive and opportunistic. Their mindset, pls note this is nothing negative at all, like the mainland chinese more, of course with a higher code of ethics, though not comparable with other developed markets'.
- in term of values and beliefs, chistianity is the dominating religion and they are very receptive to western values. USA is their alliance.
- in term of their competitiveness globally, look at Samsung, LG, Hyundai, such conglomerates and no one would say that they are conservative.
- in term of their civil awareness, they are very outspoken in voicing out their dissatisfaction to the world and the government. They are not afraid to go out to the street and shout. But it doesn't change their patriotic nature

How the men behave superiorly over women and the fact that virtually all power positions in the government/ companies are held by men may belie the above.

Women still need to wait all men to go into the lift before they step in - humbly with head and hands down.

Men expect women to cook and do all home chores, etc.

But this is also changing among the new generations.
I just wonder how you get the impression that they are traditional in their morals?

Open to listen to your encounters

Answer 3

Yes, they hold strong values.
It's what their parents taught them and they pass it down to their children.
For instance, Koreans often frown upon adolescents wearing make-up, having a boyfriend at a young age, etc...
They tend to act more shallow.

Answer 4

depends. what people say they believe and what they do are often two different things. at the base, they are very conservative, but like all of us can be hypocritical. depends on the age, and on where they live, very likely there are slight differences between those who actually live in Korea and those who live in other countries. everyone is different, but in general, i'd say they are conservative--however, i would not say that the west is NOT coservative! we sure as heck are. we are just hypocrites as well.

Answer 5

In my experience, sexually this holds true, to a point. Prostitution is not looked down on so much in Korea, but generally overtly sexual public displays of affection is unacceptable. For any area besides sex, I would have to disagree with you (drinking, smoking, corruption, environmentalism, etc. . .).