Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 282

Behavior:
7. Koreans often smile to show embarrassment or when they feel sorry.
8. Don’t brag about your accomplishments. Be humble.
English Language Skills:
9. Koreans may have a good grasp of written English but often lack conversational skills.
Therefore, speak slowly and clearly and repeat any points that you want to emphasize. It
may be worthwhile to exchange notes after the meeting to further ensuring that
everything had been understood.
A Few Useful Korean Phrases and Greetings:
Hello
How are you?
Good morning.
Thank you
Anyong hasimnika
Anyong haseyo?
Anyong! (also means nice to meet you.)
Kamsa hamnida.
Gifts:
10. Gift giving is an important dimension of the Korean culture. Koreans love to give
gifts and give gifts with regularity. When someone visits someone’s home they will take
a gift (usually a box of fruit) If they do not bring a gift, it is considered impolite. The gift
should be simple and personal. It should not be extravagant or the receiver will feel a
sense of obligation.
11. It is not uncommon for Korean parents to give '”gifts” to you in hopes that you will
give their children better grades. It is not a bribe, but a custom.
12. When gift-giving becomes a problem, some schools adopt new policies for parents.
These schools suggest that parents may donate money to the school in their names or to
give gifts to the teacher’s favorite charities.
Thoughts on Education:
13. In Korea, it is not really the education itself that is important, but rather, it is a
diploma from the right university that counts. Korean high school students will sacrifice
their childhood studying for the all-important university entrance exam which takes place
in November every year. Most go to special hagwons (private institutes) to do crash-
course studying.
14. Once someone gets into one of these elite schools, their careers are set; it is a
Korean's ticket into society and the job market. Students who do not make it into these
schools may also go to study abroad. It is considered more prestigious than going to some
third rate university in Korea.
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