Comments on: America, proud of its multiculturalism, might even regard the Korean male-dominated culture as one of its own subcultures?

By: turkoid

turkoid — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:31:08 +0000

For Japanese people, I sort of understand the superiority complex they have over other Asians but their culture has adopted other cultural practices that have been regurgitated as their own.
I would have to agree with Victor. You’re over analyzing a couple of insignificant instances as “gender discrimination’. You don’t have to pour tea for anyone. The truth may be that if there was genuine discrimination, it may have been based on something other than gender.

By: japaneseview

japaneseview — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:12:41 +0000

Hi Victor,

First of all, I believe that traditions and cultures can be used as an excuse for any kind of discrimination.

Second, I realize that “Ladies first” is basically a show of manners to for Western gentlemen – it is not to show respect toward women.

Third, “Ladies first” did not originate as a type of discrimination toward men because in the past women were often discriminated in the West as well, but “Gentlemen first” in Asia is a direct result of Asian legacy of gender discrimination toward women, thinking my opinion.

Lastly, perhaps a feminist would think that “Ladies first” is a kind of gender discrimination toward women because the concept is based on the idea that ladies are weaker than men and men should take care them. No?

By: Victor

Victor — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:32:42 +0000

I stumbled upon your blog by accident, and I’ve been looking through your posts.
Well to be honest I think you’re just looking too much into it.
It’s not really so much as gender discrimination or as you put it “human rights” (by the way, that’s a bit strong of a word), but more of a tradition, courtesy and manners.
The men in a Western world will, if they have manners, will allow the “ladies first”. Looking from your point of view, wouldn’t a man be insulted if a woman was served first because it was expected a woman to be served first?
In the end, it’s just manners and being polite. Different cultures have different manners and so it’s hard to pin something down as “gender equality” when it’s a tradition formed long ago.

By: Coinz

Coinz — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:43:25 +0000

I’ve noticed this as well. I’m an african american female, but my aunt is half Korean and half african american. My great aunt, her mother, still practices her korean heritage even though she is in America. She’s only in her fourties (late) and yet she is more Korean than American despite the fact she has lived here so long.I know the older generation may be more prone to do that, but still. It pains me to see that Korean women have it so hard, they have to be second. She even said herself once that she “prefered to be that way” her husband has long since been dead, but she still clings more heavily to Korean ways than American. My mother was talking to her about Thanksgiving, and what she’d be doing for the holiday. She said herself, “You know I don’t like American food” yet she is now American, and she has been here so long. She visits Korea frequently, she loves her home country. I wonder sometimes if all the freedom America has to offer is too much for her, if she’d prefer it be a male dominated nation, or if she prefers restricted freedoms over vast freedom…

By: japaneseview

japaneseview — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 14:55:38 +0000

Hi Korean Female,

Here in Japan I often hear of gender discrimination in South Korea as well. So, I am happy to know that you seem to have good male friends there.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:31:45 +0000

Shocking.
I think USA-cultural restaurants intentionally act overly traditional to customers in order to give them a ‘real’ Korean experience.
Its like Old Western bars in Arizona. Sometimes, they slam your drinks down on counter to make it spill like the ‘movies’ do.

By: Korean Female

Korean Female — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:38:28 +0000

Wow it’s pretty embarrassing that a non-Korean noticed such an ugly side to Korean-American culture. I’ve dealt with many Korean-American males whose mentalities were much more dated than my Korean male friends from Korea. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the few outliers that remain in the rough.