Korean attitudes about sharing...
Remember that old Raffi song...?
Sharing is one the things that goes hand in hand with the friendships and relationships in Korea. Most kids won't move very often in their lifetime, so their friends in their class will often stay the same, especially those in the same class. Their friends will stay the same through their elementary, middle, and high school days. Most likely, they'll also attempt to attend the same university. And through all of those institutions, they'll share food, drinks, and pretty much nearly anything without complaining - they'll give each other grief about it, but they'll do it, because that's their friend.
Want to go to the theater? Go ahead and pick up the "Lovers combo" - big box of popcorn and a mega-gulp size drink with two straws, on opposite sides of the cup...touching. What's more comical is when you see boys buying it - strangely enough, its also one of the cheapest options.
Another thing shared is cosmetics - not being one to use them, I'm going on my Korean friends word that this is often the case.
Clothing, shoes (good googles they have shoes coming out of everywhere), you name it, its shared. And ironically enough, my sweaty gym shoes are also being used by someone at my local gym (where shoe storage is free).
Their friendship belief plays into everything, which is one of the reasons that its particularly hard to make close friends with Koreans; by the time they are in their mid-twenties, many Koreans already have a fair number of close friends - the rest of their new friends will normally be acquaintances. Just another way that Korea is different from North America.
take care all, and God bless,
me
It's mine but you can have some, with you I'd like to share it.Well, welcome to the pervading ideology inside South Korea. Nothing here is beyond the realm of being "shareable", so to speak. Starting at an early age, Korean babies are often fed the same ice cream snacks that the rest of the family is eating, or drinks that the parents are drinking. And in true Korean style, if you don't give the baby what it wants, it will whine and complain until they are ripe and old....oh wait, they still do that - never mind.
'Cause if I share it with you, you'll have some too.
But if I have a cake to eat,
and if I have a tasty treat,
If you come to me and ask....I'll share it with you!
Sharing is one the things that goes hand in hand with the friendships and relationships in Korea. Most kids won't move very often in their lifetime, so their friends in their class will often stay the same, especially those in the same class. Their friends will stay the same through their elementary, middle, and high school days. Most likely, they'll also attempt to attend the same university. And through all of those institutions, they'll share food, drinks, and pretty much nearly anything without complaining - they'll give each other grief about it, but they'll do it, because that's their friend.
Want to go to the theater? Go ahead and pick up the "Lovers combo" - big box of popcorn and a mega-gulp size drink with two straws, on opposite sides of the cup...touching. What's more comical is when you see boys buying it - strangely enough, its also one of the cheapest options.
Another thing shared is cosmetics - not being one to use them, I'm going on my Korean friends word that this is often the case.
Clothing, shoes (good googles they have shoes coming out of everywhere), you name it, its shared. And ironically enough, my sweaty gym shoes are also being used by someone at my local gym (where shoe storage is free).
Their friendship belief plays into everything, which is one of the reasons that its particularly hard to make close friends with Koreans; by the time they are in their mid-twenties, many Koreans already have a fair number of close friends - the rest of their new friends will normally be acquaintances. Just another way that Korea is different from North America.
take care all, and God bless,
me