Daily Observations by GH,Je: Korean Identity. Non-Existent Concept?

‘Wow, Korean people are really good at maths!’,

Exclaimed a friend of mine with sheer astonishment. I enjoyed my moment of being a child prodigy after deducting with high intelligence that two hundred and four divided by seventeen was twelve. Memorizing multiplication as if I was reciting the names of winner in America’s Got Talent Show, I was a walking textbook and speaking calculator. Awesomeness.
The true is, I was not so much of a prodigy back in Korea. I never was the ‘best friend’ of Maths back in Korea, and I was pretty sure it did not like me that much in return.
One interesting thing about being good at Maths in England was not only in the fact that people thought I was a Maths genius, but also in how people related my ability to being a ‘Korean’. They judged me with a yardstick not only marking my ability as an individual, but as a member of a group. It was as though my nationality was a thin layer I was born with around me, making people see through me with that glasses.

Nationality.

Especially the Korean one. It was not something that I thought hard about, being a Korean. It was something taken for granted, like being born with brown eyes or dots on your right cheek. It was merely one of the groups I belonged to. It was like being a girl, being a student, being a daughter of my parents, being a member of baseball club and so on. In a multi layered, complicated process of forming an individual, it was yet another layer that was added to forming myself. In abroad, t became something more than that. I felt more ‘Korean’ than ever during my stay in England. ‘Where are you from?’ was one of the most frequently asked question which usually followed hellos in first meeting. It was glasses through which others saw me.

National identity itself, as most people would agree, is hard to define. It is being referred to as ‘the spirit of the people’ or ‘an attitude that the members of a nation have when they care about their nation’ or simply, ‘belonging to a nation’. However, one concept of Korean identity is simple. People find ‘sharing the same root’ a powerful factor forming Minjok(민족, 民族), its ethnic group. After all, the word itself—each Min and Jok respectively, represent ‘people’ and ‘division’. Put together, they mean people from the same division, therefore of a same branch from the same body. In that aspect, Korean identity is based on ‘sameness’ among people. As a survey conducted in 2007 in Korea also indicated, 32% of people responded ‘same ethnicity’ as the base of Korean identity. Followed by it was 22% answering ‘culture’, 19% ‘same blood’, and only 12%, the ‘five-thousand years of history’.

When the force comprising Korean identity is somewhat ambiguous, some might even cast a doubt as to whether Korean identity does exist or not.

Korean people gathered to mourn
after the shooting

On the other hand, after having been abroad, I can definitely say Korean identity exists. Korean identity was a firm platform on which I stood. It had an amazing ability of making me feel sad or very happy toward a situation to which I was unrelated. Just because I was not anyone else but a Korean, I rejoiced when Yu-na Kim won gold medals, when Korea hosted winter Olympics in 2018 in PyeongChang, and was saddened when there was the shooting incident at Virginia Tech. in 2007. Just hearing someone speaking in Korean abroad made my head turn, looking for the source of the sound. Korean community existing in England seemed to support the life in England. Korean identity for me was like a bonding that I had formed with Koreans.

"Korean bonding?"-its history

To understand the characteristics and the essence of Korean nationalism and the concept ‘Minjok’, we have to trace back and look into the history of our own nation and the scar it bears.

Historically, as the record reflects, Korea was not the ‘invading’ country that had strong power over other countries. In fact, it was quite the opposite. In our nation’s history of being invaded by powers surrounding us, it was one of the strongest factors that shaped the history of our nation. Although Korean identity may have existed in various forms, the strong concept of it was brought up to the surface from Japanese colonization.

Japanese government, on trying to censor the ideas of the people, inhibited publishing such books containing stories of historically famous people, traditional folk tales, cultural and geographical knowledge, anything containing national flag and the national flower(Mugunghwa), and ones dealing with social movements. Changing people’s name into Japanese one, implementing ‘Japanese only policy’, brainwashing people to believe in one ideology and history. On an imminent danger of being swept by the wave of the foreign invasion, Koreans exerted the power to keep their own colour, Korean identity.

mandatory worshiping of the Japanese shrine

During that era, the concept was there for the weak to herd in one place and to fight against the colonial power. In its formation, it was followed by the strong hatred against Japan. What was needed to do that was the united idea of the people, the spirit of the people. There needed to be a united idea and structures from which people felt there was an existing Korean identity. Through publication of history books( Korean independence activist, historian, nationalist and the founder of the nationalist historiography of Korea: Shin Chae-Ho), united version of Korean characters and grammar(see Joo Si-Gyeong) and education, people built up the main structure of Korean identity.

Power of Korean identity was also used after the World War II, preceding the ‘miracle of Han river’—which raised Korea tremendously fast from the level of the poorest country to the level on which we are standing in 21st century.

South Korea's GDP growth

Not scarcely followed by sacrifice of an individual, the formation of Korean nationalism put the strong emphasis in the ‘group’ and its benefit. After having been through threatens of Japanese colonization and Korean War, people formed strong groups which showed who was with or against the group. People working for the colonial power was called ‘pro Japanese group’ with strong revulsion and still raises question in modern society. The term ‘commie/the Reds(빨갱이)’, an insulting word indicating those having communist beliefs.

Present Phenomenon-Where can we find Korean identity?

Looking into the history of our nation and Korean identity, the term is tangled with the history. It shares the scratch of history from specific time, sharing the same scar.

Kim Yu-na

As time passes, the concept ‘sharing the same history’ seems to dilute in the minds of people. However, consciously and unconsciously, Korean nationalism still is a significant force that drives people to put powers together and act accordingly.

Having a tendency to gather at one place during the time of crisis can be seen as an existing evidence of Korean identity. Take for example gold collecting champaign reported by BBC in 1998 with eight tones of gold collected. Korean people helped our nation go through the time of crisis.

They gather not only during the time of the crisis, but also in a moment of joy and pride. Seeing Samsung’s thrive in the market or some foreign recognition of Korea was quite impressive. When Korean athletes won gold medals news reported great victory won by Kim Yun-A, the ‘figure queen’, and Park Tae-wan, the ‘marine boy’.

When Psy’s ‘Gangnam style’ climbed up to second place in Billboard chart, the new ‘style’ swept Korea, the song and the dance being played over and over again.

Psy's Gangnam Style

During the Olympic time, people gather at the same place, wearing clothes of similar colour, shouting the same phrase ‘Tae-Han-Min-Guk(republic of Korea)’ and ‘Oh, Pil-Seung Korea!’ See the heat and enthusiasm of the people during the Olympics in the video.

Side effects of the misunderstood 'Minjok'

However, being distorted or misunderstood, it could bear some negative consequences as well. Benefits or the unity of group, as ‘Koreans’, can easily replace individuality among a group. It can also ignore the means to approaching the goal as the end could take the value away from it.

Idea of 'sameness'

Korean identity formed in the past was about ‘sameness’ (as the word Minjok and ‘same ethnicity’ points out). It bears some negative consequence as people may fall into the fallacy of having a negative view toward being different.

When I was in England people would not hesitate in telling people what they were good at. Whereas in Korea, if people asked someone if he was good at studying, chances are that he would probably say

‘Well, I’m not that good’.

Sooner or later, it would turn out that he is actually the top student in his class. Not a lot would say without hesitation, ‘Yes, I’m pretty good at that’. Is it simply another form of ‘modesty’? It is more like fearing being ‘different’ from others. After all, those honest accounts of themselves may easily be seen as something arrogant in Korean society. Willingness to conform to the sameness can be also seen in 'trends' which may deprive people of their unique individuality. Being different as a quality standing out with more impacts, foreigners in Korea may have some hard time at first. In a survey conducted in University of Seoul English Magazine in 2012, 88% of Korean students said yes to the question, “Do you think there is discrimination against foreigners in Korea?”

This video is in presented in a humourous manner, but it contains some insight into the treatment of foreigners in Korea.

A homogeneous nation?

Some wrong interpretation about the word Minjok can be misleading. Some think the factor consisting Korean identity is being a homogenous group, sharing the ‘same blood’, from the same ethnicity. Is having the ‘pure blood’ what forms our national identity? Being a peninsula and a junction surrounded by powerful countries, Koreans have gone through several wars with surrounding countries. Whether the people wanted or not, they were to interact with people from other countries. Even from BC. 2 during the time of Go-Chosun(고조선), ethnic group deriving from China, called Yui-man people(위만족) came down. Some kings had their wife who were foreigners. There even were policies during Goryeo(고려) Dynasty around 10th century promoting incorporating other ethnic groups from collapsed countries, encompassing the region which is now China's territory.

DNA evidence refuting homogenuous society

It is highly incredible to find our national identity in sharing the pure blood. This misconception forming ‘the nation who shared the same blood’ may also have the tendency to eliminate those people who do not have 'pure Korean blood' such as muticultural families.

Grouping together. Grouping only with 'Koreans' together?

Moreover, there are some people seeking to find our national identity in disliking or excluding others. As intensified formation of Korean identity is quite closely related to Japan colonization, people may relate the feelings toward Japan with their Korean identity. Whenever there is a clash between Korean and Japanese, there would be a strong reaction. In that aspect, Korean identity still seems to be rooted strongly to the past. Although there have been some obscurity in the issue of the past which must have been addressed properly to unravel complex feelings each country has, we should not source that binds people in negative feelings toward others.

Future of Korean Identity: in 'ing' form.

We should not find Korean identity—ourselves as a group after having excluded and pushed away others. Through globalization, we interact with foreign powers. Globalization is not an option, but a naturally occurring phenomenon. It essentially means an open market which allows free competition without barriers among different countries. Not only does it mean sharing common products but also sharing of similar ideas and commonness which accompany the products. Modern Korea, too, was affected by this flow of ‘western influence’.

When people were also asked about the friendliness of foreign culture, about 46.5% responded that they were similar. When asked of the preference between western culture and Korean culture When also asked whether they enjoyed foreign culture more than Korean culture, 78.1% was for the foreign culture. As interactions from different countries increase, we are being assimilated to this trend of globalization. Then, in which context should national identity be found? Is it even necessary in the era of globalization?

My answer would be—because of the globalization, Korean identity should be a power that makes people maintain who we are. Instead of being swept away by the wave of globalization. Nation without an identity is a nation without a base. Korean identity, despite the weigh and the complicated meanings the word implies, is not so far away from our daily lives. Being happy and proud when something good to our country happens. Saying with certainty that he is a ‘Korean’. Worrying during the time of the crisis. In spite of the constructive criticism one may throw from time to time, in the end, relying on their original base, Korea. One step further, playing a role one was given as a member of the set group. Sharing the concern for the welfare of the country. Wanting to change our country for the good. Believing in the future and the continuity of our nation. It is the Korean identity.

Yet, the concept 'Minjok' should not be focusing about being the same with others or excluding those who seem different. After all, a group is formed by different individuals with different colour going in harmony, not by those gathered to be assimilated into a group painted in one thick colour. The relationship between a group and an individual is not a one-way interaction. Korean identity should be a power to which people attend to complement the weakness and the one that pulls people together to do a work in a unit of a country. In doing so, individual’s thoughts and stance should be reflected to the fullest, not being painted over by the same wide brush of distorted concept of 'Minjok'.

sources:

1. Wikia-Human science-emergence of the conscious individual

http://humanscience.wikia.com/wiki/Emergence_of_the_Conscious_Individual

2. [한국문화 정체성은 없다|작성자 섬문화연구소(Korean culture has no Korean identity-by Island Culture Research Team

http://blog.naver.com/sumsarang?Redirect=Log&logNo=20038401443

3. Britannica-Humanism

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/275932/humanism/11775/The-emergence-of-the-individual-and-the-idea-of-the-dignity-of-man

4. Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy-Nationalism

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nationalism/#BasConNat

5.Naver 지식백과(encyclopedia-일제 강점기 금서(forbidden books during Japan colonization)

http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?cid=3620&docId=1625356&mobile&categoryId=3628

6. Seoul beats-Korean nationalism uncovered