0-100: Cultural Differences Between the US & Korea

https://aaron.kr/content/talks/0-100-cultural-differences-between-the-us-korea/

I've lived in Korea for 15 years, teaching English (and computers) to all levels, from kindergarten to adult. I spent my first 26 years of life & education in the US, from kindergarten to university. I grew up in a typical American family, and I'm now raising a typical Korean family.

For these reasons, I was recently approached to give a presentation on Cultural Differences between the US (my home country) and Korea (my residence) to a group of high school students in Jeonju.

Now, there are plenty of good blog posts, YouTube videos, and discussions about cultural differences between the US and Korea already available online, so I decided to take a different approach. This presentation will start with a brief overview of some facts and statistics that I've gathered from the CIA World Factbook. But then, we will dive into cultural differences that one may experience at certain milestones along a typical life journey "from birth to death" (hence, the presentation's subtitle).

Transcript

1. 0-100
   CulTUraL dIFfeREnCes
   beTwEeN tHe US & KorEa
   From Birth to Death
   

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2. Let ME inTrODucE mYseLf
   Why am I qualified to talk about this subject?
   ● 26 years in America
   attended all levels of school
   grew up in an American family
   ● 15 years in Korea
   taught all levels of school
   raising a Korean family
   Aaron Snowberger
   

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3. SomE BasIC faCtS
   01
   Source: CIA World Factbook
   

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4. ComPAre & ConTrASt
   Size : Area • Landscape
   People : Population • Health
   Money : Education • Military
   

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5. siZE
   USA : 9,833,517 km2 (#4)
   Korea : 99,720 km2 (#109)
   laRgER!
   ~100x
   

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6. siZE
   Slightly larger than Indiana
   

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7. siZE
   Slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
   

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8. HalLA-saN (한번 구경 오세요)
   

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9. SeOul (WorLd’S moSt WirED ciTy)
   

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10. JeOnJu (laRgESt HanOK viLlAGe)
    

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11. DenALi (ColDEsT mTn oN EarTh)
    

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12. MaUna KEa (taLlESt MtN on EarTh)
    

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13. DeAtH vaLlEY (HotTEsT pLacE on EarTh)
    

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14. LanD Use
    
    
    
    Korea : 18,049 km2
    🌾
    🌽
    USA : 4,375,915 km2
    

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15. LanD Use
    
    
    
    Korea : 18,049 km2
    Landscape: ⛰🏕 🌾
    🌽
    USA : 4,375,915 km2
    Landscape: ⛰🏕
    moRE!
    ~242x
    

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16. 334,998,398 (#3)
    51,715,162 (#28)
    White (72.4%), Black (12.6%), Asian (4.8%),
    Other (10.2%)
    English (78.2%), Spanish (13.4%), Chinese (1.1%)
    Korean (96.2%), Foreign (3.8%)
    (1.99 million)
    PopULatIoN & DenSItY
    

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17. 334,998,398 (#3)
    51,715,162 (#28)
    White (72.4%), Black (12.6%), Asian (4.8%),
    Other (10.2%)
    English (78.2%), Spanish (13.4%), Chinese (1.1%)
    Korean (96.2%), Foreign (3.8%)
    (1.99 million)
    PopULatIoN & DenSItY
    

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18. PopULatIoN pYraMId
    

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19. PopULatIoN pYraMId
    

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20. LifE & HeAlTh
    LifE KOreA Usa KorEa Usa HeAlTh
    Mother’s Mean
    Age (1st)
    31 26.4 2.36 / 1,000
    (7.6% GDP)
    2.61 / 1,000
    (16.9% GDP)
    Physician
    Density ($%)
    Maternal
    Mortality
    11 / 100,000
    (#142)
    19 / 100,000
    (#129)
    4.7% 36.2% Obesity
    Infant Mortality 2.91 / 1,000
    (#215)
    5.22 / 1,000
    (#176)
    🌀
    🌀🌋🌪🔥🏚
    🔫 Natural Hazards
    Population
    Growth
    0.26%
    (1.09 / woman) (#226)
    0.7%
    (1.84 / woman) (#140)
    14.4% 15.1% Below poverty
    Life Expectancy 82.78 80.43 95.9% 87.27% Internet
    

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21. LifE & HeAlTh
    LifE KOreA Usa KorEa Usa HeAlTh
    Mother’s Mean
    Age (1st)
    31 26.4 2.36 / 1,000
    (7.6% GDP)
    2.61 / 1,000
    (16.9% GDP)
    Physician
    Density ($%)
    Maternal
    Mortality
    11 / 100,000
    (#142)
    19 / 100,000
    (#129)
    4.7% 36.2% Obesity
    Infant Mortality 2.91 / 1,000
    (#215)
    5.22 / 1,000
    (#176)
    🌀
    🌀🌋🌪🔥🏚
    🔫 Natural Hazards
    Population
    Growth
    0.26%
    (1.09 / woman) (#226)
    0.7%
    (1.84 / woman) (#140)
    14.4% 15.1% Below poverty
    Life Expectancy 82.78 80.43 95.9% 87.27% Internet
    

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22. LifE & HeAlTh
    LifE KOreA Usa KorEa Usa HeAlTh
    Mother’s Mean
    Age (1st)
    31 26.4 2.36 / 1,000
    (7.6% GDP)
    2.61 / 1,000
    (16.9% GDP)
    Physician
    Density ($%)
    Maternal
    Mortality
    11 / 100,000
    (#142)
    19 / 100,000
    (#129)
    4.7% 36.2% Obesity
    Infant Mortality 2.91 / 1,000
    (#215)
    5.22 / 1,000
    (#176)
    🌀
    🌀🌋🌪🔥🏚
    🔫 Natural Hazards
    Population
    Growth
    0.26%
    (1.09 / woman) (#226)
    0.7%
    (1.84 / woman) (#140)
    14.4% 15.1% Below poverty
    Life Expectancy 82.78 80.43 95.9% 87.27% Internet
    JulY 2, 2021
    UnaNImoUS coNsENt
    

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23. EcoNOmiC cOMpaRIsoN
    GroWtH
    2.16% - USA
    2.04% - Korea
    SavINg
    18.7% GDP - USA
    34.8% GDP - Korea
    InFlaTIon
    1.8% - USA
    0.3% - Korea
    

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24. EduCAtiON (koREa)
    6
    Elementary
    3
    Middle
    3
    High
    

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25. EduCAtiON (uSA*)
    K-6
    Elementary
    7-9
    Junior High
    10-12
    High
    School Year: September - May
    Vacation: December, May - September
    Hours: ~8:30am - 3:30pm (~6:00pm)
    

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26. EduCAtiON (uSA*)
    K-5
    Elementary
    6-8
    Middle
    9-12
    High
    School Year: September - May
    Vacation: December, May - September
    Hours: ~8:30am - 3:30pm (~6:00pm)
    

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27. MorE edUCatIoN dIFfeREnCes
    no unIForMs
    Only 19% of schools
    require uniforms
    LesS daYs & TimE
    USA: minimum of 180 days
    & holidays every month!
    Korea: minimum of 220 days
    moVInG cLasS
    There is no “home room.”
    Students move from class to class
    exTrACurRIcuLAr acTIviTIes
    In school: sports, clubs, leadership
    Out of school: jobs, dating, socializing
    But also: fights, drugs, skipping, vandalism
    

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28. A Day IN tHe lIFe: HigH sChoOL
    What does a typical day in high
    school look like?
    This video shows the difference
    between the USA & Korea from
    the perspective of two female
    students.
    

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29. ComPUlSorY (1.5yRs, $450+/mTh)
    

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30. VolUNtaRy (4+yRs, ~$2000/mTh)
    

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31. Q & A
    Size : Area • Landscape
    People : Population • Health
    Money : Education • Military
    

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32. Q & A
    Size : Area • Landscape
    People : Population • Health
    Money : Education • Military
    BreAK tiME
    

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33. MilEStoNEs iN lIFe
    02
    Cultural Difference as you progress in life
    But first!
    

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34. Except at night & in
    certain places...
    Typical business hours:
    9am-5pm
    Spanish?
    & $$$
    In Starbucks?...
    But also lots of checks...
    Only in cities?...
    Only pizza?...
    

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35. liFE sTagES
    Youth : Childhood • Schooling
    Adulthood : Career • Family
    Elderly : Aging • Retirement
    

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36. Youth
    0-5: Infancy
    6-11: Elementary
    12-18: Middle / High School
    16, 18, 21: Coming of Age
    18-21: University?
    Adulthood
    21-30: Figuring Yourself Out
    31-40: Family? Career?
    41-50: Career! (Mid-life Crisis?)
    51-60: “Over the Hill”
    61-66: The End (of career) is
    Near
    Elderly
    66-70: The “Golden Years”
    71-75: Aging
    76-80: Slowing
    81-85: The “Twilight Years”
    86-100?: THE END
    liFE sTagES
    

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37. liFE sTagES
    

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38. YoUtH
    0-18isH...
    

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39. BirTh
    What do fathers do?
    What do mothers do?
    How much is it? 1st birthday?
    SleEP
    Where do kids sleep?
    WalKInG & TalKInG
    How do parents talk to kids
    who are just learning?
    0-5: InFanCy
    (AlSo 1sT biRtHdaY)
    

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40. FirSt Day OF sChoOL
    First day of school customs?
    Buy anything special?
    MakINg FriENdS
    How do kids make friends?
    How do kids relate to friends?
    In & AfTer ScHoOl
    How do you “do” school?
    What do kids do after school?
    What about holidays?
    6-11: elEMenTArY
    (alSO hoLIdaYs)
    

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41. LeArNinG to WOrK
    Do you help around the house?
    Learn to cook and clean?
    Get a part-time job?
    PetS
    Ever had a pet? What kind?
    What if your pet dies?
    ColLEge EnTraNcE exAMs
    Do these tests make you
    stress? Why or why not?
    What kind of peer pressure?
    12-18: MidDlE / HigH sChoOL
    (AlSo pEeR pResSUre)
    

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42. 16: fIRsT caR / joB
    When can you learn to drive?
    How do you learn to drive?
    WHY do you learn to drive?
    18: fIRsT loVE
    Anything special two young
    lovers do together?
    What if your heart is broken?
    21: FirSt DriNk
    Any first drink traditions?
    What if you’re not “of age”...?
    16, 18, 21: ComINg oF Age
    (AlSo dRIviNg / ParKInG cuLtURe)
    

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43. MeEt The POliCE
    Why might you meet the police?
    How do you feel about the police?
    🦟<=🛵?
    ExPerIeNcE DeAtH
    How do you do funerals?
    Ever went to a friend’s funeral?
    MovE oUt
    What’s it like to move out?
    What’s it like on your own
    for the first time?
    18-21: UniVErSitY?
    (AlSo pOLicINg CulTUre)
    

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44. adULtHoOd
    21-66
    

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45. On YoUr oWn
    College Graduation?
    What prompts the transition out?
    FirSt “ReAl” Job
    Anything special about a first job?
    FirSt “MajOR” puRcHAse
    What’s the first “big” thing
    someone might buy?
    21-30: fIGurINg YoUrSelF Out
    

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46. GetTInG maRrIeD
    What is a traditional wedding like?
    How about a modern wedding?
    BuyINg a hOuSE
    What do people do with a first
    house purchase?
    When / why buy it?
    HavINg a bABy
    What is the process like?
    Any difficulties or benefits?
    31-40: faMIlY? caREer?
    

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47. ChaNgES at WOrK
    What if you get fired?
    Get a promotion?
    Change your job?
    ExCesS $$$
    This is your most prosperous
    decade. What do you do with the
    excess? Debts? Save? Invest?
    MidLIfe CrISis
    What does a midlife crisis look like?
    Ever heard of a ¼ life crisis?
    41-50: CarEeR! (MidLIfe CrISis?)
    

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48. FamILy aGAin
    Marry off your children?
    Receive grandchildren?
    Get married yourself again?
    51-60: “OveR tHe hILl”
    

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49. RetIRemENt ParTy
    What does a retirement party look like?
    Any traditional / special gifts?
    61-66: The EnD (of CAreER) is NEar
    

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50. ElDerLy
    66-100?
    

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51. “GolDEn YeArS”
    What do you do at the beginning of your
    retirement? Travel? Move? Bored?
    66-70: The “GOlDen YEarS”
    

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52. HeAlTh iSsUeS
    What’s the leading cause of death?
    71-75: AgiNg
    

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53. NurSInG hoMEs
    If not in nursing homes,
    how are the elderly supported?
    76-80: sLowINg DowN
    

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54. LasT wiLl & TesTAmeNt
    How does inheritance work?
    Who gets what and why?
    Any gotchas? (Taxes, etc)
    81-85: The “TwiLIgHt YeArS”
    

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55. The NExT gReAt aDvENtuRE
    What happens after death?
    Where does the body go?
    What about next of kin?
    86-100?: The ENd
    

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56. ComMEnTs? Q & A
    Youth : Childhood • Schooling
    Adulthood : Career • Family
    Elderly : Aging • Retirement
    

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57. CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo,
    including icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik
    ThaNkS!
    Does anyone have any questions?
    Find me @ aaron.kr
    Please keep this slide as attribution
    

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