Culture is very complicated concept!!

[ICC Grace]

I read very carefully about culture. And I never realized that culture could be such a complicated thing that I couldn't describe it with one or two sentences. My first anwer is roughly that culture is the way people think, talk and behave. Culture is a collective mental programming of the people of a group of people. Culture is a set of shared belief, norms and behaviors. And culture is evolving in response of technology. For the second question, we all have different eyes to see the world. So most of us don't know how to react to situations that we are not used to deal with. We only want to see the world based upon our own cultural "eyes". Consequently, we often misunderstand, misintrpret or even become angry about some behaviors that we are not familiar with. So we have to learn to observe other cultural behaviors. That way we can be free from potential misunderstanings likely to happen to us and escape from kind of impulse to want to choke others.^^ Lastly, let me tell you about our one and only Korean culture. I think we have a very strong small-group culture. We don't like to be alone when we are eating lunch or dinner even drinking a nice hot coffee. Futhermore we feel intimidated, scared and feel left alone when we are having time by ourselves. And we even say something mean behind their back. " Wow, look at him! How come he doesn't have any friend to share his meal? Poor daring!!" So everyone want some company no matter where they go, what they want to do, etc. In my opinion, group culture is fine but it's time that we can be more open-minded and can respect others' choice like other Western countries.

[Clara Park]

So, do you think that small-group culture is specific to Koreans?
Maybe you are sayiing so..
I think that you are also saying that Koreans tend to mind the eyes of others around them.
Totally I agree with you. Sometimes I want to say like this: Please mind your own business.
Being alone is sometimes real good!! *^.~*

[ICC Grace]

Yes, especially in Fall. How about reading a romantic novel watching fallen leaves in a bench and being lost in meditation? ^^ I bet you might end up catching a bad cold. ã…‹ã„·ã…‹ã„·ã…‹ã„· Well, I really appreciate your comment^^. You're such a nice person!!!

[Jason M. Ham]

Interesting--that's why I always have to order "2-inboon" at meat restaurants--even when I'm by myself.

[ICC_yuri]

I strongly agree with you. Koreans don't want to be alone at coffee shop, restaurant, and shopping center.
Sometimes I want to go to coffee shop having coffee, reading book, and relaxing by myself but I care someone around me.
I guess almost of coffee shop culture in Korea people go to chat, date, or kill time.

[ICC_yuri]

I totally agree with your idea. I feel lonely or care others when I eat alone in Korea. And I usually try not to go to restaurant or coffee shop alone.But when I stayed in USA, I went to coffee shop, drinking coffee, reading a book or killing time by myself. I don't want to mind others but is it my personal problem or cultural difference? I guess we treat people who is alone at restuarant or coffee shop or shopping mall more lonely.