Different Culture 1. Korean and Western Culture
In Korea it’s important addressing someone by their title or job positions. People in the company call each other by their job position, while Westerns use first name or Mr., Mrs., Ms., with family name for respect. In Korea, title indicates status, so if someone is addressed in a way that is not suitable for his age or position, he or she may be offended and feel they are being talked to as inferior. In Western culture, people can be friends with whomever they want, while in Korea you can only call someone your friend if he or she is the same age as you. In Western culture, people keep in mind the age difference and give respect where it is due, but nevertheless they are free to befriend anyone they please.
In the Korean work environment, to be in a higher position than someone older than you is difficult because age is very important. To be young and in a higher position than someone older puts you in a predicament because you are not able to conduct yourself as that person’s senior as they may think there’s nothing to learn from you or you have no authority to lead them because you are younger. In western cultures, positions in the workplace are more respected than here. 2. Difficulties
One of Indian friend that I know he explained about his life in S. Korea. Here some examples:
- Fixed method in work place. In other words, they will not encourage creative ways to do work. For example, in making Power Point or Word his boss has certain method, I must follow that. If he is not following that he will get scolded and the words will be very rude.
In this situation employee can’t satisfy from his job and don’t perform well in a good way as he want.
- Suppose, if he take a Korean colleague’s help I have to buy him food or coffee or a drink. This is never happen in Indian culture. Casually I will buy things out of love or friendship. But not deliberately that he helped me and I am buying him food or drink.

3. Religion.
In Korea it’s difficult for those people who are Muslims. Muslims don’t eat pork and drink alcohol. It’s not only for Muslims, also for vegetarians. Some Korean’s never understands why they don’t eat pork or meet or even eggs. Some vegetarians say that it hard to make them understand about vegetarian food exist. Some Korean who has a different religion they are try to bring you to his church even though he or she knows that you don’t want to go or you are in some other religion. 4. Dining and drinking culture.
As I mentioned about foods, people who don’t eat pork, meet or eggs they feel difficulties when they go to Dining with co-workers. There is some country mate who I know. Recently she quit her job because of drinking culture. She is Muslim and her boss and co-workers know it. But every time when they go to have some party or dinner meeting, the boss tried to push her to drink alcohol. This happened several times and finally she decided that she can’t work anymore in the company. (She was working one of the famous company in Kangnam). 5. Family
Working hour is so long in Korean company. That is why most employees can’t give enough time to his or her family. Some examples: Mr. Lee gets up at 5:30 am every day, gets dressed and makes a two-hour commute into Seoul to start work at 8:30 am. Once start his job he doesn’t leaves company before 9 pm. This happens six days a week, and he has just three days of vacation. Mr. Lee has three children. He says that he has only 10 or 15 minutes a week, and then just on the weekend. This is a one employee’s lifestyle in Korea and he is Korean. But in this situation it’s difficult to work for my country mate peoples. Because for us family first and others.