Last week, I did a post about what I don’t like about Korean American culture.  I talked about the amount of judging that I’ve witnessed by Korean Americans towards other people.  Today, I wanted to talk about what I do like about Korean American culture.  Korean American culture can be a fusion of the two cultures, giving it a uniqueness that can’t be found anywhere else.  So here are three things I enjoy most about being around Korean Americans.

Not Model Minorities

Previously, I did a whole post on if Korean Americans are model minorities.  My conclusion is that they are not.  Korean American women are strong women.  They are not women you can walk all over and treat any kind of way.  Korean American men try their best to be romantic, shattering the stereotype that Asian men aren’t loving and kind.  And Korean Americans do not typically turn their back on Korean culture to gain acceptance by others.  Korean Americans do not feel shame or embarrassment about being Korean.    Many embrace being of Korean heritage as a beautiful thing, which it is.  All the negative stereotypes about Asian people are thrown out when you get to know many Korean Americans.

The Asian Community

When I first started learning Korean, I asked a woman how she identified herself.  Her answer was that instead of being Korean, she viewed herself as a prat of the Asian community.  When I asked a Korean man if he felt pressure to involve himself more in American issues, he said that he didn’t because he was a member of the Asian community.  Many Korean Americans know that their accomplishments will benefit all Asians, not just Koreans.  While many hear about prejudice between Korean people, Chinese people and Japanese people, most of the Korean Americans I’ve met actually get along with all Asian people.  Skin color, ethnic background and language are not a barrier to them.  Everyone is a part of one big family.

Embracing Others

I ended my post about what I don’t like about the Korean American community by saying that not everything in that post applied to all Korean Americans.  And part of that is due to the fact that while some Korean Americans push non-Koreans away, others embrace other people, their language and their culture.  Just like many Koreans in Korea, many Korean Americans have no problem teaching Korean language and culture to those who truly are interested in learning for the right reasons.  Many older Korean Americans are very open to seeing their children and grandchildren marrying someone is isn’t Korean, as long as they are happy and treated well.  And in many areas where people don’t want to open up businesses and serve a particular community, Korean Americans will open businesses and help to revitalize an area.  Just as they would want you to work hard to learn about Korean language and culture if you lived in Korea, many Korean Americans work hard to learn as much as they can about the ways and cultures of others.

For the most part, I have had a lot of positive experiences with Korean American people.  Often times, the media misrepresents Korean Americans for ulterior motives.  But Korean Americans can become some of the best friends you’ve ever had, if you give them a fair chance.  While there are some things I don’t like about some Korean Americans, there will always be positives about most Korean Americans and the unique culture that they live in.