On Oct. 13, the Voice published an article that focused on the role of multicultural clubs on campus and in the community. Among the clubs mentioned, one stood out as having miscommunications between its executive board members and its club members: the Korean Student Association. To address a few of the concerns raised in the article, the KSA would like to give a few words.
First and foremost, we would like to apologize on behalf of every member of the KSA’s executive board. KSA, in an attempt to create a united Korean community, ended up producing an environment that might have made several Korean-Americans—or anyone else, for that matter—feel excluded. In trying to foster a second home for international Korean students, we failed to build an environment for non-international Koreans to feel included as well. Exclusivity has existed within the KSA, and it is time the KSA takes responsibility for that. The KSA is now working toward a method for providing a more integrated community.
Part of such a method would include thoroughly explaining distinct idiosyncrasies of Korean culture, which will prevent future oversights. Certain exclusions of details in the article may have upset many people who could have thought that some aspects of Korean culture were regulations enforced by the KSA.
In any Korean educational and vocational setting, there is a clear distinction made between what are referred to as the sunbae and hoobae. A sunbae is an elder who is in a higher grade or has had more experience. A hoobae is the opposite: someone who is in a lower grade or has had less experience. This concept is derived from the Confucian tradition of filial piety, which states that the younger must respect the elder. In return, the elder must also respect the younger—but the former action must come before the latter. Just as one must bow and speak in a formal tone to a sunbae, the sunbaes are to look out for their younger counterparts, give them advice, and be a mentor whenever needed.
The most important thing to note here is that this relationship is not a KSA regulation—it is a part of Korean culture. Therefore, it is more of a personal choice whether you decide to follow this tradition. The KSA is aware that this sunbae-hoobae relationship exists at Georgetown, and, though some may be against this cultural attribute, enforcing an invalidation of this relationship would undermine the very essence of Korean culture and disrespect the community.
Having assimilated themselves into American culture more so than Korean culture, Korean-Americans may find it difficult to adjust to this type of relationship. This distinction does not aim to draw a line between Korean international students and Korean-Americans, but it is essential to understand that a difference in approach to certain customs exists between the two groups.
One of the events created from this relationship is a non-KSA local meeting of Koreans, held in Seoul, South Korea every summer. The sunbaes and hoobaes want to engage in an unofficial meet-and-greet mentoring session, especially to help the incoming freshmen. We want to clarify this meeting is purely an independently-organized event, and KSA has no involvement in it whatsoever. It is similar to the Georgetown Admissions Ambassador Program’s summer events that connect incoming students to upperclassmen.
We would like to reiterate the mission statement of the Korean Student Association: “Unite and introduce the Korean community and culture.” Many have felt that the KSA has been “too Korean” throughout its existence. But think about it this way: in an American cultural society, we cannot afford to go “soft” in introducing our culture. We need to strive to surpass the already-dominant American culture that veils us in order to break through and demonstrate our Korean culture. In the future, however, the KSA will ensure the inclusion of any and all of those who wish to attend any events hosted by the KSA.
I don’t think its an issue about culture – its an issue of being more inclusive and open to non-koreans joining the KSA. The crux of the issue revolves around exclusivity. If the KSA was more open to having non-Koreans or Koreans that do not speak Korean joining, then the problem could be rectified. I think that when one goes to a KSA event and the club leadership predominately speaks in Korean to the incoming members, a precedent is set. There may not be explicit policies barring non-Koreans or Korean Americans from joining, but these types of behaviors only serve to reinforce the notions that the KSA is “a Korean club for International Koreans only.”
Whilst I’m not a student nor alumni (not really affiliated with the school), I can’t help but relate to this sense of exclusion from the Korean community in LA. I may not be referencing or using this correctly, but bare with me. All around town I see this show of respect a hoobae (young/young adult korean) extends to sunbae (adult/elderly korean). Whether it be a hello, a bow, hand shake. Very friendly, welcoming. Even in the street especially to the elderly. But I just don’t see that respect or courtesy being extended to others. By others I mean people who aren’t korean. Same courtesy is not extended to “other” elderly. Not the same attention to detail. Seen it so many times. They are too about themselves. People notice. Don’t feel comfortable. Wish I had more words to better explain my tHougts but alas
This isn’t an apology, it’s a misplaced and defensive response to a much overdue story that brought light to an issue that badly needed to be addressed. Ted Oh is mistaken in his belief that the hierarchy system ingrained in Korean culture (which also bears mentioning has also been an indirect cause of numerous social problems in Korea) must be a definitive aspect of KSA; why is it that the hierarchy system is so pivotal to KSA versus the other numerous and wonderfully diverse aspects of Korean culture? It sounds like to me the system was put in place to make KSA an organization exclusively for those who could tolerate the structure which unsurprisingly are international/native Koreans.
Korean-Americans are not ignorant nor indifferent to the culture of their parents and ancestors; we are proud to have Korean heritage and though our passports and nationalities say American, we have an affinity to Korea. If KSA’s aim is to unite and introduce Korean community and culture, they should look to Korean-Americans who understand fully well the daily experience/struggles of living as a minority in an “already-dominant American culture” (whatever struggle this poses to international students should be a point the writer could care to clarify) and thus are in the unique position to be able to transition and reconcile the two different worlds of American and Korean culture, each with its unique characteristics and expectations.
Korean international students don’t control the narrative of what defines a Korean community or even what it means to be Korean. Korean-Americans have long been representing and carrying on the culture of their motherlands in this country before then; perhaps it’s the international students who should take on the role of observing how to best “demonstrate the distinct idiosyncrasies of Korean culture” from them in a society where they are the actual foreigners.