Originally Posted by 4WD
Originally Posted by sloinker
Someone asked my opinion on what I discerned as differences in American versus Korean culture as depicted in the film. I think the biggest difference is the deference to wealth and a class consciousness that goes with it..
Well, so far I have spent time in a number of places mentioned … but will share a car/culture moment from the two years I lived in Korea. We had a very smart/pleasant admin who in a matter of months we promoted to a planner role with a nice raise. The American moment came when she excitingly announced she would get a new car with the extra money. So we asked what kind? She looked surprised and said a Korean car of course … a Kia.
So I pointed at one of the Yanks … said should he buy a Kia in Houston. She said no, he is American and should buy an American car.
It's visible Korean brand loyalty there … cars, appliances, you name it.
Kind of hard to not be brand loyal when LG, Samsung, and Hyundai pretty much are the national companies who also have business in every area you can imagine. When I was younger, we would visit relatives in Korea and take stuff from the US that they had a hard time buying then.. weird things like freeze dried Nescafe and Levi jeans. My first Nintendo was donated to my cousins in Korea who couldn't afford to buy one locally.
I'm sure it's different now due to the internet, but I'd say it's just expected that a lot of South Koreans are very loyal to their national brands since it really boosts their economic presence.