***I KNOW MOVIES ARE FICTIONAL AND NOT A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF REALITY***
I decided to write down my observations because these have been constant themes in the 40+ Korean movies I've watched in the past few weeks.
If I were to believe everything in Korean movies, this is what I would conclude.
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-It's okay to think that the poor are inferior.
-The innocent are always screwed over, punished, or end up dying.
-Fighting for what's right or moral is frowned upon if it causes trouble for other people, especially the wrongdoers. Instead, you should not fight for what's right and feel guilty about doing the right thing.
-Making a valid complaint is selfish and will get you and your family in trouble.
-Just take the unjust punishment to make other people's lives easier.
-Everyone is corrupt (cops, politicians, teachers, school administrators).
-Bribes and gift giving is the only way to get ahead in life.
-Merit has no value.
-Detectives regularly falsify proof.
-Detectives & prosecutors decide if you're guilty regardless of proof.
-It's okay to beat suspects, regardless of proof.
-Street cops don't have any real authority and civilians don't respect them. They're treated worse than American mall security guards.
-Everyone is a 'bastard' and calling each other that, even strangers, is okay.
-Korean people on a whole are very mercurial. They go into a psychotic rage very easily over little things without reason or proof of any wrongdoing against them.
-Hitting/slapping/kicking someone is an allowable response to someone you don't like or to someone you think that has wronged you.
-No one ever looks at all the evidence. Jumping to conclusions is the norm.
-It's always someone else's fault. No one ever takes responsibilities for their actions.
-No one ever apologizes for their mistakes.
-Apologies that are made are meaningless. Bowing your head and apologizing is a sufficient apology.
-No one ever makes any real amends.
-There's a sense of entitlement amongst those who feel they are superior (the rich, politicians, superiors at the work place). There's a "Do you know who I am?" attitude.
-Having a certain occupation makes you "better" than others.
-Having a higher rank at work means it's okay to demean your subordinates.
-No one wants to do the work for anything, but expects the reward. People, especially in higher ranks, expect others to do the work and feel entitled that others do it for them.
-No one can be bothered to do something for someone else, even if it's their job to do it.
-There's an "everyone is out to get me" attitude. "The world is against me." "Woe is me."
-The government doesn't care about its citizens, especially, the impoverished, mentally handicapped, or victims of crimes.
-It's okay for teachers to hit their students.
-It's okay for superiors at work to hit their employees.
-Korean culture is all about social status.
-Koreans are a materialistic society.
-There's a name brand status mentality.
-Parents and teachers always know what's best for children.
-Female bullying at school is prevalent and reaches near death levels.
-Bullying is okay.
-Koreans are opportunistic and take advantage of other people, especially the weak and poor, and feel no guilt about it. It's all about seeing what they can get out of someone else.