Existence challenged, progress envisioned, culture compromised: the effects of western influences on traditional values in South Korea

Abstract

This thesis is an exploratory one, which examines the relationship between Western influences (such as the media, education, work, travel, and friendships) and traditional values in South Korea (such as those related to family, social relationships, nationalism, social order, leisure time, work, religion and womenÂ’s issues). The relationship between these was investigated in light of modernization theories and RiesmanÂ’s stages of societal progress. Furthermore, a survey was conducted among 579 individuals from the younger and older generations in Seoul and Daegu, to determine the degree of Western influences among the generations, and the adherence to traditional values. It was found that the younger generation clearly had more exposure to Western influences, and also adhered much less to traditional values, while the opposite held true for the older generation. A case was made that South KoreaÂ’s unprecedented development following Independence opened the country, especially the younger generation, to influences from the West as they had never experienced before. The generation gap that came as a result of this is extreme, and without express effort to preserve those traditional values that have shaped Korean society for so long, there may be serious ramifications for Korean society in the future.