For part 3 of my “It’s a Generational Thing” series, I interview a South Korean-Canadian about their perspective on alcohol use in their culture. It was interesting to see them mention a bragging culture around how much alcohol a person can drink, as this came up in my previous interview with a Ugandan-Canadian elder. This appears to be more common across cultures than I initially thought. Another similarity between Ugandan and South Korean culture I noticed was the stigma around seeking mental health support which can encourage people to drink to mask their mental health problems.
An important culture-specific consideration I picked up from this interview was how heavy alcohol use can be used as a means to escape the realities of the strict South Korean culture. Indeed, drunkenness can give people a feeling of release and freedom they might not normally experience when all their inhibitions are intact. This may be why my guest shared that alcohol is also used as a way to connect and be vulnerable with people in South Korea. We all have a need for connection with others, but if alcohol is the only way to bond with people, it leaves room for dangerous habits to develop. If you drink alcohol, I’d like to challenge you to think about alternative ways you can connect with people. In that process, you might develop new interests or open yourself up to new communities you otherwise wouldn’t have been in contact with.
Thank you for reading!
Cultural background: South Korean (moved to Canada in middle school)
Immigrant status: 1.5 Generation Canadian
In your opinion, what role (if any) does alcohol play in your culture? Although I have not lived in Korea for a long time now, I still believe alcohol is too widely abused in the culture and is not perceived as a problem. There’s a bragging culture of how much one can drink or outdrink others, which are praised. Also, I have heard from recent Korean talk shows that without alcohol many people find it challenging to bond deeply with others. Many people seem to rely on alcohol to have emotional talks/be vulnerable in all types of relationships – platonic, intimate, family, etc.
Ultimately, people see alcohol as the key to bond with others and be social.
Are there any taboos and/or stereotypes about alcohol in your culture? From my perspective, functional alcoholism is rampant in the culture, and people are scared to label it an addiction. Because there’s such a huge stigma with seeking help for mental health, many people rely on alcohol to “get through difficult times” and that’s the norm. It’s taboo to call it an addiction because at least the alcohol is helping them get through the day.
Do you think this differs across generations? I definitely think that younger generations are keener on healthy lifestyles but alcohol is still a very big part of their lives. However, domestic abuse related to alcoholism seems to be not as common but unfortunately still happens.
Any other comments you’d like to share? In my personal opinion, Western cultures seem to enjoy alcohol itself while Korean culture enjoys drunkenness or reduced inhibition. Maybe because the culture is so uptight with how one should behave as a model member of the society and entails too many expectations, so alcohol is used as escapism.
Interview lightly edited for summarizing purposes
Nova Scotians looking for addictions support can go online or call 1-855-922-1122.
Photo by @shawnanggg on Unsplash
