In the Korean culture, age is respected and appreciated. Not only do Koreans hold big respect for the elderly, they also celebrate them greatly. For instance, in the Korean culture, the 60th and 70th birthdays are very prominent events in life and are commemorated hugely with large-scale feasts and family celebrations. For Koreans, aging is not just a biological process, but also cultural. There is a direct proportion between age and respect in Korea. For instance greeting people and bowing technique differs with age. Bowing degree and style varies based on the degree of respect and closeness. When drinking in the company of an older person, it is customary in the Korean culture to turn your head away to take a drink. In a bus, it is against the customs to seat while an elder person is standing or starting to take your meal in the presence of an elder person (De Mente, 99).
Seniority in the Korean culture is much attached and related to age and position in the family. In the Korean culture, roles reverse in concern to the elderly. It is an honorable and a universal expectation that one takes good care of their elderly parents and the elderly in the family. It is a duty of the child to take good care and keep their elderly parents well against which there is social and cultural stigmatization (De Mente, 393).
Making a decision to take an elderly family member to a long term care facility is never easy in the Korean culture. It is seen as a very irresponsible and rude decision that may attract social stigmatization and isolation in the society. It may even arise to a conflict in the family and the community as a whole, for age is respected and the elderly treated and embraced with a lot of respect. However good and top the facility is, however frequent one visits their members in the care facility, it remains a taboo not to have and give maximum respect through intimate and direct care to your aging parents and to the elderly as a whole (De Mente, 412).
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