한국문화소개 10

[inner culture: Jeong, 情] When we look more closely at Korean society, we can still observe cultural practices through which people express care and concern for others. This concept is quite similar to Melanie Klein's care and concern. More specifically, Jeong can be interpreted as a culturally specific form of relational attachment, whereas Kleinian concern provides a psychoanalytic framework for explaining how attachment may develop into care, responsibility, and reparation toward the other.

Despite Korea’s long history of conflict, invasion, and political instability, practices associated with Jeong have not necessarily been confined to intimate or familial relationships. They may also be extended, under certain social conditions, to strangers and outsiders. More interestingly, Korean society presents a paradox: social hierarchy and prejudice toward certain occupations or nationalities coexist with strong cultural practices of care, generosity, and hospitality.

Despite prejudices and biases toward others including foreigners, Koreans still show their hospitality to others through generosity, often expressed through food and communal sharing, which can be interpreted as sharing rituals. These rituals have brotherhood build up and social bonds or a sense of belonging become stronger, which means sharing rituals may function as a social practice through which concern is expressed, enacted, and reinforced. More importantly, when these practices are extended beyond family members or established acquaintances to strangers and outsiders, they suggest the possibility of expanding Jeong from an inner circle of familiarity toward an outer circle of social concern.