X is for Xenophile.

What is that, you say–a tropical disease? A clerical mallfunction?

Actually, a xenophile is a person who is attracted to a foreign locale or foreign cultures (as opposed to a xenophobe who fears the foreign). I think at this point it will not surprise anyone to discover I am attracted to things Korean. Therefore, I am a self-professed xenophile.

What is it that draws me to Korean culture? I’ll mention a few things.

(image flickr creative commons via photopin)

Language

You can learn so much about a culture by studying its language. You’ve heard that adage that the Inuit have 30 words for snow. One thing you learn from the Korean language is the importance of the group. For instance, in Korean you don’t say, “my mother,” you say, “our mother.” You also say the family name before the individual name. In Korea I would be Atwood Deb. Here’s an example of the importance of the group. One time I was observing a class in Wangshimnee. Not wanting to disturb the class, I sat alone at the back of the room. Instantly, half the students moved their seats to the back of the room so that I would not feel alone, and then they pulled out snacks to share with me.

They were kind, they wanted to welcome me into the group. The language supports this ideal.

(image Flickr creative commons via photopin)

Food

Ah, the way to my heart. My favorite dishes are duk mandu guk (a kind of dumpling soup), dolsot bibimbap (a rice casserole baked in an earthenware bowl), and mandu soon tooboo (a tofu soup with dumplings). See the dumpling common denominator here? If you’ve ever dined in a Korean restaurant and wondered what all those side dishes are called…they are called pan chan.

TV Dramas

I LOVE Korean TV dramas. There’s always a super-smart bad girl who causes no end of delicious trouble.

My favorite historical drama is Dae Jang Geum about a woman who rises above daunting obstacles and palace intrigue to become a physician. My favorite contemporary drama is Kyul Yun Ga (Winter Sonata), which is a love story.

After you’ve finished House of Cards, Orange is the New Black et al, check out Korean dramas.

Architecture

Giant gold Buddhas. Tiered temples adorned with brightly painted lotus blossoms. Whenever you walk in temple grounds, a sense of reverence and awe overtakes you. I once met someone in Busan whose profession was applying gold leaf to giant (I mean GIANT) Buddhas. He later moved to Minnesota. I wonder how busy he is now.

In addition to temples, you will fall in love with the palaces, too, especially the serene gardens and green ponds with floating lilies and pagodas.

Now all I need to do is plan my next trip. Care to join me?

Are you a xenophile, too? What is your foreign go-to culture?