.George Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) Preface Purpose of this guide will be to create overall guide about roleplaying a Korean. The guide is currently work-in-progress and will be updated regularly and will go in-depth as I get more time to work on it. The guide was mostly inspired by Liew's Chinese-American guide. History of immigration A small number of Koreans immigrated to the United States in the early years of the twentieth century. Their numbers were so limited that they were a fairly dispersed group, not gathering in enclaves as other immigrants have. They experienced the same kinds of discrimination that other Asian groups encountered. Korean Americans thought of themselves more as exiles than immigrants and felt they were without a country. Immigration quotas kept the number of Korean immigrants relatively low through the 1950's when most of the immigrants that were already here were Korean War brides, orphans, or students. Since the 1960s, immigration from the Korean peninsula to the United States has increased dramatically, driven by political, economic, and military relations between South Korea and the United States. In 2017, approximately 1 million Korean immigrants—the vast majority from South Korea, with just a tiny fraction from North Korea—resided in the United States, representing 2.4 percent of the 44.5 million immigrants in the country. After the Immigration Act of 1965 removed restrictions on Asian immigration to the United States, the Korean immigrant population grew significantly, from just 11,000 in 1960 to 290,000 in 1980, marking a 2,500 percent increase. In the following decade, the population nearly doubled to 568,000 and did so once again in 2010, when it reached a peak of 1.1 million immigrants. Modern day immigration Modern day Korean immigrants arriving in US, and Los Angeles and San Francisco bay area in particular can be divided in two sub-groups. First group are students studying at prestigious universities like UCLA, Caltech, USC, of which many decide to stay in US after graduating, starting their own start-up companies supported by tightly knit Korean community. Second group is comprised mostly of first generation Korean businessmen who are venturing in lucrative and ever-expanding tech, fashion and entertainment industry. Main reasons behind that is that Los Angeles is more familiar to Koreans because Korean culture and language is widely used in the area and also because of the fact that many U.S branches of Korean brands are located in Southern California. Many industries such as fashion and sales have the opportunity to flourish while being surrounded by the content and entertainment industry of Hollywood. Modern day Korea Town From the furniture stores on Western to the night life in Chapman plaza, to the brightly lit screen at Aroma Center to the never-ending law offices down Wilshire, Koreatown has undoubtedly become one of the most bustling parts of the melting pot known as Los Angeles. Every minority group that has immigrated to the United States and created their own sub cultural haven have been through an onslaught of issues and problems, ranging from cultural identity, to fighting against racial discrimination and prejudice. The Korean population have made themselves a home in Koreatown, and assimilation into this community is a relatively smooth transition from the everyday life in modern suburban Korea. Throughout their history here, Koreans have developed fast growing businesses as well as closely knit relationships within the community. Family takes huge precedent in the Korean community, and it is seen throughout daily conversation. Respect is always shown, and traditions and customs have been pretty much transferred over from the motherland. California is home to the largest population of Koreans. Many Koreans came from Korea to America in search of a better life, so they formed close circles of friends and business in California. They are now expanding their horizons and opportunities, and are forming close alliances with other communities as well, mainly being Latinos and Hispanics. Koreans are known for their prideful history, so they strive at everything they do. Combined with natural intellect and being well educated in Korea, the Koreans in Koreatown are naturals when it comes to business and striving to succeed. Major industries include manufacturing, importing, night clubs, cafes, karaoke bars, dry cleaners, liquor stores, and community tradition-based establishments such as herbal medicine shops and Korean markets. Los Angeles riot The 1992 Los Angeles riots were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County in April and May 1992. Unrest began in South Central Los Angeles on April 29, after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for usage of excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King, which had been videotaped and widely viewed in TV broadcasts. Many Korean Americans in Los Angeles refer to the event as Sa-I-Gu, meaning "four-two-nine" in the Korean language (4.29혁명), in reference to April 29, 1992, which was the day the riots started. The week of riots following the acquittal of the LAPD officers in the beating of Rodney King has been considered a major turning point in the development of a distinct Korean American identity and community. Over 2,300 mom-and-pop shops run by Korean business owners were damaged through ransacking and looting during the riots, sustaining close to $400 million in damages. Media coverage has framed the looting and destruction as a result of growing social and economic tensions between the Korean American and African American communities. Korean Americans responded in various ways, including forming activist organizations such as the Association of Korean-American Victims and increasing efforts to build collaborative links with other ethnic groups through groups like the Korean American Coalition. During the riots, many Korean immigrants from the area rushed to Koreatown, after Korean-language radio stations called for volunteers to guard against rioters. Many were armed, with a variety of improvised weapons, handguns, shotguns, and semi-automatic rifles. According to Edward Park the 1992 violence stimulated a new wave of political activism among Korean-Americans, but it also split them into two camps. The liberals sought to unite with other minorities in Los Angeles to fight against racial oppression and scapegoating. The conservatives emphasized law and order and generally favored the economic and social policies of the Republican Party. The conservatives tended to emphasize the political differences between Koreans and other minorities, specifically African Americans. Modern day Korean organized crime Korean organized crime began in Korea in the 1940’s. It started as political groups seeking to further the Korean National Independence movement which later became corrupt. In Korea, they are referred to as “PAs” and have rigid organizational structures. Their leaders are usually in their 30s and 40s, and the activity members are usually in their teens. As the Korean government moved to dismantle the PAs, the leaders fled to other areas, including the United States, to re-establish their criminal organizations. They settled within various Korean communities in country and formed more loose-knit organizations compared to the rigid structure of the traditional PA. Although structured, the various Korean organized crime groups in the United States do not have a single leader and vary in size from 20 to more than 100 members. Most of the illegal activities perpetrated by these criminal groups take place in Koreatown or are directed from that area. Crimes committed by the Korean organized crime group include prostitution, alien smuggling, gambling, business fraud,robbery, burglary, auto theft, carjacking, and the counterfeiting of designer clothes and compact music discs. Modern day Korean gangs Ever since there have been Koreans in Koreatown, there have been Korean gangs. The hardships on pleasing the ever growing expectations of Korean parents, combined with the struggle to find ones identity amongst the melting pot known as Los Angeles make joining a gang an appealing choice for the confused Korean teen seeking acceptance. The original gangs first came from Korea, and flourished by being involved in illegal activities. These gangs were feared amongst the community, but also highly respected. These days, the respect has all but left the modern Korean gang member, and has been replaced with the typical image of a hoodlum wearing baggy pants and various sports jerseys. They are more of a nuisance than a criminal threat. The biggest harm they are doing is to themselves by not going to school, and trying to indulge in a life that is glorified in Korean soap operas and dramas. Most are barely teenagers with dreams of carrying a gun and being feared by their peers. More than anything, they seek social acceptance, and the situation is “power in numbers” at its worst. Amongst the Korean community, PC rooms, known as “PC Bahngs” have become very popular. Games such as Counter Strike, Everquest and Warcraft can be played here amongst peers. Many students have been ditching school to spend excessive amounts of time at the PC rooms. More seriously, these PC rooms, now almost half a decade old, have been the hangouts of many Korean gang members. Because of the excessive amounts of PC rooms scattered through Koreatown and the Los Angeles area, gangs have claimed certain PC rooms as their hangouts. Gambling Lotteries, horse racing, boat racing, and cycling are all legal forms of gambling in South Korea. However, casino gambling is strictly prohibited — with locals facing a three-year prison sentence if they’re caught having a flutter at a tourist casino. What’s more, any citizen found to have indulged in the act abroad can face prosecution on their return to the country. These charges are not regularly brought though and are often used in tandem with other charges to secure long-term convictions. Of the 23 land-based casinos in the country, only the Kangwon Casino allows Koreans to gamble. It’s no coincidence that it’s pretty difficult to get there — remotely located far north of the major cities, at the foot of a ski resort. Online gambling is strictly illegal in South Korea, with the government taking an active role in policing it. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service recently reported that North Korea had begun to operate online gambling sites targeting South Korean players — as well as punters in China and Malaysia and organized crime rings within the South Korea. With all those factors taken in consideration, Koreans are more likely to get addicted to gambling when exposed to gambling in Western world due to lack of any prior experiences with such. Drugs ‚‚K-pop star and actor Park Yoo-chun dominated headlines after he was accused of using methamphetamine with his ex-girlfriend, Hwang Ha-na, the wealthy granddaughter of a major dairy mogul. At first, Park denied the allegations, but he has since confessed -- adding to a long list of other celebrities facing public shame for drug charges in recent months. '' South Korea takes drugs very seriously. While much of the United States has decriminalized or even legalized marijuana use, those who partake in South Korea can face up to five years in prison and a fine up to 50 million won ($42,730). ‚‚Korean society does not approach drug addicts with the goal of healing then’’ said Kim Hyeong-gun, head of the Seoul Addiction Institute of Psychotherapy. ‚‚ If one uses drugs, society immediately views them as criminals.’’ Arrests are also on the rise. There were nearly 6,800 cases involving a violation of the Act on The Control of Narcotics in 2017, according to the latest numbers from the Korean Statistical Information Service. That's a 126 percent increase since 2003. Drug arrests due to possesion of cannabis are only 1/100 of all drug related cases in South Korea. Crystal Meth remains the most commonly used drug,accounting for most drug related arrests. Other drugs that are well known are club drugs such as ecstasy. These continue to grow in popularity among college students. However, methamphetamine continues to be the drug of choice for Koreans. Drinking culture As society developed, so did the drinking culture in Korea. In the past, people drank on specific days like New Year's, but presently alcohol can be consumed regardless of the occasion. The goal of drinking parties is to promote good fellowship and open one's heart to talking. In South Korea, it is traditional that when a person gives an alcoholic drink to another adult, the person has to offer the drink respectfully with two hands. When pouring a drink, the cup should be held with the right hand, and the wrist of your right hand held lightly with the left hand. Same applies when holding the bottle and pouring a drink. It is customary to wait until the glass is empty to pour another. There is also a tradition for receiving drinks. When receiving drinks, the same etiquette applies when pouring drinks. When elders give alcohol to a younger person, the younger person should receive the drink politely and with gratitude by saying "thank you" or by bowing a little. Also, when drinking, it is proper for the younger drinker to turn their head, so as to not directly face the elders when drinking. Korean cuisine Rice is the backbone of almost every Korean meal. On rare occasions, noodles will replace the rice, but the vast majority of the time, every person eats a bowl of rice with their meal. Typically, each person will also have their own bowl of soup or stew. The side dishes and main dish or dishes–which can be meat, seafood, or tofu–are all be served family-style in the middle of the table. Sometimes a large stew will replace the main dish and will be served family-style at the table. Korean food stands out from other cuisines with the many side dishes (banchan) that are served during meals. The number of side dishes can range anywhere from 2 to 12, but everyday meals feature at least a few. When you eat at a Korean restaurant, your various side dishes will come to you before your meal in small bowls and can be anything from vegetables to meat to seafood prepared in any number of ways. Korean dishes are all served at the same time, so there are no separate courses like in Western cuisines. Everything, including meat and poultry, is cut into bite-sized pieces so there is no need for a knife. Koreans are also adept at using chopsticks so if the meat is too large or a whole grilled fish is served, it can be split with chopsticks. Many Korean meat dishes are braised or marinated for a long time for tender flesh. Korean names Unlike in Western culture, where names follow a format of Name_Surname Koreans have their names in format Surname_Name or even Surname_Clan-Name_Name. To simplify things using example, in name Kim Jong-Un, Kim represents the surname or family name while Jong-Un is the name of the person, so if we were to apply western format the name would be Jong-Un Kim. As already mentioned, many Koreans also have a middle, clan name which is usually unique for them and their same generation cousins. Example of this would be Kim Jae Sung, Kim Jae Ha, Kim Jae Min where Kim is the surname, Jae is generation level and Sung;Ha;Min are the names of people. Edited February 1, 2020 by DjoleK 7 Link to comment
Arnzeal Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Dear god, the koreans will take over Los Santos. Link to comment
M52B28 Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 thank you very cool guide it will help me take my korean rp far Link to comment
.George Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Updated, will be finished soon? Link to comment
Baram Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 I'm Korean irl. And this post is real! Link to comment
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