As my time spent in South Korea and Japan ended, I saw many aspects of what defines each culture and their business practices. After wrapping up my time in Seoul, South Korea, we got to experience what separated South Korean culture from everyone else. They were much more modern and felt very similar to being back home. People were very outgoing and loved to welcome new tourists. While they are still deeply rooted in tradition, South Korea felt like a breath of fresh air as people on the street would come up to tell you how nice you looked or ask questions about your home country. While Japan felt much more practical and efficient regarding their working culture, South Korea always felt as though they were trying to impress you visually. Advertisements were posted everywhere for multiple different brands and businesses. Cosmetics and skincare for your appearance were sold around every corner. If there’s one thing they excel in, it’s drawing people in with that initial hook. Our visit to Cheil Worldwide completely enamored me. Learning the ins and outs of marketing and how to pitch an idea was fascinating and made me realize just how much work can go into a single project. Along with that, hearing the different sales pitches from people at Pangyo Techno Valley gave us a sneak peek into the startup world and how practicality, along with a good presentation, can go a long way. Seeing the differences between Japanese and South Korean business practices made me respect them even more. Their cultures were so wildly different that it made me appreciate everything that makes them unique. I initially thought, for some reason, that there was a significant separation between the culture of the United States and the culture of Korea. Still, the more time I spent there, the more I realized they’re just people trying to be successful and have enriching lives. Even though we are thousands of miles away, there are always things people can find in common that bring us closer together.
