In this interview Ben Bagley asks Theresa Han about the difference between Korean and American culture. Theresa is a teenager who recently moved to the United States so she has an excellent perspective for understanding the differences and similarities between these countries.

[BAGLEY] This is Ben Bagley, and I’m going to interview Theresa Han about Korea. Could you introduce yourself?

[HAN] My name is Theresa Han, I’m from South Korea, I’m 18 years old, and I’m a freshman in College.

[BAGLEY] How long have you lived in America?

[HAN] I think a little bit less than 3 years.

[BAGLEY] Where did you live in Korea?

[HAN] I lived in Pyoung Tek, It’s right below Oosan, where the American Air force is located.

[BAGLEY] What were the people like where you lived?

[HAN] They’re really busy. Fathers go to their work; Mothers if they have a job go to their work, and students go to school, so they don’t have enough time to communicate with each other, like time to spend together, because mostly students come home like 10:00pm-11:00pm.

[BAGLEY] What did you do with your friends?

[HAN] We mostly go to each other’s house, rent a movie or something, watch it, and do homework usually, because we have a whole bunch of homework. On the weekends we would go downtown; it’s kind of like a shopping mall. It’s a street. There are small restaurants, small cloths shops and all that stuff. It was kind of fun, but nothing special I think.

[BAGLEY] What did you do in your free time?

[HAN] Mostly watch TV I guess.

[BAGLEY] What was Korean TV like?

[HAN] Like on Japanese TV they have a whole bunch of dramas, so there are Korean dramas, there is regularly a music program, like 3 music programs on 3 different channels. I mostly watched them, like almost everyday.

[BAGLEY] Was American TV available in Korea?

[HAN] Yeah, there’s channel 2, so I know like ‘Wheel of FortuneEor whatever. And ‘The SimpsonsEwas on channel 15, it was the educational channel, but ‘The SimpsonsEwas on it in Korean, so I sometimes watched it.

[BAGLEY] And was that dubbed or with subtitles?

[HAN] I think it was dubbed in Korean, because I had never heard how Homer really talks.

[BAGLEY] What is Korean music like?

[HAN] There are a lot of kinds of music. Like rock, like funky musicEI don’t know. Probably like mostly dance music. They kind of prefer dancing I guess. But there is like rhythm and blues, and ballet, but I don’t think there are many jazz singers or opera singers.

[BAGLEY] What are the popular music stars like?

[HAN] Usually groups. Like ‘N-SyncEor ‘Back Street BoysEyou know, like boys groups or girls groups, those kind of idols. Like young, teen stars I think. Yeah, they are popular.

[BAGLEY] So a lot of big singing groups?

[HAN] Yeah, the problem, like, difference, is American groups can really singEThe Korean groups, I think they select members by their face or appearance because some of them can’t sing at all.

[BAGLEY] Is American music available in Korean?

[HAN] Yeah, like they have cable, unfortunately I didn’t have it, but on cable they show American music, you know, music videos, So people know like what ‘N-syncEis and ‘Back Street BoysEso, yeah a lot of people like pop music.

[BAGLEY] Are video games popular in Korea?

[HAN] I think more likely internet games or computer games. Because they don’t have all of those video game machines, you know like Sony Playstation or other stuff.

[BAGLEY] So it’s mostly on the computer?

[HAN] Yeah.

[BAGLEY] Do you think computer games are more popular in Korea?

[HAN] Yeah, there are places called like ‘PC RoomElike a PC place, and there are computers. You pay like a dollar per hour and use a computer. When I went there I saw all a whole bunch if people just playing games, like mostly ‘Starcraft.E

[BAGLEY] Are they connected to the internet?

[HAN] Yeah they are, like DSL.

[BAGLEY] What kinds of movies are popular in Korea?

[HAN] I think it depends. Korean people like Korean movies and if there is romantic stuff they like romantic stuff. They like horror movies, they like American action movies, because in Korean action movies, the scale is not as big as American movies.

[BAGLEY] Were American movies available?

[HAN] Yeah, like sometimes when one movie opens in America it opens exactly the same time in Korea, but I think most of the time American movies open in Korea like 2 or 3 months later.

[BAGLEY] What kind of clothes are popular in Korea?

[HAN] When I was still in Korea, the guys and girls like hip hop, or like baggy jeans and stuff, but I think they are changing their fashion style like kind of following Japan. Maybe smaller clothes, and a little more colorful maybe.

[BAGLEY] What kind of place do you go to for clothes shopping in Korea?

[HAN] A lot of clothing stores are not brand name like ‘Old NavyEor something, but there are non-name brands in Korea. We can just go in, it’s all stores, and it’s way cheaper than other popular brand names. I mostly shopped at those kind of stores.

[BAGLEY] Do they have the same clothes as they might have in America but cheaper?

[HAN] Yeah, almost the same style.

[BAGLEY] What is the food like in Korea?

[HAN] Spicy, and salty, and strong flavors.

[BAGLEY] What is your favorite food?

[HAN] My favorite food was, it’s called dopuki. It’s a kind of rice cake but half paper paste, I don’t know how to sayElike red stuff, it’s really hot, really spicy.

[BAGLEY] Was American food available?

[HAN] Yeah, there are a whole bunch of ‘Wendy’sEand ‘Burger KingsEand KFC in Korea all over the place.

[BAGLEY] Do you use chopsticks?

[HAN] Yeah, they are usually metal chopsticks.

[BAGLEY] When you first came to America did anything surprise you?

[HAN] Yeah, in Korea the buildings are really close to each other, and it kind of feels uncomfortable because everything is packed, a whole bunch of people. But in America there is like a building right here, and the other is over there, and there are not many people on the street, and it wasn’t crowded. And the weather surprised me. The summer is kind of dry, the sun is like hotter, but in Korea it’s like really humid, so you sweat a lot, and there are a whole bunch of mosquitoes.

[BAGLEY] Which country has a greater temperature difference throughout the year?

[HAN] In Korea the summer is so hot, and the winter is so cold. Really cold, so they are so different. In America the temperatures stay closer together, it’s way better.

[BAGLEY] Are there any other big differences between Korea and America?

[HAN] I think the school system, because basically you go there, I went to school usually by 7:30am and came home 7:00pm. But some students stay longer, like even 10:00pm if you are a senior and about to go to college because there is kind of, like parents and teacher think their kids or students should go to college. Like have to go to college. They’re gonna pressure them to study a lot, so when you’re a senior you start to study a lot and you don’t sleep that much. Usually I think some people sleep 3 or 4 hours per day and just study. No free time.

[BAGLEY] And they stay at school and study?

[HAN] ‘Till like 10:00pm but after school ends they come home and study like until 2:00am or 3:00am

[BAGLEY] Would it be ok if I publish this interview on the internet?

[HAN] Sure

[BAGLEY] Well, Thank you very much for your time.