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Chemyun Culture and Christian Counseling

  • Journal of Counseling and Gospel
  • Abbr : Jocag
  • 2005, 5(), pp.7-30
  • Publisher : Korean Evangelical Counseling Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology > Pastoral Counseling
  • Received : September 30, 2005
  • Accepted : November 10, 2005

Kyu Myeong Whang 1

1총신대학교

ABSTRACT

Culture is “man-made part of the environment”and is like the air we breathe. Thus, in counseling, we can not ignore the culture by which counselee or counselor is influenced. One of the Korean culture we should be aware is the ‘chemyun’culture. ‘Chemyun’means honor, dignity or reputation. If you lose face, you can say you have lost your chemyun .In Korean culture, you must have and show dignity because no one wants to lose face or be ashamed, and everyone desires self-respect. The emphasis is more on other people's opinion about you rather than virtue or value in yourself. Because of chemyun, sometimes you have to refrain from eating when you are starving, and you have to eat even when your stomach is full. Sometimes, you cannot put on more clothes even when you are freezing, and you cannot take off your clothes when you are sweating. Besides, you cannot cry or laugh in response to those things happening. In chemyun culture, it is a virtue to refrain from boasting about oneself, but people, deep inside, want to be admired and envied. So, they try to have what others recognize and to do what others approve. Such behaviors reflect their subconscious or even conscious desire to be recognized as superior by others. For example, some people spend so much money that they get into financial difficulties because they are caught up in what others might think of them. That is the fear of man. Fear of man is inversely related to the fear of God. As the fear of God is eroded, the fear of man is intensified in the heart of the human being. A question must be raised, “What is your biggest concern, what people think about you, or what God thinks about you?”If you are pursuing chemyun more than just trying to be courteous, you probably are seeking approval of man and your own glory. Behind the chemyun culture, there can be a self-worship.

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