Koreans have a chip on their shoulders?

Do you know of, or perhaps heard of, the 5 relationships in Korean society?

I did a cut and paste of the basic information for your reading.

"In modern Korean society, Confucianism is most noticeable in relations between people.

The Five Relationships prescribe behavior between ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, old and young, and between friends.

If you fall outside any of these relationships, you do not, effectively, exist. Many travelers to Korea find the locals rude: they're probably not, chances are they just haven't noticed you.

Once you're introduced to someone, you'll fall within the rules for friends and things will start looking up."

I have also provided the link so that you might want to also read the information on the webpage.

http://www.travisa.com/Korea/korea.htm

Hopefully, your experience with Korean people will be changed to a more positive outlook.

They are among the nicest, friendliest people on the planet. I'll never forget the first time I met a Korean. He asked me to check his homework on while I was on the subway in Japan. lol x

I suppose it depends on what you mean by a chip, and who is it directed towards. They particularly detest the Japanese because they were invaded and occupied by them for much of the last century, to the extent that their men were forced to fight fro Japan in WW2. They're very insular, and if you travel S.Korea outside of Seoul, more often than not you will be the only foreigner anywhere near-in fact you pretty soon get used to being openly gaped at. This is especially true of western women.
Westerners are usually only regarded with suspicion by older Koreans, and younger people usually look at westerners with a mixture of shyness and curiosity. They like our "wide" eyes, and the fact that we're usually a lot taller than they are. However most Koreans don't speak English, and the ones who do usually either do so badly or are too shy to actually talk. I would say that in a country of 38 million there are less than a million foreigners,and that includes Chinese and Thais, who obviously stand out far less than westerners. However, Korea is extremely safe, there is virtually no crime or vandalism, you don't have to deal with pissed up idiots on your way home, and your car is safe parked anywhere.

I liked it there!

Living there for 3 years, it was interesting to say the least! The first time I was there for a year, I thought maybe and then became good acquaintances with some Korean men and women. It's a spacial thing...they don't like people in their space..that's IN South Korea...Now in the states...hell we all change when we realize we can all be rude! I went to Puerto Rico a few years back; big difference in attitude compared to some in NY..but of course these are isolated incidents. We don't want to stereotype, but as far as Koreans having a chip, no...just not as "friendly' as Americans...

well actually, my mother's family is korean. anddd they are the best family ever. they happen to be very kind, generous, and their food is AMAZING. you must have had a terrible experience with a korean. haha

im korean but i was raised in Australia and Vietnam for most of my life. In my experience Koreans tend to be a little rude, arrogant and ignorant, its the truth and im not gonna sugarcoat it because im from there. and most of them think they're the s*hit. They certainly arn't the nicest people in the world.

Some of them do, but they have a lot to be proud of. The country has accomplished a lot in the last 50 years.