Art and Morality of Communication: A Case Study of the Soviet Koreans

Abstract

This article examines what it means to be a Soviet Korean in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. We argue that much of Korean cultural manifestation explicitly lies outside verbal expression, and hence, focusing on the implicit domain is important. As we understand that "Soviet Koreanness" is found in the way people acquire certain dispositions, sensitivities, and feelings, we have explored such diverse aspects as non-verbal expressions, sensorial experiences, and rules of expressing emotions. In doing so, we found that the perceptive dimension of being Korean is also formed in relation to this symbolic structure. This article finds a variation in the way the Soviet Koreans relate to and communicate with other people. This analysis explores the Korean emphasis on non-verbal and implicit forms of communication and examines their relationship with notions of personhood, morality, and ethnic identity. Finally, this article examines the making of "Koreanness" distinguished from that of "others," especially Russians, in the context of communicating emotions and using words.