Korean family members adhere to each other closely. They are extremely sensitive and susceptible to each other emotionally. In social science, this type of distinguishing characteristic of Korean culture is called Familism. Familism is pointed out as ...
Korean family members adhere to each other closely. They are extremely sensitive and susceptible to each other emotionally. In social science, this type of distinguishing characteristic of Korean culture is called Familism. Familism is pointed out as a cause of pathological phenomena of society in Korea. Christianity also views familism of Korea as a causal factor giving influence on the structural dysfunction of churches. However, there are a lack of research in the field of social psychology and a Christian counseling on how familism works in the Korean society and psychology of each individual and what kinds of effects it gives.
Familism in Korea strengthens structural adverse effects on the family. Due to familism, the structure of the family in Korea is unable to adapt flexibly to changing situations of a surrounding area but hardens in and develops a false intimacy. Moreover, it creates an excessive relationship between subordinates and superiors and emphasizes a vertical relation. Furthermore, the more familism gets emphasized, the more a border line gets loosened and makes family members get stick to each other. It eventually hinders the autonomy of each individual. On a personal side, when I think in the point of complex theory of Carl Jung, familism forms personas in Koreans and worsens stress. In Korea, under the influence of familism, ‘following decisions of a family’ is emphasized form childhood. The development of adaptability forms persona. In this process, one side of the personality an individual is repressed, and the creates shadows and complexes in an inner side. In the Christian views familism distorts the structure of church adversely. Moreover, it restricts an individual from encountering God. An individual who has been accustomed to familism defines an image of God based on rules he / she experienced in a family. This makes it difficult for Koreans to healthy relationships with God.
Christian counseling that is designed to help an individual break out from familism shall approach from a big point of view, the liberation of a perfect man. The first step is to realize the dysfunctional structure individuals, families, and churches faces due to familism. Then recognizing they have distorted images of God and the kingdom of God.