Nunch'i

 

Class content’s title:    Nunch’i

(I) What the Author Says

In Korea, nunch’i is a critical variable in the maintenance of social relationships. Literally, a Korean could not survive in Korea without this perceptive skill. The following definition will outline the importance of nunch’i in Korean society, relate it to four other cultural concepts that predominate in East Asia, and provide concrete examples of how nunch’i contributes both to successful communication among Koreans.

 Korean scholars have referred to nunch’i as a non-logical process variable that uses visual perception to discover the hidden agenda behind all forms of expression in social interaction. Yum (1987a) refers to nunch’i as "perceptiveness or sensitivity with eyes" (p. 80). According to Kalton (1990), nunch’i is used to read the eyes and to assess "quickly and accurately...another's emotions, attitudes, and reaction or likely reaction to a given proposal or situations" (p. 14). K. Kim (1975) states that Koreans use nunch’i to interpret facial expressions, words and "a mysterious 'alpha' hidden in...inner hearts" (p. 7). According to O. Lee (1967), this nunch’i goes "beyond good sense or common sense." Nunch’i is more intuitive and sensitive than logical or rational. It does not lead to fixed decisions as one might find with good sense or common sense. As it depends on an interpersonal rapport, nunch’i is instead a situational ethic used to solve interpersonal problems (p. 30-32).

(II) What I Thought

·       Fundamentally, nunchi means being able to sense and comprehend other people's energy by closely observing them. While many languages lack a precise term for it, it can be thought of as a blend of social awareness, empathy, and intuition.

Nunchi interprets body language and facial expressions more than just that. It involves sensing the emotional climate of a circumstance, identifying the subtleties that are not said out loud, and reacting accordingly. Nunchi practice calls for awareness and a strong bond with those in our immediate surroundings.

(III) Notes I took during discussions in class:

 This deception can also result in a self-denial stance in dyadic communication. For example, Koreans will often decline the first and even a second offer of food, drink, or favors even if they are hungry, thirsty, or in great need.

 Within the dualism of the Tao, nunch’i is used to avoid the unpleasant for ego by foreseeing the behavior of others and is also used to avoid the unpleasant for others by using deception. While this first strategy could be very helpful in cross-cultural interactions with Americans, the second one could be misunderstand as dishonesty and result in negative stereotypes if not lead to social conflict.

 (IV) Journal Entry—Post-reading/discussion reflections—reflections on the three items above: (I) What the author says, (II) What I thought, and (III) Notes I took during discussions in class:

In class, I came to the conclusion that nunchi is an essential component of Korean culture rather than just a social skill. Nunchi has an impact on all aspect of life, including politics, business, and daily encounters. It is regarded as crucial for a successful life in Korea and is valued equally to academic intelligence.