Why do Koreans take so many pictures of themselves?

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Nick

After teaching in Korea, I did get the distinct impression that most Koreans, especially younger ones and more especially the younger females, are quite image conscious.

They are also into technology, especially mobile phones, PDA's and mobile phones with cameras.

Koreans tend to belong to groups ( peer groups, old school friends, work friends etc.) and they tend to be very socially active within those groups and regularly keep in touch with news and ( mostly) gossip.

Put those tendancies together and you have a nation who spend an inordinate amount of time sending texts and piccies to each other on a very regular basis.
Every time I went into a Korean bar, I had to run the gauntlet of camera wielding people who wanted to pose with the 'waegook'.( Foreigner) then to scurry off and mail the pics to their friends. One guy even posed for a pic with me then thrust the camera phone into my face to have a chat with his buddy! ( He thought I was Sean Connery)
Not to mention, of course, the young Korean 'Princesses' who regularly take a pic of themselves so they can check their makeup ( which they apply copiously.)

floozy_niki

It's an Asian habit. You'd see many Taiwanese, Korean, Singaporean, any Asian women taking pictures of themselves. They would post the pictures on their blogs and online profiles for vanity. They spent a lot of time on the makeup, it would be a waste not to take photos.

kimandchris2

Because they can.

Samantha

I do not know. Maybe they are using as a mirror to make sure they look ok

wdyspnky

becuase their mobile phones got cameras

Rachel B

I've wondered about this myself so I started paying attention. If it's a group of people then I think it's just because Koreans tend to be very group oriented and friendly. Most of the time when I see men or women taking a photo of themselves it's because they're standing/sitting somewhere alone. A lot of times you'll see people standing at a bus stop taking a photo of themselves or outside a store. In that situation I think it's just because they're bored by or nervous about being alone. I play Push-Push Land on my handphone or take a bunch of photos when I'm bored or alone.

Also, I think Koreans just really like having their picture taken. And I don't mean this in a "they're so vain" sort of way. Just about every Korean I have ever met has loved having me take their picture, they flash peace signs, make funny cat whiskers with their hands or other suitably bizarre things. I think they just find it really amusing.

Dawn V

Hey Chachee..
Koreans, in general, take a lot of pictures of themselves everywhere they go. Girls do it more often in groups simply because they like being "cute".. You will find most of their photos downloaded on their blogs, if you have access to a Korean language keyboard and can read Korean.
They do not generally keep those photos, the way Americans will print them out and possible scrapbook them.. these photos are just discarded after sharing them on their internet diary.
Koreans and JApanese use their on-line blogs and internet to communicate to a much greater extent than westerners.
One reason for that is that it allows free expression in a society where "saving face" or personal relationships are treated much more gingerly than in the west.
I think you are in KOrea, right? So you probably notice this stuff yourself.. I am in Detroit this week and the differences are glaring.

Diezel

Looking at it from the psychological point of view I think Koreans are the nation which naturally believe in themselves. For instance you don't find many Koreans outside Korea. They believe in who they are and where they belong. They may be taking pictures of themselves unconciously but this could be a symbol that they really believe in themselves.

waygook

What a great question!

I dont have the answer, but I knew a Korean who did it just to check her makeup.

Gotta love it!

<3

because they like taking pictures.

Porgie

This question has been burning a hole in my skull for years now.

People tend to do it a lot on the subway. You should see the full length mirrors in the subway stations and the girls and guys packed in front of them checking themselves out. I guess taking a picture is their way of preserving that perfect look!

Iâ€™m not sure what the explanation could be behind it, other than that a very high premium is placed on Korean womenâ€™s looks (to the point where you cannot turn a corner in Seoul without stumbling upon a cosmetics store), so they are constantly checking themselves out.

Eventually one stops laughing at them and start to think about this as being a serious problem Koreans must face. Having to look your best at all times.

At the end of the day, I'm gonna have to say that it must be a combination of enormous boredom and extreme vanity.

JIN

Someone else said it, you take pictures to post on Cyworld, upload to internet photo albums, send to others, etc. Koreans are so wired that it's easier to just take a picture message than to write letter or note. Also, having mobiles means you can see your friends on the internet at anytime. Since Seoul is pretty small considering that everyone you know since you were born (not literally, but still) is within 50 miles of you, the whole mobile, pictures, thing is very convenient.

Ning

yeah, it's a habit... lol... they (we) find an angle (yeah thats right) that we look best in... and keep taking them...
it's also for memo and stuff... they have blogs that they write in a lot... but its just an ansian girl thing.
plus, if u look pretty, wouldn't u be taking lots of pics too!?

lol... ^^

what

Some people have what Koreans call gongjubyung - princess syndrome. [; I think they also like taking random pictures and posting them on cyworld. You have to know that Korean electronics such as cell phones from LG and Samsung are the most highly praised in the world.

kara_nari

Hmmm, im not sure if I can give any good insight to this question... but I'll throw in my two cents....
You know cyworld right? Well lots of people like to upload their random pictures on there, and I have also got friends who just like to have millions of pictures of themselves... regardless of any meaning.
I have to admit, I have been known to take pictures of myself on my phone too... but not on the subway... thats too shameful haha.
I'm probably going to get a lot of hate mail for saying this, but Koreans (not all.... but im sure you'll understand what I mean) learn to be vain from a young age... and they like to keep checking that they are still 'beautiful' or 'handsome' so if it means that they have to take lots of meaningless pictures to remind themselves of that (coz there isn't always a reflective surface handy), then Im going to take a stab in the dark and say that this is why they take lots of pictures.
I could give a more 'reader friendly' version and say that they perhaps like their concept the morning that they do their makeup or get dressed, and want to take a photo to remind themselves of how hot they looked at that time and have evidence to re-create that same look?
It's just something that perhaps doesn't have any real answer... trends and habits and all those things could have something to do with it???
Sorry if this wasn't the kind of answer you were expecting from me...
I've always enjoyed pondering over this matter too hehe.

inane person

I know this! because I'm Korean!

I saw a lot of my friends taking pics because they just want to post those online, but they usually use their cells.

It's simply because when they take their pics with their cells, they look better.

Sunflower Girl

I think it is very unique to Koreans. They've started a new trend! Not!

Koreans are notorious for worrying about their looks. Just sit on the subway and watch people take pictures of themselves with their camera phones. They will keep taking pictures of themselves until they feel they got their make up just right or their hair combed the right way. It is really rather humorous to watch.

It's all about "the looks". Can you get any more vain?

sel_bos

That's what camera for.

trojan_glory

as of your question why korean like to take picture and especially women?because they are pretty as any other asian women thought,onemore thing is ASIAN people love to have something of themself so in the future they look back and show to their children and grandchildren and greatchildren,that what ASIAN do.I saw it not only korean but japanese,chinese,vietnamese,filippinos,t... took picture everywhere thought!

Tuesday

maybe they love themselves too much .. lol

krn_music_luver

because we koreans like to.
we have fun taking stupid, weird, funny pictures.
we put them on cyworld and myspace.
we just like to. :)

-=[ Shayan ]=-

They wanna say " my cellphone have camera " [Kidding]
And another thing is their Cyworld .... ! most of koreans have a CY so they take picture to send there and update their mini homes!

Neil

And what is with always throwing up the "Peace" sign?? Is there nothing else you could do with yourself? I mean seriuosly, Who does that!?!

:) XOXO

Ponder...
Why Korean technology is more vast compared to various parts of the word.
It's due to these fanatic Koreans taking a load of pictures of themselves and willing to pay extra cash to improve their cameras.
To take more shitty pictures of themselves.
They just do it because they want to flaunt their new technological devices and to post on their websites (cyworld.com). It's like the Korean myspace, but shittier.

sellatieeat

I think that its a asian thing. all asians like to take pictures of themselves to look as cute as possible.

cerberos

the best answer for this is. because they are narcist

Joseph M

Because they think they're the only ones in the world.

sugarBear

they think they are good looking & that every minute of their lives is a Kodak Moment.

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