Changes in child rearing in Korea

Abstrakt

This paper discusses child rearing in the Republic of Korea. Koreans believe that parenting begins in the prenatal period, when the foetus is first exposed to the influences that shape it. The Korean education system is a vital part of the lives of children and youths, as well as adults, because through educational attainment people can access dream jobs and acquire social status. At the same time, there has been a shift in the perception of rituals related to education and family life in the context of societal changes and the effects of multiculturalism. The paper also explores the current low birth rate in Korea. Readers are presented with an overview of the history of Korean families along with rituals related to development from the prenatal period to adolescence. Narrators retrospectively describe their childhood experiences and reflect on raising their own children.