Western observers often misread Korea’s COVID-19 response as a product of authoritarian obedience. In reality, it stems from a deep-rooted cultural tradition of collective action and democratic resilience. This article dismantles that misconception and highlights the true agency behind Korean discipline.
Western Misconceptions About Korea’s COVID Response
During the pandemic, many European media outlets — from France to Russia — described Korea’s orderly pandemic response as the result of “trained obedience,” likening Koreans to peasants conditioned by feudalism or military dictatorships. This interpretation is not only **misinformed**, but reflects a deeper **Eurocentric arrogance**: the belief that non-Western societies are incapable of developing social order without top-down control.
The Flawed Comparison: Korean Farmers vs. European Serfs
Westerners often view all pre-modern farmers through the lens of their own history — particularly the European serf. This creates a major problem: they assume Korean peasants were equally submissive and dependent. But this is simply false.
Joseon Farmers: Free, Autonomous, and Resilient
In the Joseon Dynasty: - Most farmers were **free citizens (yangmin)**, not bound to landowners. - They could **change jobs and move freely**. - They owned their land and had the right to keep **90% of their harvest**, paying only 10% in tax. - They managed their fields year-round and made autonomous decisions about planting, storing, and distributing food. This makes them far more independent than the average European serf.
Even Tenant Farmers Were More Autonomous
Some Korean farmers became tenant farmers due to famine or debt. Even so, they retained far more **legal autonomy and property rights** than European serfs. - European serfs were **attached to land** and transferred like property between lords. - In contrast, even Korea’s **nobi (slave) class** had more rights than European serfs — including ownership of property and the ability to **buy their freedom (sokryang)**.
Korea’s History of Civic Resistance
Another Western misconception is that Koreans blindly obey the government due to their history with authoritarian regimes. This ignores the fact that: - **President Syngman Rhee** was forced out by nationwide protests. - **General Chun Doo-hwan’s regime** fell after the 1987 pro-democracy movement. - Korea’s democracy was won by the people — not handed down by elites. If the Korean government had attempted digital surveillance without public consent in peacetime, **mass protests would have toppled the regime.**
The True Nature of Korean Order: Collective Will, Not Submission
What Western critics misread as submission is in fact **civic coordination** during crises. Koreans are trained not in obedience, but in **solidarity under threat** — whether in war, economic crisis, or pandemic. The impressive pandemic response was not about blind trust in authority. It was about: - **Shared memory of crisis**, - **Collective action**, - And a belief that **order saves lives** when time is short.
Eurocentrism and the Myth of Cultural Superiority
Many Western intellectuals struggle to accept that an Asian society could outperform them in civic order or crisis response. This is rooted in: - A **refusal to update their image** of Asia beyond serfdom and dictatorship. - A **bias that equates cultural difference with inferiority.** To them, Korean order must be due to backwardness — because they cannot fathom **a modern, self-governing, non-Western democracy** doing better.
Don't Let Outsiders Define Korean Identity
Western misunderstandings may be frustrating, but the real danger is internal: - When Koreans begin to adopt these foreign interpretations and judge themselves by **external, misinformed standards**. This blog encourages readers to **understand Korean history and identity on its own terms**, not through borrowed lenses.
Conclusion: Agency, Not Obedience
Koreans did not survive COVID-19 through blind obedience. They acted through **centuries of self-reliant, resilient tradition** — from free farmers managing their own land to citizens overthrowing authoritarian regimes. The world may misunderstand Korea’s order. But that’s no reason for Koreans to do the same. It’s time to reclaim the narrative — based on fact, not foreign fantasy.
