Is using Korean letters for various things considered culture appropriation?

[SakuraChii]

I need someone to explain this to me. I in no way want to be disrespectful to any culture. I basically watched this video about culture appropriation and this Korean American girl was saying that she hated it when people had hangul (Korean symbols) in their name, mood/motto and in messages online. Since its seen as using her language as a decoration. She also said that if you can easily translate the word into English then you should use it in English and not Korean. I don't understand this. I had foreign penpals in the past who used English phrases a lot, wear shirts with English and used English in their name or gave themselves an English name. I like East Asian languages so of course I'm going to be studying Korean, I have Korean words that correspond with my furniture so that I won't forget.

I also have the wallpaper on my phone with Korean phrases, so that I won't forget either and I'm starting to use Korean for my mood on this Korean app since my penpals are Korean and I wanted to use the language more since I can't learn it in school. I was also thinking of getting a tattoo in another language that's either European (French) or East Asian when I'm older. I'm leaning more on getting a French tattoo since I'm more comfortable in the language (I would be able to understand if someone screwed up my tattoo and wrote something innapropiate) and a lot of people get upset if it's an Asian language. I like Korean and I like how different Hangul looks but I don't want to be disrespectful.

[Jxpxtxr]

That girl will probably get offended with you as a foreigner speaking korean are being disrespectful as well because you might not be able to pronounce everything perfectly. Just don't listen to her & believe me, most people especially from korea and japan actually tend to be kind of impressed with foreigners being able to speak their languages. They appreciate us putting the effort into learning them since they know how hard these languages are lol. I'm not Asian but I'm fluent in japanese and I have korean cousins and from what I can tell they don't actually care about all these k-pop fans or korean symbols in usernames at all. I have a tattoo in japanese, too lol but then again I got mine done in japan so I could be pretty sure it's accurate.

[Jxpxtxr]

by the way the only groups of people that are kind of annoying to me sometimes are these 'weaboos' or now 'koreaboos' and how they make stories up about how they are half korean while you can obviously tell they are not

[SakuraChii]

Oh yea, I can somewhat relate to that. I personally don't think it's right to use words like "koreaboos/weaboos" since people use it for everything nowadays (causing people to feel ashamed for liking East Asian culture). I've even got called a koreaboo once for showing interest in modeling (as a side job while teaching English for more money) in korea, someone mistook that and thought that I was trying to get closer to my bias (even though I'm not into kpop idols like that) but at the same time it can be cringe worthy when people use random Japanese phrases while speaking English or girls calling guys Senpai or oppa even though they're in America and the guy isn't even a native (or speak the language), that's just my opinion though, I can't control what people do. I think it's cool that there are people out there who encourage learning japanese/korean and the fact that you have a Japanese tattoo makes me less ashamed.

[Jxpxtxr]

It's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, just do whatever the hell you want. This is a free world and everybody has the right to learn any language we want to learn and use them in whatever way we want to - Even in Korea. Please don't let any haters talk you down! ;)

[saeyamazaki]

I think the thing is: It doesn't matter if you have like shirt or a wallpaper written in a different language. I think that it's the fact that people are using Korean as a sort of trend where it's like they write every thing in Korean thinking their Korean because their doing this and stuff like that. Yeah, if you're learning Korean for your pen pals; that's sweet and thoughtful but then it's how you would use it, I guess.

[KFettario]

doesn't sound bad to me. just make sure you know what you are spelling. I laugh at the tattoos that spell rude things in Chinese or saythat the owner is an idiot. Sometimes the characters are backward or just nonsense. I saw one the other day that said "fire noodles"

[Anonymous]

"I had foreign penpals in the past who used English phrases a lot, wear shirts with English and used English in their name or gave themselves an English name."

There's no cultural faux pas surrounding the use of the English language.

"I like Korean and I like how different Hangul looks"

If you're going to write something in Korean, that's fine. If you're going to use Korean symbols as a part of something else, where it wouldn't actually make much sense to a Korean person (for example, as characters surrounding a username) then at that point, you are using the words for decoration.

But as long as you're forming those Korean characters into something intelligible, it shouldn't be an issue.

[SakuraChii]

So a meaningful tattoo in hangul isn't culture appropriation then?

[Klaatu51]

she needs 2 b a little bit more laid-back in my opinion... they didn't commit a crime by usin Korean letters :|

[123lea453]

I think its fine as long as you’re actually learning korean. I’m learning korean right now and my korean friend have No problem with me for example using ㅋㅋㅋㅋ or answer in the phone with a 여보세요. The best way to learn a language is to use it daily.

[shinderella]

As a Korean, I don't mind when people using Hangul in their status even though they don't speak the language. I feel flattered because people are into my language and culture.

[kebab97]

I have korean words too, because i like korean language. If someone used my language i wouldn't be offended.

[BertMacklinFBI]

I really don't see a problem with it. damn some people really let petty shit get to them easily.

[KDA20]

I think a lot of people are doing that - She needs to relax a bit

[Not_Helping]

Yes, or something.

[SakuraChii]

How is it?

[Not_Helping]

It's just a thing. You know?

[Anonymous]

I think it's ok