In-depth Study: Investigating Korean Language and Culture
From topic to research question
The in-depth study asks you to investigate a Korean language or culture question, not to summarise a topic. Narrow a broad interest (“Korean food”) into an answerable question (“How does the sharing of 반찬 at the table reflect Korean collectivism among university students?”). A strong question specifies a population, context and evidence type, and can be answered with sources you can actually access.
Sources and evidence
Use a mix of academic and credible media sources, and distinguish primary from secondary evidence. Evaluate bias, date, and whether the author is describing observation or repeating a stereotype. Cite consistently and keep a source log. Where possible, add primary data: a small survey, an interview, or analysis of real texts such as menus, advertisements or drama dialogue.
Culture–language link
Show how language encodes social meaning: honorifics and age hierarchy, kinship terms, 눈치 and 정, address terms in workplaces, and changing usage among younger speakers. Avoid treating culture as fixed; note generation, region and gender variation.
Traps
Overgeneralisation (“all Koreans…”), cultural stereotyping, unsupported causal claims, confusing North and South Korean practices, and conflating Korean culture with Japanese or Chinese practices are common. Another trap is a descriptive report with no analysis: the marker wants interpretation linked to your question.
Worked example
Question: “How do university students choose between 해요체 and 반말 when meeting someone two years older?” Method: a short survey plus recorded role-play. Analysis: group responses by age gap and setting, then compare with textbook norms. Conclusion: state a qualified pattern, not a universal law.
Rule of thumb
Every claim needs a source or your own data, and every generalisation needs a qualifier (many, often, in this group).