| Topic Name: |
Bilingual Advantage? |
| Message Name: |
Importance of Korean |
| Date Posted: |
04/23/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
Say that you were already hired at a BIGLAW firm according to your law school GPA. How much would a perfect fluency of a second language give you an advantage once you are hired in the law firms? I understand everything is relative, but I would like to know how useful it would be for a Korean-American who wants enter BIGLAW to be perfectly fluent in Korean. (I post this message, because I am considering perhaps taking a year off and mastering my second language before going to law school depending on how useful that would be.) |
| Message: |
Dancehallcrasher is no doubt correct, that with the exception of firms that specifically cater to Korean clientele, language acquisition does not carry a lot of weight professionally.
I posted a similar question regarding the importance of Asian language a couple of months ago, and the consensus opinion was they're not that important even for big U.S. firms with Asian branch offices. A foreign language can't hurt you, but the quality of your school, your grades, and your personality comes first. On the other hand, small firms and independent practicioners specializing in immigration would definitely have a use for Korean skills.
The bottom line is your value comes from knowing English and knowing American law.
Also to be blunt, I don't know where your Korean level is at now, but it's not easy even for first-generation gyopo to "master" Korean within a year. And I'm talking about Korean-Americans who spent the early part of their lives in Korea and whose parents and grandparents still speak the mother language at home. I know because I studied with hundreds of heritage speakers at universities in Seoul for the last two years. It's a big leap to go from panmal listening to fluent reading, writing, and speaking.
All that being said, i would highly recomend you go ahead and take the year to come to Korea. The majority of gyopos in Seoul seem content to create pockets of English-only, more-American-than-American attitude, but for someone like you who seems motivated, it can be an eye-opening and truly enriching experience. A lot of Asian-Americans find it empowering to be a part of the majority, to understand just how "white" America still is.
It could be a great way to reconnect with your roots and make great memories for a long life. That'd be worth a lot to me. And I do personally believe that Korea is one of the most important emerging markets. The professional opportunities will be there in future.
Good luck!
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