Personally, I feel like Poland is an eerie parallel to South Korea in an alternate universe.
We were both bullied by bigger and more powerful neighbors (Japan/Germany & China/Russia). We were all in some shape or form victims to the Iron Curtain. We are known for our resilience, as many times, history tried to wipe us from existence, but we proved to be survivors, and now our country is seeing new heights. Historically, in the last century, we were countries of emigration, forming large diasporas throughout the world, especially in the US.
Generally, our natural demeanor is reserved, with not a lot of culture of small talk, but we can be very temperamental and impatient, especially when offered alcohol. We have a serious alcohol problem, and many people smoke like chimneys. Our choice of alcohol tends to be a white and clear spirit (soju and vodka). We love fermenting vegetables (cabbages, cucumbers, and any tuberous plants), and have hundreds of soup/stew recipes.
Our family values tend to align. It was very common to have grown up with grandma or grandpa in the house, while mom and dad were out working. Our immigrant community tends to be overzealous Christians, with more conservative outlooks on life. Our people have recently, in the past decade, been fetishized for our physical beauty (modeling industry for Poland, KPop and K Drama for South Korea). We are some what stuck between being a modern and developed first world economy, yet contradicted by more traditional and conservative outlooks to social rights, like gender equality, LGBTQ protection, abortion, etc.
submitted by /u/Lissandra_Freljord
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