Spoon class theory

Not to be confused with spoon theory.

Spoon class theory
Hangul	수저계급론
Revised Romanization	Sujeo Gyegeumnon
McCune–Reischauer	Sujŏ Gyegŭmnon

Spoon Class Theory is widely talked about in online communities in South Korea. This term appeared in 2015. It means classifying individuals based on the assets they inherited from their parents. Individuals are divided into classes that range from a gold spoon to silver and bronze, and finally, dirt spoon.

Origin of a word

The theory comes from the English idiom “born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth”. In the past, European nobility often used silver dishes, and children were fed by nannies using silver spoons, which indicated the wealth of the family. In South Korea, this expression is expanded into several categories whose names translate as gold spoon, silver spoon, bronze spoon and dirt spoon.

Sociological analysis

Hyo Chan Cho, the author of hypereality shock, explained the meaning of gold spoon that is common in Korea society is related with Jean Baudrillard’s simulacrum. He suggested that gold spoon is included in a simulacrum that doesn’t have an original. Issues of gold spoon celebrities and commercials which made those people idealize changed nonexistence as existence. Regardless of pro and cons about gold spoon, it became an important image of our life. He further stated that as our society accepted images like gold spoon which became a hyperreality. We accept media’s reproducing images that don’t have originals as more than an existence. ‘Simulacrum’ means an image without substance, it wields strong influence than an existence.

Young adults preparing for significant life changes such as college, marriage or employment are concerned they are at a disadvantage. For example, many corporations in Korea require stellar academic performance and for applicants to speak English fluently. Individuals who come from the upper class can advance themselves due to the wealth and power that their parents or family possesses. Young people who come from the middle and lower class are at a disadvantage because often they are expected to work and attend school, coupled with the fact that they are not being provided with the same monetary support as their wealthier peers. This economic polarization not only influences employment but also effects other things like marriage. The causes of inequality in this society are economic inequalities and the fact that poverty is passed from generation to generation. This inequality is creating new classes in Korean society. However, some people overcome their parent’s low economic class. Some people who were raised in the wealthy families are criticizing this as well. Unfairness in Korean society is becoming a burden for young adults and is making Korean society similar to the one described in the spoon class theory.

Spoon classes

The spoon classes have been identified as follows:

• the golden spoon - 1% of population, with over $200K annual salary, and over $2 million in assets.
• the silver spoon - 3% of population, with $80K-$200K annual salary, with $1 million to $2 million in assets.
• the bronze spoon - 7.5% of population, with $50K-$80K annual salary, with $500K to $1 million in assets.
• the dirt spoon - 50% of population, totaling less than $50K in assets, with only $20K in annual salary.

Statistics

In the 1980s, the share of assets contributed by gifts and inheritance was 27 percent, but the comparable share rose to 29 percent in the 1990s and to 42 percent in the 2000s, according to a recent paper by Kim Nak-nyeon, an economics professor at Dongkuk University. The share is still lower than in advanced countries such as Germany (42.5 percent), France (47 percent) and Britain (56.5 percent).

Graph related to the spoon class theory

The survey, conducted between June and August, followed 1,342 men across three age groups spanning 19 to 75 years old: 181 men born between 1940 and 1959, the generation of industrialization; 593 men born between 1960 and 1974, the generation of democracy; and 568 men born between 1975 and 1995, the information generation.

The results of the poll found that the spoon class theory not only existed in Korea but deepened with each successive generation. The study showed that the persistence of poverty across generations has deepened, with 50.7 percent in the youngest generation answering that both father and son were in the lower class - an increase of almost 15 percent from the 36.4 percent who answered the same in the democracy generation.

In the oldest generation, only 35.9 percent answered that both father and son were considered in the lower class.

Criticism

2015, as Korea society enters into new class society, a sociological discontent at inequality becomes bigger and bigger. According to Global Attitudes Survey conducted by Pew Research Center, Korean citizens answer the most threatening thing is inequality. Other countries those content at inequality are 8 countries. Greece is one of the countries. In contrast, Japan answers the nuclear weapon and radioactivity are the most threaten thing. This survey results show awareness of inequality is much higher than nuclear accident and environmental pollution.

Examples

Nut rage incident in Korean Air (Nut rage incident).

Suspected unqualified admission to Ewha University of Chung Yoo-ra. Chung Yoo-ra is a South Korean female dressage rider. She competed in the 2014 Asian Games, where she won a team gold medal. Also, she is also known as a daughter of Choi Sun-sil, who made the biggest political scandal related in President Park. She is now suspected of unqualified admission in Ewha University.

See also

• Hell Joseon
• Sampo generation