Choi & Han (2008) conceive shimcheong as a specific Korean
emotion concept. The main focus of the article is the description of shimcheong as it is
understood within a cultural system of concepts, but they also establish certain crosscultural
comparisons. They argue that shimcheong as a psychological experience might
also exist in Western cultures, and that concepts as empathy, sympathy and compassion
may include the same aspects of shimcheong. However, they explain that empathy
connects individuals whereas shimcheong works to serve we-ness, which is a different
way of understanding social or interpersonal relations that differs from the west.
Therefore, they conclude that shimcheong might be equivalent to an extended empathy
embedded in Korean culture.