You're [nationality] but you don't speak [language] ?

So my friend is korean but he was born in the states and moved around a bit and never learned to speak korean.He does not understand a word of korean outside of what he learned in taekwondo classes.
And he says his non-korean colleagues were shocked when they learn that he cannot speak korean."Dude you're korean how can you not speak korean?" So?
One of his non-korean colleagues is a white dude learning korean."LOL DUDE I can speak more korean than you! You should feel ashamed!" Why?
I don't understand why a korean, who cannot speak korean, should be ashamed when his white friend who is learning korean knows more korean than him.It's like going up to a football player and going "LOL DUDE I know more quantum physics than you do!"

Isn't he American if he was born in the US ? 
If his parents never spoke to him in Korean, didn't force him to go to Korean class etc, I think it's pretty normal that he can't speak the language. 
I can't speak nor understand well Cantonese. I am a bit ashamed because it's like a loss of the heritage I have through my parents. And it's is incredibly awkward when my mother's relative come to visit and I can't answer their questions or worse understand it. Plus, I think it's a pity not to be bilingual. 
He shouldn't feel ashamed if he has no whatsoever interest in his Korean heritage and all but I think it's a pity, culturally speaking.

most people in general that were born here in the USA dont speak their parents native language fluently or non at all

your native language is one of the first things people lose when they grow up in the states, because unless you have lots of daily contact with your ethnic community and need to speak it daily, you will lose your ability to speak the language eventually, especially if you were born & raised here

i'm korean and can't speak korean
wish i could

.... More so than ashamed, I feel it's a bit of a waste to not learn a language when you can get free lessons from your parents.

My nephew is 1 and half years old, he doesn't understand English even though he's half white, we only speak to him in our language, he'll pick up English eventually, but our language is too hard to learn when you get older so better learn it now or never.

I am [American] but I don't speak [American].

Looks like another cased of confusion between "nationality" and "ethnicity". 

Kerriganton said: Looks like another cased of confusion between "nationality" and "ethnicity". 

He doesn't know Korean, so what? It's not shameful. He doesn't live in Korea, he lives in America. 

It would be different if he was FROM Korea, but he isn't. Ignorant people like that need to just stay hidden.

well, i for myself only know a chinese dialect and not much of mandarin. it's a loss for yourself if you feel regrets of not learning the language when you were younger but it's never to late. though if he has no problem with that, it's alright i think. people only tend to get suprised because they assume that all children usually know their mother tongue... ignoring some facts (environment etc)asians are quite patriotic and not knowing your own language is like losing a little bit of your heritage, i guess.why people say i am not "real" chinese but this is richard simmons. : )

I'm half Vietnamese/Chinese. I can speak Teochew (dialect of Chinese) only, I can't speak Vietnamese (well) but I can fluently understand it. I was born and raised in Australia. People always say it's bad that I can't speak Vietnamese but can understand it, but who cares. I was born and raised in an English speaking country. I wish I spoke Vietnamese or Mandarin or Cantonese fluently, but what's done is done. 

I noticed if you cant speak your native language fluently old asians seem to have less respect for you

one old asian said "YOUR GOOD FOR NOTHING" if you dont know how to speak your native language

the old generation looks down on non asian speaking asians, like your a disgrace

they give better treatment to asians that can still speak fluently

I think it's DUMB to look down on asians if they cant speak their language when they were raised in the USA and dont even live in a area with very many asians and dont get to use it much

My parents are both Lao but I was born in the States. I don't speak Lao because my family members would tease me when I was younger and had to live in Laos for six months so I kind of kept my mouth shut. It's a silly reason not to speak the language but that's just me. I can understand the language though. I just can't speak it

Mannosuke

said: So if someone was ethnically korean but didn't speak korean that would be shameful?

My best friend is from Korean parents, but speaks just so-so Korean...

maybe he just isnt interested in the language/culture? I know alot of people who were born in the philippines, yet they cannot speak the language. (they probably came when they were 2years old.) Its funny because my friend cant even talk to his grandmother. 

I'm adopted from Korea but I never learned to speak Korean either...I never wanted to go to those culture camps (though I probably should have). But I hardly know any Korean people so I doubt I would have gotten much practice. When I do encounter other Korean people they scoff at me when they find out I can't speak the language. It never goes beyond "hello". 
Language is highly political and tied to national identity.

I find it appalling when someone speak English, instead of their native language. It's like, "Are you ashamed of speaking it in public, or what is the matter with you?" Even more so when I speak to the same people of my native language. I honestly find it sad and a pity for those that cannot speak their mother tongue. Oh well, I'm not bashing on anyone, but still I find it sad that's all.