Week 5-Korea by Ogee

Week 5-Korea by Ogee

Korean National Aesthetics is heavily weighted on the cultural identity of the nation. As authors Haksoon Yoon and Jeongsuk Joo have written, Korea surge to define their cultural identity stems from the history of warfare that they have encountered. With the Japanese colonization, the split into North and South Korea, and the current popularity of western influences, Korea has chosen to establish itself by utilizing Korean popular culture as the forefront of its global rebranding. With the focus on keeping traditional Korean culture and nationalism, Korea has produced music, drama, and other popular culture medias as a means to establish Korea as a significantly different part of Asia and modernized the country. In most ways, Korea has taken from the model of America in merging “pop nationalism” as a means to increase recognition of the country and increase interest in what Korea has to offer the global market. That begs the question at what price? As seen with American popular culture, a lot of misappropriations, generalizations, racism, and stereotypes can occur. With the emphasis of pop culture being the forefront of the global expansion of South Korea, the negativities as well as the positive aspects are already being seen. Transnationally, Korean culture and global presence has become accepted. This is evident in the countries that listen to and invite pop culture icons from South Korea to their own countries enabling capital and attention to flow to Korea. However, recognition can be at the cost of a countries image. Like many Asian countries before them, Korea is now privy to the scrutinized because the images they are sending out to world.

Is utilizing pop culture to enter into the global economic world a good strategy? What do people actually know about Korea through their current aesthetics?

Image: 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/9581745/Ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-PSYs-Gangnam-Style-and-Korean-hip-hop.html

Works Cited: 

Joo, Jeongsuk. "Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of ‘‘Pop Nationalism’’ in Korea." The Journal of Popular Culture 44.3 (2011): 489-504. 2 June 2011.

Yim, H. (2002). "Cultural identity and cultural policy in South Korea." International Journal of Cultural Policy 8(1): 37-48.