Week 2 - Diane Tran

Korea has been known as the idea of "Korean cool" in which it is a popular culture that has been engraved into the international world today. I remember back in middle school where Korea became the next big thing people used to talk about. My friends would imitate the kpop dances or try to sing along. In addition, people would watch Korean dramas, which is a Korean scripted television show. In the reading of The Birth of Korean Cool, it is shocking to me that Korea was "uncool" at one point in the 1980s since the national aesthetics is on another high level today. Going through economic and social reconstruction, Korea rebranded itself with its media. The Korean culture or Hallyu became increasingly popular nationwide. The rapid change in Korean media is how the Korean government played a role in creating this image for Korea. For instance, the government plays a role in why there are almost lifelong contracts for actors and kpop idols/ singers. Another example is the movie called 200 Pounds of Beauty, which is about an overweight ghost singer who undergoes intensive plastic surgery to become a pop sensation. The underlying reason that the government allowed this to showcase as a movie is to bring influence on normalizing plastic surgery because of how Korea's industry of plastic surgery being so huge. The internet allows for Korea to market their certain industries, such as plastic surgery. This led to the improvement of successful movies, kpop groups, tv shows, and so much more that represents the culture of Korea.



Hong, E. (2014). The birth of Korean cool: How one nation is conquering the world through pop culture. London: Simon et Schuster.


“200 Pounds Beauty.” Boys Over Flowers - Korean Drama - AsianWiki, asianwiki.com/200_Pounds_Beauty.