Rise of the South Korean Wave

South Korean culture remarkably breaking through

From the Land of the Morning Calm, South Korea took the world by storm by rising calmly through the economic crisis that it faced in its past years. From being one of the poorest countries in the world to having the fourth largest economy in Asia, no one would have predicted it to become a developed country in the span of one generation.

Today, South Korean entertainment has impacted all—from fashion, music, TV dramas, and movies. It is no doubt that half of the world has noticed the Hallyu (a Chinese term that means “Korean Wave”). The ascent of the South Koreans’ popular culture has made them powerful, not by hard forces (military and economic power) but by intangible power, which a country yields through reputation. With the help of entertainment, South Korea has created a unique image of “coolness” that helped its culture, business, and image.

Entertainment in South Korea can be traced back to its culture. During celebrations, Koreans give importance to their festivals by making it colorful, vibrant, entertaining, and full of life; and these festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Hanshi (Cold Food Festival), for example, is one of the most popular festivals in South Korea celebrated for 105 days that marks the beginning of the farming season. Other aspects in South Korean culture include religion, family structure, fashion, and cuisine. Influenced by the culture of its neighboring countries, China and Japan, the impact of Confucianism is evident in modern Korea today. Besides Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity are the other two main religions in South Korea. Buddhism, being the religion that has the most followers in the country, greatly influenced its lifestyle. Family structure is also part of the culture because Koreans give importance to patriarchal power in the family. One of the popular parts of Korean culture is also the fashion, although it is now influenced by the western culture today. The traditional magoja (long jacket) is worn; with hanbok (South Korean clothing) for the females and sagyusam (outer robe) for the males are what they wear for semiformal or formal festivals during the Joseon period that remains iconic. South Korea is also famous for its delicious cuisine acquired from the land and sea that surrounds them. These foods are composed of vegetables, meat, rice, and noodles. Some of the famous dishes are bibimbap, bulgogi, dakgalbi, ramen, and kimchi.

Witnessing how South Korea has risen, the Koreans will never forget the tragic fall of its economy, the political turmoil of the government, the tension between them and the North, and other national crises they have experienced because these form part of South Korean history. Despite what happened in its history, in the end, South Korea still had the strength to conquer the crises that they have been through.

Dennis J. Ottley is the author of Remembering (Korea: 1950–1953). Those who are interested to learn more about the Korean War and its effect to the American war veterans will find this book interesting. For questions and discussions, connect with him through Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

References

Mohamed Nour, Mai F. 2017. “South Korea: Culture and Tradition.” GlobalizationPartners.com, October 9. Accessed December 14, 2017. http://blog.globalizationpartners.com/south-korea-culture-and-tradition.aspx.

Roll, Martin. April 2017. “Korean Wave (Hallyu)—The Rise of Korea’s Cultural Economy & Pop Culture.” Accessed December 14, 2017. https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/asia/korean-wave-hallyu-the-rise-of-koreas-cultural-economy-pop-culture/.