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Fri, July 1, 2022 | 00:42

Forget K-pop, real Korean activism is underground

Some people access Korea through its literature, others through its movies, its beauty products, its webtoons, or its history. The pathways into the country and its culture are endless. And once in, for many people, a vice-like grip keeps you enthralled. South Korea is addictive. A drug that you can't quit. It can change your life.

2022-06-25 10:24

My Liberation Notes: A remarkable depiction of an unremarkable life

I wasn't necessarily expecting to like ”My Liberation Notes.” Most of the domestic Korean media had been talking about “Our Blues” and the controversial issues of teenage pregnancy, actors with disabilities and Lee Byung-hun's capacity for swearing and violence. Meanwhile, western media seems solely focused on the hyperreal and violent content of things such as “Squid Game” a...

2022-06-18 10:44

Capitalist discontent and the kimchi premium

The Korean economic system is creaking. The middle-class that, in part, gave birth to this nation's proud democracy is shrinking. The collective ethos that drove the country from poverty to the world stage has been replaced by a hyper-individualism, promoted by social media, manifest in a slew of neologisms, and evident in a focus on self-interest.

2022-06-11 12:05

Progressive in Korea?

Last week, Dong Sun-hwa explored the idea of the pop group BTS serving as a “model of diversity and inclusion.” And Ms. Dong, citing cultural studies professor Dr. Lee Gyu-tag, is correct. The South Korean idols have undoubtedly positively influenced the lives of millions of people around the world.

2022-06-04 12:50

Korean Mental Health: Stranger Things

Season 4 of Stranger Things doesn't hold back on the content. Despite being set in mid-1980s America, the drama depicts the use of marijuana, ketamine, lesbian relationships, eating disorders, alcoholism and mental trauma. It's a somewhat anachronistic view of the past because actual movies and dramas from the 1980s were generally not that open to such issues. But, as has bee...

2022-05-28 13:44

K-pop stars and Korean Politicians: Standards of morality

The word 'idol' is used here for a reason. South Korean pop stars are expected to live up to almost impossible standards of behavior. They present themselves as an image of something beyond human: A Platonic ideal standing in stark contrast to the corruptible and damaged existence we present in our more mundane lives. Those in the Korean music spotlight are required to refrai...

2022-05-21 13:41

Le Sserafim: Whisper-pop techno

Starting the recent EP from Le Ssefarim, I must confess I wasn't expecting to be greeted with dirty techno, Japanese lyrics, the word bitch in a single, and a chorus unashamedly declaring “I don't give a shit.” After all this is K-pop. However, it probably explains why the video had 16-year olds gyrating on the floor in sweaty clothes, but I'll leave the analysis of sexuality...

2022-05-07 16:04

Korean dramas vs K-dramas: What is a mother?

What is a mother? Are there certain standards regarding age or socio-economic class that determine when it is acceptable or desirable to become a mother? Do these standards differ by country and over time? Finally, do Korean dramas have a responsibility to show us reality or fantasy? There will be various answers to all of these questions and it is for that reason that a popu...

2022-04-30 14:28

The Korean kids are alt-right

Transcultural diffusion is real: ideas, technology, beliefs and styles move between cultures and nations all the time. Sometimes this diffusion is generated by expansion as powerful nations stretch outward, increasing their influence over a growing number of countries and peoples.

2022-04-23 16:39

Is Kim Jong-un progressive?

As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I've generally understood human rights to be a good thing. Freedom of thought, freedom of movement, freedom of religion, and to not discriminate against people on a political, racial, gender, sexual, or class basis are good for us and the people around us.

2022-04-16 12:08

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