Overview of Korean culture, which has enjoyed a cultural renaissance over the past 20 years, distinguishing itself in film, drama, K-Pop, classical music, opera, jazz, ballet, theater, art, literature, restaurant industry, and golf. Understanding why Korean immigrants succeeded in the greengrocery, dry cleaners, and nail salon sectors.
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A Few Things to Know about Koreans
#1 비빔밥 정신 The Spirit of Bibimbap
The secret of K-Wave's success, including K-Pop, "Parasite", "Squid Game", Ik-Joong Kang (artist), Young Jean Lee (the first Asian female playwright in Broadway), Unsuk Chin (composer), Jennifer Koh (violinist) and David Chang (chef), probably originated from the blending of Korean bibimbap. Koreans are good at genre bending. Nam June Paik, "The Pioneer of Video Art," praised Korea's bibimbap spirit a long time ago.
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#2 빨리빨리 문화 Culture of Ppalli Ppalli
Korea was successful in quarantine at light speed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the secret of many Koreans' success is efficiency and "quickly, quickly (ppalli, ppalli)" spirit. How the once-called "Land of Morning Calm" became a master of economic growth and speed warfare today.
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#3 눈치의 달인들 Homo Nuncius Korean
A history of Korean-specific sixth sense and superpower "nunchi," and commentary on "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho praising Martin Scorsese at the Academy Awards.
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#4 저항의 민족 People of Resistance
Bong Joon-ho and Hwang Dong-hyuk of 'Parasite' and 'Squid Game' were once blacklisted. Korean movies and dramas contain a spirit of social criticism and a strong sense of theme/message. Why? In the history of the ordeal, Koreans have consistently resisted colonial rule and dictatorship, and the candlelight vigils that impeached President Park Geun-hye have the spirit of resistance of Koreans. Bong and Hwang were both named to TIME magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" (Bong Joon-ho in 2020 and Hwang Dong-hyeok in 2022).
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#5 한(恨)과 한국영화 르네상스 K-Film: Country of Trauma, Culture of Drama
Koreans have a unique sentiment of 'han'. The ethnic trauma of Koreans, such as separated families due to the division of the two Koreas after the war and the Ferry Sewol disaster, were more dramatic reality than the movies. Koreans who share their national sad feelings want more dramatic narratives and unforgettable characters. We are hungry for that. It is also the reason why Korean directors such as Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho and Hwang Dong-hyeok have developed brutal aesthetics.
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#6 쇠젓가락 유전자 The Magic of Metal Chopsticks
Koreans use metal chopsticks unlike Chinese (bamboo, plastic) and Japanese (wood). Metal chopsticks, which require high concentration and sophisticated technology, are the open secret to success in Olympic archery, golf, semiconductor, IT, plastic surgery, piano performance, cooks, and nail salons, etc.
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#7 세탁의 장인들 Masters of Laundry
Koreans immigrated to the United States and succeeded in the dry cleaning business. In the snow fields of Korea, they also did laundry next to tanks during the war. Korean passion for washing also leads to art. Park Soo Keun, who recorded the highest auction price for modern Korean art at Christie's New York, enjoyed painting laundry scenes. Nam Jeong-ho's masterpiece dance 'Pallae, Womanhood Story', musicals, poetry, and even movies were inspired by washing clothes. Julian Kim and Peter S. Lee directed “Happy Cleaners (2019)”, a film about a Korean-American family's strife.
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#8 복(福)을 싸드립니다: 보자기, 보따리와 보쌈 Bojagi, Bottari, & Bossam
Korean patchwork, multi-colored textile cloth reminiscent of Mondrian and Klee, a bundle moved by world-renowned artist Kimsooja and Momofuku chef David Chang's bossam all have a symbolic meaning surrounding good luck, "BO". On the philosophy of wishing the blessings of Koreans which have become motifs in art and food.
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Joseon, Corea, Korea
#9 고요한 아침의 나라 In the Land of Morning Calm
The potential of Korea as a cultural powerhouse was recognized a century ago as seen in the Korean documentary "In the Land of the Morning Calm" (1927) made by a German priest, Abbott Norbert Weber, who stayed in Joseon during the Japanese occupation in 1925.
http://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?document_srl=4083981
#10 호머 헐버트와 세계인들의 한글예찬 Hangeul, the Korean Alphabet
About the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) praised by linguists and writers around the world, including Nobel Prize winning novelist Pearl Buck. Homer Hulbert, a missionary who went to Joseon in 1886, wrote, "King Sejong's creation of Hangeul is a brilliant achievement in human history," and "It surpasses the English alphabet as a medium of communication." Hangeul is one of the key factors that led Koreans to the top in the digital era.
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#11 '오징어 게임'과 '놀이의 왕국' 코리아 'Squid Game' and Homo Ludens Koreans
Korean games appear in the Netflix drama 'Squid Game.' American ethnologist Stewart Culin has already claimed that Korean Yut Play is the prototype of many games in the world in a book that explored 95 Korean games in 1895. Korea is currently a powerhouse in online games.
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#12 모자의 왕국 Oh My Gat!
Korea's hat craze, which became a hot topic on social media after Netflix released its Korean zombie thriller "Kingdom" in 2019. American astronomer Percival Lawrence Lowell's book "Choson: The Land of the Morning Calm" (1886) described the Joseon hat over 17 pages. Korean hats inspired fashion designers such as Carolina Herrera.
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Eat, Drink, Sing & Dance
Since ancient times, Koreans have enjoyed eating, drinking, singing, and dancing. The origins of the K-Wave today will be discussed here.
#13 음주가무-먹고 Eat
From the memoir "Crying in H Mart," by Michelle Zauner's bestseller in 2022, and "Jewels of the Palace," a period drama about a royal chef, which created a K-drama sensation in Asia in 2003, to "Cookin," an off-Broadway long-running Korean musical, Koreans' passion for food is the inspiration. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Washington Post ran a story about Korean food philosophy.
https://www.nyculturebeat.com/?document_srl=4099107
#14 음주가무-마시고 Drink
BTS made a shocking hiatus announcement at a dinner party on their YouTube channel in June 2022, starting with alcohol talk. Director Hong Sang-soo's 27 films, which won the Berlin International Film Festival for three consecutive years, all feature scenes of drinking. Director Bong Joon-ho said after winning the Oscar, "I will drink until tomorrow morning." Korean liquor has even entered the Michelin two-star tasting menu in New York.
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#15 음주가무-노래하고 Sing
The first performance with two Asian leads in the history of the Metropolitan Opera also starred Korean singers, with Hei-kyung Hong and Wookyung Kim in "La Traviata" in 2007. Despite having a smaller population compared to China and Japan, Koreans are playing significant roles in opera companies and choruses worldwide, as well as excelling in international vocal competitions. As early as the 1960s, Korean TV broadcasted singing contest programs for children, college students, and even at military camps, preceding "American Idol" by decades. From the traditional Korean one-person opera Pansori to "Korean Idol" and "Housewife Singing Contest," as well as political protests, Koreans have always embraced singing.
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#16 음주가무-춤추고 Dance
"The Figure Skating Queen" Yuna Kim (*TIME 100 in 2010) has the DNA of a dancer, and the only Asian principal dancers at the Mariinsky Ballet (Russia), Kimin Kim, and at the American Ballet Theater (Hee Seo, and Joo Won Ahn) are Korean. Korean dancers have been winning awards at international ballet competitions and breaking dance competition "Battle of the Year''. Of course, dance is an essential part of K-Pop.
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The Power of Koreans
#17 미 태권도의 대부 이준구 대사범 The Father of American Taekwondo, Jhoon Rhee
Taekwondo has made inroads into the world from every corner of the American neighborhood to Africa. The roots of the original Korean Wave are the Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee (1932-2018), who is called the "The Father of U.S. Taekwondo." He opened his first Taekwondo gym in Washington, DC in 1962, and taught self-defense techniques to lawmakers in the Congress. President Joe Biden, Muhammad Ali, and Bruce Lee learned Taekwondo from him.
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#18 김치와 고추장의 힘 Fermentation, The Flavor of Time
Koreans are known as the "Ppalli Ppalli People," but they are people who strictly observe the aesthetics of slow food. Kimchi and Gochujang (red pepper paste), which are important in Korean food, contain the taste of time through fermentation. Now, kimchi can be bought in small grocery stores as well as in the U.S. big supermarkets. Kimchi was selected as the Health Food 10 and was listed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage. Famous chefs, such as Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, use kimchi and gochujang in their recipes. California, New York, and Virginia have designated Kimchi Day (11/22).
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#19 한국 여성 속의 여신들 From Ungnyeo to Haenyeo: Goddesses Within Every Korean Woman
Korean society is still patriarchal, but it has witnessed the presence of numerous female role models throughout its long history. These role models include "The Korean Queen Hatshepsut," Queen Seondeok of Silla, Yu Gwan-sun (1902-1920), often referred to as "Korea's Joan of Arc," female artists from the Joseon era, and the Haenyeo of Jeju Island, who have earned a place on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. These remarkable individuals serve as sources of inspiration for Korean women.
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#20 82년생 김지영 도서 한류 열풍 K-Books and Korean Feminism
Cho Nam-Joo's novel, "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982" (2016), has now been published in 31 countries worldwide. It examines the current state of women's human rights in Korea. In a country deeply influenced by Confucianism, there are numerous proverbs that disparage women. However, it's noteworthy that some of the world-famous female writers are either Korean women or Korean American women, including Nobel Laureate Han Kang, Susan Choi, Min Jin Lee, Don Mee Choi, and Kathy Park Hong.
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#21 그린의 여왕들, 골프의 여신들 Queens of the Greens, Goddess of Golf
For more than 20 years, the women's golf world has been dominated by Koreans. Since Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Women's Open and the LPGA Championship in 1998, "Se Ri's Kids" swept the top 10. It analyzes seven reasons why Korean women golfers have become the world's strongest.
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#22 풍자와 해학: 강남 스타일, 기생충과 마가렛 조 Korean Satire & Humor
From the black humor of Psy's "Gangnam Style" and Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite", to the 1994 sitcom "All American Girl" (ABC-TV), the first Asian family sitcom in the U.S., Koreans love humor. Margaret Cho, standup comedian, opened the door to Asian TV actors and the next generation of stand-up comedians.
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The Korean DNA
#23 세종대왕과 레오나르도 다 빈치 King Sejong The Great Vs. Leonardo de Vinci
If there was a genius Leonardo da Vinci in the Italian Renaissance, there was King Sejong the Great in the Joseon Renaissance. King Sejong invented Hangul, and numerous scientific tools. He composed music and wrote literature. Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl Buck and "Star Trek" author Joe Menosky compared King Sejong to Leonardo da Vinci, and Menosky wrote a mystery novel "King Sejong The Great" in 2020.
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#24 '비디오 아트의 선구자' 백남준과 후예들 Nam June Paik and His Descendants
Cosmopolitan Nam June Paik was the 'The Pioneer of Video Art' and has influenced numerous contemporary artists including Joan Jonas, Bruce Nauman, Bill Viola, Tony Oursler, Christian Marclay, Doug Aitken, Pipilotti Rist, and the tragically killed Korean-American artist, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha whose work was shown at the 2022 Whitney Biennial.
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#25 K-클래식: 정경화에서 임윤찬까지 콩쿠르 강국 The Korean Musical Mystery
Piano, violin, cello, voice, composition. Korean classical musicians have won the world's top three competitions (Chopin, Tchaikovsky & Queen Elisabeth) and the Van Cliburn competition over the past 20 years. At the "Piano Olympics" Van Cliburn competition held in Texas every four years, Koreans won the gold medals in 2017 and 2022. Belgian Thiery Loreau directed the documentary "The Korean Musical Mystery" (2012) to investigate the Korean phenomena.
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#26 비틀즈 Vs. 방탄소년단 The Beatles vs. BTS
A comparison between the 1960s Beatles and today's boy band BTS. Billboard No. 1, HOT 100, best-selling album, lyrics, and Beatlemania & BTS ARMY.
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#27 입양한인 예술가들 K-Adoptees Shine in the Art World
"Blood is thicker than water." Korea was once notorious as an exporting country of war orphans. Today the adoptees are displaying outstanding talents in music, dance, art, film and cooking with Korean DNA. The stories of six K-adoptees, four of whom I interviewed including bass Andrew Gangestad, ballerina Jennifer Whalen, artist Sara Sejin Chang, filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem, Grammy-winning violist Richard Youngjae O'Neill, and chef Danny Bowien.
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K-Culture Renaissance
#28 K-Food 한식 엑스타시 The Wide Spectrum of Korean Taste Buds
Koreans' passion for food is also proved by the global popularity of YouTube's "Mukbang", which shows eating performances. While the late Anthony Bourdain introduced flavors around the world with "Parts Unknown" (CNN), Korean veteran actor Choi Bool-am explored the tastes from all over Korea. As cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead pointed out, Koreans divide beef into 120 parts. Korea has expanded its spectrum of flavors by developing rich recipes and storage methods from season to season.
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#29 K-Art 단색화 부활하다 The Revival of the Korean Monochrome Painting
In the 2010s, the global art community experienced a renaissance in Korean monochrome abstraction known as 'Dansaekhwa.' Monochromatic painters, who emerged during Korea's era of dictatorship in the 1970s, now find themselves in their prime during the twilight of their careers. I explored the history of Dansaekhwa and the masters such as the late Yun Hyong-keun, late Chung Chang-sup, late Park Seo-Bo and Chung Sang-Hwa, Ha Chong Hyun. Special exhibitions of Korean art are continuing at major art museums in the United States such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Philadelphia Museum. Furthermore, Seoul has now emerged as a global art mecca.
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#30 K-Fashion 백의민족에서 글로벌 패셔니스타로 K-Fashion Rocks
Koreans, formerly called "the People of White Clothes," have now emerged as an important stage in the fashion world. Members of the K-Pop girl band BLACKPINK (Rose, Jisoo, Lisa, Jenny) have been appointed the global ambassadors for Tiffany, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior, Celine, and Bulgari, etc. And BTS members (Jimin, V, Jung Kook, Suga, RM, J-Hope, Jin) have been selected as brand ambassadors for Dior, Cartier, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein and Gucci. K-Pop is affecting not only singing and dancing, but also fashion. It analyzes the reason why K-fashion has gone world-wide with the success of fast fashion chain shop "Forever 21."
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#31 K-Beauty 성공 신화 The Myth of K-Beauty
The New York Times reported that following the waves of Psy and K-Pop stars in 2014, "Now comes the latest import from South Korea: a formidable array of beauty products." The global beauty companies L'Oreal and Estee Lauder have acquired Korean indie cosmetics companies, and Korean cosmetics are creating a global craze for technological innovation, creative ingredients, low prices, and customized skin care.
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#32 K-Spa '한국 스파의 디즈니랜드' 찜질방 Jjimjilbang, The Disneyland of Korean Spa
The bathing culture of Koreans is unique. They are masters of detox. The Korean sauna is called "Spa's Disneyland." The jjimjilbang culture, which includes scrubbing, skin care, massage, food, computer rooms, karaoke rooms, and mini movie theaters, is fascinating to Americans. In January 2020, CBS-TV anchor Gayle King interviewed the Jonas Brothers, who went to a Korean sauna in LA before the Grammy Award ceremony, and comedian/host Conan O'Brien visited a Korean sauna in LA with Korean-American actor Steven Yeun ("Minari", "Beef") as a guide in 2015.
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#33 K-Quarantine 기생충, 킹덤과 코로나 팬데믹 K-Quarantine: "Parasite" "Kingdom" and Pandemic
Bong Joon-ho's movie "Parasite" (2019) and the Netflix zombie drama "Kingdom" (2019) seem to have foretold the COVID-19 pandemic. "We live in Bong Joon-ho's dystopia," the New York Times said in a review of Parasite. We had to maintain a six-foot "line" during the pandemic, like the lines of "Parasite." New York Magazine said in July 2020 that Kingdom heralded the pandemic under the title "Kingdom Feels Like a Nightmare of Now."
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#Epilogue The Brave New World! Hallyu Syndrome Continues
Baekbeom Kim Gu, a cultural nationalist and cosmopolitanist, seems to have predicted today's K-Wave. A small island-like country that is a peninsula but cannot go north because it is divided, and the Korean people who once struggled in the scars of war are envied by the global community today. Korea, where K-culture rises like an active volcano, has established itself as a cultural powerhouse.
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Sukie Park
A native Korean, Sukie Park studied journalism and film & theater in Seoul. She worked as a reporter with several Korean pop, cinema, photography and video magazines, as a writer at Korean radio (KBS-2FM 영화음악실) and television (MBC-TV 출발 비디오 여행) stations, and as a copywriter at a video company(대우 비디오). Since she moved to New York City, Sukie covered culture and travel for The Korea Daily of New York(뉴욕중앙일보) as a journalist. In 2012 she founded www.NYCultureBeat.com, a Korean language website about cultural events, food, wine, shopping, sightseeing, travel and people. She is also the author of the book recently-published in Korea, "한류를 이해하는 33가지 코드: 방탄소년단(BTS), '기생충' 그리고 '오징어 게임'을 넘어서 (33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite, and Squid Game)."
*한류를 이해하는 33가지 코드: 차례 <Korean>
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