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2025.04.11 14:53

Voices on Korea: From the Land of the Morning Calm to the Korean Wave

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Voices Behind the Korean Wave: From East and West, Past and Present

From "The Land of the Morning Calm" to "The Korean Wave"

*동서고금 (東西古今), 한국을 보는 시선: ‘고요한 아침의 나라’에서 한류까지 <한국어 페이지>

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/?mid=Focus&document_srl=4147729

Long before BTS, Parasite, and Squid Game swept across the globe, voices from abroad were already praising Korean culture—over a century ago.

From 19th-century missionaries and museum curators to a German priest, a Scottish painter, and even Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck, many discovered the refinement and creativity of Korea.

Through their eyes, we see admiration for everything from Hangeul and straw sandals to the Yut game, the traditional gat hat, and riverside laundry scenes.

They recognized in Korea a land of tradition, deep values, and artistic expression—a Land of the Morning Calm. Did they foresee the cultural phenomenon that would become the Korean Wave?

Today, beyond K-Pop, K-Drama, and K-Cinema, the Korean Wave includes K-Ballet, K-Classical Music, K-Opera, K-Books, K-Food, K-Golf, K-Beauty, and K-Games. It continues to captivate audiences around the world.

Who are Koreans, really? What are the roots, the branches, and the fruits of Korean culture?

These are the questions explored in the forthcoming book, 33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave, an updated and expanded English version of my Korean-language book 한류를 이해하는 33가지 코드, published in June 2023.

Ahead of the book’s release, this preview gathers some of the key voices and quotes featured throughout the chapters—revealing how Korean culture and identity have touched the world.

Early Observations

“When the Germanic peoples were still running around in the forest, Joseon was already a highly cultured nation and had invented the printing press long before Germany.”
— Norbert. Weber, In the Land of the Morning Calm (1927)

“Especially in Korea, ‘the land of hats,’ hats are honorable. One immediately recognizes the infinite variety of hats, an unexpected discovery.”
— Percival Lowell, Chosön: The Land of the Morning Calm (1888)

“The washing is done wherever there is a brook and even at the sides of wells... In winter the ice is broken to allow for this cold and disagreeable work, for with white clothes worn by all, washing becomes a most necessary occupation.”

— Horace Newton Allen, Korean Tales (1889)

“The Korean game Nyout may be regarded as the prototype of a large number of games which exist throughout the world.”
— Stewart Culin, Korean Games (1895)

“The Korean language surpasses the English alphabet as a medium of communication.”
— Homer Hulbert, American missionary (1903)

“Hangeul is the simplest writing system in the world. By combining consonants and vowels, any language and sound can be written. Sejong is the Korean Leonardo da Vinci, gifted with a multitude of talents.”
— Pearl S. Buck, Nobel Prize-winning novelist (1938)

Modern Korea and Hallyu

“South Koreans to Americans: We'll teach you how to impeach a president.”
— The Washington Post (2017)

“Over the past 20 years, 700 Koreans have advanced to the finals of international music competitions, and 110 have won.”
— Thierry Loreau, K-Classic Generation (2020)

“Archery: Chopsticks, kimchi fingers the key to success? Their names change, the Games change, but their arrows never falter – the South Korean women’s archery team are Olympic champions once again.”
— Reuters (2012)

“First came the wave of manufacturing, with Samsung and LG; then the K-pop stars, whose ubiquity reached its regrettable height with Psy. Now comes the latest import from South Korea: a formidable array of beauty products.”
— The New York Times (2014)

“K-Beauty is believed to be at least 7 years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of innovation.”
— Marie Claire (2016)

Nunchi is the superpower of Koreans with a history of 5,000 years.”
— Euny Hong, The Power of Nunchi (2019)

“South Korea’s unstoppable taste for haste: The ppalli-ppalli tendency can be seen in South Korea’s world-leading internet speeds, intensive language classes promising near-immediate results, and popular speed-dating events.”
— BBC (2018)

“The biggest Korean DNA is efficiency. ‘Quickly, quickly!’ That is the secret to immigrants’ success.”
— Jussara Lee, fashion designer (2012)

“Koreans are the most disciplined people on earth... You tell them to do something, but they don’t just do it, they do it to the nth degree, and they do it hard and passionate.”
— Brian Mogg, PGA coach (2016)

“It’s Bong Joon-ho’s dystopia. We just live in it.”

— The New York Times (2019)

Food and Daily Life

“Everything I am comes from kimchi.”
— Roy Choi, chef (2013)

“Last week, we picked Napa cabbage in the garden. Now, we’re using it to make kimchi in the kitchen. Make it at home.”

—Michelle Obama (2013)

“The flavors of ssäm sauce are part of Momofuku’s DNA.”
— David Chang, chef (2018)

“Want to live a long, healthy life? Move to South Korea.”

—New York Post, (2017)

“As long as Korea has the spirit of bibimbap, you can have confidence in the multimedia era.”
— Nam June Paik, video artist (1967)

“The French and the English make 35 differentiations to the beef cuts, 51 cuts for the Bodi tribe, while the Koreans differentiate beef cuts into a staggering 120 different parts.”
— Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist

“Korea is the only country where the names of eating utensils are linked to the human body.”
— Lee O-young, former Minister of Culture (2006)

“I'm ready to drink tonight! I'll drink until next morning!”
— Bong Joon-ho, Oscars speech (2020)

“This is Mr. Jhoon Rhee's Accupunch!”
— Muhammad Ali, boxer (1976)

“Bruce Lee helped me with my punch, and I helped him with his kick. We were each other’s teachers and each other’s students.”
— Jhoon Rhee, Taekwondo Grandmaster

“There are no leisurely days. I'm Korean.”
— Margaret Cho, comedian and actor (2010)