Korean popular culture should not be interpreted as the style of life Koreans prefer now only. It is the way of how the country has been developing during a certain period, its relations with other cultures, and the adjustments that should be made to meet the standards and co-exist with other cultural representatives. In this paper, the evaluation of the relations of power between the western impact and Korean popular culture in terms of Asian countries will be offered to demonstrate how competitive and independent the Koreans can be in their intentions to protect their history and interests.
For a long time, Korea seemed to be a closed country with its unique traditions and people, who do not find it necessary or justified to share their ideas with other nations. In the middle of the 1990s, Korean popular culture has spread through such countries as China, Taiwan, and other Asian countries (Shim 25). At the same, the spreading of Korean culture was challenged by the necessity to consider western influence and investigate the relations of power between these two types of culture. Regarding the power of Korean values, it is interesting to admit that South Korea was the last East Asian country that opened up to western influences (Fitzsimmons and Lent 38).
The reasons for such decisions were not connected with the necessity to ask for help or overcome some local challenges. The idea to join the World Trade Organization, open its markets, and make its culture available to people from other countries was regarded as a chance to provide all foreigners with a chance to learn the power of Korean cultural values and their uniqueness. It was defined as the “Korean Wave” or “Hallyu” by the Chinese media in 1998 (Kim 1; Kuwahara 3). Korean culture turned out to be popular in many countries: China found the powerful aspects of Korean music, economic, and economy, Cambodia was pleased to develop labor relations with Korea as well as to provide Cambodian women marry Korean men (Choi and Nip par. 10), and Japan was challenged by the necessity to share its leading positions in the music market (Hong par. 3).
However, even the brightest innovations and passion for their culture that was introduced by the Koreans to the world were not enough to change the power of the West. The impact of the West remains to be a crucial aspect for consideration. To survive and stay “untouched” by western influences, Korean popular culture should support its goals that are to share their values, and that is all. The Koreans have been tried to protect their culture during a long period. Their decision to open up their cultural principles should not become fatal for Korean popular culture. It should be a chance to prove that this country has several interesting ideas, visions of marriages, and even the standards of beauty that differ from those spread by western supporters.
In general, the historical and contemporary analysis of Korean popular culture shows this country has a huge potential that can be used during different periods to meet rather different purposes. The relations of power that exist between western influences and Korean modern culture cannot be neglected because Asia is the region that undergoes considerable effects of the West and Korea at the same time and cannot make a decision on which culture is more interesting and appropriate for a population.
Works Cited
Choi, Christy, and Amy Nip. “How Korean Culture Stormed the World.” South China Morning Post 2012. Web.
Fitzsimmons, Lorna, and John A. Lent. Asian Popular Culture in Transition, New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Hong, Euny. “Why It Was so Easy for Korean to Overtake Japan in the Pop Culture Wars.” Quartz 2012. Web.
Kim, Youna. The Korean Wave: Korean Media Go Global, New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Kuwahara, Yasue. The Korean Wave: Korean Popular Culture in Global Context, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print.
Shim, Doobo. “Hybridity and the Rise of Korean Popular Culture in Asia.” Media, Culture & Society 28.1 (2006): 25-44.