Reflections upon IT and its Effects on Korean Popular Culture

Sze Hui’s “Wired (and wireless) Korea: Information Technology and its effects on Korean Culture” was my personal favorite out of all three essays (judging from the blog postings of other classmates, its seems that a large majority of the class would echo my assertion). At first glance, the piece did not seem particularly promising—a whole essay about IT seemed like a trite prospect. But Sze Hui does a wonderful job of connecting two almost polarized elements: IT (scientific and objective) and Popular Culture (organic and interpretational).

Sze Hui observes that telecommunications are about “bringing the world closed together” It is extremely interesting to watch her outline the intricate relationship between IT and Korean Popular Culture. Communication technologies play an extremely integral and intimate role in the lives of Korean youth, surpasses the already heavy dependency that adolescents in America posses. She sews facts and analyses seamlessly together. It never seems that she is simply regurgitating boring data, but actively using her research to substantiate her claims.

What struck me most about the piece is the unique living conditions in Korea that make having such advance technology integral for facilitating the quotidian. Sze Hui highlights that “65% of all trips made in Seoul are via Mass transit”. Here in the United States, a commuter is satisfied with an MP3 player to provide entertainment to kill time while in transit; but in Korea, such mass quantities of time is wasted commuting that it is essential to posses technology that not only entertains but serves. The impressive array of Korean cell phone functions put the American Blackberry email-checking business man to shame:

The Korean cellular network is on the leading edge of technology, providing services that are at best 2-3 years away in the United States. These services include the ability to watch television on cellular phones, control home security systems and even home appliances remotely, conduct financial transactions such as banking and bill-paying, and browsing the Internet.

Another point that I find amusing (and kind of cute) is the inclusion of love-seats in local PC Bangs to allow “guys to play videogames while their girlfriends video-chat with pals.” It is no secret that Korean (and in fact, a large population of all Asian, as Teresa mentions in her post) males have a somewhat obsessive-compulsive approach to videogames such as Dota and Counterstrike. I have heard complains from numerous female friends that their boyfriends (some of them in their twenties even!) neglect them for Dota. Sad, but true. Needless to say, it is not very nice to be passed up for a computer game, and I think the PC Bangs have come up with an ingenious win-win solution that does not force either party to compromise. Even for non-couples, PC Bangs provide a place away from home (and the watchful eyes of parents) for teenagers to unwind, socialize and just enjoy being a teen.

I also appreciate Sze Hui’s objective view about the issue. It is hard to write without a personal bias, but she catalogues both the positive and negative effects of the IT boom in Korea. While the upsurge in communication technologies catapult Korea into twenty-first century as a booming Asian nation: rise in education and literacy rates, economic growth (from having the lowest per-capita GDP of $9,400 USD in 2001, to being the highest internet penetrating country, as cited by the ITU), innovative methods of communication and connectivity (PC Bangs, web-cam chat, cell phone), and overall lifestyle improvements (multi-tasking during subway rides), there are many dangerous pitfalls to being wired 24/7, such as death (“heart failure stemming from exhaustion), illnesses and assorted maladies associated with compulsive gaming. I think it is wonderful that “Korean game now include warnings, admonishing gamers to take a break every hour for the health.” It is understandable that games provide an escape and release from the stresses and harsh realities of life (which leads to my next point..), but everything should be done in moderation, and over-indulgence can lead to detrimental consequences.

My next point: my attempt at a cultural analysis of Korean/American youth and their dependency on the internet. The American perspective: after a long day at school, it is such a luxury to unwind in front of a laptop: download (legally, of course) a few new tunes, check your email, perhaps stalk your crush on Facebook/Xanga (just kidding… or not), order food online, browse sports webpages, check the weather, watch Korean dramas on YouTube, etc. Every one needs some personal “me time” to reflect and recollect. In Korea, the lifestyle of Korean youth is extremely stressful. Everything revolves around academics and school. After classes, it’s English lessons at “Hak Won”, a long hour and a half journey back home, homework, and up early the next morning for school. Furthermore, the education system in Korean is completely different from the North American system where creativity, finding your niche and love of learning are stressed… in Korea, schoolwork comes in copious amounts, emphasis is placed on memorizing and regurgitating facts, the standard of math and science are accelerated and everyone is extremely competitive, smart and/or diligent (taking the stereotype of the Asian nerd to the next level), struggling to get into top American universities. Needless to say, the competition is FIERCE, and on top of doing well in one’s subjects is the added challenge of learning a foreign language (English) and taking the SATs. In essence, Korean teens are living under extremely stressful conditions. As we’ve mentioned in our earlier music section, the energy of Punk Rock serves as a release, and an outlet to express frustration and discontentment. Similarly, the internet (PC Bangs, gaming, online blogs, chatting, etc.) serve as a leisure tool, and an outlet to unwind and distress. Because of the unique set of circumstance and high levels of stress that Korean youths face, the need for an avenue of entertainment/relaxation is heightened, and thus their dependency on the internet surpasses the American reliance. Or, it could also be that Asians tend to lack communication skills, and tend to be a little socially awkward due to hours cooped up in a room studying, and need to hide behind a computer screen to interact and socialize, but that’s a whole other topic altogether.