My Last Thoughts on Korean Popular Culture

It's been over three months since we started thinking about Korean popular culture in an academic setting. I never have imagined that something so contemporary can be imbued with traditional concepts (such as a continuation of Confusian values), and at least even worthy of studying. I decided to take this class because I wanted to know more about what Korean popular culture has to offer. To be honest, my expectations were not high. Contrary to my initial doubts about the breath and depth of the course, I got more out of this class than I expected.

Culture is a difficult term to define. In my previous class on cultural anthropology, we defined the term as a set of beliefs, ideas, practices shared by a group of people that gets transmitted through generation. Even with this definition, it doesn't encapsulate every nuance about different cultures. With that convoluted thought, you then tag on the word popular. What does that mean? If culture is something that is shared by the people in that culture, what makes some popular whereas others are unpopular? I think it's a fine line to draw. As we have seen previously in the Storey chapters, scholars like Leavy will argue that studying popular culture is a waste of time. It's a source of distraction, and it creates illusions of real life. Others like the postmodernist theorists will argue that high and popular culture have no real distinctions. While scholars argue about what popular culture entails, it galvanizes and propels forward. It has not died out.

One of the accomplishments of Korean popular culture is the creation of the Korean Wave (I'm anthropomorphizing here). Yes, the cheap price helped, fast dance music also helped, but is that all? I highly doubt that Hallyu would have been as successful if it wasn't for the entertainment value. It really is a time sucking monster. It also would not have been as big of a hit in Asia without the recent technology. We discussed earlier that technology has allowed us to keep in "contact" with Korea. Global technology such as the internet has served as an agent to mass circulate Korean dramas and Korean music. As we have talked about earlier whether or not Korean dramas or music would be successful in the U.S., I agree with the majority of the class. It probably would not be a huge hit. However, I don't think success should be measured as an all or nothing phenomenon. If it can manage to get attract new audience like those of us who are interested in learning new culture, it deserves some credit. I also think that watching dramas can be a useful tool in learning a new language.

Going back to what I got out of this class, I have a deeper appreciation for Korean popular culture. Initially I thought it would be more along the lines of celebrity gossip and compare/contrast dramas. I mean, in the U.S. people treat popular culture light heartedly. Korean popular culture, when going beyond the surface, serves various functions. It is an instrument that sustains Korean history with historic dramas. The tension between Japan and Korea is still portrayed in the dramas that we have seen. Historic figures are venerated, but also challenges the viewers to think twice about the meaning of history. The Jewel in the Palace, for example, presents history in a whole new level. Besides getting hungry while watching the episodes, it deals with the lives of women in the palace that are often neglected. I think this drama, in particular, has provided Korean women with a model to emulate. It is a shame that she did not get much recognition until recently even when she was the first female doctor in Korea. In this sense, the drama does justice.

I think my attention has shifted from the storyline or lyrics to the functional role of dramas and music. They serve purpose. Like we said, punk rock is a way for Korean youth to free themselves from social oppression. Music videos are not just a visual replica of the lyrics. It has a value of its own. I guess the take home message from the course (at least for me) is to look at Korean popular culture in a grand scheme of things rather than having a tunnel vision.