Culture

Seoul goes Global (this time for real!)

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Seoul is stepping into a much accelerated rate of internationalization over the last six months, so much that I would argue that Seoul should no longer be considered as representative of Korea, but put in a new class of global cities that are competing for global domination in economics, culture, education and prestige. That is to say, Seoul is going head to head with Dubai, Singapore, New York, London and Shanghai in a race for the top seat. You can refer to my previous short post on the next Byzantium  for a few thoughts on this phenomenon.

For example Seoul is going through a wave of enormous building projects such as the Dongdaemun History and Culture Park that may well fundamentally alter the landscape of the city.

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Comics on Economics:Korea’s Hidden Strength

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I have noted previously that one of the outstanding aspects of Korean education is the development of educational comic books aimed at elementary school students that present rather complex information about contemporary society and the world in a readable and entertaining manner. These educational comic books are so well done that I think they deserve to be translated into English for international use.

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A Day of Fasting in Seoul

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I decided to fast for the entire day on Saturday, June 23. There were a variety of reasons why I did so. I last fasted in 1997. I did so at that time in solidarity with the starving people in North Korea. I felt that I needed to know what it was like to go hungry, granted for me it was just a short experiment. In 1997, I did so at a time when a large number of people were fasting for that same purpose.

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Deb Havens & Arthur Park of Grand Rapids, Michigan call for a Korean Cultural Center

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I recently received a note from two individuals in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who have engaged in an in ambitious project to build a center for Korean culture in Grand Rapids that could serve as a hub for introducing Korea to Americans. Tragically, although Americans drive Hyundais and watch Samsungs, many know more about North Korean missiles than they do about Korean history and culture. The approach put forth is very innovative and inspired. Dr.Deborah Havens, a scholar who has taken a deep interest in Korean culture since her son Haight married an Korean woman (and she was blessed with three grandchildren with Korean roots), has teamed up with the Korean-American Professor Arthur K. J. Park to launch a new initiative for education about Korea in the United States. Professor Park has already started his own effort to introduce Korea to Americans through his Morning Crane Tea and Morning Earth Korea projects (including cultural tours to Korea).

Deborah Haven’s family: Mrs. Haven’s mother is on the far left next to her mother-in-law. She is next to her husband David Charles Limbaugh who served in the Korean War. Their grandsons Brennan and Henry are in front, next to Henna and her daughter-in-law Jungson.

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Political and Apolitical Reasons for Drinking Coffee in Korea

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When I wrote the article about the “Café Revolution in Korea,” I did not go into a sufficient consideration of what is driving this craze for cafes. I would say that they make no economic sense. There seem to be cafes sprouting up on every corner and in the case of the road leading up the Kyung Hee University, I would go as far as to say that it is almost wall to wall coffee shops, many empty.

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「ソンビ」を韓国の象徴に育てよう、日本の「サムライ」の様に

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INCRUIT アジアnews+

「ソンビ」を韓国の象徴に育てよう、日本の「サムライ」の様に

(韓国経済新聞　２０１２年４月２０日)

イ・マンヨル慶煕大教授 （訳注：本名は”Emanuel Pastreich”米国生まれ）

慶煕（キョンヒ）大教授・比較文学

国際社会でサムスンやLGのような主要ブランドは良く知られ、特に優秀な品質で定評がある。し かし、世界中の人々にとって韓国という国は相変らずよく分からない国に過ぎない。米国の人々 は現代自動車を走らせサムスンテレビを見ながらも彼らが韓国と関連して新聞で見るのはソウル でおきることではなく、北朝鮮の長距離ロケット発射や北核問題程度だ。

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Seoul against plastic surgery

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At a time when I wince every time I see young women on television who have had their features so completely remodeled to match some computer-generated ideal, I found this sign, in English posted around Seoul this week. I do not know who put the stickers on walls and telephone poles, or why it is in English, but the stickers are intriguing nevertheless.

 

“Korean Women and the Development of Science in Korea “한국 여성과 과학기술의 발전” in Kukmin Newspaper (April 30, 2012) in Korean

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This article in the Kukmin Newspaper describes many of the topics related to the status of women in science in Korea that we have touched upon in these pages previously.

 

 

국민일보

2012년 4월 30일

“한국 여성과 과학기술의 발전”

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