Contemporary culture of South Korea
Encyclopedia
The contemporary culture of South Korea
developed from the traditional culture of Korea
, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea
in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization
of South Korea, especially Seoul
, have brought many changes to the way Korean people
live. Changing economics
and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities (and depopulation of the rural countryside), with multi-generation
al households separating into nuclear family
living arrangements.
Secondary school systems are single-sex or co-ed, and some are specialized by academic field. While public schools typically specialize in a particular technical skill (e.g. engineering), many private schools specialize in the arts. The three most prestigious universities are the SKY universities: Seoul National University
, Korea University
, and Yonsei University
. Admission to these schools, as well as to Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)
in Daejeon
, and Pohang University of Science and Technology
is extremely competitive. In more specialized fields, Kyunghee University and Hongik University
are renowned for their oriental medicine and art schools, respectively.
Most parents send their children to private academies, hagwon
s (학원), as early on as kindergarten. These institutes teach a variety of subjects, ranging from the study of Chinese characters to music, art and English
. The hagwon industry has become well-known for charging high tuition fees and for fraud. A typical high school student attends 2 or 3 different types of these academies.
Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul
, which helped spread literacy from the dominant classes to the common people, including women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. Sinsoseol, for instance, are novels written in hangul.
In modern poetry, there were attempts at introducing imagist and modern poetry methods particularly in translations of early American moderns such as Ezra Pound
and T. S. Eliot
in the early 20th century. In the early Republic period
, patriotic works were very successful.
Lyric poetry
dominated from the 1970s onwards. Poetry is quite popular in contemporary South Korea, both in terms of number of works published and lay writing.
, and Donga Ilbo. The Hankyoreh is a left-leaning newspaper. KBS, MBC
, and SBS are the main TV channels. Also, there is EBS
for student and adult education
.
South Korea also has several main magazines publications. One of the more popular ones is The Chosun Ilbo
, which is an online presentation of the Korean daily The Chosun Ilbo. Others magazines are K Scene Magazine
, JoongAng Daily, Korea Post
, Korea Times, Yonhap News Agency, OhmyNews International
. The Korea Herald
and PRKorea Times are English language newspapers for foreigners, providing live stories from all over the world.
Although the main newspapers offer online content in Korean and/or English, there are several online-only publications. Several Online publications are Digital Chosunilbo, Seoul Times, Korean Government Homepage, and Donga.com which is an online service providing Korean news in several languages. OhmyNews
is a Korean website established by Oh Yeon Ho
in 2000 in the view that ordinary people could report in by phone or email and have their many views on stories edited by volunteer and professional editors. OhmyNews did the first interview of then-president-elect
, Roh Moo-hyun
.
Recent articles printed in the Chosun Ilbo as well as the Korean Herald, an English-language newspaper, have been accused of being blatantly racist through repeated attacks on foreign English teachers' characters without sources or factual information. A new website, http://www.koreanmediawatch.com/, has been dedicated to finding these articles, translating them when necessary, and challenging the journalists to back up their claims and cite sources.
South Korea has been highly influenced in recent years by foreign countries; initially the primary influence was from the United States. Many people enjoyed watching American films
.
The influence of foreign countries has changed peoples' eating habits as well; many people now enjoy Western and other Asian foods in addition to traditional Korean food. Pizza
is one of the favorite foreign foods among South Koreans, though it tends to differ from the pizza served in the west, often featuring corn
, sweet potato
, mayonnaise
, bulgogi
and various other ingredients. Many Western hamburger
, chicken, coffee
, and ice cream
chains are also very popular in South Korea. Coffeehouse
s operated by 12 major brand
s increased to over 2,000 locations in 2010, and the term "coffice" (커피스) was coined to describe using a cafe as an office.
South Korean dress is also being more heavily influenced by foreign styles.
Recently, the Korean language
has had a huge influx of English words, sometimes expressed as Konglish
. Examples of Konglish:
Also because the English alphabet
has letters that do not exist in the Korean alphabet other letters are usually substituted for others when referring to certain English words. The letter F is replaced with the letter P and the letter Z replaced with the letter J:
and LG
are the second and third largest cell phone companies in the world, and South Koreans are usually among the first to experience innovative technology. New phones are expensive in South Korea, but this doesn't stop South Korean consumers changing their phones on average every 11 months.
Many South Korean phones feature TV broadcasting through Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), which now carries seven TV channels. Over one million DMB phones have been sold and providers like KT
and SK Telecom
have provided coverage throughout many parts of major cities.
Nokia
, the world's largest cellphone company, has dropped selling its phones in South Korea because of its decreasing sales. Motorola holds a 4% shares of cellphone sales in South Korea.
South Korea won the LG Mobile World Cup
, a texting competition run by LG Electronics
.
In recent years games, both online games and the traditional board game baduk
have become a significant part of Korean culture. It is not uncommon to see games of baduk (also known as "Go" in Japanese) replayed for analysis on TV stations like KBS1.
StarCraft
, the PC real-time strategy game
, is by far the most popular televised game in Korea. Games are often broadcast on TV stations such as MBCGame
and Ongamenet
. These tournaments are usually broadcast live and have sizable crowds while they are recorded at shopping malls like COEX, in southeast Seoul
. Professional StarCraft players can command considerable salaries in Korea, and are usually noted celebrities, such as Lim Yo-Hwan
.
PC games are sometimes played in PC방 ("PC bang," PC room), which are similar to Internet cafes, and dedicated to LAN games of popular titles like Kart Rider, Maple Story, World of Warcraft
, Mabinogi, Lineage and other Korean and foreign games. This is by far the preferred pastime for students but is enjoyed by Koreans of all ages, male and female.
In the drinking culture of South Korea often with a group of individuals, drinking games are played. A variety of games can be played within the group and can change with every coming round. The type of alcohol can vary, but more than likely soju
, a common Korean liquor, is used when the games are being played.
and Southeast Asia
. K-pop often features young performers. In the 1970s and 1980s many musicians appeared, such as Cho Yong Pil, a renowned musician from that period. He used many sources such as the synthesizer
. Among his influence, he is well-known for popularizing rock music
.
The emergence of the group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music, as the group incorporated elements of American popular musical genres of the 1990s.
Popular artists who diverge from the K-pop sound include solo singers BoA
, Lee Hyori
, Rain (a.k.a. 'Bi' in Korea), boy bands
F.T Island, SHINee
, Super Junior
, DBSK, 2PM
, 2AM
, CNBLUE, MBLAQ
, SS501, BEAST, U-Kiss
, Choshinsung
, and Shinhwa
and Girls groups
Girls' Generation
, Kara
, Brown Eyed Girls
, 4minute
, T-ara
, After School
, Wonder Girls
, f(x)
, miss A
, Rainbow
, Davichi
, and many other artists. South Korea is also home to its own form of hip hop
artists, including MC Mong
, Epik High
, Dynamic Duo
, 2NE1
and Big Bang. One of the most popular boy bands is TVXQ
, who has not only achieved fame throughout South Korea, but also much of East Asia as well specially in Japan under the name of Tohoshinki. In addition, BoA
is the first non-Japanese artist to get widespread recognition in Japan, being the best-selling artist in the Oricon Chart, and second ranking after Ayumi Hamasaki. For that reason, BoA
was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador, and has since contributed to restoring the good relations between Japan and South Korea. This sometimes leads the artists to debut in the other countries and stay active.
Some songs from popular groups formed dance crazes, such as "Mirotic
" by TVXQ
, Tell Me
" and "Nobody
" by the Wonder Girls
, "Sorry Sorry
" by Super Junior
, "Lucifer
'" by SHINee
, "Gee
" by Girls' Generation
, "Nu ABO
" by f(x)
, and "Fire
" by 2NE1
. These dance crazes would often spread quickly throughout Asia, inspiring many people to imitate them in talk shows, commercials, and even political campaigns. Because of their addictive sound and inspired dance crazes, some of these songs have subsequently won musical awards, such as the "Song of the Year".
In addition, there is also traditional Korean pop music, or trot. Appealing to older Koreans, there are many popular singers, including Tae Jin Ah
, Na Hoon-a
and Song Dae Kwan
, mainly in their 50s and 60s, if not older. However, it has recently experienced a resurgence due to the popularity of Jang Yoon Jeong, a young semi-trot star who had a breakout hit with "Omona."
is most commonly called "Noraebang" (노래방, literally, "song room") in Korea, but various Korean
alternatives like Norae yeonseupjang (노래연습장), or Norae yeonseupshil (노래연습실) are also sometimes used. Noraebang is even conducted in transport vehicles such as tourist buses. Noraebang is the equivalent to the Karaoke-Box in Japan, whereas singing before an audience of a karaoke bar is called Karaoke (카라오케) in Korea.
in 1999, Korean film has become much more popular, both in South Korea and abroad. Today South Korea is one of the few countries where Hollywood productions do not enjoy a dominant share of the domestic market. This fact, however, is partly due to the existence of screen quotas
requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year.
Shiri was a film about a North Korea
n spy preparing a coup in Seoul
. The film was the first in Korean history to sell more than two million tickets in Seoul
alone. This helped Shiri to surpass box office hits such as The Matrix
and Star Wars
. The success of Shiri motivated other Korean films with larger budgets.
In 2000 the film Joint Security Area
was a huge success and even surpassed the benchmark set by Shiri. One year later, the film Friend managed the same. In South Korea the romantic comedy My Sassy Girl
outsold The Lord of the Rings
and Harry Potter
which ran at the same time. The director of Joint Security Area has gone on to direct many popular films in Korea and abroad especially the cult film of 2003, Oldboy
. Kim Ki-Duk
is also a well-respected filmmaker and is known for using minimal dialogue between characters to create an emotional response from the audience. He is known especially for 3-Iron
and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
. As of 2004, new films continue to break records, and many Korean productions are more popular than Hollywood films. Both Silmido
and Taegukgi
(The Brotherhood) were watched by over 10 million people, which is almost a quarter of the Korean population. Silmido is a film based on a true story about a secret special force. The other is a blockbuster movie about the Korean War
directed by the director of Shiri. The Host
(2006) part monster movie, part social satire broke Korean box office records and has become fairly popular in the United States as well.
This success attracted the attention of Hollywood. Films such as Shiri are now distributed in the United States
. In 2001, Miramax bought the rights to an Americanized remake of the successful Korean action comedy movie, My Wife is a Gangster.
Many Korean films reflect the unique circumstances of the division of Korea
.
trend in Asia and elsewhere. The trend has driven Korean stars to fame and has done much to boost the image and prestige of Korean popular culture.
Dramas showcase a wide range of stories, but the most prominent among the export dramas have been romance (All About Eve, Autumn Fairy Tale
, Winter Sonata
, My Fair Lady, Stairway to Heaven
, Full House, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Goong, Boys Over Flowers
, Shining Inheritance, You're Beautiful
, Secret Garden
, Dream High
) and historical fantasy dramas (Dae Jang Geum
, Emperor of the Sea
, Jumong
, Sungkyunkwan Scandal
). Korea has also aired their first blockbuster spy drama, IRIS
. More recently SBS
aired a new drama called "49 days" starring nam gyuri as the leading role and received critical acclaim and popularity.
is the best known back-room product of Korea, many other popular animation series (Futurama
, King of the Hill
, Avatar: The Last Airbender
, Family Guy
from the USA, and also many anime
from Japan) have had the basic animation, in-betweening, and coloring done in Korea. This work is usually generic and professional, but not necessarily Korean in tone or manner.
The animation studios have increasingly been given new contract work for Korean series. The most famous has been the animation of Korean folklore
by KBS in a 150 part series. This series uses 2-D animation, suggestions for scripts and stories by local crew, and was produced "with the object to create a new "Korean Wave animation" that is distinct from Disneymation".
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
developed from the traditional culture of Korea
Culture of Korea
The current political separation of North and South Korea has resulted in divergence in modern Korean cultures; nevertheless, the traditional culture of Korea is historically shared by both states.-Dance:...
, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea
Division of Korea
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...
in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
of South Korea, especially Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, have brought many changes to the way Korean people
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
live. Changing economics
Economy of South Korea
South Korea has a market economy which ranks 15th in the world by nominal GDP and 12th by purchasing power parity , identifying it as one of the G-20 major economies. It is a high-income developed country, with a developed market, and is a member of OECD...
and lifestyles have led to a concentration of population in major cities (and depopulation of the rural countryside), with multi-generation
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
al households separating into nuclear family
Nuclear family
Nuclear family is a term used to define a family group consisting of a father and mother and their children. This is in contrast to the smaller single-parent family, and to the larger extended family. Nuclear families typically center on a married couple, but not always; the nuclear family may have...
living arrangements.
Academics
South Korea's academic environment is extremely competitive. Korean society regards getting into a prestigious university as a prerequisite to success. Most of a student's career is focused on admission to such universities, although this attitude has shifted in recent years. Nearly all of the nation's top schools (both high schools and universities) are located in Seoul, inviting criticism that rural areas face structural disadvantages. Rural students undergo hours of daily commute if admitted to a Seoul school.Secondary school systems are single-sex or co-ed, and some are specialized by academic field. While public schools typically specialize in a particular technical skill (e.g. engineering), many private schools specialize in the arts. The three most prestigious universities are the SKY universities: Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
, Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
, and Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
. Admission to these schools, as well as to Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)
KAIST
KAIST , is located in Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon, South Korea. KAIST was established by the Korean government in 1971 as the nation's first research oriented science and engineering institution. The QS-The Times World University Rankings in the year of 2009 placed KAIST 69th overall and 21st in...
in Daejeon
Daejeon
Daejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the...
, and Pohang University of Science and Technology
Pohang University of Science and Technology
Pohang University of Science and Technology or POSTECH is a private university, based in Pohang, South Korea, which is dedicated to research and education in science and technology...
is extremely competitive. In more specialized fields, Kyunghee University and Hongik University
Hongik University
Hongik University, usually known as "Hongdae" for short, is a private university in the Mapo-gu district of central Seoul, South Korea with a second campus in Jochiwon, Chungcheongnam-do. Hongik University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs...
are renowned for their oriental medicine and art schools, respectively.
Most parents send their children to private academies, hagwon
Hagwon
Hagwon is the Korean-language word for a for-profit private institute, academy or cram-school prevalent in South Korea. The term is also sometimes used to describe similar institutions operated by Korean Americans in the United States...
s (학원), as early on as kindergarten. These institutes teach a variety of subjects, ranging from the study of Chinese characters to music, art and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The hagwon industry has become well-known for charging high tuition fees and for fraud. A typical high school student attends 2 or 3 different types of these academies.
Literature
- See also: Korean literatureKorean literatureKorean literature is the body of literature produced in Korea or by Korean writers. For much of its 3,000 years of literature history, it was written both in Hanja and in Korean, first using the transcription systems idu and gugyeol, and finally using the Korean script Hangul. It is commonly...
till 1948, then South Korean literatureSouth Korean literature-Novels:A representative barometer of serious fiction is provided by the choices of some contemporary authors by the Korea Literature Translation Institute for translation into English, French, German and Spanish...
, Korean poetryKorean poetryKorean poetry is poetry performed or written in the Korean language or by Korean people. Traditional Korean poetry is often sung in performance. Until the 20th century, much of Korean poetry was written in Hanja and later Hangul.- History :...
, List of Korean language poets.
Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
, which helped spread literacy from the dominant classes to the common people, including women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. Sinsoseol, for instance, are novels written in hangul.
In modern poetry, there were attempts at introducing imagist and modern poetry methods particularly in translations of early American moderns such as Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
and T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
in the early 20th century. In the early Republic period
History of South Korea
The history of South Korea formally begins with the establishment of South Korea on 15 August 1948, although Syngman Rhee had declared the establishment in Seoul on 13 August....
, patriotic works were very successful.
Lyric poetry
20th century lyric poetry
In the early years of the twentieth century rhymed lyric poetry, usually expressing the feelings of the poet, was the dominant poetic form in America, Europe and the British colonies. The relevance and acceptability of the lyric in the modern age was, though, called into question by modernism, the...
dominated from the 1970s onwards. Poetry is quite popular in contemporary South Korea, both in terms of number of works published and lay writing.
Journalism
South Korea has 10 main newspapers and 3 main broadcasters. Top three daily newspapers are Chosun Ilbo, Joongang IlboJoongAng Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo is a conservative newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "big three newspapers" in South Korea. It has a circulation of 1.96 million copies in South Korea . Its average page count per copy is around 52...
, and Donga Ilbo. The Hankyoreh is a left-leaning newspaper. KBS, MBC
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, and SBS are the main TV channels. Also, there is EBS
Educational Broadcasting System
Educational Broadcasting System or EBS is the only educational television and radio network covering South Korean territory. Established as KBS 3TV in the 1980's, and became an independent corporation in 2000...
for student and adult education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
.
South Korea also has several main magazines publications. One of the more popular ones is The Chosun Ilbo
The Chosun Ilbo
The Chosun Ilbo is one of the major newspapers in South Korea. With a daily circulation of over 2,200,000, the Chosun Ilbo has undertaken annual inspections since Audit Bureau of Circulations was established in 1993...
, which is an online presentation of the Korean daily The Chosun Ilbo. Others magazines are K Scene Magazine
K Scene Magazine
K Scene Magazine is a bi-weekly English-language arts and entertainment magazine based in Seoul, South Korea. It has a circulation of 20,000 per month...
, JoongAng Daily, Korea Post
Korea Post
Korea Post is the national postage service of South Korea, and a direct subauthority of Ministry of Knowledge and Economy. Korea Post is in charge of postal service, postal banking & insurance service...
, Korea Times, Yonhap News Agency, OhmyNews International
OhmyNews International
OhmyNews International is the worldwide, English-language site of the South Korean online citizen journalism newspaper OhmyNews. OhmyNews International was established by OhmyNews founder Oh Yeon Ho on February 22, 2004 on the principle that "Every citizen in the world is a reporter." It currently...
. The Korea Herald
Korea Herald
The Korea Herald is a daily English-language newspaper founded in 1953 and published in Seoul, South Korea. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from international news agencies such as the Associated Press.The Korea...
and PRKorea Times are English language newspapers for foreigners, providing live stories from all over the world.
Although the main newspapers offer online content in Korean and/or English, there are several online-only publications. Several Online publications are Digital Chosunilbo, Seoul Times, Korean Government Homepage, and Donga.com which is an online service providing Korean news in several languages. OhmyNews
OhmyNews
OhmyNews is a South Korean online newspaper website with the motto "Every Citizen is a Reporter". It was founded by Oh Yeon Ho on February 22, 2000....
is a Korean website established by Oh Yeon Ho
Oh Yeon Ho
Oh Yeon Ho is the founder of "citizen journalism" in the Republic of Korea, and CEO of OhmyNews a new approach to cyber-journalism in which ordinary citizens can contribute to a major news organization through being at news events, filing reports, and having their work verified and edited by a...
in 2000 in the view that ordinary people could report in by phone or email and have their many views on stories edited by volunteer and professional editors. OhmyNews did the first interview of then-president-elect
President-elect
An -elect is a political candidate who has been elected to an office but who has not yet been sworn in or officially taken office. These may include an incoming president, senator, representative, governor and mayor.Analogously, the term "designate" An -elect is a political candidate who has been...
, Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun GOM GCB was the 16th President of South Korea .Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his...
.
Recent articles printed in the Chosun Ilbo as well as the Korean Herald, an English-language newspaper, have been accused of being blatantly racist through repeated attacks on foreign English teachers' characters without sources or factual information. A new website, http://www.koreanmediawatch.com/, has been dedicated to finding these articles, translating them when necessary, and challenging the journalists to back up their claims and cite sources.
Foreign influences
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
.
The influence of foreign countries has changed peoples' eating habits as well; many people now enjoy Western and other Asian foods in addition to traditional Korean food. Pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
is one of the favorite foreign foods among South Koreans, though it tends to differ from the pizza served in the west, often featuring corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
, mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
, bulgogi
Bulgogi
Bulgogi is a Korean dish that usually consists of marinated barbecued beef, although chicken or pork may also be used. It is listed at number 23 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll complied by CNN Go in 2011.-Etymology:...
and various other ingredients. Many Western hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
, chicken, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, and ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
chains are also very popular in South Korea. Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s operated by 12 major brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
s increased to over 2,000 locations in 2010, and the term "coffice" (커피스) was coined to describe using a cafe as an office.
South Korean dress is also being more heavily influenced by foreign styles.
Recently, the Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
has had a huge influx of English words, sometimes expressed as Konglish
Konglish
Konglish is the use of English words in a Korean context. The words, having initially been taken from the English language, are either actual English words in Korean context, like 모터사이클 , or are made from a combination of Korean and/or English words which are not used in English-speaking...
. Examples of Konglish:
- Eye shopping (ai syopping 아이 쇼핑) refers to 'window shopping'.
- Service (seobisseu 서비쓰) usually means 'complimentary', such as a gift with purchase or warranty service.
- Hand phone (hendeu pon 헨드 폰) refers to 'mobile phone'.
- Paiting or Hwaiting (a loanwordLoanwordA loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
from 'fighting', EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
) is a phrase used to 'cheer' someone during a difficult trial. - One shot is a phrase used while drinking similar to bottoms up, suggesting to down your drink in one go.
Also because the English alphabet
English alphabet
The modern English alphabet is a Latin alphabet consisting of 26 letters and 2 ligatures – the same letters that are found in the Basic modern Latin alphabet:...
has letters that do not exist in the Korean alphabet other letters are usually substituted for others when referring to certain English words. The letter F is replaced with the letter P and the letter Z replaced with the letter J:
- Kopi (coffee)
- Pija (pizza)
Cellular phones
An estimated 98% of South Koreans own mobile phones and use them not only for calling and messaging but also for watching live TV, viewing websites and keeping track of their online gaming statuses. South Korean corporations SamsungSamsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and LG
LG
LG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
are the second and third largest cell phone companies in the world, and South Koreans are usually among the first to experience innovative technology. New phones are expensive in South Korea, but this doesn't stop South Korean consumers changing their phones on average every 11 months.
Many South Korean phones feature TV broadcasting through Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), which now carries seven TV channels. Over one million DMB phones have been sold and providers like KT
KT
-Science:* kT in Physics* Knot , a unit of velocity * Kardashev scale, method of measuring an advanced civilization's level of technological advancement...
and SK Telecom
SK Telecom
SK Telecom Co., Ltd. or Sunkyoung Telecom is a South Korean wireless telecommunications operator, controlled by the SK Group, one of the country's largest chaebol. As a part of SK Group, SK stands for Sun Kyung.SK Telecom is a provider of mobile service in Korea, with 50.5% of the market share as...
have provided coverage throughout many parts of major cities.
Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, the world's largest cellphone company, has dropped selling its phones in South Korea because of its decreasing sales. Motorola holds a 4% shares of cellphone sales in South Korea.
South Korea won the LG Mobile World Cup
LG Mobile World Cup
The LG Mobile World Cup was an international competition held on January 14, 2010 by LG Electronics in which participants competed using their texting speed and accuracy. It was held at Gotham Hall in New York City. Thirteen teams representing their countries competed for a total of $150,000 USD in...
, a texting competition run by LG Electronics
LG Electronics
LG Electronics is a global electronics and telecommunications company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. The company operates its business through five divisions: mobile communications, home entertainment, home appliance, air conditioning and business solution...
.
Games
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
have become a significant part of Korean culture. It is not uncommon to see games of baduk (also known as "Go" in Japanese) replayed for analysis on TV stations like KBS1.
StarCraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
, the PC real-time strategy game
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
, is by far the most popular televised game in Korea. Games are often broadcast on TV stations such as MBCGame
MBCGame
MBC Game is the South Korean non-'free-to-air' television network, which is well-known for its E-sports broadcasting.- Contents :...
and Ongamenet
Ongamenet
Ongamenet is one of two South Korean cable television companies , that specializes in broadcasting video game-related information and matches, which include StarCraft, Warcraft III and others. It is a subsidiary of On-Media, an owner of several cable channels....
. These tournaments are usually broadcast live and have sizable crowds while they are recorded at shopping malls like COEX, in southeast Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Professional StarCraft players can command considerable salaries in Korea, and are usually noted celebrities, such as Lim Yo-Hwan
Lim Yo-Hwan
Lim Yo-Hwan , known by the pseudonym SlayerS_`BoxeR` , is one of the most successful players of the real-time strategy computer game StarCraft to date...
.
PC games are sometimes played in PC방 ("PC bang," PC room), which are similar to Internet cafes, and dedicated to LAN games of popular titles like Kart Rider, Maple Story, World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, Mabinogi, Lineage and other Korean and foreign games. This is by far the preferred pastime for students but is enjoyed by Koreans of all ages, male and female.
In the drinking culture of South Korea often with a group of individuals, drinking games are played. A variety of games can be played within the group and can change with every coming round. The type of alcohol can vary, but more than likely soju
Soju
Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and more commonly consumed neat.Most brands of soju are made in South Korea...
, a common Korean liquor, is used when the games are being played.
Popular music
Many Korean pop stars and groups are well known throughout East AsiaEast Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. K-pop often features young performers. In the 1970s and 1980s many musicians appeared, such as Cho Yong Pil, a renowned musician from that period. He used many sources such as the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. Among his influence, he is well-known for popularizing rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
The emergence of the group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music, as the group incorporated elements of American popular musical genres of the 1990s.
Popular artists who diverge from the K-pop sound include solo singers BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
, Lee Hyori
Lee Hyori
Lee Hyori is a South Korean singer. She debuted as a member of the successful pop girl group Fin.K.L, but has since become a solo artist. In 2003 she released her debut solo album Stylish which won many "Daesangs"...
, Rain (a.k.a. 'Bi' in Korea), boy bands
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
F.T Island, SHINee
SHINee
Shinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
, Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
, DBSK, 2PM
2PM
2PM is a South Korean boy band, originally a seven-member group, but currently consisting of six members due to the sudden contract termination of leader Jaebeom following an Internet controversy in September 2009. They are managed by JYP Entertainment...
, 2AM
2AM
2AM is a South Korean four-member ballad boy band under JYP Entertainment. The members are Jo Kwon, Jinwoon, Seulong, and Changmin. 2AM is one of the two subgroups branched out from the eleven-member boy band One Day, the other being 2PM. They officially debuted on July 11, 2008 on KBS's Music...
, CNBLUE, MBLAQ
MBLAQ
MBLAQ is a South Korean quintet boy band created by Korean entertainer Rain under J.Tune Camp. The group consists of Seung Ho , G.O , Joon , Cheondoong/Thunder , and Mir...
, SS501, BEAST, U-Kiss
U-Kiss
U-KISS is a South Korean boy band formed by NH Media in 2008. The members of the group are Soohyun, Eli, Kevin, Dongho, Kiseop, Hoon and AJ . Alexander and Kibum became former members, when their contracts were terminated in early 2011,The group has released two full-length albums, five extended...
, Choshinsung
Choshinsung
Choshinsung is a South Korean boy band formed under Mnet Media. Its six members specialized in the areas of singing, dance, acting, rap and pop. Since debut, the group gained popularity in South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and other East Asian countries....
, and Shinhwa
Shinhwa
Shinhwa is a popular South Korean boy band and hip hop group. The group has six members , and debuted on March 24, 1998. It has enjoyed massive success alongside the likes of Sechs Kies, g.o.d., Turbo , Fin. K.L., H.O.T. and S.E.S...
and Girls groups
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
, Kara
Kara (band)
Kara is a popular South Korean girl group signed with DSP Media . The band name Kara comes from the Greek Word "chara" Kara (Hangul: 카라, Japanese: カラ, often stylized as KARA) is a popular South Korean girl group signed with DSP Media (DSP). The band name Kara comes from the Greek Word "chara" Kara...
, Brown Eyed Girls
Brown Eyed Girls
The Brown Eyed Girls , often abbreviated as B.E.G., is a South Korean girl group managed by Nega Network. The group consists of four members: Jea, Miryo, Narsha, and Ga-in. They've debuted as an R&B/ballad vocal group in 2006 and challenged themselves with different music genres. Rising to...
, 4minute
4minute
4Minute is a popular South Korean girl group founded by Cube Entertainment in 2009. The group consists of Nam Jihyun , Heo Gayoon, Jeon Jiyoon, Kim Hyuna and Kwon SoHyun. The girls released their first single on June 15, 2009 and made their debut stage last June 18, 2009 on Mnet M! Countdown...
, T-ara
T-ara
T-ara is a South Korean girl group formed by Core Contents Media in 2009. Before their debut, there was a high level of interest in the group as they were called "Super Rookies" and had been training for three years prior to debut....
, After School
After School (band)
After School is a South Korean girl group formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2009. They are the first group to debut with a unique admissions and graduation concept in Korea, where members are added or withdrawn in a “natural” manner...
, Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls is a South Korean girl group. Its producer and manager is singer-songwriter Park Jin-Young and the Wonder Girls is signed to his talent agency, JYP Entertainment. Each of the five original members were selected through auditions...
, f(x)
F(x) (band)
f is a five member South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2009. The name is a play on the mathematical notation for function, and when input with different 'x', there can be many different outcomes. f strives to be the kind of girl group that can change and adapt to many situations....
, miss A
Miss A
Miss A , commonly stylized as miss A, is a four member South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment through their sub-label AQ Entertainment in 2010. The group consists of members from both China and South Korea...
, Rainbow
Rainbow (Korean band)
RAINBOW is a 7-member South Korean girl group under DSP Media. The members are Jae Kyung Go Woo Ri Cho Hyun Young Kim Ji Sook No Eul Oh Seung Ah , Jung Yoon Hye...
, Davichi
Davichi
Davichi is a South Korean duet female group made up of Lee Hae-ri and Kang Min-kyung . Davichi is derived from the Korean word "Dabichi" meaning the light to shine over the world....
, and many other artists. South Korea is also home to its own form of hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
artists, including MC Mong
MC Mong
MC Mong is a South Korean hip hop artist who is known for his comic disposition and his upbeat songs. He graduated from Dong-Ah Broadcasting College. MC Mong has collaborated with many well known artists, including Kim Tae Woo from G.o.d., Ock Ju-hyun, Ivy, Crown J, Lena Park, Park Hyo Shin, SG...
, Epik High
Epik High
Epik High is a South Korean indie hip hop group from Seoul, South Korea. The group is composed of Tablo, Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz...
, Dynamic Duo
Dynamic Duo
Dynamic Duo is a Korean hip hop duo, made up of members Choiza and Gaeko. Unlike the rough and off beat sound of their past group, CB Mass, Dynamic Duo changed their style to a more audience-friendly sound with a brighter ambiance...
, 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
and Big Bang. One of the most popular boy bands is TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
, who has not only achieved fame throughout South Korea, but also much of East Asia as well specially in Japan under the name of Tohoshinki. In addition, BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
is the first non-Japanese artist to get widespread recognition in Japan, being the best-selling artist in the Oricon Chart, and second ranking after Ayumi Hamasaki. For that reason, BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador, and has since contributed to restoring the good relations between Japan and South Korea. This sometimes leads the artists to debut in the other countries and stay active.
Some songs from popular groups formed dance crazes, such as "Mirotic
Mirotic
-Version B:-Version C:-Version D:-Japan Release Version:-Promotional singles:* "주문-Mirotic * "Wrong Number" -Release history:...
" by TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
, Tell Me
Tell Me (Wonder Girls song)
"Tell Me" was the lead single from the Wonder Girls' first full-length album, The Wonder Years. Sampling Stacey Q's "Two of Hearts", "Tell Me" was a strong hit for the group, topping various online and offline charts...
" and "Nobody
Nobody (Wonder Girls song)
"Nobody" is a dance pop song produced by Park Jin-Young and recorded by Korean girl group Wonder Girls. The song was released as a digital download single on September 22, 2008 in their native Korean...
" by the Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls is a South Korean girl group. Its producer and manager is singer-songwriter Park Jin-Young and the Wonder Girls is signed to his talent agency, JYP Entertainment. Each of the five original members were selected through auditions...
, "Sorry Sorry
Sorry, Sorry (song)
"Sorry, Sorry" is a song performed by South Korean boy band Super Junior. It was released as a digital single on March 9, 2009 and was later included as the title single in the group's third studio album, Sorry, Sorry, released on March 12, 2009. This song was Super Junior's comeback single as a...
" by Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
, "Lucifer
Lucifer (album)
-Release history:LuciferHello-Sales and certifications:...
'" by SHINee
SHINee
Shinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
, "Gee
Gee (Girls' Generation song)
"Gee" is a song by K-pop girl group Girls' Generation. It was released on online music sites on January 5, 2009, with the physical release of the EP on January 7...
" by Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
, "Nu ABO
Nu ABO
-Release history:- External links :* *...
" by f(x)
F(x) (band)
f is a five member South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2009. The name is a play on the mathematical notation for function, and when input with different 'x', there can be many different outcomes. f strives to be the kind of girl group that can change and adapt to many situations....
, and "Fire
Fire (2NE1 song)
"Fire" is the debut single by K-pop girl group 2NE1. Released in May, the song became a hit on various on- and offline charts.- Background :On April 30, 2009, Yang Hyun-suk of YG Entertainment revealed that 2NE1's debut song would be a hip-hop/reggae song, to be released to digital outlets on May...
" by 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
. These dance crazes would often spread quickly throughout Asia, inspiring many people to imitate them in talk shows, commercials, and even political campaigns. Because of their addictive sound and inspired dance crazes, some of these songs have subsequently won musical awards, such as the "Song of the Year".
In addition, there is also traditional Korean pop music, or trot. Appealing to older Koreans, there are many popular singers, including Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah is the stage name of South Korean veteran trot singer Jo Bang Hun. He is the father of singer Eru.In addition to his singing activities, Tae Jin Ah also hosts a radio program on KBS Happy FM Radio called 태진아 쇼쇼쇼 .-Awards:- References :...
, Na Hoon-a
Na Hoon-a
Na Hoon-a is a Korean trot singer who began singing in the 1960s and 70s. Born Choi Hong-ki on February 2, 1947, in South Korea, he released numerous solo albums and special duet albums with other trot singers....
and Song Dae Kwan
Song Dae Kwan
Song Dae Kwan is Korean teuroteu male singer.- Albums :* Song Dae Kwan , September 2001* Song Dae Kwan - Song & Life, September 2001* Big Star Super Golden, May 2002- Collaborations :...
, mainly in their 50s and 60s, if not older. However, it has recently experienced a resurgence due to the popularity of Jang Yoon Jeong, a young semi-trot star who had a breakout hit with "Omona."
Noraebang
KaraokeKaraoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
is most commonly called "Noraebang" (노래방, literally, "song room") in Korea, but various Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
alternatives like Norae yeonseupjang (노래연습장), or Norae yeonseupshil (노래연습실) are also sometimes used. Noraebang is even conducted in transport vehicles such as tourist buses. Noraebang is the equivalent to the Karaoke-Box in Japan, whereas singing before an audience of a karaoke bar is called Karaoke (카라오케) in Korea.
Film and television
Since the success of the Korean film ShiriShiri (film)
Shiri is a 1999 South Korean action film, written and directed by Kang Je-gyu.Swiri was the first Hollywood-style big-budget blockbuster to be produced in the "new" Korean film industry...
in 1999, Korean film has become much more popular, both in South Korea and abroad. Today South Korea is one of the few countries where Hollywood productions do not enjoy a dominant share of the domestic market. This fact, however, is partly due to the existence of screen quotas
Screen quotas
Screen quotas are a legislated policy that enforces a minimum number of screening days of domestic films in the theater each year to protect the nation’s films. The screen quota system is enforced to prevent foreign markets from making inroads into the domestic film market. The screen quota system...
requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year.
Shiri was a film about a North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n spy preparing a coup in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. The film was the first in Korean history to sell more than two million tickets in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
alone. This helped Shiri to surpass box office hits such as The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
and Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
. The success of Shiri motivated other Korean films with larger budgets.
In 2000 the film Joint Security Area
Joint Security Area (film)
Joint Security Area is a 2000 South Korean film starring Lee Young Ae, Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho. It was directed by Park Chan-wook and is based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang-yeon...
was a huge success and even surpassed the benchmark set by Shiri. One year later, the film Friend managed the same. In South Korea the romantic comedy My Sassy Girl
My Sassy Girl
My Sassy Girl is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong. It tells the story of a man's chance meeting with a drunk girl on the train which changes his life...
outsold The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
and Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
which ran at the same time. The director of Joint Security Area has gone on to direct many popular films in Korea and abroad especially the cult film of 2003, Oldboy
Oldboy
Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook. It is based on the Japanese manga of the same name written by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya. Oldboy is the second installment of The Vengeance Trilogy, preceded by Sympathy for Mr...
. Kim Ki-Duk
Kim Ki-duk
Kim Ki-duk is a South Korean filmmaker noted for his idiosyncratic "art-house" cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit. He is not related to the Kim Ki-duk who directed Yonggary in the 1960s...
is also a well-respected filmmaker and is known for using minimal dialogue between characters to create an emotional response from the audience. He is known especially for 3-Iron
3-Iron
3-Iron is a 2004 Korean film directed by Kim Ki-duk. The plot revolves around the relationship between a young drifter and an abused housewife...
and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring is a 2003 South Korean film about a Buddhist monastery that floats on a lake in a pristine forest. The story is about the life of a Buddhist monk as he passes through the seasons of his life, from childhood to old age.The movie was directed by Kim Ki-duk,...
. As of 2004, new films continue to break records, and many Korean productions are more popular than Hollywood films. Both Silmido
Silmido (film)
Silmido is a 2003 South Korean film, directed by Kang Woo-suk. It is loosely based on a military uprising from the island of Silmido in the 1970s. At the end of its run, the film was the most watched film ever in South Korea, and the first film to attract an audience of 10 million viewers in the...
and Taegukgi
Taegukgi (film)
Taegukgi Hwinallimyo is a 2004 South Korean war film directed by Kang Je-gyu. It tells the story about the effect of the Korean War on two brothers. The film's title is the name of the pre-war Flag of Korea as well as the postwar Flag of South Korea...
(The Brotherhood) were watched by over 10 million people, which is almost a quarter of the Korean population. Silmido is a film based on a true story about a secret special force. The other is a blockbuster movie about the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
directed by the director of Shiri. The Host
The Host (film)
The Host is a 2006 South Korean monster film, which also contains elements of comedy and drama films. The film was directed by Bong Joon-ho, who co-wrote the screenplay, along with Baek Chul-hyun....
(2006) part monster movie, part social satire broke Korean box office records and has become fairly popular in the United States as well.
This success attracted the attention of Hollywood. Films such as Shiri are now distributed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2001, Miramax bought the rights to an Americanized remake of the successful Korean action comedy movie, My Wife is a Gangster.
Many Korean films reflect the unique circumstances of the division of Korea
Division of Korea
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...
.
Dramas
Korean television and especially the short form dramatic mini-series colloquially called "dramas" by Koreans have become extremely popular outside of Korea. Dramas were foremost among cultural exports driving the Korean WaveKorean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
trend in Asia and elsewhere. The trend has driven Korean stars to fame and has done much to boost the image and prestige of Korean popular culture.
Dramas showcase a wide range of stories, but the most prominent among the export dramas have been romance (All About Eve, Autumn Fairy Tale
Autumn Fairy Tale
Autumn in My Heart also known as Autumn Fairy Tale and Autumn Tale, is the first installment of the four part Endless Love drama series directed by Yoon Seok-Ho, produced by South Korean TV Network KBS...
, Winter Sonata
Winter Sonata
Winter Sonata is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by KBS in 2002. It is the second part of the Endless Love installment directed by Yoon Seok-Ho...
, My Fair Lady, Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven (TV series)
Stairway to Heaven is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by SBS between late 2003 and early 2004. It stars Choi Ji-woo, Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Tae-hee, and Shin Hyun Joon.-Plot:...
, Full House, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Goong, Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers (TV series)
Boys Over Flowers is a South Korean television drama series starring Ku Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong of SS501, Kim Bum, Kim Joon of T-Max and Kim So Eun. It premiered on January 5, 2009 on KBS2 and ended on March 31, 2009 after 25 episodes....
, Shining Inheritance, You're Beautiful
You're Beautiful (TV series)
He's Beautiful is a South Korean drama about a fictional boy band A.N.Jell and the relationship between its members when a female, posing as her twin brother, joins the group...
, Secret Garden
Secret Garden (TV series)
Secret Garden is a 2010 South Korean television drama, starring Ha Ji-won, Hyun Bin, Yoon Sang Hyun, Kim Sa-rang, Lee Jong Suk and Yoo In-na. It was broadcasted on SBS from 13 November 2010 to 16 January 2011. It won a number of awards at both the SBS Drama Awards and 47th Paeksang Arts Awards in...
, Dream High
Dream High
Dream High is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System in 2011. It features Suzy, Taecyeon, IU, Wooyoung, Ham Eun Jung and Kim Soo-hyun. It aired on the 3 January 2011 and finished on the 28 February 2011 after 16 successful episodes. This drama is popular...
) and historical fantasy dramas (Dae Jang Geum
Dae Jang Geum
Dae Jang Geum is a 2003 epic South Korean television series directed by Lee Byung Hoon and produced by MBC. Starring Lee Young Ae, it tells the tale of an orphaned kitchen cook who went on to become the king's first female physician...
, Emperor of the Sea
Emperor of the Sea
Mr =Akech JumaEmperor of the Sea is a 51 episode South Korean epic drama that aired in 2004 on KBS2.The show focuses on the life of famous historical figure, Jang Bogo , who was born a slave but rose to the highest ranks of Silla society...
, Jumong
Jumong (TV series)
Jumong is a historical drama which aired on South Korea's MBC television network as a 45th Anniversary Special Drama. Originally set to be 60, MBC decided to extend it to 81 episodes due to its popularity. It portrays the life of Jumong Taewang,...
, Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Sungkyunkwan Scandal is a 2010 South Korean historical fiction drama, broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System , whose original run was from August 30, 2010 to November 2, 2010.-Synopsis:...
). Korea has also aired their first blockbuster spy drama, IRIS
Iris (TV series)
Iris is a South Korean espionage television drama series broadcast by KBS in 2009. With a budget in excess of 20 billion won , it, along with its spin-off Athena: Goddess of War, share the record for the most expensive Korean dramas ever produced.Premiering in October 2009, the series was a...
. More recently SBS
SBS (Korea)
Seoul Broadcasting System is a national South Korean television and radio network. It is the only private commercial broadcaster with a wide regional Network to operate in the country. On March 17, 2009, the company legally became known as SBS, changing its corporate name from Seoul Broadcasting...
aired a new drama called "49 days" starring nam gyuri as the leading role and received critical acclaim and popularity.
Korean animation
While The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
is the best known back-room product of Korea, many other popular animation series (Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
, Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
from the USA, and also many anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
from Japan) have had the basic animation, in-betweening, and coloring done in Korea. This work is usually generic and professional, but not necessarily Korean in tone or manner.
The animation studios have increasingly been given new contract work for Korean series. The most famous has been the animation of Korean folklore
Korean folklore
Korean folklore has a long history, going back several thousand years. There has been a recent revival of folk tales on internet sites, and as well they provide constant inspiration for artists and illustrators....
by KBS in a 150 part series. This series uses 2-D animation, suggestions for scripts and stories by local crew, and was produced "with the object to create a new "Korean Wave animation" that is distinct from Disneymation".