[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

Published on 2017/03/25

The Korea Herald saunters around Seoul, see the fate of older Koreans who helped raise the country to new heights, a K-pop group celebrates their plastic surgeries in a music video, and USA Today has 15 fascinating facts about the DPRK.

"[Seoul Saunter 2] Odd but pleasant mix of past, present in Ikseon-dong"

Here is the second instalment of a new series on the Korea Herald that explores some of Seoul's lesser-know areas. In this post, they explore a hanok village in Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu. "The hanok village at Ikseon-dong is rarely short of wide-eyed young visitors looking for diversion from their everyday lives", writes Yoon Min-sik. Go on, have a saunter around Korea's Seoul...

...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD

"Poor and on their own, South Korea's elderly who will 'work until they die'"

How are Korea's elders doing? According to this article on Channel News Asia, part 2 of a regional series on elderly poverty, not so good: [F]or about 3 million seniors in South Korea who live in poverty, this is how they will live out the final leg of their lives". Korea's current pride and place in the world was, according to Professor Lee Ho-sun, the "fruit of hardworking people" who are now struggling to the end.

...READ ON CHANNEL NEWS ASIA

"K-Pop band Six Bomb 'celebrate' plastic surgery with before and after videos"

The popularity of cosmetic surgery in Korea is well-known, but one K-pop group has taken this aspect of modern Korean culture a step further by releasing a video showing/celebrating their own plastic surgeries. According to this article on the BBC, the four woman have had ""almost every kind of surgery that could be done on a face", as well as other procedures. It is also mentioned that more than 60% of young Korean women have had a cosmetic procedures of some sort.

...READ ON BBC

"15 fascinating facts about mysterious North Korea"

USA Today lists fifteen intriguing aspects of the "Hermit Kingdom" you may not have known before. Like the fact that "North Koreans must abide by one of 28 approved haircuts", or that in 1978 director Shin Sang Ok and actress Choe Eun Hui were kidnapped to make films there. Curiouser and curiouser.

...READ ON USA TODAY