[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

Published on 2015/12/06

Han Kang's book "The Vegetarian" gets reviewed, find out how happy South Koreans really are, how car-crazy are Koreans?, and see how Korean webtoons are on the rise around the world.

"Book review: Han Kang - The Vegetarian"…READ ON LONDON KOREAN LINKS

Philip Gowman reviews Han Kang's new book "The Vegetarian" for London Korea Links: "The novel leaves the central question unanswered, but is full of rich insight about human emotions and motivations, and is a thoroughly rewarding and at times shocking read". The book was originally published in Korea back in 2007 (채식주의자), but the English translation was only recently released this year.

"How Happy are South Koreans?"…READ ON 10 MAGAZINE

Those who pay attention to South Korean culture will know that despite the country's massive cultural appeal worldwide (K-drama, K-pop, Korean food, etc.) there are also many serious socio-cultural concerns that are still being addressed. Suicide, depression and anxiety affect a disturbingly large percentage of the population. So, how happy are South Koreans, really?

"A Glimpse At Car Culture In South Korea"…READ ON JALOPNIK

Does your country have a thriving car culture? But what kind of cars do South Korean's enjoying buying and driving? In this post Doug DeMuro shares his thoughts and research about car culture in Korea: "It isn't just that most cars are black, silver, gray, and white. It's that every car is one of these colors".

"South Korea's 'webtoon' culture fast becoming international rage"…READ ON IBN LIVE

Webtoons! Many are familiar with Japan's long history of anime excellence, but South Korea has a fascinating and exciting industry of its own that continues to attract more and more readers worldwide. Many webcomics have also been adapted to the big screen, a trend that fans can expect to see continue in the future: "With fan bases growing, dozens of webtoon creators earn six-figure US dollar incomes, made up of fees from Internet portals and advertisers, as well as licensing contracts for TV shows, films and other adaptations".