[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

See how the (soft-) power of Korea's popular cultural helps drive the Korean Wave, organizations campaign to stem the country's smoking culture, hear what it's like to be a Muslim in Korea, and learn how Korea's drinking culture is also an important part of building personal and professional relationships.

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"South Korea came up with a plan to cut down smoking. The opposite happened"

According to the Organisation for Economic Development, 37% of Korean men said they smoked every day. Interestingly, only around 4% of women claimed to smoke "because of the myriad of stigmas, but more are starting to light up". Is Korea campaigning enough to help stem its smoking culture and why is smoking so prevalent in the first place? Read on...

...READ ON THE WASHINGTON POST

"Korea's Cultural Juggernaut is a Soft-Power Strategy Worth Copying"

South Korea is leading the way in terms of spreading its culture in the global marketplace of ideas. The country actively seeks out to build new partnerships overseas and regularly engages foreign communities and organisations in cultural exchange programs, but it's their popular cultural that's the really pushing the Korean Wave around the world: "The Korean government's policy to promote its popular culture in order to boost its soft power is based on two remarkable developments that have since the early 2000s. For the first time in its history, Korea's popular culture, driven by television dramas and pop music, has global reach".

...READ ON THE NATIONAL INTEREST

"SOUTH KOREA'S MOST TREASURED DRINKING CULTURE"

When building and nurturing relationships in Korea don't be surprised if those important exchanges are paired with a few drinks along the way: "[C]ontrary to popular belief, Koreans don't drink to the sole purpose of getting drunk. Getting together for a drink is to build up relationship with our peers, whether that may be our friends or our colleges at work". The article also mentions a few points of etiquette you may want to remember before heading out to seal the deal...

...READ ON 10 MAGAZINE

"Being Muslim and Korean"

As Korea becomes increasingly multicultural we're hearing more and more voices sharing their personal experiences about life in The Land of the Morning Calm. In this piece from the World Bulletin, you'll hear a little about what's it's like being Muslin in Korea, as well as where to find the best slice of Muslin life in Seoul. "The fact that Muslims account for only a tiny minority in the southern Korean peninsula didn't stop me from learning as much as I can about the culture and country itself..."

...READ ON WORLD BULLETIN