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[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

My Korean Husband shows us the funny side of cultural differences and relationships in a cute webcomic, Next Shark digs deeper into the history behind one of Korea's most popular surnames, find out more about the wonderful and influential world of K-pop, and The Korea Times highlights the difference in perspective when it comes to the country's socio-economic future.

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"Too Hot"

Curious about what it's like to be married to a Korean? My Korean Husband is a cute webcomic series that playfully depicts some of the real-life cultural dynamics between an Australian woman, Nichola, and her Korean husband, Hugh. "The heat has made me a bit sick lately, and sleep deprived as it's too hot to sleep well. Hugh has been dealing with the heat by laying still while naked". Enjoy...

...SEE ON MY KOREAN HUSBAND

"Why Are So Many Koreans Named Kim?"

It's a simple question: why is the surname "Park" so prevalent in Korea (along with Kim, Lee, and Choi)? In this interesting piece from Next Shark, you'll learn why these names are so popular through an interesting history that dates back over a thousand years: "Most of these select people came from elite families and they would take a civil-service examination as a way to advance their family. Whoever passed the exam got to register a surname and their family name would be recorded in a genealogical book".

...READ ON NEXT SHARK

"Two faces of South Korea"

Here's an interesting article by Kim Jae-kyoung of The Korea Times that explores the difference in perception over the state of modern Korea from both outside and within. Is there a significant difference between what Koreans themselves feel about their country's prospects and how foreigners experience things? "While people outside of Korea are impressed by the past that many of them seek to emulate for their own country, Koreans are seeing many challenges in their everyday life".

...READ ON THE KOREA TIMES

"What is K-pop? South Korean music goes global"

Okay, so if you're not already a huge fan of Korean popular music, this article will help you find your bearings and learn more about the music phenomena that's been one of the biggest drivers of the Korean Wave: "K-pop's popularity in the West remains limited to a small but passionate minority, but its global selling power should not be underestimated – the second album from EXO, Korea's biggest boyband, outsold One Direction's Four to become 2015's fifth biggest-selling album in the world".

...READ ON THE WEEK

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