[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

Published on 2016/09/03

South Korea's drinking cultural favoring quality over quantity, a North Korean defector shares his story in the fight for hearts and minds, the South Korean government encourages its citizens to make more babies, and what will Asia's "cultural Olympics" really look like?

"South Koreans drinking more low-alcohol drinks, less excessively"

Are South Korea's drinking habits changing towards favouring quality over quantity? According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety they are: "Flavor and aroma appear to becoming more important criteria for selecting alcoholic beverages". Energy drinks, "energy boilermakers", are also up...

...READ ON THE HANKYOREH

"Coming of Age in North Korea"

A North Korean defector gives his theory on how "tiny packets of information just might bring an end to decades of tyranny in his homeland". Jung Gwang-Il works with a number of defector-led groups that help to break the fog of information and knowledge in his home country up North. When asked why Jung defected in the first place, he said: "I cannot forget the eyes of the inmates that were looking at me as I was being released from Yodok, and as I was walking towards freedom".

...READ ON THE ATLANTIC

"South Korea's new drive to boost flagging birth rate"

South Korea's birthrate has been a problem since the 1960s, but the South Korean government recently announced measures that will aim to encourage couples to make more babies ranging form fertility treatment, financial support, as well as increased paternity leave for fathers; "Health Minister Chung Chin-youb says 'all possible efforts' must be made to reverse the decline".

...READ ON BBC

"Korea, China, Japan agree to push for 'Culture Olympics'"

South Korea, China, and Japan all have massive international events in their near future and the three cultural powerhouses have agreed to "push for co-hosting academic and cultural events" alongside and during their international gatherings. The PyeongChang Winter Games (South Korea), the Summer Games (Japan), and the Winter Olympics (China) are all coming up and have been identified as key events that can help foster intellectual and cultural exchange.

...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD