Stream Classics to Latest K-Movies & Shows at OnDemandKorea

[HanCinema's Digest] Culture Corner

The Washington Post gets to know "Team Kim" (aka the "Garlic Girls") after their popular performance in PyeongChang, Lee Hyo-won explores the complex culture and history behind 'K-beauty', meet the man who helped create the two Winter Olympic mascots, and the Korea Herald explores the roots of Korea's thriving hip-hop subculture.

Advertisement

"South Korea's 'Garlic Girls' are Olympic curling heroes, even after losing out on gold"

South Korea's women's curling team (called the "garlic girls", because its top four players are from a region in Korea, Uiseong, known for its garlic-the team, however, prefers "Team Kim") became unlikely stars over the course of the recently concluded Winter Games. The team failed to succeed four years ago at the Sochi Games, so expectations were not high, but the team managed to win the hearts and minds of the country and eventually went on to a gold-medal match against Sweden. "During these Olympics, Team Kim has taken the country by storm, achieving a level of celebrity usually associated with K-pop stars", wrote Anna Fifield for the Washington Post.

...READ ON THE WASHINGTON POST

"The complex culture and history behind 'K-beauty'"

South Korea's "enormous beauty industry", writes Lee Hyo-won, "is fuelled by celebrity imitation and informed by western ideals". Over the past few years, Korea's cosmetic industry, along with its surging plastic surgery sector, has run alongside the country's K-pop phenomenon to become a notable feature of the so-called 'Korean Wave'. In this article on Asian Review, Lee investigates past and present features of 'K-beauty' by speaking to, among other people, a local psychologist and a plastic surgeon. What do you think about Korea's booming beauty industry? Share your thoughts with us and others in the comment section below...

...READ ON NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW

"[Herald Interview] The man behind Soohorang the white tiger"

Did you see Korea's two Olympic mascots, Soohorang and Bandabi? The official characters for the recently concluded Winter Games in PyeongChang were created by Lee Hee-gon of Mass C&G. In this interview on the Korea Herald, journalist Bak Se-hwan asks the chief marketing officer about the design of his popular creations and their place in Korean culture. "The two appear in the myth of Dangun who is known as the legendary founder of Korea", said Bak, describing the story and cultural influence behind the two figures. "A tiger represents an adventurous and very courageous character in the myth, whereas a bear is seen to have patience and perseverance. Those characteristics are the main spirit for the Olympic athletes".

...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD

"[Weekender] Hip-hop: More than music"

"Subculture of hip-hop has grown to claim place in hearts of Koreans as way of life". In this feature on the Korea Herald, writer Yoon Min-sik explores Korea's thriving hip-hop culture since the 1990s, as well as some of the obstacles it has had to face since then. "For a long time, hip-hop has suffered a negative image in Korea, writes Yoon. "Many were offended by the language used in famous hip-hop tracks, and it did not help that some Korean artists used racially insensitive or offensive words in their songs".

...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD

❎ Try Ad-free