View source for Culture of South Korea

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{{For-multi|the culture of pre-division Korea|Culture of Korea|the culture of the North|Culture of North Korea}}
{{Culture of Korea}}
The [[Contemporary history|contemporary]] '''culture of South Korea''' developed from the traditional [[culture of Korea]] which was prevalent in the early Korean nomadic tribes. By maintaining thousands of years of ancient Korean culture, with influence from ancient Chinese culture, [[South Korea]] split on its own path of cultural development away from [[Culture of North Korea|North Korean culture]] since the [[division of Korea]] in 1945. The [[industrialization]], [[urbanization]] and [[westernization]] of South Korea, especially [[Seoul]], have brought many changes to the way [[Koreans|Korean people]] live. Changing [[Economy of South Korea|economics]] and lifestyles have led to urbanization—a concentration of population in major cities (and depopulation of the rural countryside), with multi-[[generation]]al households separating into [[nuclear family]] living arrangements. Today, many cultural elements from South Korea, especially [[popular culture]], have spread across the globe and have become some of the most prominent cultural forces in the world.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yong Jin |first1=Dal |title=Hallyu 2.0: The New Korean Wave in the Creative Industry |journal=International Institute Journal |date=Fall 2012 |volume=2 |issue=1 |hdl=2027/spo.11645653.0002.102 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Farrar |first=Lara |title='Korean Wave' of pop culture sweeps across Asia |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/31/korea.entertainment/index.html |access-date=2018-02-05 |archive-date=2014-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106203532/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/31/korea.entertainment/index.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cheon |first1=Sang Yee |title=The Global Impact of South Korean Popular Culture: Hallyu Unbound ed. by Valentina Marinescu (review) |journal=Korean Studies |date=2015 |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=113–114 |id={{Gale|A441492154}} {{Project MUSE|609019}} {{ProQuest|1760327776}} |doi=10.1353/ks.2015.0005 |s2cid=162503679 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kim |first=Harry |date=2 February 2016 |title=Surfing the Korean Wave: How K-pop is taking over the world|work=The McGill Tribune |url=https://www.thetribune.ca/a-e/surfing-the-korean-wave-how-k-pop-kpop-is-taking-over-the-world-012858/|access-date=5 February 2018 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200902/http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/surfing-the-korean-wave-how-k-pop-kpop-is-taking-over-the-world-012858/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Duong |first1=Nguyen Hoai Phuong |title=Korean Wave as Cultural Imperialism: A study of K-pop Reception in Vietnam |date=2016 |hdl=1887/37300 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

==Literature==
{{See also-text|[[Korean literature]] until 1948, then [[North Korean literature]] and [[South Korean literature]]}}

Prior to the 20th century, Korean literature was influenced by [[Classical Chinese]] literature. [[Chinese calligraphy]] was also extensively used by Koreans for over one thousand years in Korean literature. Modern literature is often linked with the development of [[Hangul]], which was created by the fourth king of [[Joseon]] [[Sejong the Great]] and promulgated in the text ''[[Hunminjeongeum]]''. The publication of the Korean alphabet in 1443 was a surprise to many as there are no records of King Sejong working on it, concluding that the king was doing it in secret.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kim-Renaud |first1=Young-Key |title=The Korean Alphabet: Its History and Structure |date=1997 |publisher=University of Hawai'i Press |isbn=978-0-8248-1989-7 |page=15 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nonRl2cerIgC&pg=PA15 |archive-date=2024-09-27 |access-date=2019-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927160416/https://books.google.com/books?id=nonRl2cerIgC&pg=PA15 |url-status=live }}</ref> This move was initially made to help spread literacy from the dominant scholarly-official class, the ''[[yangban]]'', to the common people— including women. Before the creation of Hangul, the common text being read was [[Hanja]], which are Chinese characters; only those from wealthy families who could afford an education were able to learn it. Furthermore, like any other language, Hanja was not able to capture the entire meaning of words that were spoken in Korean, so it was hard to decipher what citizens were attempting to say.<ref>{{Cite web |title=zKorean - History of Hangul Part II |url=http://zkorean.com/hangul/history_of_hangul_part_2 |access-date=2019-11-03 |website=zKorean |archive-date=2019-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028052515/https://zkorean.com/hangul/history_of_hangul_part_2 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature.

In modern poetry, there were attempts at introducing [[imagist]] and modern poetry methods particularly in translations of early American moderns such as [[Ezra Pound]] and [[T. S. Eliot]] in the early 20th century. In the early [[History of South Korea|Republic period]], patriotic works were very successful.

[[20th century lyric poetry|Lyric poetry]] dominated from the 1970s onwards. [[Poetry]] is quite popular in contemporary South Korea, both in terms of number of works published and lay writing.

==Journalism==
{{Main|Mass media in South Korea}}
[[File:Korean Newspapers.jpg|thumb|250px|Korean newspapers]]

South Korea has 10 main newspapers and 4 main broadcasters. Top daily newspapers are ''[[The Chosun Ilbo]]'', ''[[JoongAng Ilbo]]'', and ''[[The Dong-A Ilbo]]''. ''[[The Hankyoreh]]'' is a left-leaning newspaper. [[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]], [[Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation|MBC]], [[Seoul Broadcasting System|SBS]], and [[YTN]] are the main TV channels, and [[Educational Broadcasting System|EBS]] is used for student and [[adult education]].

Other magazines are ''[[K Scene Magazine]]'', ''[[JoongAng Ilbo]]'', [[Yonhap News Agency]], and ''[[OhmyNews]]''. ''[[The Korea Times]]'', ''[[The Korea Herald]]'', and ''PRKorea Times'' are English language newspapers for foreigners.

== Foreign influences ==
South Korea has for almost a millennium been significantly influenced by China as well as by various neighboring Asian countries to a lesser extent. In recent years, there has been some influence by the Western world, mostly in food. This has changed peoples' eating habits as well; many people now also eat [[Western cuisine|Western]] and other [[Asian food]]s in addition to traditional [[Korean food]]. [[Pizza]] is one of the favorite foreign foods among South Koreans, though it tends to differ from the pizza served in the west with an Asian tinge, often featuring [[maize|corn]], [[sweet potato]], [[mayonnaise]], [[bulgogi]] and various other ingredients. Many [[hamburger]], [[fried chicken]], [[coffee]], and [[ice cream]] chains are also very popular in South Korea. While tea remains a highly popular traditional drink, [[Coffeehouse]]s operated by 12 major [[brand]]s increased to up to 2,000 locations in 2010,<ref name="joongangdaily 2925309">{{Cite news |date=August 29, 2010|title=In Korea, coffee shops just keep on multiplying |work=[[Korea Joongang Daily]]/IHT|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2010/08/29/economy/In-Korea-coffee-shops-just-keep-on-multiplying/2925309.html|access-date=December 19, 2010 |archive-date=January 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122051340/http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2925309 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the term "coffice" ({{transliteration|ko|keopiseu}} 커피스)<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 2009 |title=Coaching Deco |url=http://elle.atzine.com/elle/elleweb_template_fashion.iht?contId=B11_20090930_00648 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707184454/http://elle.atzine.com/elle/elleweb_template_fashion.iht?contId=B11_20090930_00648 |archive-date=2011-07-07 |website=Elle Magazine Korea}}</ref> was coined to describe using a cafe as an office.<ref name="Ben Schott">{{cite news |title=Coffice |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/coffice/ |work=Schott's Vocab Blog |date=10 September 2010 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |access-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209153917/https://archive.nytimes.com/schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/coffice/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Japanese pop culture]] was banned for decades in South Korea (though not effectively) reaching Korea by way of satellite television channels and youth culture films and magazines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Michael |title=S. Korea Doesn't Find It Easy To Block Japanese Culture |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1996/1029/102996.intl.intl.3.html |work=Christian Science Monitor |date=29 October 1996 |archive-date=31 December 2019 |access-date=31 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231190843/https://www.csmonitor.com/1996/1029/102996.intl.intl.3.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Back in the year 2000, South Korean youth were reading [[manga]], listening to [[Japanese rock]] and [[Japanese rap|rap]], and [[fashion in Korea]] shared similarities with [[Japanese street fashion]] trends from [[Harajuku]] and [[Roppongi]]. The ban on Japanese pop culture imports was lifted in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirk |first1=Don |title=South Korea Opens the Gates to Pop Culture From Japan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/03/news/south-korea-opens-the-gates-to-pop-culture-from-japan.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=International Herald Tribune |date=3 July 2000 |archive-date=31 December 2019 |access-date=31 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231192304/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/03/news/south-korea-opens-the-gates-to-pop-culture-from-japan.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Traditional culture ==
=== Pansori ===
{{Main|Pansori}}
Pansori is a form of traditional musical art within Korea that dates back to the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897),<ref name="ethno">{{Cite web |date=2017-05-16 |title=What is Pansori? |url=https://pansoriethnomusicology.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/what-is-pansori/ |access-date=2019-11-04 |website=Pansori: A Study |archive-date=2019-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104035332/https://pansoriethnomusicology.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/what-is-pansori/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=[[WP:KO/RS]]|date=November 2024}}<ref name="unesco">{{Cite web |title=UNESCO - Pansori epic chant |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists |access-date=2019-11-04 |publisher=UNESCO |archive-date=2017-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515125552/https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists |url-status=live }}</ref> "pan" meaning an open space where individuals come to gather and "sori" meaning sound.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=P'ansori {{!}} Korean music |url=https://www.britannica.com/art/pansori |access-date=2019-11-04 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |archive-date=2019-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104035331/https://www.britannica.com/art/pansori |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="unesco" /><ref name="ethno" /> Pansori performances consist of a singer and a drummer, the singer sings out the story using special techniques that require years of training, and the drummer producing beats to help the story flow and also to support the singer.<ref name="ethno" /><ref name=":2" /> Members of the audience are also encouraged to take part in the performance and support the singer.

The purpose of Pansori was to tell tales and stories to individuals who would take the time to listen since most stories range from three hours to eight or nine hours from start to finish. There are five traditional stories that are performed for audiences, but since pansori is mostly orally transmitted, there have been many stories lost throughout history. Each story contains a theme, whether it be about filial piety, love, or the sorrows of individuals releasing their "han". "Han" is an emotion within a person that is negative and usually is tied with grieving, regret, or resentment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-21 |title=What is Han? |url=https://www.hyunjinmoon.com/what-is-han/ |access-date=2019-11-04 |website=Hyun Jin Preston Moon |archive-date=2019-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104174247/https://www.hyunjinmoon.com/what-is-han/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Chuseok ===
{{Main|Chuseok}}
Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, comes from the agrarian era of Korean society, and is considered one of the biggest holidays for the Korean people.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving Day |url=https://asiasociety.org/korea/chuseok-korean-thanksgiving-day |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=Asia Society |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012002349/https://asiasociety.org/korea/chuseok-korean-thanksgiving-day |url-status=live }}</ref> Historians believe Chuseok originated 2000 years ago, and was originally a festival that held a weaving competition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-01 |title=Chuseok - A Korean Thanksgiving - Chuseok 2024 |url=https://chuseok.org/chuseok-a-korean-thanksgiving/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805070716/https://chuseok.org/chuseok-a-korean-thanksgiving/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Chuseok is recognized as a public holiday, which allows for work to be suspended until the celebration is over.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Korea Information - Life |url=https://www.koreanculture.org/korea-information-life |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=Korean Cultural Center New York |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925192759/https://www.koreanculture.org/korea-information-life |url-status=live }}</ref>

The holiday is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar calendar.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Keith |title=Holiday Symbols and Customs |publisher=Omnigraphics, Incorporated |year=2015 |isbn=9780780813656 |edition=5 |pages=180–182}}</ref> It is a celebration of the Korean peoples' ancestors and is used as a time to give thanks for a good farming season. Chuseok lasts for 3 days, and it is a time spent with family to eat tradition food and play tradition games.<ref name=":0" /> [[Songpyeon]] is traditionally eaten during this time, and is a rice cake that contains a filling.<ref name=":4" />

=== Seollal ===
{{Main|Seollal}}
Seollal, also known as the [[Korean New Year]], is a holiday that marks the start of a new year on the Lunar calendar. The Korean New Year typically falls sometime in January or February. It is believed that Seollal originates from the 3rd century. Evidence of the first Korean New Year can be found in a document titled [[Samguk yusa]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=2023-01-22 |title=Korean New Year 2023: Check history, significance and dates here |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/korean-new-year-2023-check-history-significance-and-dates-here/articleshow/97227993.cms |access-date=2023-11-29 |issn=0013-0389 |archive-date=2023-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180228/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/korean-new-year-2023-check-history-significance-and-dates-here/articleshow/97227993.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> During the Japanese colonization of Korea, Seollal was prohibited from being celebrated, but then became an official holiday sometime between 1945 and 1950.<ref name=":3" /> Seollal is now recognized as a public holiday, and work is suspended until the holiday has ended.<ref name=":5" />

Seollal is a time for family members to honor their ancestors and spend quality time together. Korean ancestors are honored during this time through special rituals, and families get the opportunity to enjoy games and food together.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year |url=https://asiasociety.org/korea/seollal-korean-lunar-new-year |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Asia Society |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528220429/https://asiasociety.org/korea/seollal-korean-lunar-new-year |url-status=live }}</ref> It is very common for Korean people to celebrate Seollal by playing a game of [[Yut]] Nori.<ref name=":1" /> [[Tteokguk]], or rice cake soup, is typically eaten during Seollal, and it is believed that one will turn a year older after eating the soup.<ref name=":5" />

==Architecture==
{{Main|Korean architecture|Architecture in South Korea}}
{{See also|Housing in South Korea}}
Korean architecture is characterized by naturalistic tendencies, simplicity, and economic feasibility of forms. Sharp angles, strong lines, steep planes, and brilliant colors are all avoided. It typically creates a quiet atmosphere.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Korean architecture |url=https://www.britannica.com/art/Korean-architecture |website=britannica |access-date=2024-03-10 |archive-date=2023-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123074123/https://www.britannica.com/art/Korean-architecture |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Technology==
{{See also|South Korean robotics}}

===Cellular phones===
[[File:Galaxy Tab wp jeh.jpg|right|thumb|Samsung Galaxy Tab]]

An estimated 98% of South Koreans own mobile phones and use them not only for calling and messaging but also for watching live TV, viewing websites and keeping track of their online gaming statuses. South Korean corporations include [[Samsung]] and [[LG]].

Many South Korean phones feature TV broadcasting through Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), which now carries seven TV channels. Over one million DMB phones have been sold, and providers like [[KT (telecommunication company)|KT]] and [[SK Telecom]] have provided coverage throughout many parts of major cities.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

South Korea won the [[LG Mobile World Cup]], a texting competition run by [[LG Electronics]].<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last1=Sang-Hun |first1=Choe |title=Rule of Thumbs: Koreans Reign in Texting World |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/world/asia/28seoul.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=28 January 2010 |archive-date=5 February 2010 |access-date=24 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205004644/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/world/asia/28seoul.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Video games==
[[File:Korean.culture-PC.bang-01.jpg|thumb|250px|right|An [[Internet café|Internet cafe]] in Seoul]]{{Main|Video gaming in South Korea}}

===Online games===
Korea has many e-sports athletes. As perceptions of games have changed, the Korean game market has grown in size and popularized. Korean companies are expected to spur the mobile e-sports industry, or m-sports.

===History===
Video games in South Korea have been growing in popularity since the mid-1980s, however it was not until the early 2000s that their popularity skyrocketed. Their sudden growth was due to immensely popular games, such as "Starcraft 2", "League Of Legends", and "Lineage II". Since then, the Gaming industry in South Korea has been steadily growing every year. Its projected market revenue for 2018 is US$10.5 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Korea: gaming market size 2006-2023 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/825058/south-korea-gaming-industry-size/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228231022/https://www.statista.com/statistics/825058/south-korea-gaming-industry-size/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Growth in popularity===
The introduction of those games in the early 2000s, as well as the introduction of several new international tournaments, like The World Cyber Games, Electronic Sports World Cup, and Major League Gaming, have allowed the video game industry to grow at a much faster rate. In these tournaments, competitive games would be played for large prizes, some being as much as US$1 million. The tournaments are very popular in South Korea, and attract a large viewership. Researchers have estimated that the eSports industry will reach US$1 billion in revenue by 2019.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Harmon |first=A. |title=Salem Press Encyclopedia |date=1 January 2015 |page=2p |chapter=Electronic sports}}</ref>

===PC bangs===
[[Video game]]s are very popular in South Korea, but not everyone is able to afford the [[gaming PC]]s necessary to play popular games. These high upfront costs have led to the growth of the "PC bang" industry. Translated as "PC room", PC bangs are public cafés that let customers play popular PC games on powerful, high-end computers at a low cost per hour. There are currently around 25,000 PC bangs in South Korea alone, with hourly rates that ranged from $0.44 to $1.30 per hour {{as of|2007|alt=in 2007}}.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ihlwan |first=M. |date=27 March 2007 |title=South Korea: Video Games' Crazed Capital |pages=21 |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek Online}}</ref>
The success of this low-cost model has led to the rise of PC bangs as a popular hangout spot among students, and they generally serve as a place to meet people with similar gaming interests.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Schaeffer |first=J. |date=1 November 2007 |title=Hanging Out at the PC Bang |magazine=Faces |volume=24 |issue=3 |pages=20–22}}</ref>

===Addiction===
As video gaming is becoming much more popular in South Korea, it also bring up worries of the welfare of the nation's youth. [[Video game addiction]] has been a concerning issue with in the South Korean government. Considerable amounts of funds have been invested into programs and campaigns to reduce this issue. One action that the government imposed was the "Shutdown Law". This law prevents anyone aged under 16 from playing online from times 10pm until 6am.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Korea's Infatuation With Computer Gaming Culture |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/south-korea-computer-gaming-culture-1434484 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=ThoughtCo |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212154841/https://www.thoughtco.com/south-korea-computer-gaming-culture-1434484 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Popular media===
''[[StarCraft]]'', the PC [[real-time strategy]] game, was the most popular televised game in Korea.{{when|date=January 2016}}  Games are often broadcast on TV stations such as [[MBCGame]] and [[Ongamenet]]. These tournaments are usually broadcast live and have sizable crowds while they are recorded at shopping malls like COEX, in southeast Seoul.  Professional StarCraft players can command considerable salaries in Korea, and are usually noted celebrities, such as [[Lim "BoxeR" Yo-Hwan]]. In recent years, professional video gaming in South Korea has branched out away from just Starcraft into a variety of different titles, including ''[[Dota 2]]'', ''[[League of Legends]]'', ''[[Starcraft 2]]'', ''[[Battle Ground]]'', and ''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]''.

== South Korean food and food culture ==
{{Main|Korean cuisine|South Korean cuisine}}
Korean food, or hansik, is characterized by a clear distinction between the main dish (rice, noodles, etc.) and the side dish (called [[banchan]]), diverse recipes, a balanced mix of animal and plant products, and fermented foods.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Food |url=https://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Korean-Life/Food |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=[[Korea.net]] |language=en |archive-date=2023-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118204449/https://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Korean-Life/Food |url-status=live }}</ref> The Korean people have also believed that food and medicine share the same origin, following the adage that "food is the best medicine."<ref name=":02" />

Fermented foods are the core of Korean cooking. These foods are mostly referred to as "chang". This includes soy sauce ([[ganjang]]). soybean paste ([[doenjang]]), red chilli soybean paste ([[gochujang]]). Green onion, garlic, and red chilli are also the foundations Korean cooking.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cwiertka |first1=Katarzyna J. |title=Cuisine, Colonialism and Cold War: Food in Twentieth-Century Korea |date=2013 |publisher=Reaktion Books |isbn=978-1-78023-073-3 }}{{page needed|date=December 2023}}</ref>

'''''[[Kimchi]]''''' is one of South Korea's staple foods, normally eaten as a side dish. A meal consisting of steamed rice with one to three side dishes (such as kimchi, more specifically baechan (cabbage)) is common.<ref name=":12">{{cite book |doi=10.1201/9781315156453 |title=Korean Functional Foods |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-315-15645-3 |editor-last1=Park |editor-last2=Kwon |editor-last3=Lee |editor-last4=Park |editor-first1=Kun-Young |editor-first2=Dae Young |editor-first3=Ki Won |editor-first4=Sunmin }}{{page needed|date=December 2023}}</ref> Kimchi has its own fermented taste not just because of its health functionalities due to its ingredients but also by fermentation products that contribute taste, texture, quality, and health functionality, owing to its special fermentation process.<ref name=":12" />

'''''[[Sundubu-jjigae]]''''' is a spicy Korean tofu stew. Unlike typical stews, it is not thick and heavy. It has a deep umami flavor, seasoned with fish sauce, garlic, scallions and mushrooms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mon |first1=Justin |title=The D-Constructed Cook: Soondubu Jjigae |id={{ProQuest|2508513147}} |url=https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2021/04/the-d-constructed-cook-soondubu-jjigae |work=The Dartmouth |date=5 April 2021 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |access-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209153919/https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2021/04/the-d-constructed-cook-soondubu-jjigae |url-status=live }}</ref>

'''''[[Bibimbap]]''''' is a rice-based dish with various colorful vegetables and eggs, which are mixed with the addition of ''gochujang'' (red chili paste), making its texture very different from what it was in the beginning.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chung |first1=Hae-Kyung |last2=Yang |first2=Hye Jeong |last3=Shin |first3=Dayeon |last4=Chung |first4=Kyung Rhan |title=Aesthetics of Korean foods: The symbol of Korean culture |journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods |date=September 2016 |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=178–188 |doi=10.1016/j.jef.2016.09.001 |s2cid=151553411 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Although bibimbap is usually served with meat, many Korean's eat bibimbap with only eggs as the source of protein in the simple rice dish.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Everything you need to know about bibimbap, Korea's famous rice dish |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/bibimbap-koreas-famous-dish |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Travel |language=en |archive-date=2023-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115172550/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/bibimbap-koreas-famous-dish |url-status=live }}</ref>

'''''[[Tteokbokki]]''''' (Korean rice cake dish) is a popular dish (street food) in South Korea. Historically, tteokbokki was considered a refined food that was eaten by nobles and members of the royal court. But in the wake of the Korean War in the 1950s, it transformed into a different kind of dish, made by boiling wheat flour cakes with fish cakes and vegetables in a red pepper sauce mixture. By the 1970s, it had become the people's snack, enjoyed by people from all walks of life.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yun-hee |first1=Her |title=[Korea travels] Tteokbokki: The Korean soul food 500 years in the making |url=https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/1033677.html |work=[[The Hankyoreh]] |date=6 March 2022 |archive-date=15 November 2023 |access-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115172618/https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/1033677.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

'''''[[Budae-jjigae]]''''' is a popular stew originating from the Korean War. The base is similar to many traditional spicy Korean stews like soondubu or kimchi jjigae, which are usually made of anchovies, seaweed, and gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) steeped together. But its other ingredients set budae jjigae apart from its counterparts.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=Budae Jjigae: The Korean Soup Born Out of Necessity |url=https://www.going.com/guides/budae-jjigae |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=www.going.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115172546/https://www.going.com/guides/budae-jjigae |url-status=live }}</ref> The stew includes spam, baked beans, hotdogs, and ramen noodles with green onions garnished on top.<ref name=":22" />

==Age hierarchy resulting from Japanese colonial rule==
South Korean society exists serious bad customs of age hierarchy that is not found in any other country except [[North Korea]]. Even [[Japan]], which uses [[Japanese language]], a language with linguistic honorifics developed to the same level as [[Korean language]], is not at the same level as [[South Korea]].<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20160707086500371 |date=2016-07-07 |title=외국인 유학생 최대 난제는 '한국의 서열문화'...설문 결과 |website=yna.co.kr}}</ref>

In [[South Korea]], no matter how small the age difference is, if the year of birth is not the same, the hierarchy is determined as ''Hyeong'' (형), ''Oppa'' (오빠) (both meaning "older brother"), ''Nuna'' (누나), ''Eonni'' (언니) (both meaning "older sister"), ''Dongsaeng'' (동생, meaning "younger brother/sister"), and they are not regarded as mutual friends. Even, unless the relationship is very close, the person who is at least one year younger than the other person must use [[Honorifics (linguistics)|linguistic honorifics]].

Many people think that this is a custom of South Korean [[Confucianism|Confucian culture]], but that's not true. Until the [[Joseon]] dynasty era, unlike today, on the [[Korean Peninsula]], age was not considered as severe, so it was a custom of making friends within a small age gap.<ref>{{cite web |lang=ko |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/economy/view.php?sc=50000001&year=2022&no=1172717 |date=2022-12-30 |title=조선 유교 사회...나이 서열? 오히려 없었다 |access-date=2024-12-21 |archive-date=2024-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203184634/https://www.mk.co.kr/economy/view.php?sc=50000001&year=2022&no=1172717 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Rather, the educational system of [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese colonial rule]] influenced South Korean society of the contemporary period. The [[Empire of Japan]]'s [[normal school|normal schools]] ([[w:ja:師範学校|師範学校]] ''shihan gakkou'') are the very origin of South Korea's age hierarchy.<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://m.joongdo.co.kr/view.php?key=20220411010002559 |date=2022-04-12 |title=[사설]복잡한 K-나이, '만 나이' 일원화 좋다 |website=m.joongdo.co.kr}}</ref>

The normal schools in the [[Empire of Japan]] adopted an educational method that organically combined modern Western-style school education with military-style to create subjects who would voluntarily submit to the [[Emperor of Japan]]. It's a structure in which seniors control juniors in a military manner. This system was also introduced to the [[Korea under Japanese rule|Korean Peninsula when it was under Japanese colonial rule]]. The [[w:ko:경성사범학교|Gyeongseong (Keijō) Normal School]] (경성사범학교), established on the Korean Peninsula during the Japanese colonial rule, also adopted a disciplinary system in which older students could control younger students and even inflict corporal punishment on them. Korean older students were even allowed to inflict corporal punishment on Japanese younger students. Considering that Koreans suffered oppression and discrimination from the Japanese, the [[Governor-General of Chōsen]], and the Japanese government during the Japanese colonial period, this case demonstrates how powerful the age-based hierarchy was in modern Japanese schools before 1945.<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=http://www.snujn.com/news/1836 |title=모두를 위한 '연령주의'는 없다 |website=snujn.com}}</ref>

With the defeat of the [[Empire of Japan]] in 1945 and the establishment of the [[Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers|US military headquarters (GHQ)]] in Japan, the disbandment of the Japanese military, and the comprehensive overhaul of the Japanese educational system, hierarchical order in Japanese society weakened, and age-based hierarchy have become mild or disappeared.<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://www.minjok.or.kr/archives/76394 |date=2015-02-17 |title=‘신민’ 만들기가 ‘국민’ 만들기로… 일본도 버린 ‘잔재’ 여전히 답습 |website=민족문제연구소}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://livejapan.com/ko/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-akihabara/article-a0003024/ |date=2019-12-26 |title=”왜 일본에서는 나보다 나이가 어린 사람이 반말을 쓸까?!” 이해하기 힘든 일본문화! |website=livejapan.com}}</ref>

However, since [[Park Chung-hee]], who served in the military of [[Manchukuo]], a puppet state of the [[Empire of Japan]], became president, South Korea has reinforced this military-style hierarchy of Empire of Japan throughout society. As a representative example, the Park Chung-hee administration published and disseminated the [[w:ko:국민교육헌장|National Chart of Education]] (국민교육헌장), which benchmarked the [[Imperial Rescript on Education]] of the [[Empire of Japan]]. This, combined with the Confucian tradition of respecting seniority, and the distortion of this tradition, has led to the current severe age hierarchy and other bad hierarchical practices in [[South Korea]].<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1005221876 |date=2019-04-15 |title=7살 꼬마도, 70살 교수도 "너 몇 살인데?"…나이가 만든 '계급' |website=SBS NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://m.joongdo.co.kr/view.php?key=20220411010002559 |date=2022-04-12 |title=[사설]복잡한 K-나이, '만 나이' 일원화 좋다 |website=m.joongdo.co.kr}}</ref>

This bad hierarchical system, which was created during the [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese colonial period]] and maintained and strengthened by [[Park Chung-hee]], affected not only the age hierarchy but also middle school, high school, university, and work culture. As a representative example, in middle and high schools, there is one thing where students are asked to form a military-style line.<ref>{{cite web|language=ko|url=https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=20170405000435 |date=2017-04-05 |title='학교 내 軍문화 청산' 창구 개설 |newspaper=Busan Ilbo }}</ref> When living in society, there are bosses who force military-style language at work. In fact, the South Korean military has already abolished this military-style language.<ref>{{cite web |language=ko |url=https://www.newsway.co.kr/news/view?ud=2024090416073384687 |date=2024-09-05 |title='다나까' 안붙였다고 징계?···잘나가는 대기업서 '하극상' 해프닝 |newspaper=newsway |access-date=2024-12-21 |archive-date=2025-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211074955/https://www.newsway.co.kr/news/view?ud=2024090416073384687 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Drinking games==
{{See also|Korean alcoholic beverages}}
In the drinking culture of South Korea often with a group of individuals, drinking games are played. These games begin during university orientation and continue to be played throughout life. A variety of games can be played within the group and can change with every coming round. The type of alcohol can vary, but more than likely [[soju]], a common Korean liquor, is used when the games are being played. Sometimes people mix [[soju]] and beer and call it "So-Maek," so for [[soju]], and Maek for [[beer]], since [[beer]] is called "Maek-joo" in [[Korean language|Korean]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Popular culture==
{{See also|Korean wave}}

===K-pop music===
{{Main|K-pop}}
Many Korean pop stars and groups are known throughout [[East Asia|East]] and [[Southeast Asia]]. K-pop often features young performers. In the 1970s and 1980s, many musicians appeared, such as [[Cho Yong Pil]], a renowned musician from that period. He used many sources such as the [[synthesizer]]. Among his influence, he is well known for popularizing [[rock music]]. The popularization of Korean pop music has come from many sources including, YouTube and other video streaming sources. With the growth of social media, it has helped with the expansion of K-pop outside of Asia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lie |first=John |title=K-Pop |publisher=University of California Press |year=2014 |location=California |pages=108}}</ref> The dominant explanation of the global K-pop phenomenon is the "hybrid" view that advances an argument about the combined along with Korean, the Austronesian, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian cultures as a grand Asian Culture (AC) that increasingly countervails the previously dominant Western Culture (WC) as a whole (Chua, 2004).  K-pop became one of Korea's top exporting industries with its rapid and widespread popularity around the world, particularly in the East. Korean popular culture has a timely commercial combination of (1) the global liberalization of music markets in Asia and more recently the rest of the world; and (2) the rapid advancement of digital technologies like YouTube which prefers to select and feature perfectly photogenic performers from all over the world, including Korean girl and boy bands (Oh, 391).

The emergence of the group [[Seo Taiji and Boys]] in 1992 marked a turning point for Korean popular music by incorporating elements of American popular musical genres of the 1990s. To illustrate, their popularity was based on innovative hybridization of music as they creatively mixed the genres like rap, soul, rock and roll, techno, punk, hardcore and even ppongjjak, and invented a unique musical form which 'employs rap only during the verses, singing choruses in a pop style' with dynamic dance movements. They showed how Korean rap would sound. Consequently, Seo Taiji and Boys expanded the scope of K-pop.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Lechner |editor1-first=Frank J. |editor2-last=Boli |editor2-first=John |title=The Globalization Reader |date=2012 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-65563-4 |page=362 }}</ref>

In 2002, [[BoA]] became the first Korean pop star to break through in Japan following the fall of barriers that had restricted the import and export of entertainment between the countries since the end of World War II. For that reason, she was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador, and has since contributed to restoring the good relations between Japan and South Korea.

In addition, there is also traditional Korean pop music, or [[trot (music)|trot]]. Appealing to older Koreans, there are many popular singers, including [[Tae Jin Ah]], [[Na Hoon-a]] and [[Song Dae Kwan]], mainly in their 50s and 60s, if not older. However, trot has recently experienced a resurgence due to the popularity of [[Jang Yoon Jeong]], a young semi-trot star, who had a breakout hit with "Omona."

===Noraebang===
[[Karaoke]], a Japanese loan word, is most commonly called "Noraebang" (노래방, literally, "song room") in Korea instead but various [[Korean language|Korean]] alternatives like ''Norae yeonseupjang'' ({{Korean|hangul=노래연습장|labels=no}}), or ''Norae yeonseupshil'' ({{Korean|hangul=노래연습실|labels=no}}) are also sometimes used.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} ''[[Noraebang]]'' is even conducted in transport vehicles such as tourist buses. Noraebang is the equivalent to the ''Karaoke-Box'' in Japan, whereas singing before an audience of a karaoke bar is called Karaoke ({{Korean|hangul=가라오케|labels=no}}) in Korea.  Recently, a coin karaoke, which is a form of payment different from the existing karaoke, appeared.

=== Korean popular culture outside Korea ===
There are approximately 70,000 Korean students in American colleges every year. Furthermore, increased immigration has reached to booming heights of over a million in 2010 alone. With these migrations have come the spread and expansion of Korean Popular culture. For example, the popular South Korean film titled "Shiri" ({{Korean|hangul=쉬리|labels=no}}) sold more than 5.78 million movie tickets in the United States alone.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1057/9781137350282_9 |chapter=A Cultural Imperialistic Homecoming: The Korean Wave Reaches the United States |title=The Korean Wave |date=2014 |last1=Molen |first1=Sherri L. Ter |pages=149–187 |isbn=978-1-349-46832-4 }}</ref>

One of the reasons for the success of the Korean Wave comes from the influence that the Korean government has in the production and distribution of popular culture. Recent years have led to changes in access to both enjoying and creating new songs, movies, and other types of popular culture. One example comes from recent collaboration with the Korean Government and others to help achieve glocalization, making hallyu approachable and enjoyable for people from many different cultures and backgrounds.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1057/9781137350282_3 |chapter=Transformations of the Korean Media Industry by the Korean Wave: The Perspective of Glocalization |title=The Korean Wave |date=2014 |last1=Ju |first1=Hyejung |pages=33–51 |isbn=978-1-349-46832-4 }}</ref>

===Film and television===
[[File:Korean.culture-Sinchon-Movie.theatre.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Sinchon movie theatre]]
{{Main|Cinema of South Korea}}
The popularity of Korean films has risen since the success of ''[[Shiri (film)|Shiri]]'' in 1999. South Korea is one of the few countries where Hollywood productions do not enjoy a dominant share of the domestic market, partly due to screen quotas requiring cinemas to show Korean films at least 73 days a year.

''Shiri'', a film about a North Korean spy preparing a coup in Seoul, was the first in Korean history to sell more than two million tickets in Seoul alone. It also earned $14 million at the Japanese box office alone, helping it to surpass box office hits such as ''[[The Matrix]]'' and ''[[Star Wars]]''. The success of ''Shiri'' motivated other Korean films with larger budgets. Upon release, ''Shiri'' attracted 5.8 million theatre-goers; these numbers outscored the local theater attendance for the Hollywood-made film, ''Titanic''. The venture capital firm KDB Capital, the main firm that invested money into the production of ''Shiri'' (specifically, around $333,000), would end up earning more than 300 percent in returns (Shim, 33), helping to spark the Korean government's interest in the possible profits that can be awarded through the entertainment industry.

In 2000 ''[[Joint Security Area (film)|Joint Security Area]]'' achieved huge success, surpassing the benchmark set by ''Shiri''. The following saw ''Friend'' manage the same. In 2001, the romantic comedy ''[[My Sassy Girl]]'' outsold ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter]]'' which ran at the same time. [[Park Chan-wook]], the director of ''[[Joint Security Area (film)|Joint Security Area]]'', has gone on to direct many popular films in Korea and abroad, and is best known for ''[[Oldboy (2003 film)|Oldboy]]''. [[Kim Ki-Duk]], another well-respected filmmaker who is noted for using minimal dialogue to create an emotional response from the audience, is known especially for ''[[3-Iron]]'' and ''[[Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring]]''. As of 2004, new films continue to break records, with many Korean productions achieving greater popularity than Hollywood films.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Korean Movie Reviews for 2009 |url=http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm09.html |access-date=2019-11-16 |archive-date=2012-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704080054/http://koreanfilm.org/kfilm09.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Both ''[[Silmido (film)|Silmido]]'' and ''[[Taegukgi (film)|Taegukgi]]'' (''The Brotherhood'') were watched by over 10 million people, almost a quarter of the Korean population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Korean Movie Reviews for 2003: Save the Green Planet, Memories of Murder, A Tale of Two Sisters, Oldboy, Silmido, and more |url=http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm03.html |access-date=2019-11-16 |archive-date=2010-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728222146/http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm03.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Silmido'' is based on a true story about a secret special force, while ''Taegukgi'' is a blockbuster about the [[Korean War]] from the director of ''Shiri''. The social satire and monster movie ''[[The Host (2006 film)|The Host]]'' (2006) broke Korean box office records and grossed $1.8 million in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Host - Box Office Mojo |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3118486021/?ref_=bo_tt_gr_1 |access-date=2019-11-16 |archive-date=2020-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729010240/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3118486021/?ref_=bo_tt_gr_1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

This success attracted the attention of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]]. Films such as ''Shiri'' are now distributed in the [[United States]]. In 2001, [[Miramax]] bought the rights to an English-language remake of the successful Korean action comedy movie, ''[[My Wife is a Gangster]]''.

Many Korean films also reflect the unique circumstances of the [[division of Korea|division]] and [[Korean reunification|reunification]] of Korea.

In 2016, ''[[Train to Busan]],'' directed by [[Yeon Sang-ho]] created a new sub division genre of zombie-like film in South Korea. Unlike many more western-made zombie films, Yeon uses an entirely Korean cast to establish and display a Korean-only film. Becoming a Korean zombie blockbuster film,<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Yun |first1=Junshik |title=Representation of the National Trauma in Train to Busan: Based on a Semiotic Approach |date=17 November 2020 |hdl=1877/etd11925 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> modeled after ''Shiri(1999)'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Koo |first1=Luisa |chapter=National Cinema, Trauma, and Melodrama in the Korean Zombie Film ''Train to Busan'' (2016) |pages=165–178 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KTCyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA165 |editor1-last=Pascuzzi |editor1-first=Francesco |editor2-last=Waters |editor2-first=Sandra |title=The Spaces and Places of Horror |date=2020 |publisher=Vernon Press |isbn=978-1-62273-863-2 }}</ref> ''Train to Busan'' earned a worldwide grossing of US$93.1 million.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Sangjoon |url=https://www.fulcrum.org/concern/monographs/pv63g201j |title=Rediscovering Korean Cinema |date=2019 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-05429-9 |language=en |archive-date=2023-12-09 |access-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209051949/https://www.fulcrum.org/concern/monographs/pv63g201j |url-status=live }}</ref> The film reflects social and economic challenges in a developing South Korean society,<ref>{{cite thesis|last1=Sungnoi |first1=Souwaluck |title='Train to Busan' movie : a reflection of social problems in South Korea |date=2019 |doi=10.58837/CHULA.THE.2019.327 |doi-access=free }}</ref> creating a realistic perspective of the future.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tangalycheva |first=Rumiya |date=2019 |title=Sociological Analysis of the Korean Film Train to Busan: A Scenario for the Future of Modern Society |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=806937 |journal=Социологически проблеми |volume=51 |issue=Special 2 |pages=425–441 |archive-date=2023-12-03 |access-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203064149/https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=806937 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2020, ''[[Parasite (2019 film)|Parasite]]'', directed by Bong Joon-ho, which depicts the [[Economic inequality in South Korea|economic inequality situation]] in the country, won four awards at the [[92nd Academy Awards]]: [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]], and [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Best International Feature Film]], becoming the [[List of South Korean Academy Award winners and nominees#Best Picture|first non-English-language film]] to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.{{refn|Although ''Parasite'' was the first film with a non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars, it is not to be confused with the first ''foreign'' film (produced by a company of a country that does not have English as its primary language) to win Best Picture, which was achieved by ''[[The Artist (film)|The Artist]]'' in 2012. The French-produced film was largely silent with French [[intertitle]]s and contained a few spoken lines in English.<ref name="guardian clarification">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/10/parasite-best-picture-new-era-for-oscars |title=Parasite's best picture Oscar could kickstart a new era of internationalism |first=Phil |last=Hoad |date=10 February 2020 |access-date=11 June 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618003809/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/10/parasite-best-picture-new-era-for-oscars | archive-date = 18 June 2020 | url-status = live}}</ref> The Academy dictates foreign language as the main qualification for international film, hence ''The Artist'' did not qualify.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/rules-eligibility |title=Rules & Eligibility |date=28 July 2014 |website=Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|language=en|access-date=10 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108163338/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/rules-eligibility|archive-date=8 January 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Further, while prior winners ''[[The Last Emperor]]'' and ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' include significant amounts of non-English dialogue, they were considered products of the Hollywood system.<ref name="guardian clarification"/>|group=note}}

===K-dramas===
{{Main|Korean drama}}
Korean television and especially the short form dramatic mini-series colloquially called "dramas" by Koreans and ''K-dramas'' elsewhere have become extremely popular outside of Korea. Dramas were foremost among cultural exports trend in Asia and elsewhere. The trend has driven Korean stars to fame and has greatly boosted the image and prestige of Korean popular culture. One example that the Korean Wave of drama have come into existence is in 1997, when the national [[China Central Television|China Central Television Station (CCTV)]] aired a Korean television drama, ''What is Love All About?,'' turned out to be a big hit. Responding to popular demand, CCTV re-aired the program in 1998 and recorded the second-highest ratings ever in the history of Chinese television. In 1999, in Taiwan and China, another Korean television drama serial ''Stars in My Heart'', became a big hit. Since then, Korean television dramas have rapidly taken up airtime on television channels in countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, which saw media liberalization beginning in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Lechner |editor1-first=Frank J. |editor2-last=Boli |editor2-first=John |title=The Globalization Reader |date=2012 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-65563-4 |page=359 }}</ref>

Dramas showcase a wide range of stories, but the most prominent among the export dramas have been romance (''[[All About Eve (South Korean TV series)|All About Eve]]'', ''[[Autumn Fairy Tale]]'', ''[[Winter Sonata]]'', ''[[My Fair Lady (2009 TV series)|My Fair Lady]]'', ''[[Stairway to Heaven (South Korean TV series)|Stairway to Heaven]]'', ''[[Full House (2004 TV series)|Full House]]'', ''[[My Name is Kim Sam Soon]]'', ''[[Goong]]'', ''[[My Girl (2005 TV series)|My Girl]]'', ''[[Boys Over Flowers (2009 TV series)|Boys Over Flowers]]'', ''[[Shining Inheritance]]'', ''[[You're Beautiful (TV series)|You're Beautiful]]'', ''[[Heartstrings (South Korean TV series)|Heartstrings]]'', ''[[Secret Garden (South Korean TV series)|Secret Garden]]'', ''[[Dream High]]'') and historical fantasy dramas (''[[Dae Jang Geum]]'', ''[[Emperor of the Sea]]'', ''[[Jumong (TV series)|Jumong]]'', ''[[Sungkyunkwan Scandal]]''). Korea has also aired their first blockbuster spy drama, ''[[Iris (South Korean TV series)|IRIS]]''.

===Korean animation===
{{Main|South Korean animation}}
While ''[[The Simpsons]]'' is the best known back-room product of South Korea, many other popular English-language animation series (''[[Futurama]]'', ''[[King of the Hill]]'', ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'') have had the basic animation, [[in-betweening]], and coloring done in South Korea; there has also been some South Korean collaborations and minor contributions on [[anime]] from Japan. This work is professional, but not necessarily Korean in tone or manner.

Recently, the animation ''[[Pororo the Little Penguin]]'' became one of the most popular cultural exports of South Korea, being exported to 120 countries worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Hana |date=4 March 2012 |title=The Secret of Pororo reaching 389 Billion Success (3890억원 갑부 뽀로로, 성공 비결 알려준다) |url=http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=201203042471g&ltype=1&nid=000&sid=0001 |access-date=1 June 2012 |publisher=Hankyoung Economics (한국경제) |archive-date=5 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405120343/http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=201203042471g&ltype=1&nid=000&sid=0001 |url-status=live }}</ref> This little blue penguin has 1,500 [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] products and a section in a theme park. Pororo is so powerful that Koreans call him Potongryong ("President Pororo"). According to the Seoul Business Agency, Pororo will generate global sales of 38 billion won (approximately US$36 million){{citation needed|date=December 2016}} this year, and the brand is worth 389.3 billion won for Iconix (the firm that created it) and others.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 7, 2011 |title=Korean animation : Of penguins and politics Pororo the penguin could be the next Teletubbies |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/business/2011/07/07/of-penguins-and-politics |access-date=1 June 2012 |archive-date=8 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608042945/http://www.economist.com/node/18929066 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''[[KPop Demon Hunters]]'' is an American animated film set in Korea, released on June 20, 2025. It was directed and conceived by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, and animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. The film was later released on Netflix and achieved global box office success. Immediately after its release, it entered the Netflix Top 10 in more than 90 countries and ranked No. 1 in several of them.<ref>{{Cite news |title=K-Pop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix global hit |publisher=MBC News |date=2025-06-21 |url=https://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/483106 |access-date=2025-11-08}}</ref>

=== Korean comics or ''manhwa'' ===
{{Main|manhwa}}
In [[Korean language|Korean]], the term ''[[manhwa]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=만화|hanja=漫畫|labels=no}}), derived from [[manhua]] ({{zh|t=漫畫|s=漫画|p=mànhuà|l=impromptu sketches|c=}}), simply means 'comics' but outside the two Korean states, it generally refers to the comics of South Korea, although some comics come from North Korea as well.

===Webtoons===
{{See also|Webtoon}}
Webtoons are digital comics invented in February 2003 by the website Daum in South Korea. "Love Story" by Kang Full was the first successful webtoon that popularized the industry.<ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ko:카카오웹툰 - KAKAO WEBTOON |url=https://webtoon.kakao.com/ |website=카카오웹툰 |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228225344/https://webtoon.kakao.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Naver founded Line Webtoon in June 2004, and launched their website worldwide on July 2, 2004. Other countries including mainland China, India, Taiwan and Singapore have created their own Webtoon Industries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 August 2020 |title=Korean Culture Past and Present |url=https://linguasia.com/culture/korean-culture/ |access-date=9 March 2021 |website=Linguasia |archive-date=7 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307170705/https://linguasia.com/culture/korean-culture/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Korean Wave]]
* [[Music of South Korea]]
* [[Architecture of South Korea]]
* [[LG Arts Center]]
* [[Hallyuwood]]
* [[Tattooing in South Korea]]
* [[Pets in South Korea]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Korea topics}}
{{Culture of Asia}}

[[Category:Culture of South Korea| ]]

[[bn:দক্ষিণ কোরিয়া#সংস্কৃতি]]