BBC Radio 3 recently broadcast a programme entitled “South Korea: The Cultural Superpower”!
The programme discusses how the country has used various forms of media including it’s film, television and music industry to make it’s global mark over the years.
Though South Korea is often less considered as a cultural superpower (often living in the shadow of its neighbouring China and Japan), the 45 minute programme explains in detail the immense amount of economic power South Korea has managed to carve out for itself in recent years.
The programme description reads:
“From movies and TV to K-Pop, South Korean culture manages to punch far above its weight – across East Asia, and beyond. But how did this happen, and why is it so important to Koreans? Rana Mitter investigates.“
The piece is very interesting and comprehensive in it’s coverage of the subject matter. It does not just look at modern day Korea, but explains how the country has become what it is through its tumultuous past. It doesn’t take an expert in Asian history to know what huge levels of oppression the Korean people had to endure, and the fact that it is only relevantly recently in history that the country has had the opportunity to carve out its own identity.
Overall, it is a brilliant and informative programme that should not be missed by anyone interested in South Korean culture and media. The programme will likely teach every listener something they previously did not know, no matter how knowledgeable they are about the country and its history!
You can listen to the full broadcast here.
[Source: BBC Website].
