Author: Ryan Yee

“Korean-ness” as a Feature

In addition to Japan, Latin America, and South East Asia being on the receiving end of Hallyu’s influence, another notable country that has had popular culture change is Mainland China. Most of my experience with Hallyu in Mainland China is anecdotal and limited to Shanghai, but I believe that Hallyu has had some strong influence in other parts of the country. One of the ways that Hallyu has manifested in Mainland China is the use of “Korean-ness” as a brand. This can be seen on a search on Taobao, a popular shopping site in China. I’ve been told by friends that when shopping for clothes on Taobao, that a search for “韓式衣服”, or Korean-style clothes, is the best way to find fashionable clothing.

A plethora of suggestions on Taobao for Korean-style clothes

Although I’m not sure if these clothes are actually reflective of current fashion trends within Korea, the popularity of branding as Korean shows in real life, as much of the clothing results I’ve been able to find on Taobao are visible when walking on the streets of Shanghai. A notable example of the supposed trend transfers from Korean to China in regards to fashion is the prominence of Canada Goose jackets. Apparently, the popularity of Canada Goose first arose within Korea and its diaspora, then transferred to China and the Chinese diaspora. Although the winter season has already come to an end, Canada Goose was able to remain popular throughout, even in light of the controversial arrest of Huawei’s (a Mainland Chinese company) CFO in Canada which brought about much negative sentiment towards Canada within Mainland China.

On top of clothing trends, much of the similar trends worldwide in regards to Hallyu also apply in China. Dramas, TV shows, films, and Kpop, in general, are popular among younger Mainland Chinese people, despite the government’s opposition to Korean and foreign media in general. With a growing middle-class and increased interest in Korean media, Hallyu has also led to an increase in Chinese nationals travelling to Korea. In addition to its reputation of fashion and media, Korea is also recognised as a leader in cosmetics, with many local brands using names and Hanguel in an attempt to be perceived as Korean.

A typical MUMUSO store

A notable example of this is the “MUMUSO” chain. (I believe that MUMUSO is a copy with Korean branding of the other Chinese chain Miniso, which is based on some hybrid between Daiso and MUJI?) MUMUSO is similar to Daiso where one can find everyday household items as well as cosmetics. Notably, MUMUSO typically brands itself as MUMUSO Korea with a website that ends in “.co.kr” to lend itself even more “legitimacy” as a Korean company and features goods covered in Hangeul labelling. The company, however, is based within China and I’ve been told by my Korean friends that the labels are non-sensical. I raise MUMUSO as an example of how lucrative “Korean branding” has become within Mainland China which, I believe is reflective of Hallyu’s impact in the region.

Joint Security Area (2001): A Symbol of the 90s Korean Film Industry

As mentioned in this week’s reading by Robinson, Korea’s culture industry went through a transition when the government relaxed its censorship restrictions. This led to a new generation of artists and filmmakers in the country. One these famous filmmakers, Park Chan-wook, is an example of this shift in Korea’s society His directing ability and films are not just famous in South Korea, but also worldwide with films such as Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. A brief overview of one of his films, Joint Security Area (2000), is linked below to provide context which I will use to explore Robinson’s text

I believe that  Joint Security Area (2000), directed by Park Chan-wook, does an excellent job at showcasing the social changes that the new generation of filmmakers and artists brought about. The film is set in the late 1990s/early 2000s and follows the investigation of the murder of two North Korean soldiers stationed along the Korean DMZ. Although the film’s setting is one that is familiar to the previous meta-narratives that existed before censorship restrictions were relaxed, the film merely utilities this setting to tell a mystery thriller film with excellent storytelling and character development. I would highly recommend viewing this film either because of its relevance to our class or even just for enjoyment.

The main distinction of this film is that it humanises North Korea by exploring the friendship that develops between the North and South Korean soldiers stationed along this the political boundary. This approach takes something familiar (the South Korean soldiers) and juxtaposes them with something that is considered dangerous (North Korea) and explores the relationship that forms between both. Just like the soldiers, the film attempts to subvert the political boundary by showing these four soldiers as friends who talk about everyday, relatable topics like the women they’re dating or married to, or playing games like hopscotch. However, the film merely attempts to subvert the boundary as the moments of character development between the soldiers are often cut short by the reality of their situation resurfacing through their duties to their states. Even though it appears clear cut, the story told in the film blurs the line set by the North and South Korean states by showing a meaningful friendship develop between soldiers on both sides. The film raises the stakes on the Korean identity by questioning the viewer on the significance of politics on national and cultural identity through the relationship portrayed between the soldiers.