Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Paji eh Wong]

The more I think about the OP, the less sense it makes. Korea isn't rebelling, it's copying the fruits of our "rebellion". And at best, Korea's trying to only copy the material stuff involved, not the ideas. But the ideas will trickle down eventually.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

The youth have oppressive confucianism to rebel against. Once they realise how short changed they have been in terms of enjoying their teenage and early twenties years they will want some changes ... there really is a lack of joy and celebration here, it's such an uptight society, despite all the soju that flows ...

[VanIslander]

Maybe it's just me but it seems patently obvious that:

The Korean music industry is stuck in the 1980's (between "Fame" in 1980 and Janet Jackson's "Rythm Nation" in 1989).

The Korean T.V. drama industry is stuck in the 1970's (the minimal realism of spare plot and sporatic bursts/absences of dialogue).

and when I think about it:

The Korean movie industry is stuck in the 1990's (making stuff similar to "Pretty Woman" in 1990, "Braveheart" in 1995, and much inbetween).

The Korean fashion industry is stuck in the early 1960's between Audrey Hepburn's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" hip-hugging Capri pants in 1961 and the dawning of the mini-skirt and navel in 1966, before kaftan flower power, extreme exhibitionism, and pasleys.

For men's fashion too, the early sixties saw the ditching of the grey flanel suit in favour of Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent suits, more tightly fitting with office shirts OTHER THAN white. Suddenly, the trendy young man could wear a wide range of pastel shades. In Britain, the Mods began as a minority group deeply concerned with their immaculate appearance, but from 1963 onwards they received national coverage and showed that men could care about the clothes they wore, an attitude that was to allow real changes as the decade progressed.

And Korean politics is stuck in the 1970's (between anti-war protests and "I'm not a crook" speeches).

So, what really is the 1950's around here anyways? (other than Korean attitudes toward drugs and hypocrisy about sex)

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[The Man known as The Man]

[baldrick]

Ha Ha good thread, and funnily enough I was using The Beatles 'She Loves You' for a class of middle schoolers the other day. They started to ask about The Beatles - how old they were, when they were famous etc etc...so I tried to relate the sixties to them. Then I realised after some blank looks from my co-teacher she had no idea what I was on about. I realised Korea has NEVER experienced anything like the sixties. It really really needs to - for my sanity and for theirs (the young generation). I mean, its happening in China, why not here!

[Swiss James]

I'm with the OP- a sexual and social revolution has to happen, there are too many young people who can't marry/screw who they want to because of their parents and have to follow some kind of career path outside their control, yet are watching western films/TV/ travelling abroad and seeing what the alternatives are.
Unemployment, military service and housing could be a problem for the wannabe rebel, but I think there will be a seachange at some point

[coolsage]

Yes, but the very people who could foment such a revolution are voting with their feet; i.e. the're leaving and they're not coming back. And who can blame them; after the've seen the West, and had some exposure to the notion of individuality, and the freedom to map out one's own destiny, the Confucian system would, by contrast, appear to suck. It's Korea's loss, though, and that sucks as well.

[rapier]

[djsmnc]

If you go to:

http://www.e-seoul.go.kr/

click on the link to the photo galleries...then flip throught the "Way of life" section, you'll find two interesting images related to this topic (from the early 70's)

One is of young guys with long hair getting it forcibly cut on the street in a government crackdown. There's also a photo of a girl getting her miniskirt length measured in another crackdown...


Somehow I just don't see a big revolution happening. There IS a rapid Westernization process going on, but not on the level that we horny nostalgic teachers are hoping for. Until I find myself in a free for all drug-induced interracial orgy with hundreds of liberal Korean college dropouts ranting about how we're all connected on an astrological plane regardless of race or status....however...I just don't think it's happening. There's also no San Francisco for the kids to run away to.

I don't mind being used by Korean women as an implement for their sexual revolution though!