DOCSLIB.ORG

COSMETIC SURGERY: WHY NOT? HELL NOT! an Analysis of Korean Concepts Behind the High Cosmetic Surgery Rates in South Korea

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
COSMETIC SURGERY: WHY NOT? HELL NOT! an Analysis of Korean Concepts Behind the High Cosmetic Surgery Rates in South Korea COSMETIC SURGERY: WHY NOT? HELL NOT! An analysis of Korean concepts behind the high cosmetic surgery rates in South Korea Master Thesis MID Sociology Track Name: Loubna Es-Safraouy (930629229010) Date: 15-04-2018 Supervisor: Gerard Verschoor Table of contents Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... 3 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction to South Korea ................................................................................................................ 7 Why women? ....................................................................................................................................... 8 The usual explanation: Neo-Confucianism and Neo-liberalisation ..................................................... 9 Problem Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 2: Theoretical framework......................................................................................................... 11 Gender ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Subjectivity ........................................................................................................................................ 13 The body and the self ........................................................................................................................ 15 Ontologies ......................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 3: Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 17 Chapter 4: Research results ................................................................................................................... 19 Life in South Korea ........................................................................................................................... 19 Competitive society ....................................................................................................................... 21 Hell Joseon .................................................................................................................................... 23 Korean cosmetic surgery ................................................................................................................... 24 Beauty Belt .................................................................................................................................... 25 A Korean Attitude ......................................................................................................................... 26 Anti-Japan ..................................................................................................................................... 26 Physiognomy ................................................................................................................................. 28 Healing the Self ............................................................................................................................. 29 My personal encounter .................................................................................................................. 29 Confucianist influence ....................................................................................................................... 31 Collectivism................................................................................................................................... 31 The conceptual self ........................................................................................................................ 35 Confucianism and women ............................................................................................................. 36 Women in a patriarchal society ......................................................................................................... 37 Corporate life ................................................................................................................................. 37 Appearances .................................................................................................................................. 42 Entertainment industry and the media ................................ ............................................................... 49 Influence of K-pop ........................................................................................................................ 49 1 Malnourishment ............................................................................................................................. 51 Advertisements .............................................................................................................................. 56 Patriarchy in the industry............................................................................................................... 56 Friction in society .............................................................................................................................. 59 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................. 64 Relation with existing literature ........................................................................................................ 64 Hell Joseon ........................................................................................................................................ 65 Limitations and weakness ................................................................................................................. 66 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 67 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................. 69 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix A: Informants ........................................................................................................................ 79 Appendix C: Extra Pictures ................................................................................................................... 80 2 Acknowledgments I would like to thank all my informants for their participation, kindness, and honesty. A special thanks to Sagar Pultoo for lending me his wonderful network and helping me connect with informants. I am grateful for my supervisors who provided me with the space to write freely, my family for their continuous support and my dear friends Minjung and Taeyoung for taking care of me during my stay in Seoul. 3 Abstract In this thesis my aim is to change the perspective on Korean cosmetic surgery as pure vanity and intervene in the simplicity of the debate in the literature on East-Asian cosmetic surgery and the factors causing its high rates. In the literature on this subject, I have noticed most authors forcing concepts on both sides of the structuralist-agency spectrum. Examples of these concepts are westernization, neo-liberalisation, Confucianism, or sexual empowerment. During my fieldwork I found neither of these concepts of help to fully understand this phenomenon due its complex dynamics. Therefore, I have chosen for an approach through the concept of ontologies. To understand why South Koreans are collectively visiting surgery clinics, Korean concepts and a Korean point of view are needed. In this thesis I discuss cosmetic surgery while highlighting local concepts like Hell Joseon, woori, and the unique entertainment industry of South Korea. 4 Summary Thus, in this thesis, my goal was to advocate for an understanding of phenomena through the perspective, and worldview of South Koreans by highlighting Korean concepts. Herein, we found historical, social, and economic factors to play a role in the choice of women for cosmetic surgery. In the changing context of South Korea, young women are starting to recognize their individualism while trying to maintain norms and values of the previous generations. In the South Korean society, the booming cosmetic surgery numbers indicate an open attitude towards it, while a growing number is rejecting this trend. Viewing South Korea through the window of Hell Joseon we see the hardships and the extreme high competitiveness of Koreans to achieve the career they opt for. For women, appearance plays a role here in the strong patriarchal society. Through the media and the entertainment industry, images of perfect doll-like women are normalized into society as the ideal. It is then only understandable for women who wish to climb the social ladder to embrace cosmetic surgery since it provides them with the tool to succeed. On the other hand, women who are fighting the patriarchy are also part of the cosmetic surgery narrative
Load more

Recommended publications
  • D2492609215cd311123628ab69
    Acknowledgements Publisher AN Cheongsook, Chairperson of KOFIC 206-46, Cheongnyangni-dong, Dongdaemun-gu. Seoul, Korea (130-010) Editor in Chief Daniel D. H. PARK, Director of International Promotion Department Editors KIM YeonSoo, Hyun-chang JUNG English Translators KIM YeonSoo, Darcy PAQUET Collaborators HUH Kyoung, KANG Byeong-woon, Darcy PAQUET Contributing Writer MOON Seok Cover and Book Design Design KongKam Film image and still photographs are provided by directors, producers, production & sales companies, JIFF (Jeonju International Film Festival), GIFF (Gwangju International Film Festival) and KIFV (The Association of Korean Independent Film & Video). Korean Film Council (KOFIC), December 2005 Korean Cinema 2005 Contents Foreword 04 A Review of Korean Cinema in 2005 06 Korean Film Council 12 Feature Films 20 Fiction 22 Animation 218 Documentary 224 Feature / Middle Length 226 Short 248 Short Films 258 Fiction 260 Animation 320 Films in Production 356 Appendix 386 Statistics 388 Index of 2005 Films 402 Addresses 412 Foreword The year 2005 saw the continued solid and sound prosperity of Korean films, both in terms of the domestic and international arenas, as well as industrial and artistic aspects. As of November, the market share for Korean films in the domestic market stood at 55 percent, which indicates that the yearly market share of Korean films will be over 50 percent for the third year in a row. In the international arena as well, Korean films were invited to major international film festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, and San Sebastian and received a warm reception from critics and audiences. It is often said that the current prosperity of Korean cinema is due to the strong commitment and policies introduced by the KIM Dae-joong government in 1999 to promote Korean films.
    [Show full text]
  • Financial Regionalism
    NOVEMBER 2010 FINANCIAL REGIONALISM: A REVIEW OF THE ISSUES DOMENICO LOMBARDI Domenico Lombardi is the president of the Oxford In- stitute for Economic Policy and a nonresident senior fel- low at the Brookings Institution. Acknowledgments: The author acknowledges helpful comments from Masahiro Kawai, Mario Lamberte and other participants to the High- Level International Workshop on Financial Regionalism: Lessons and Next Steps, cohosted in Washington by the Asian De- velopment Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Brookings Institution, on October 13 and 14, 2010. He gratefully acknowledges the ADBI’s support for this project and the excellent research assistance provided by Ana Maria Salamanca. The views expressed in this paper are personal and do not involve the ADBI or the Brookings Institution. THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION | ISSUES PAPER DOMENICO LOMBARDI FINANCIAL REGIONALISM: A REVIEW OF THE ISSUES INTRODUCTION of the IMF that could both compete with the Fund and offer an alternative to its regulatory role. Perhaps In an unprecedented effort to counteract the in acknowledgment of this, and as a sign of a shifting spread of the financial crisis in Europe, its finance attitude, an IMF communiqué released on October 9, ministers have announced the establishment of 2010, pointed out that it is important for the Fund “to the European Stabilization Mechanism, which cooperate . with regional financial arrangements.”1 can mobilize up to $1 trillion. Earlier, in 2009 in Asia, the finance ministers of the Association of Against this backdrop, the present paper aims to provide Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three announced the basic elements to inform current discussions. However, multilateralization of the Chiang Mai Initiative and, though the paper focuses on the latest developments in in April 2010, the establishment of a surveillance Europe and Asia, and their implications for an “optimal” unit, in effect laying the foundation for an Asian regional architecture, an exhaustive treatment of Monetary Fund.
    [Show full text]
  • The Globalization of K-Pop: the Interplay of External and Internal Forces
    THE GLOBALIZATION OF K-POP: THE INTERPLAY OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FORCES Master Thesis presented by Hiu Yan Kong Furtwangen University MBA WS14/16 Matriculation Number 249536 May, 2016 Sworn Statement I hereby solemnly declare on my oath that the work presented has been carried out by me alone without any form of illicit assistance. All sources used have been fully quoted. (Signature, Date) Abstract This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic analysis about the growing popularity of Korean pop music (K-pop) worldwide in recent years. On one hand, the international expansion of K-pop can be understood as a result of the strategic planning and business execution that are created and carried out by the entertainment agencies. On the other hand, external circumstances such as the rise of social media also create a wide array of opportunities for K-pop to broaden its global appeal. The research explores the ways how the interplay between external circumstances and organizational strategies has jointly contributed to the global circulation of K-pop. The research starts with providing a general descriptive overview of K-pop. Following that, quantitative methods are applied to measure and assess the international recognition and global spread of K-pop. Next, a systematic approach is used to identify and analyze factors and forces that have important influences and implications on K-pop’s globalization. The analysis is carried out based on three levels of business environment which are macro, operating, and internal level. PEST analysis is applied to identify critical macro-environmental factors including political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological.
    [Show full text]
  • Hell Joseon and the Politics of Mourning in the Shin Hae-Chul Episode of Hidden Singer
    Situations 11.1 (2018): 19–38 ISSN: 2288–7822 Hell Joseon and the Politics of Mourning in the Shin Hae-Chul Episode of Hidden Singer Kee-Yoon Nahm (Illinois State University) Abstract This article examines the politics of public mourning after the death of South Korean celebrity Shin Hae-Chul and the Sewol Ferry disaster. I argue that grief became the impetus for meaningful political change, especially President Park Geun-hye’s removal, when it branched out into a wider affective range in digital culture. I focus on Hell Joseon, a hotly debated internet meme at the time of Shin’s fatal medical accident, and an episode of the television game show Hidden Singer memorializing Shin to identify alternative strategies of politicizing grief that thwart the government’s efforts to silence critical voices. Keywords: Hell Joseon, Shin Hae-Chul, Hidden Singer, Sewol Ferry disaster, mourning, grief, digital culture, Korean media 20 Kee-Yoon Nahm Introduction A few weeks after former President Park Geun-Hye was removed from office following her historic impeachment trial, the New York Times ran an article about the catastrophic sinking of the Sewol Ferry, noting that “the government’s botched rescue operation was a central grievance voiced against the president” in widespread public demonstrations dubbed the “candlelight protests.”1 While the protesters who gathered at Gwanghwamun Square and other public spaces certainly condemned Park and her inept administration, the expression of these grievances was also accompanied by a pervasive sense of grief. Tens of thousands of people visited the temporary memorial altar to the dead passengers— mostly high school students—in their hometown of Ansan while others tied yellow ribbons to fences at Mokpo Harbor, wishing for the safe return of the missing.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of HPV Vaccination Among HPV-Infected Women Aged 20–60 Years with Abnormal Cervical Cytology in South Korea: a Multicenter, Retrospective Study
    J Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Jan;31(1):e4 https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2020.31.e4 pISSN 2005-0380·eISSN 2005-0399 Original Article Status of HPV vaccination among HPV-infected women aged 20–60 years with abnormal cervical cytology in South Korea: a multicenter, retrospective study Jaehyun Seong ,1 Sangmi Ryou ,1 Myeongsu Yoo ,1 JeongGyu Lee ,1 Kisoon Kim ,1 Youngmee Jee ,2 Chi Heum Cho ,3 Seok Mo Kim ,4 Sung Ran Hong ,5 Dae Hoon Jeong ,6 Won-Chul Lee ,7 Jong Sup Park ,8 Tae Jin Kim ,9 Mee-Kyung Kee 1 1Division of Viral Diseases Research, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Korea National Institute of Received: Feb 1, 2019 Health, Cheongju, Korea Revised: Jun 12, 2019 2Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Korea National Institute of Health, Cheongju, Korea Accepted: Jun 19, 2019 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Korea 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea Correspondence to 5Department of Pathology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University Mee-Kyung Kee College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Division of Viral Disease Research, Center for 6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, University College of Infectious Diseases Research, Korea National Medicine, Busan, Korea Institute of Health, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 7Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, 8Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea Cheongju 28159, Korea. College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 9 E-mail: [email protected] Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University, Seoul, Korea Copyright © 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Smith Alumnae Quarterly
    ALUMNAEALUMNAE Special Issueue QUARTERLYQUARTERLY TriumphantTrT iumphah ntn WomenWomen for the World campaigncac mppaiigngn fortififorortifi eses Smith’sSSmmitith’h s mimmission:sssion: too educateeducac te wwomenommene whowhwho wiwillll cchangehahanngge theththe worldworlrld This issue celebrates a stronstrongerger Smith, where ambitious women like Aubrey MMenarndtenarndt ’’0808 find their pathpathss Primed for Leadership SPRING 2017 VOLUME 103 NUMBER 3 c1_Smith_SP17_r1.indd c1 2/28/17 1:23 PM Women for the WoA New Generationrld of Leaders c2-50_Smith_SP17.indd c2 2/24/17 1:08 PM “WOMEN, WHEN THEY WORK TOGETHER, have incredible power.” Journalist Trudy Rubin ’65 made that statement at the 2012 launch of Smith’s Women for the World campaign. Her words were prophecy. From 2009 through 2016, thousands of Smith women joined hands to raise a stunning $486 million. This issue celebrates their work. Thanks to them, promising women from around the globe will continue to come to Smith to fi nd their voices and their opportunities. They will carry their education out into a world that needs their leadership. SMITH ALUMNAE QUARTERLY Special Issue / Spring 2017 Amber Scott ’07 NICK BURCHELL c2-50_Smith_SP17.indd 1 2/24/17 1:08 PM In This Issue • WOMEN HELPING WOMEN • A STRONGER CAMPUS 4 20 We Set Records, Thanks to You ‘Whole New Areas of Strength’ In President’s Perspective, Smith College President The Museum of Art boasts a new gallery, two new Kathleen McCartney writes that the Women for the curatorships and some transformational acquisitions. World campaign has strengthened Smith’s bottom line: empowering exceptional women. 26 8 Diving Into the Issues How We Did It Smith’s four leadership centers promote student engagement in real-world challenges.
    [Show full text]
  • K-Pop Fandom in Lima,Perú
    Wesleyan ♦ University K-POP FANDOM IN LIMA, PERÚ: VIRTUAL AND LIVE CIRCULATION PATTERNS By Stephanie Ho Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mark Slobin A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Wesleyan University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Middletown, Connecticut MAY 2015 i Acknowledgements I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Mark Slobin, for his invaluable guidance and insights during the process of writing this thesis. I am also immensely grateful to Dr. Su Zheng and Dr. Matthew Tremé for acting as members of my thesis committee and for their considered thoughts and comments on my early draft, which contributed greatly to the improvement of my work. I would also like to thank Gabrielle Misiewicz for her help with editing this thesis in its final stages, and most importantly for supporting me throughout our time together as classmates and friends. I thank the Peruvian fans that took the time to help me with my research, as well as Virginia and Violeta Chonn, who accompanied me on fieldwork visits and took the time to share their opinions with me regarding the Limeñan fandom. Thanks to my friends and colleagues at Wesleyan – especially Nicole Arulanantham, Gen Conte, Maho Ishiguro, Ellen Lueck, Joy Lu, and Ender Terwilliger – as well as Deb Shore from the Music Department, and Prof. Ann Wightman of the Latin American Studies Department. From my pre-Wesleyan life, I would like to acknowledge Francesca Zaccone, who introduced me to K-pop in 2009, and has always been up for discussing the K-pop world with me, be it for fun or for the purpose of helping me further my analyses.
    [Show full text]
  • England Longplay TOP 100 2019 / 31 03.08.2019
    03.08.2019 England Longplay TOP 100 2019 / 31 Pos Vorwochen Woc BP T i t e l 2019 / 31 - 1 1 1 --- 21 2 No. 6 Collaborations Project . Ed Sheeran 221101 6 Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent . Lewis Capaldi 3 --- --- 1N3 Freya Ridings . Freya Ridings 434171 3 When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? . Billie Eilish 5 --- 135 35 Anima . Thom Yorke 666841 28 The Greatest Showman . Motion Picture Cast Recording 7810701 1 Staying At Tamara's . George Ezra 8791251 20 ÷ [Divide] . Ed Sheeran 9107403 Bohemian Rhapsody [Soundtrack] . Queen 10 5 25 421 2 A Star Is Born [Soundtrack] . Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper . 11 --- --- 1N11 The Great War . Sabaton 12 4 2 41 1 Step Back In Time - The Definitive . Kylie Minogue 13 11 11 895 Diamonds . Elton John 14 --- --- 1N14 Singles Party (1988 - 2019) - The Complete Remestered Singles Collection . Shakespears 15 9 5 2305 Direct Hits 2003 - 2013 . Killers 16 --- --- 1N16 Apollo - Atmospheres & Soundtracks . Brian Eno with Daniel Lanois & Roger Eno 17 13 17 365 50 Years - Don't Stop . Fleetwood Mac 18 14 16 411 1 Always In Between . Jess Glynne 19 16 22 1123 Dua Lipa . Dua Lipa 20 21 52 3820 Snacks . Jax Jones . 21 15 19 211 1 What A Time To Be Alive . Tom Walker 22 20 20 6412 Don't Smile At Me . Billie Eilish 23 22 21 5571 9 1 . The Beatles 24 12 8 61 1 Western Stars . Bruce Springsteen 25 17 33 5417 Erratic Cinematic . Gerry Cinnamon 26 24 27 241 3 Thank U, Next . Ariana Grande 27 18 41 2661 13 X .
    [Show full text]
  • Janus-Faced Hana Yori Dango : Transnational Adaptations in East Asia and the Globalization Thesis
    Lingnan University Digital Commons @ Lingnan University Staff Publications Lingnan Staff Publication 3-2014 Janus-faced Hana yori dango : Transnational Adaptations in East Asia and the Globalization Thesis Tak Hung, Leo CHAN Lingnan University, Hong Kong Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.ln.edu.hk/sw_master Part of the Translation Studies Commons Recommended Citation Chan T.H.L (2014). Janus-faced Hana yori dango: Transnational Adaptations in East Asia and the Globalization Thesis. Asian Cultural Studies, 40, 61-77. This Journal article is brought to you for free and open access by the Lingnan Staff Publication at Digital Commons @ Lingnan University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Lingnan University. Janus-faced Hana yori dango: Transnational Adaptations in East Asia and the Globalization Thesis Leo Tak-hung Chan Theories of regional formation need to be rigorously examined in relation to East Asian popular culture that has been in circulation under the successive “waves” of Japanese and Korean TV dramas from the 1990s onward. Most overviews of the phenomenon have concentrated on the impact on the region of Japanese, then Kore- an, TV products as they spread southward to the three Chinese communities of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China. In the voluminous studies devoted to the subject, most conspicuously represented by those of Iwabuchi Koichi, two outstand- ing points of emphasis are noteworthy.1) First, the majority of evidence is drawn from the so-called “trendy” love dramas, like Tokyo Love Story (1991), Long Vacation (1996), Love Generation (1996) and Beautiful Life (2000) from Japan as well as Autumn Tale (2000) and Winter Sonata (2002) from Korea.2) Many of them were so successful that they altered TV drama production in the receptor communities.
    [Show full text]
  • Packaged Food in South Korea
    International Markets Bureau MARKET ANALYSIS REPORT | MARCH 2012 Packaged Food in South Korea Source: Shutterstock Source: Shutterstock Packaged Food in South Korea EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INSIDE THIS ISSUE South Korea’s packaged food market is ranked 15th largest in Executive Summary 2 the world, with a value of US$20.0 billion in 2010. Rising incomes have driven market growth and pushed consumer Country Profile 3 agri-food imports to US$5.7 billion. At the same time, consumer demand has evolved with recent socioeconomic Consumer Profile 4 changes. An aging population, growing income disparity, and Consumer Trends 5 busier lifestyles have generated interest in health and wellness and convenience-oriented food products. These Major Subsectors 7 developments have fostered the trends of product premiumization and value consciousness. Market Structure 9 The packaged food market is fairly concentrated, with major Trade 9 South Korean manufacturers controlling significant portions of their respective subsectors. The retail sector that imports and Distribution Channels 11 distributes packaged food is similarly concentrated. Hypermarkets and supermarkets distribute the vast majority of Key Retailers 12 packaged food and compete against brand names with their Distribution Trends 12 own private labels. Canadian firms thus face entry barriers, but also have opportunities to supply distributors and Opportunities in Packaged Food 13 capitalize on present market trends. Challenges in Packaged Food 14 Despite the considerable growth in this market, Canadian exports have fallen in recent years. Competitors, especially Conclusion 14 the United States and Brazil, are increasingly gaining market Bibliography 15 share. However, Canada remains the eighth-largest processed food exporter to South Korea, and key exports include meat, cereals, and fish and seafood.
    [Show full text]
  • From a Classifier Language to a Mass-Count Language: What Can Historical Data Show Us?
    FROM A CLASSIFIER LANGUAGE TO A MASS-COUNT LANGUAGE: WHAT CAN HISTORICAL DATA SHOW US? Danica MacDonald University of Calgary 1. Introduction This paper investigates the historical development and modern-day uses of the Korean morpheme -tul and proposes a new analysis of this morpheme based on historical data. The morpheme -tul is generally considered to mark plurality; this is surprising as Korean is considered to be a classifier language, which does not generally mark plurality morpho-syntactically. Korean -tul has been studied extensively; however, there is little consensus as to the distribution or function of this morpheme. My research takes a new approach to the analysis of -tul by examining its historical development over the past 100 years. The goal of this paper is to shed light on the modern-day uses of -tul by illuminating its past. The general question this paper addresses is whether the development of -tul is consistent with the properties of a classifier language and whether, based on this development, Korean still qualifies as a classifier language. I show that this morpheme is currently undergoing change and that Korean appears to be shifting from a classifier language to a mass-count language. This paper is organized as follows. Section 2 provides necessary background information on mass-count and classifier languages and outlines the specific research questions investigated in this study. Section 3 presents the historical corpus study which was conducted in order to investigate the historical development of -tul. The final section, Section 4, provides a conclusion and directions for future research. 2. Background Information This section provides background information on the mass-count and classifier language distinction (Section 2.1) as well as background information concerning the distribution of the Korean morpheme -tul (Section 2.2) and discusses its historical analysis in previous literature (Section 2.3).
    [Show full text]
  • Building the Nation: the Success and Crisis of Korean Civil Religion
    religions Article Building the Nation: The Success and Crisis of Korean Civil Religion Andrew Eungi Kim 1 and Daniel Connolly 2,* 1 Division of International Studies, Korea University, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea; [email protected] 2 Division of International Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul 02450, Korea * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Civil religion refers to a country’s beliefs, symbols, and rituals that bolster national unity and strengthen its citizens’ sense of identity and belonging. However, the literature on civil religion is divided between those who attribute it to bottom-up cultural spontaneity and those who see it as an ideological top-down construction. Moreover, there has been a relative lack of scholarly attention to Korean civil religion. This paper addresses both issues by arguing that a strong civil religion indeed exists in the country and that it has been an important part of the “nation-building” process since the founding of the Republic of Korea in 1948. The paper highlights how a succession of authoritarian regimes (1948–1987) successfully mobilized a strong civil religion for political purposes. The resulting civil religion targeted economic growth as the national goal to overcome all social ills, focused on the country’s ethnic and cultural homogeneity to boost national confidence and pride, exalted its traditional religions, especially Confucianism, as repositories of Korean traditional culture, and rendered sacred meanings to national symbols such as the flag and national anthem. Even after democratization, Korean civil religion remains largely ideological, as the Korean government is heavily involved in framing, planning, sponsoring, and promoting the country’s civil religion.
    [Show full text]