GLOBALIZATION AND THE KOREAN WAVE
Elucidating the Localized Manifestation of the Global
Globalization has set in motion a myriad of changes that affect everybody; advances in information technology further facilitate these changes. Recent advances in our ability to transmit and process information in a digital form are reshaping many economies worldwide. This not only spans economic relations such as trade and investment but also social interactions amongst organizations and individuals across the globe. In his article, Tomlinson describes these events as a ‘process of accelerating connectivity’. While the potential for good is immeasurable, Tomlinson recognizes that many people in developing countries do not benefit from this increasing network of interdependencies and connectivity. This gives rise to the idea of ‘uneven globalization’, where people in third world countries continue to live in the limbo of an informal economy. Tomlinson argues that globalization does not destroy localities, but that cultural experiences have to be lifted out of its traditional anchoring. Cultural imperialism is too sweeping a view to use in understanding the relationship between globalization and culture.
Increased connectivity means that developing countries now experience globalization at an ever-increasing rate; however, it is important to recognize that globalization is not innately detrimental to a country’s culture. Its impact is greatly dependent on how a country chooses to deal with it. This is exemplified by the different outcomes and responses portrayed by Shim’s view of the Korean wave. This article provides a macro perspective on the effects of globalization by elucidating the localized manifestation of the global.
The first article examines how Koreans adapt foreign influences and integrate it into their own cultural industry. In recent years, an increasing amount of Korean popular culture has been circulating around Asia, establishing Korea as the Asian...