From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14210%2F23%3A00134198" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14210/23:00134198 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture

Original language description

This paper analyzes East Asian modernity in the use of Western symbols accommodated in Korean culture, their gradual semantic as well as pragmatic shift and contemporary understanding. As railway or train became the symbol of modernity in Europe (Weber 1976), it was also adopted as a sign of progress under the oppressive rule in South Korea (Han Seung-Mi 2004) when diesel locomotives and their sound represented negative control of people (Han Youngsue 2020). With more positive development at the end of the 20th century, this optically same motif has lost its negative value and now is a positive sign of shift to better future (e.g. Twice: Likey + I can’t stop it) or symbolic gate to another space (BTS: Run). Similarly the Biblical parable of knowledge (= snake or eating of an apple) was adopted by Korean Christians. Despite their original motif of punishment (Gain, Paradise Lost), these symbols are also used in different way and I would connect them to East Asian feminine modernity (cf. Lin &amp; Avin 2008) and strength, when knowledge is equal to desire for a better future (e.g.: Twice: More &amp; More). The analysis allows to conclude that these symbols are gradually disconnected from their original or moral content (GFRIEND: Apple; Gain: Apple; in secondary moments e.g. in Twice: Yes or yes; Blackpink: How you like that; Hyuna: Red). This semantical shift correlates with economic success of South Korea and analogical reception of these symbols in post-colonial Asia.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60401 - Arts, Art history

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA23-06953S" target="_blank" >GA23-06953S: Evolutionary interferences of religion and governance in Inner Asia: comparison of mutual impacts with tributary countries: Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů