Culture Threatened by Globalization?
Some students asked to blog this week on culture…so here it is!
The Korea Times has an article on an exhibition called “Festive Decorations around the World,” which was put on by a group of spouses of foreign diplomats as a way to bring awareness to the diversity of the world’s cultures. With the rapid pace of globalization, some adverse effects are felt on cultural diversity, and according to a UNESCO report, include an assimilation of social values and customs, reduced creativity and the standardization of cultural expressions. The exhibition serves to remind us of the importance that culture has in enriching our lives.
This blog post will serve to remind us of the importance of culture and the exposure to potential threats from globalization.
Students: Choose ONE of the following and write your ideas.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
3. Describe a cultural element that is under threat of disappearing? Can it be preserved? If so, how? Who should be responsible for preserving it?
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
5. Describe a foreign cultural element you wish had not become (or does not become) part of Korean culture. Why do you feel this way?
English Language Pages 
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
How many countries have you visited? If you have visited several countries, do you feel big difference in each country? Especially in city? I don’t think so. I have been many cities abroad. Bangkok, Singapore, London, Jakarta, Shanghai and Hongkong. What I felt in these cities is city life is same in everywhere. I went to a big shopping mall and ate Mcdonalds and drank Starbucks coffee in every city I visited. Especially in Singapore, I was really disappointed because that city is too globalized. Streets were covered with big shopping malls, global brand shops and restaurants. Above all things, Globalization made people’s fashion be standardized. All the people in the world wear jeans and T-shirts. They don’t wear their traditional clothes anymore. In these reasons, I think globalization threatens cultural diversity. However, paradoxically, globalization helps to lead cultural diversity in some way. These days, governments in every country have realized that keeping their own culture is very important for tourism industry which is bigger and bigger because of globalization. (I think globalization includes developing of transportation and Internet. These two things helps travel abroad more comfortable.) So they try to preserve cultural identity and cultural heritage. Korea also made the Korean style house village(한옥마을) in Jeon-Ju which is popular among many foreign visitors. In conclusion, globalizaion threatens cultural diversity but there are little bit good things for culture.
Hmm.. I think totally different from you. Your opinion is exactly right, but in different point of view, you can find their countries own traditions,, for example, scottish traditional fashions and italian foods and so on!
Clare (CR2-Todd)
I quietly agree with your opinion. I also traveled around many countries, and there are so many similar cultures, foods, clothes! However, I felt difference while I was there. Of course, now is global area, but still many countries have their own things. We(our country and other countries) are similar more and more, so many things already to do so.But, we always think of our own things, i think 🙂
My SNS account (Facebook) is ienkyou7@nate.com!! Please contact me with the account. Using Twitter and the other SNS give people various experiences and with the SNS, people can make friends who live in other countries. Also through the globalization, we can recognize the existence of another country. And more specifically, we can learn about a new culture. However, many people thought globalization mess up the cultural diversity. Even they insist that Mcdonalds and Starbucks spoil the traditional foods and tea culture. However, at any time, we can choose what we eat, drink and buy. No one forces you to choose the products of Mcdonalds and Starbucks. Imagine that you live in Choseon Dynasty, you would thought China and Choseon are only two countries which consist of Earth. At that time, you have to eat only rice, there is no choice, I mean that there is no spaghetti, steaks, and hamburger. Globalization does not mean unification of culture. Globalization means development of world by cooperating and communicating with each other countries. You must be aware of the difference between globalization and consumer preference which is operated when we choose between two things.
sorry,,;; the question is NO.1 Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
The development of transportation has reduced the time moving from one place to the others. It has made the movement of goods and people fast. As a result, globalization have been a stream that could not go upstream. Owe to the fast globalization, there are many people who are concerned about the destruction of the cultural diversity in the world. This is because there are many cases that public culture eats into a minority culture. However, I cast doubt on the opinion that globalization threatens cultural diversity. The tradition of each culture, which is handed down, is not easily destroyed. In Korea, there are many claims that many cultural tradition has been being destroyed by foreign culture. However, in my opinion, far from being destroying, cultural diversity is, rather, being reinforced. All over the country, a large number of cultural festivals have been being held since 2000’s. It is one of the plan to attract foreign tourists, which is possible by globalization, which is allowed by the fast movement from a country to another country. Therefore, I make an assertion that globalization makes it possible for cultural diversity to be greater.
Yes, I agree. I think that globalization is good if we continuestly hold the Korean traditional festivals. If we do it well, our culture can survive positively.!
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
I would like to share the Confucian ideas. Confucianism is the Confucin’s notion who is one of the world’s four great saints. He had come up with the Confucianism due to the Chinese’ confused era. Hence, he made the Confucian ideas such as humanity, forgiveness and the civility to overcome the risk. When I learned the Confucian ideas in the school, it stroke me hard since I thought those ideas would be a big help through living my life. And suddenly I could understand what the asian’s special feature is and why my parents and acquaintances let me to being polite. I know even nowadays being “courteous” is the basic idea of humanity, however, there are few countries classify by using the languages between the polite expressions and the normal expressions. I think using different expressions following the age had been affected the Confucianism set firmly in the asia and had been spread rapidly. So I want to share the specialists of the Confucian ideas so that the foreign can figure out it easily and introduce the advantages practically.
Well, I think the two key points of Confucianism are the loyalty to the king and filial duty. I mean, forgiveness is a key point of Catholic, not of Confucianism.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
The rice is disappearing on the Korean table. Traditionally, to put a white polished rice heavily with spicy Kimchi is the best of Korean staple food and all the Korean people have a strong thought that only the rice can be a meal. However, the idea about the meal is changing to Korean young generation in these days. For instance, we usually eat some bread or cereal for breakfast instead of rice and for that reason, the amount of rice consumed by Korean is decreasing continuously. They acquire a taste for western food because of globalization. And to see this phenomenon can not only be happy for me. Because many rice farmhouses in Korea are going down and then we must rely more on foreign imports of wheat or western food materials. Also eating bread instead of rice which we’ve been eating for a long time would not be good for our health.
Finally, in order to revive eating more rice, Korean people should try to eat rice even on purpose and feel the pleasure of re-finding a good taste of rice, no matter which way of preparing it is so bothering you. We do not become accustomed to easy and fast food too much and we do preserve the slow but appropriate traditional food.
I agree with your opinion. But don’t worry~ ^^ still many koreans think “Korean people should eat rice. that’s the real meal.” when I was young, I don’t understand what they say and I prefer bread, instant food and noodle. but now I feel my taste is changing. As I grow older, I like rice more than before. And now adays, some companies try to make bread which are made from rice. Also brown rice become popular for diet food.
1.Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
Recently, development of transportation, information and technology has accelerated the globalization. Thanks to this globalization, many countries can boost their economic growth. I totally agree with the fact that it would be hard to develop economy without globalization. I think, however, there is an adverse effect on cultural diversity. Each country has its own unique culture. But, through globalization a variety of cultures are by and by being standardized. Most of them are westernization. This is because thesedays western countries dominate the world. They are ahead in economy or military power. Therefore, many underdeveloped and developing countries have accepted and followed the western culture to develop their economy. It includes everything such as foods, clothes, music, movies and even ways of thinking. In conclusion, I think that the diverse cultures around the world disappear increasingly and are standardized into western culture through globalization.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
In my opinion, there are not many people who wear “Hanbok”, the traditional clothe of Korea. In some special occasions, some elderly wear them or on a marriage but not that often. Hanbok started to disappear when the Japanese colonization. Japanese forced not to wear it in order to kill the culture of ours. Since many years passed but we still do not regard it as a daily outfit. It is typical clothes of Koreans so we should have more respect for that. I wish the government make a “Hanbok day” and make us to wear it for entire day. If Koreans cannot keep this precious culture, who else can keep it? It is not a thing that we see on a textbook or in the museum. If we get use to see someone wearing it on daily life, it can be a fashion too. For example, my mom and I watched a drama called “Hwangjine”, who is a famous Korean woman artist in Josun Dynasty. In that drama her Hanbok was fascinating. The colors and the designs were absolutely beautiful. So we bought one like hers. The Koreans should have more proud on our culture and try to adapt it on our life.
When I was young, I used to wear a Hanbok.
Probably I am going to wear a Hanbok again, when I get married.
I cannot post my writing…If I post it, my computer screen shows me “Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!” But, I cannot see anything. I`m not sure whether this can be posted here or not.
sorry,,, the problem got solved…
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity?
Recently, development of transportation, information and technology has accelerated the globalization. Thanks to this globalization, many countries can boost their economic growth. I totally agree with the fact that it would be hard to develop economy without globalization. I think, however, there is an adverse effect on cultural diversity. Each country has its own unique culture. But, through globalization a variety of cultures are by and by being standardized. Most of them are westernization. This is because thesedays western countries dominate the world. They are ahead in economy or military power. Therefore, many underdeveloped and developing countries have accepted and followed the western culture to develop their economy. It includes everything such as foods, clothes, music, movies and even ways of thinking. In conclusion, I think that the diverse cultures around the world disappear increasingly and are standardized into western culture through globalization.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Last month, I watched a TV program. It tell that tradition about which tribe have lived in a New Zealand almost has disappeared because of globalization. The more suddenly society changed, the more convenient people want to feel. People didn’t live as past lifestyle, their tradition. And few people want to learn their tradition. So, people living in New Zealand didn’t know well. Few people know their tradition. I was sorry to occur the phenomenon. If tradition of them completely disappear, they lost their root. In other word, it get rid of their essential history not to learn and preserve their tradition. If I lost my root, I will be sad and want to get back it. However, when you get back it, you already are late. If you want to revive it, people could preserve their tradition during tradition remain a little.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
How many times do you listen to gukak, the Korean traditional music, in a month? Perhaps, you have hardly listened to the gukak. Many Koreans have listened to the gukak in the special occasions such as watching historical dramas. They never listen to the gukak in daily life. In fact, the gukak is a very valuable and important cultural heritage. The foreigners rate the gukak highly with great interest, but the Koreans are indifferent to their own music. If the gukak is disappeared, our indigenous spirit will also be disappeared. To preserve our traditional music, we all should be concerned about the gukak and a Korean classical musician should also try to make the friendly and creative gukak. In addition, the government has to support and take a related policy. If you don’t have any favorite gukak music, I recommened the album titled ‘drama daejanggeum O.S.T’. There are lots of great gukak musics.
When I was a little boy, I took a lessons of “Pan So Ri”. Reading your comment, I reminisce about my old memories. I learned “Pan So Ri” with my sister. We got a class at september maybe, we ate icecream whenever we went to “Pan So Ri” academy. This is my precious memory.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think that globalization threatens cultural diversity. In modern society, the world have unified result from globalization. Actually, however, globalization means that a minority of powerful countries have influenced other many countries in terms of economic, political, and cultural part. Among them, globalization have many influence change of cultural part. Especially, through globalization, american culture affect a lot of countries around the world. For example, in most of countries, many people wear a nike shoes, eat mcdonald hamburger affected by american culture. In my experience, when I was a child, many children as well as me ask parents to buy a nike shoes. Still, most of student wear a nike shoes. Like this, affection of american culture through globaliztion make culture uniform. Another example, due to globlaization, Indian lose their aboriginal culture. For these reason, I think that globalization threatens cultureal diversity.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
There are statements that globalization allows for the exploitation of LDC’s (least developed countries), and mass corporations stir up traditional values which lead to a loss of culture.
Although there are other more positive views: Arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.
Here’s a bit of my opinion:
Critics who argue that it harms traditions and exploits people’s who were better off without introduction towards globalization are slightly misguided. Not only does globalization allow for small religious and non-governmental groups and organizations to expand their beliefs through the internet but it allows them to form a larger community then ever imagined. Globalization builds and supports nations to develop and allows for more fair competitors. Rather than weakening cultural and national identity within societies, globalization actually strengthens traditional cultural forms. The rise of technology and trade allows for modernization in the Improvement of non-mainstream perspectives. Nature thrives on diversity, if every nation builds a wall to block outside influences, then not only will they will fall behind economically but intellectually. Another thing is that culture is an ongoing process, it’s never still. Always evolving, so globalization just is another step in the evolution process of culture. It won’t cause there to be one world culture, that just not possible, but it will allow for understanding of other cultures.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think globalization threatens cultural diversity. No one can deny that globalization leads many positive result. But it also bring about the crisis of cultural diversity. At first, many people thought that globalization could lead to greater diversity keeping their own cultural values. However, as the internet and transportations develop, people produce the same cultural contents and even forget keeping their cultural diversity. People around the world listen to the Gangnam style while they are eating Mcdonald. And then they are shopping at Zara drinking Starbucks coffee. Where can we find our cultural values in this life cycle? ‘Hanbok’ became unfamiliar clothing like other foreign clothes such as Kimono and Chinese dress. Korean traditional teas are ignored by Koreans. When we want to feel korean traditional values, even though we are living in Korea, we should go to Insa-dong. To lead to greater diversity, keeping our cultural diversity must be a priority.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
Globalization is a phenomenon of the 21st century and the world is gradually globalizing more and more every day. Now, we live in an age of globalization, where we can go online to meet people from all over the world or flip on the television to see life in other countries. As the world becomes global, its many cultures will naturally into one world culture. Some people also think that globalization is corruptive for local cultures. Nevertheless, l think that globalization is an important key for future growth, development and cultural diversity. Many people can easily come across new cultures and they can know their culture is special and unique. Moreover, people try to preserve and be given wider publicity their heritage. These efforts can lead to greater cultural diversity. In an era of globalization, it’s not easy to preserve own culture, but thing that people recognize preciousness of their own culture can be first step to keep the cultural diversity.
5. Describe a foreign cultural element you wish had not become (or does not become) part of Korean culture. Why do you feel this way?
I do not totally argue individualism, but I sometimes feel necessity of individualism from foreign culture. Contrary to western cultures, eastern cultures emphasize a sense of community. People learn and take for granted community culture in Korea. Therefore, the actions of the individual does not consider normal. For example, Korean thinks that it is not normal and good to eat by oneself, go to the movies alone, and draw attention in a crowded place. However, it could infringe personal liberties. Community cultures are good to a person who likes mingling with other people, but it is bed to a person who likes being alone. People must not exact community culture and ideological idea which is thought regarding positive effects of community.
5. Describe a foreign cultural element you wish had not become (or does not become) part of Korean culture. Why do you feel this way?
I hope that tipping culture would not become a part of our Korean culture. When I first went to America, I was really confused about tipping culture and it causes stress a lot!
At first, me and my friends were not familiar with this culture for we don’t have this culture element in our country. However it is taking for granted in America so we have to follow. Everyday morning, we had to put 1 dollar in my hotel room and give tips to sever in any restaurant. Giving tips in everywhere was so bothersome because we always had to calculate how much should we pay for tip after eating in a restaurant. Some people may think tipping culture is also necessary in Korea for people who woks hard, but I disagree with this. It sometimes makes people annoying and I think just include taxes in original price would be much better.
Haha I agree with you! I hate that culture! But maybe we are angry because we are not tipping in our country. Others who are tipping in their country think it is natural…!
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
-In my opinion, Korea has a variety of cultural element in way of dwelling life, agricultural life, dietary life, and the clothing life. I want to tell you guys about dwelling life, especially a form of folk village. There is Hahoe folk village nearby my hometown ‘Andong’. I would like to share this cultural element with the world, because Hahoe village is a traditional area where various elements of Korean culture. It is not simply an artificial folk village or museum, but rather a living, vibrant community. I think that Korean traditional elements seem to be well preserved in Andong Hahoe folk Village. The village contains various typical Korean houses preserved since the early Choson Dynasty. Folk performances such as Hahoe Pyolsingut and Sonyujulbulnori are still played. And, There is an interesting thing in this village is that it’s called ‘Hahoe’ because the Nakdong River flows around the village in an S-shape. Its shape is alike with the Chinese charater ‘hoe(回)’. And another thing is that Queen Elizabeth II toured the village during her state visit to Korea in order to experience Korea at its most traditional, and chose Hahoe as the venue for the official celebration of her 73rd birthday. If you visit this village, you can experience the most traditional culture of Korea.
Oh, I did’m mention about class! I’m in C1
I think you had better to be specific. I think the intention of this question may be reccomending a Korean cultural element to foreign peoples to adapt as a part of their lives and culture. Your writing just seems to describing Korean traditional cultural things for foreign tourists. Do you hope foreign people live in Korean traditional houses? or Do you want them to play Hahoe Pyolsingut and Sonyujulbulnori? I don’t understand what you have intended.
My errors…peoples→people//’be’ has to be between to and describing
Wow… Even though I am native korean, but I have never heard that house…Good information! Thanks
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
As people of all different countries communicate by the development of technology, the cultural boundaries between different nations become blurred. The more people share the idea, content and so on, the more cultural elements approach the daily life. The culture quickly flows into other culture before people know. Nowadays, around the world have almost similar life style except several conservative nations. Some people warn that this phenomenon, globalization, can destroy traditional culture of certain country. Globalization leads to unify all of cultural style because people easily share cultural code, life style and food habit and so on. Even though globalization threatens cultural diversity, it definitely helps the cultural industry make more various elements than the past. For example, when Korea opened their cultural industrial market because of the pressures under the globalization in the 1980s, Korea economy tried to promote production of media, cultural content. Although globalization threatened Korea cultural industry, ironically, it made Korea cultural industry impassionedly focused on developing the global media market. Korea cultural industry had to survive in the rapid influx of different cultural contents. The inflow of new culture creates tension between new and traditional culture and motivates the industry to develop traditional culture to survive. In short, effect of globalization is endangering cultural diversity while facilitating the developing of cultural elements.
4.Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
I think I must have itch feet. Since 2010, to begin with South America. I had been Brazil and Argentina for 2 weeks. Moving on to Europe, I had attended local college in Spain for a year and I had traveled some European countries such as Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, etc. Lastly I have been China for 14 months from 2011 to the last day of 2012.
But whenever, wherever I lived in a foreign country, I missed ‘Ondol’ so much. Ondol is a Korean traditional architecture, is a floor heating system. Main components of Ondol are fire stove and raised masonry. When the heat from fire stove transfers to masonry, it heats the floor.
Ondol has many advantages. The heat from the floor mostly lasts longer than other heating systems like fire place. It’s cost-effective because the fire stove is also used for cooking. In comparison to fire place, the fire risk of Ondol is low. However, above all thing, when I lie on the heated floor, it makes me recover from my all kinds of fatigue.
If any foreigner ask me a question about Korean culture, I would introduce him ‘Ondol’
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Clothing is one of the most seriously disappeared cultural elements. Especially, Asian clothing culture seems to be almost disappeared. Almost every Asian countries accepted Western clothing culture and there is no one wearing their own traditional clothes in daily life.(except some conservative elderly. I think this phenomenon was unavoidable because of the globalization. The main reason that clothing culture of Asia has changed to that of Western was maybe comfort. For example, Korean traditional clothe “Hanbok” is way more uncomfortable than Western style pants or T-shirts we wear every day. That’s why comfortable clothes that people can be active in have been preferred and own clothing culture could not help being gradually disappeared in our daily life. However, I don’t think these situations are serious problem or worse conditions because our “Hanbok” is not completely disappeared. When Korean celebrates something, like Korean New Year’s Day or wedding ceremony, we still wear Hanbok for a very formal dress. If we don’t forget Hanbok is our own precious cultural element and sometimes try to wear it, then our Hanbok will remain forever as Korean tradition.
Recently I was talking about Japan and Korea with my friends and they pointed out that Japanes people feel really proud of wearing their Gimono, but we, Koreans, feel embarrassed to wear Hanbok. This difference of regarding their tradition is actually linked to the fact that Japan has strong cultural brand but Korea doesn’t. So I wondered what the problems was. I think Koreans tend to imitate the Western culture too much and in tern, they feel the tradition is out of fashion and embarrassing. I think we need to change our perception toward Hanbok, and feel proud of it. This can be firstly started from education. Then like you said, Hanbok will remain forever as proud Korean tradition.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I have a uncle who has his job to introduce and teach Korean history to young people. He is really proud about his job, because he is passing down our own cultural heritage. He always wears hanbok and gomusin and brings Korean traditional fan. In my opinion, ours culture has been threatened from globalization, so he can have that job. For another example, every year in schools, students are supposed to go excursion and the place was Gyung Ju which has a lot of heritage. However now a days they are not going Gyung Ju. They are going abroad or Jeju. Someone can say trend has been chafed because of the globalization.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Have you ever heard ‘scattering(고수레)’? It means that throwing away a bit of one’s food on the ground to propitiate the ghosts. There are various origins of ‘scattering’. But anyway, ‘scattering’ was enacted to wishing for a good harvest. In the past, Korea was the agrarian society. So the harvest was the most important issue. People who lived in that time believed that there is god of the earth. In other words, our ancestors hoped rich harvest by paying the tribute.
Korea society has became more urbanized, and ‘scattering’ has disappeared naturally. Because people do not farming as in the past and believe god of the earth any more. I think that if our society doesn’t return to the agrarian society, ‘scattering’ can not be revived. Losing our traditional things like ‘scattering’ is sad but it is out of our control. We need to adapt to the new surrounding as well as protect our tradition.
When I saw a fellow did that with his food, it was interesting and looked little silly. After I heard about the origin of ‘고수레’, I recognized the meaning of it.
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
The topic of my writing is sharing rice cakes with neighbors. When someone moves to a new town, he or she shares rice cakes with neighbors near his or her home. The food shared do not have to be rice cakes but in my country, they are usually steamed rice cakes called ‘시루떡’ in Korean. That is because rice cakes symbolize a spirit of familiarity and share in my country.
As the time has passed and societies have developed in modern era, sharing rice cakes with neghbors may less occur than the past. However, I think it is still a necessary and nice cuture element and I have an experienced that a neighbor who had moved next to my home gave me steamed rice cakes when I was younger. There is a reason I want to share this curture with the world.
It can help people get along more with neighbors. As I know, indivisualism is usually stronger in western contries than another countries. There may be kinds of sharing culture in western cultural areas, but they may occur on festivals or special days. But sharing rice cakes or other kinds of food with near neighbors when someone move to a new town can give chance to meet and be more familiar to people around him or she at first. This performance cannot means ‘Help your self’ but also ‘Let’s get along from now on’. By doing this, people could promote community spirit and more help each other.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Now, we can see many students who are drinking STARBUCKS coffee when we have some group assignments. We go shopping where there are international clothes stores such as UNICLO or LEVIS shops. Moreover, we dream of living in an apartment built as European style. We can’t easily find the Korean style clothes, buildings nearby. This phenomenon also appears in food . We like pastas, pizzas and Fried chikiens. You know, it wasn’t so popular at all 50 years ago.
Why do we not mainly eat Korean traditional foods, wear Han-bok,and live in Han-ok? Yeah, maybe there are also some reasons for convienience, but the main reason is we prefer Amerian or European styles because of globalization that made us feel their style as superior to our style.
However, we should preserve our traditional style and develop it not to be controled by other cultures and to protect our indentity expressed in cultural contents, our life.
Even though our unique style disappeared so much, we can revive our culture and there are some strategies.
First, we need a better education by which Korean learned the value of the Korean traditional culture contents. We should help them to have a well- balanced perspective to see the cultural contents. It is important for us to know how precious,unique our culture is and how valuable it is.
Second, we should have culture protection policy that can urge the Korean culture to develop and be accepted by people. The government can provide money to Korean contents companies, which produce clothes, movies, books about Korean culture. Now, it is hard for them to survive in the contents industry due to the globalized world where foriegn cultures spread so much.
We can revive our culture with these ways and also make our culture flourish!
I agree with your point that we must preserve our culture but we don’t need to reject other european or american culture. We need to strive not only to revive our traditional culture but also to accept other culture as well.
(CR2 – Todd)
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
In my opinion, now a day Korea children don’t like “Kimchi”
Traditionally, Kimchi is very important food to Korean.
Also, Korea have many kinds of Kimchi – cabbage kimchi, leaf mustard kimchi, white kimchi and so on…
Kimchi is very spicy but it is very healthy food because Kimchi has many nutriments for health and good taste and it is known at diet food.
Almost Korea family’s table put on Kimchi everyday because people enjoy with rice. However, the idea about the Kimchi is changing to Korean young generation in these days. For instance, children want to eat only pizza, fried chicken and hamburger. they acquire a taste for western food because of globalization.
The Koreans should not rely on western food and western food materials.
I hope the “kimchi” is more loved all of korean children.
Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
In one sentence, I think globalization leads world’s culture to greater diversity.
Many are worried about their traditional cultures disappearing, but that is not an important matter.
Human beings are adapting animals. Human beings have survived by adapting to new circumstances. This Globalization thing is just another circumstance of human history.
Human beings have been just fine throughout many changes in history. Maybe human beings are destined to go through globalization and to be combined in cultures.
Even so, some people might still be worried. It’s natural because being afraid of changes is human nature. However, globalization is necessary progress in human history, and this is a good change because if people share similar culture, there will be less conflicts around the world.
Yes I agree with you. Globalization leads to more diverse world culture. And I think traditional cultures can be preserved by our endeavor.
5. Describe a foreign cultural element you wish had not become (or does not become) part of Korean culture. Why do you feel this way?
I don’t want to accept the social subordination of women which was widespread notion in India. These days in India, some sexual harassment occur. For example, one young female student(a 23-year-old physiotherapy student) who was coming back to her house by bus after dating with her boyfriend, was raped by several men in the bus. It was shocking because It happened not only dreary back streets but also lonely a country road. It happened on a bus! The safety of women in India has been in the spotlight since the December fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus in New Delhi, which sparked nationwide outrage.
There exists Another example. A young British woman holidaying in Indian Kashmir was found dead in a pool of blood on a houseboat Saturday, police said after arresting a Dutch man on suspicion of her murder. Police were investigating whether the victim had been sexually assaulted in the incident, which comes after a string of attacks on tourists traveling in India.
Why these situations often happened in India? In india, there exists caste system which is a class system. The caste system shapes nearly every fact of Indian life.
So the position of women in society have a long way to go. Therefore, What we do not know is where and when men might mutate. men can use women as tool. In Korea, it isn’t be like that. I think the position of women should be raised higher socially in India.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I don’t feel that globalization threatens cultural diversity. As all people already know, people from other countries have diverse culture according to their geological, environmental factors. Even people who have lived other places in one country might have different culture. The point I want to say is that cultural diversities will be maintained. In spite of globalization, which means that many people can exchange their culture and live with each other, they preserve their culture when they are in other countries. For example, exchange students who came from other countries preserve their religion, clothing or eating in my university. They pray for the same god, wear similar clothing and cook similar style. Eating style is very difficult to preserve, but at least they try to change food and ingredients by their cultural style. Maybe other kinds of culture can be made because they are trying to change or adhere, like the equation A+B=C. This doesn’t mean that globalization threatens cultural diversity. It will make more diverse world culture. Obviously, we , people, cannot make one same culture because earth is so big and all countries has diverse weather, situation and long history. These kinds of factors will make culture more diverse and different.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Do you know ‘Phy’? He is one of best singer in Korea and world star. His music are dance genre. These days, many people listen to the music genre like dance, ballad and so on. But they doesn’t listen to the music like Chang, Chang is a genre of Korea traditional music. One of song is known is Arirang. Many people think that Chang is old song and the genre which old people listen. So they doesn’t listen Chang and have any interests. Due to these phenomenon, many people forget important of Chang and don’t mind serious. I feel very impatient. I think that Korea government starts to make plan which protect Chang. If we have interest about Chang and endeavor to protect Chang, Chang can be spread all of the world like Phy’s ‘Gangmam style’
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think it roles both apart. Sometimes globalization threatens, sometimes leads to greater.
World where we live in now, as you know, global world. Each countries’ people share their think, clothes, foods and so on.
It have made some problem and one of them is losing their own culture. Because we don’t have any boundary line of country, we are easily
exposed to other coutries culture. New culture is difficult to accept at first, later before we know, we are addicted it, so we don’t remember our own culture.
In the contrary, the more our world is close each other, the more we know many thing that we didn’t know before. Also, by learning about other culture and
other things, we can have a wide sighf of looking world. There are many opinion about globalization. I think that already we live in there and we are living now.
We have to accept other’s culture and should keep our own culture.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element that has disappeared. How do you feel about this?
What is your first thought when you think of a place “Insa-dong”? Probably many people come up with location where they can find or experience the cultures of Korea. But is Insa-dong really full of Korean traditional culture? I think it is not what it used to be. As globalization advances, most of big cities are bursting with many foreign companies and then, now, the entrance to the Insa-dong is also filled with variety kinds of franchises, for example, cosmetics shops, multinational coffee houses and so on, therefore it is hard to find something a Korean look. Of course there are such things which are combined Korean style but I think lots of things are changed commercially. One example is that Korean traditional foods are replaced fusion food that is to suit tourist’s taste so we can’t experience really our flavor in there. I think that is very, very unfortunate. Every human society has a culture but if we just looking out only best financial gains, it finally leads to the extinction of traditional culture. It is not important that unconditional open-door policy but we should keep our culture. As you know, the most Korean style is the world class.
The great development of technology has brought the possibility and the likeihood of global culture. End of the cold war, many countries decided to accept foreign culture and were eager to express their own cultural habit and code. Now, we are living in the world that cultural boundaries are sweeping away bacause of the invention of internet, fax machines, satellites, and nowadays… smart phone! I think globalization is something good because it gave us a homogeneity between cultures
The great development of technology has brought the possibility and the likeihood of global culture. End of the cold war, many countries decided to accept foreign culture and were eager to express their own cultural habit and code. Now, we are living in the world that cultural boundaries are sweeping away bacause of the invention of internet, fax machines, satellites, and nowadays… smart phone! I think globalization is something good because it gave us a homogeneity between cultures. However, we cannot deny the fact own unique cultural code is becoming weaker as the globalization grows up.
I personally think the cultural diversity has been threatened by globalization more and more. Globalization aims to make common culture for all over the world and modelled western one. In the progress, it does not respect different cultures but busy to make them to be standardized. For example, one korean large company built electricity plant in Africa and gave people light in the night. This brought many benefits for them but their cultures regarding with their night life is disappeared. Also, in a case of China, some parents of minority group living in alpine region brought their children to school every vacation. After being experienced capitalistic life and educated, the children tent to leave their hometown and family. Like this, though globalization has positive impact on world’s economic development, but it is threatening cultural diversity.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
1. Nowadays, I feel that the culture of the world is various rather than threatend. Actually, I think globalization is not something to make different cultures unite into the one. Even though some cultures penetrate to others, it is to coexist, not to disappear. For example, when looking into a Korean wedding culture, now we accept western styles such as wedding dress, but we also have something traditional together.
Sorry I’m forgot. I’m in C2 class
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons
New Year’s Day of korea have special culture and custom of only Korea. First, In New Year’s Day, Korean visit their parent’s house. In korea, This is duty and courtesy to korean. And Korean enjoy Yutnoli GAME. Yut noli is the demotic game that has been handed down for generations. It is similar to diceplay. Yut is dice role in Yutnoli. And Horse of team is coin. You can catch other team’s coin. It is charm in this game. And Korean family eats rice-cake soup. Traditionally, Eating rice-cake soup means we grow a year older. So korean family eats this cook for celebrating and blessing new year. I think this culture has to shared to the world. Because visiting parents are good time to busy modern people. And through this time, we can give our presents to parents. This is a filial duty in Korea and this duty need to all people in the world. And through Yut noli, many relatives and family can get along well. And this yut and board of game are unique. So It raise some interesting to world people. Finally, Rice-cake soup is meaningful cook in Korea. And It is also good for health and slow food. Well-being trend, Slow food is noticed typical healthy food. Moreover, Garnishes of this cook has own color. Yellow of egg garnish, Brown of meats, Orange color of carrot, white of rice-cake are in harmony. This is a wonderful food!
Yeah~~ I also think that Korean New Year’s Day is something that we can definitely feel proud of! I really loved Yutnoli and flying kites when I was a kid. However, I havent seen anyone doing that on New Year’s Day around me anymore and I feel really sad about that. I hope adults change their way of mind to think that traditions are very good and important things in our life, and encourage their children to experience those games and food and our history more. I’m really afraid that our proud culture that posesses the breath of our wise ancestors would disappear completely. 😦
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element (food, clothing, music, tradition, belief, etc.) that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
One example of a cultural element that have disappeared is Korean traditional music such as Korean folk songs. When I was in elementary school, I learned and sang together some folk songs then. However, my 8 year old younger brother does not seem to learn them at school that much. Younger generations do not know of Korean folk songs to a serious extent.
I think Koreans are among the people who so much easily abandon their own culture. Considering the historical background of how Korea tried to imitate America so much as a way to develop into a economically strong country, we can see why our traditions disappeared so much. The problem is that Koreans do not have a strong pride or ownership for their own culture compared to the people in other countries. The government reduces the length of history classes at schools each year and considers renovationg traditions to modern style than conserving them. Young people regard traditional songs as somthing really out of fashion.
In the last 10 years though, the government puts a lot of effort to promote our culture and tradition because they realized that ours have merits to make profit in the global market and can raise our nation brand. Also, local governments have activated various local festivals and held competitions focusing on their place’s food and crops.
Even though much of Korean traditions have been forgotten, I think we can certainly revive it if we do have the pride and ownership of our own. Also, we need to change our perception toward our old things and actively participate in cultural activities. In this way, we could revive our traditional culture and also strengthen our nation brand.
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons?
Although there are a lot of valuable Korean cultural elements, I suggest Ondol, Korean floor heating system only seen Hanok, traditional Korean-style house. Ondol system is practical and representative cultural heating apparatus produced by our ancestor’s wisdom of life. Structure of Ondol is made up empty space under the floor, Gudle which cover the unoccupied space and fireplace which makes heat. In traditional way, heat is generated at fireplace, passes the vacant place, and goes out through the chimney. This process helps floor to be warm. Unlike the other heating system, Ondol heat system have great advantage in that it makes warmth remain for a long time. Therefore reducing effect of electricity consumption and cost of maintenance is expected by using Ondol system. In Addition, because of using eco-friendly material, well purification of air , and self-regulating controling humidity and temperature, this system gives health of occupant good influence. Moreover it has a effect of making near of the floor hotter and away form the floor colder. This effects promotion of the circulation of the blood. Owing to containing a number of advantages to use Ondol system, I want to share such a good cultural element of ours.
Korea has ‘The sixtieth birthday feast’ customs.
The feast is a unique culture that exists only in Korea. Sixtieth birthday party will be held to celebrate parents to become 60 years old.
The sixtieth birthday party have a good time while many relatives gathering and sharing words of blessing and eating delicious food.
Except the Korea, does not feast to celebrate that their parents will be 60 years old in any other country. The sixtieth birthday party, there is containing multiple meanings as well as to celebrate the birthday of the parents. To continue filial dutiful their parents, Heart to honor adults, Strengthen ties between relatives. So I want to share with the Korean culture of several countries; custom to serve the parents to know how to respect adults.
4. Describe a particular Korean cultural element that you would like to share with the world. What are your reasons.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think the economy could be a part of the culture.
In April 2007, America’s second-largest sub-prime mortgage company New Century Financial filed for bankruptcy. As it started, the sub-prime mortgage crisis has occurred. The impact of this incident, one of five U.S. financial company Lehman Brothers Holdings filed for bankruptcy in September 2008. Not only the U.S. economy, but also other country economy fell into crisis because of this incident that is called the second Great Depression. Sub-prime mortgages had relatively high interest rates compared to other financial products. So financial firms around the world have invested. As a result, the economic crisis that began in the United States has struck the world. As the acceleration of globalization, national boundaries become ambiguous. No longer a problem occurred in the country was not a problem confined to the country.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity of leads to greater diversity? Explain.
If we discuss what represents culture in a nation the best, it is a language. However, 90 percent of about 6,000 languages are disappearing now. You know that disppearance of a language causes information of the nation to fade away, including their culture. So what I want to say is that globalization, causing dippeareance of a langauge, threatens cultural diversity, especially about langauges. It’s because English or other dominant languages trigger minority group to conform to dominiator’s language.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think it roles both apart. Sometimes globalization threatens, sometimes leads to greater.
World where we live in now, as you know, global world. Each countries’ people share their think, clothes, foods and so on.
It have made some problem and one of them is losing their own culture. Because we don’t have any boundary line of country, we are easily
exposed to other coutries culture. New culture is difficult to accept at first, later before we know, we are addicted it, so we don’t remember our own culture.
In the contrary, the more our world is close each other, the more we know many thing that we didn’t know before. Also, by learning about other culture and
other things, we can have a wide sighf of looking world. There are many opinion about globalization. I think that already we live in there and we are living now.
We have to accept other’s culture and should keep our own culture.
Why my comment awaiting moderation?? yesterday,, I reply a comment but,, it have awaitted while other comments are accepted even later than mine…
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think the economy could be a part of the culture.
In April 2007, America’s second-largest sub-prime mortgage company New Century Financial filed for bankruptcy. As it started, the sub-prime mortgage crisis has occurred. The impact of this incident, one of five U.S. financial company Lehman Brothers Holdings filed for bankruptcy in September 2008. Not only the U.S. economy, but also other country economy fell into crisis because of this incident that is called the second Great Depression. Sub-prime mortgages had relatively high interest rates compared to other financial products. So financial firms around the world have invested. As a result, the economic crisis that began in the United States has struck the world. As the acceleration of globalization, national boundaries become ambiguous. No longer a problem occurred in the country was not a problem confined to the country.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
In my opinion, globalization definitely threatens cultural diversity. The reason why I think that globalization is harmful for the cultural diversity in this world is that the current situation can be one of the proves of it. For example, according to globalization, some culture from western countries has become very influential. I think that western culture has become very popular and influential because of some historical things. Throughout the past years, western countries dominated the world, and many people in the world think that western culture is better than their own culture. Thus, most people who are not in the western think that doing something related to the western looks nice. It made more and more people like western culture and other culture except for western culture disappears gradually. For this reason, I feel that globalization threatens cultural diversity rather leads to greater diversity.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain.
I think globalization leads to greater diversity. In recent, The development of the technology of communication and transportaton makes the world close. As a result, Many people can go anywhere freely and culture also can move with them. Most of people think that existing culture will disappear if new culture enters routine. But I think it is wrong. Contrary if new culture come to original culture, then perfect new culture can be made. Of course parts of existing culure may be desappeared, but cultures that many people like will be survived. Then New and more perfect culture can make people live more confortable.
So I think globalization can lead to greater diversity.
2. Describe a specific example of a cultural element that has disappeared? How do you feel about this? Can it be revived?
Have you ever listened to ‘gugak’? Korean classical music, ‘gugak’, has taken a deep root in Korean culture. However, a number of new generations have never listened or known this kind of music. Unfortunately, the worst thing is that they take no interest in Korean traditional culture. In case of music, they prefer to enjoy a pop song, popular music, which reflects the situation that trends in music have changed very quickly. It is sad that some people believe that ‘gugak’ is a little boring to listen. Also, traditional music experts and musical performances at concert have been forgotten. It can not be revived without our efforts to keep traditions. At school or home, it is required to teach young students and adults alike a history of Korean tradition and a spirit of that, as well as let them hear the classical music. We need to spend efforts on feeling familiar with Korean traditional music and proud of it.
3. Describe a cultural element that is under threat of disappearing? Can it be preserved? If so, how? Who should be responsible for preserving it?
Compared to children in the past, what children do when they spend their spare time? Nowadays most kids spend their leisure time playing computer and smart phone game, not playing outdoors with friends, nature, and soil. The traditional play culture is disappearing, actually has almost disappeared.
When I was young, however, I played outdoors with my classmates after school. There were all kinds of Korean physical play activities such as hopscotch, hide-and-seek, jumping rubber band, pebble game, and top-spinning game etc. We kept on playing until mom called us for dinner. But children these days have little knowledge of these kinds of activities.
Unless the smart phone and computer disappear, I think it is difficult to preserve traditional play culture because these games are not official things and can’t be easily documented. But, it must be preserved, taught by adults and children should experience for keeping our valuable cultural heritage.
1. Do you feel globalization threatens cultural diversity or leads to greater diversity? Explain
yes, it can be easily seen when we think about our own tradition cultures. Let’s think about how food, clothing, and shelter have been changed.
‘Hanbok’ , our traditional clothing, can be seen merely on holidays like chuseok or the new years day.
Also, when making out a menu these days, people tend to replace our traditional food with western style. Moreover, residential environment has changed a lot, too.
Un less we go to the Folk village, we can hardly see our traditional housing style, Hanok.
In addition to these, music and art have been influenced by the western style.
I think all this happens because when we accept the foreign cultures, we didn’t even try to think carefully,but rather accept easily without filtering out.
So, from now on, i believe we need to take actions in order to protect our own tradition culture.
misskim (T)
Nowadays, the world seems to be a small city where everyone uses the same language and wears not that different clothes and eats the same menu. That is, cultural diversity is fading away due to the massive inflow of western culture. The main causes of the phenomenon is the inevitable consequences of globalization. The loss of cultural diversity can attribute to the frequent influx of world economical and cultural trade. So I feel globalization can lead to greater diversity with convenience.
Yes, it is truly threatening cultural diversity.
There is a multicultural town in Ansan, and also a festival for globalization and reunion. I’ve been there to write an essay for the multiculturalism class. It was held to share opinions and solve hard problems between Koreans and foreign workers. However, as you may know, Koreans tends to like Caucasians and dislike African-Americans and the workers from the Third World countries. That’s why the festival was not fully succeeded. It was like a half-side coin. If I had an option to decide whether going to the festival, I wouldn’t have been there.
Korean is becoming a much more well-qualified country in the world. The expectations of Koreans are growing. They don’t be easily satisfied, and can easily get information through the internet. To make better, the officers should find visual and touchable ways. People don’t easily forget what they feel with their hand and skin.
Above all, the most important thing is to change our mind. Many Chinese have been thought they are the center of the world. It may or may not. When circumstances around people are not equal to their expectations, they easily complain and make things worse and worse. It can be hard to change their attitude immediately. But if they don’t, globalization will keep THREATENING their culture.