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

k 2023

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

SCHWARZ, Michal

Basic information

Original name

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

Authors

SCHWARZ, Michal (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023. 2023

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

60401 Arts, Art history

Country of publisher

Philippines

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/23:00134198

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords in English

symbols;innovation;culture;Korean pop music

Abstract

V originále

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 & Avin 2008) and strength, when knowledge is equal to desire for a better future (e.g.: Twice: More & 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.

Links

GA23-06953S, research and development project

Name: Evoluční interference náboženství a vlády ve Vnitřní Asii: srovnání vzájemných impaktů s tributárními zeměmi: Mongolskem, Koreou a Vietnamem

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Evolutionary interferences of religion and governance in Inner Asia: comparison of mutual impacts with tributary countries: Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam

Citovat

SCHWARZ, Michal. From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture. In Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023. 2023.

@proceedings{2304778,
   author = {Schwarz, Michal},
   booktitle = {Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023.},
   keywords = {symbols;innovation;culture;Korean pop music},
   language = {eng},
   title = {From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture},
   url = {https://cala2021.upd.edu.ph/general-papers-author/},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2304778
AU  - Schwarz, Michal
PY  - 2023
TI  - From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture
KW  - symbols;innovation;culture;Korean pop music
UR  - https://cala2021.upd.edu.ph/general-papers-author/
N2  - 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 & Avin 2008) and strength, when knowledge is equal to desire for a better future (e.g.: Twice: More & 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.
ER  -

SCHWARZ, Michal. From Oppression to Modernity : Positive Innovations in the Use of Western Symbols in South Korean Pop Music and Culture. In \textit{Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023.}. 2023.

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