Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern
and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music

k 2023

Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music

SCHWARZ, Michal

Basic information

Original name

Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music

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/00216224:14210/23:00134199

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords in English

Eastern symbols;Western symbols;traditional culture;modern development;Korean pop music

Abstract

V originále

This paper further develops the first online contribution “From oppression to freedom: changes in the use of Western symbols in K-pop and East Asia”. It analyzed semantic and pragmatic shift in the use of two Western symbols of train and apple adopted in Korean culture. While train became the symbol of modernity in Europe (Weber 1976), it was also a sign of progress in South Korea (Han Seung-Mi 2004), when diesel locomotives and their sound represented negative control of people (Han Youngsue 2020). But positive development at the end of the 20th century caused change and now the same motif is for example a positive sign of shift to a 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 in the symbol of apple was adopted in modern Korean culture. And besides keeping original motif of punishment (Gain, Paradise Lost), the use of this symbol was changed in relation to East Asian feminine modernity (cf. Lin & Avin 2008), when knowledge is also equal to desire for a better future (e.g.: Twice: More & More). More cases of disconnection from original moral content (e.g. GFRIEND: Apple; Gain: Apple; Hyuna: Red) allow to conclude that this semantical shifts correlate with economic success of South Korea. Practical examples will be presented at the beginning of the in-person presentation. Then the second in-person part will focus on another set of Eastern symbols. Although they were not widely used in the initial stage of this industry, the later development and online access to music videos caused change too. While there might be some kind of attractive orientalism or partial Central Asian origin of Koreans (see the motif of sacred light in the chronicles of Samguk Sagi and Secret History of the Mongols vs. the light inside the yurt in Mamamoo: Aya + KARD: Bomb Bomb), the variety of sacred animals (horse: Jackson Wang: Papillon; tiger: J. Wang: OKAY) and light illuminating the actors through symbolic patterns (Blackpink: Ddu Du Ddu Du; Girls generation: Lil Touch; BTS: Black Swan + Blood sweat and tears; Twice: More and More + TT) allow to observe, how expected subconscious reception of these symbols by Western consumers is used for higher attractivity of Korean music videos in international scope. Some music videos (Suga: August D; 우주힙쟁이 - 한량 (feat. 비비(BIBI)); Hwa Sa: I am a 빛 in both original and performance versions) or even bands (KINGDOM: more MVs) connect modern Korea with traditional Korean culture and its effective international promotion. Presented Western and Eastern symbols in Korean pop music document a little bit undescribed shifts in modern Korean culture as well as sophisticated product placement of Korean pop-industry in contemporary globalized and digitalized world.

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. Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music. In Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023. 2023.

@proceedings{2304779,
   author = {Schwarz, Michal},
   booktitle = {Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023.},
   keywords = {Eastern symbols;Western symbols;traditional culture;modern development;Korean pop music},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music},
   url = {https://cala2021.upd.edu.ph/general-papers-author/},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2304779
AU  - Schwarz, Michal
PY  - 2023
TI  - Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music
KW  - Eastern symbols;Western symbols;traditional culture;modern development;Korean pop music
UR  - https://cala2021.upd.edu.ph/general-papers-author/
N2  - This paper further develops the first online contribution “From oppression to freedom: changes in the use of Western symbols in K-pop and East Asia”. It analyzed semantic and pragmatic shift in the use of two Western symbols of train and apple adopted in Korean culture. While train became the symbol of modernity in Europe (Weber 1976), it was also a sign of progress in South Korea (Han Seung-Mi 2004), when diesel locomotives and their sound represented negative control of people (Han Youngsue 2020). But positive development at the end of the 20th century caused change and now the same motif is for example a positive sign of shift to a 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 in the symbol of apple was adopted in modern Korean culture. And besides keeping original motif of punishment (Gain, Paradise Lost), the use of this symbol was changed in relation to East Asian feminine modernity (cf. Lin & Avin 2008), when knowledge is also equal to desire for a better future (e.g.: Twice: More & More). More cases of disconnection from original moral content (e.g. GFRIEND: Apple; Gain: Apple; Hyuna: Red) allow to conclude that this semantical shifts correlate with economic success of South Korea. Practical examples will be presented at the beginning of the in-person presentation. Then the second in-person part will focus on another set of Eastern symbols. Although they were not widely used in the initial stage of this industry, the later development and online access to music videos caused change too. While there might be some kind of attractive orientalism or partial Central Asian origin of Koreans (see the motif of sacred light in the chronicles of Samguk Sagi and Secret History of the Mongols vs. the light inside the yurt in Mamamoo: Aya + KARD: Bomb Bomb), the variety of sacred animals (horse: Jackson Wang: Papillon; tiger: J. Wang: OKAY) and light illuminating the actors through symbolic patterns (Blackpink: Ddu Du Ddu Du; Girls generation: Lil Touch; BTS: Black Swan + Blood sweat and tears; Twice: More and More + TT) allow to observe, how expected subconscious reception of these symbols by Western consumers is used for higher attractivity of Korean music videos in international scope. Some music videos (Suga: August D; 우주힙쟁이 - 한량 (feat. 비비(BIBI)); Hwa Sa: I am a 빛 in both original and performance versions) or even bands (KINGDOM: more MVs) connect modern Korea with traditional Korean culture and its effective international promotion. Presented Western and Eastern symbols in Korean pop music document a little bit undescribed shifts in modern Korean culture as well as sophisticated product placement of Korean pop-industry in contemporary globalized and digitalized world.
ER  -

SCHWARZ, Michal. Between the East and West : Development of Traditional Eastern and Modern Western Symbols in Korean Pop Music. In \textit{Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, University of the Philippines Dilimian, Manila, 16-19 May 2023.}. 2023.

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