What is the relation between culture and globalization —Park gyeonggyun

 1) Summary

In this class, we learned about the theory of cultural dimensions. We compared different countries culturally and quantified those differences to understand how diverse cultures can be. In particular, we compared Korea and China. Although both are Asian countries, we found that sometimes their cultural values differ significantly, while at other times, they are quite similar. This would likely be the same if we compared Korea with European or American cultures.

Every country has its own cultural identity, and globalization allows these cultures to be shared while giving each nation the freedom to selectively adopt aspects of others. For instance, a country with a strong individualistic culture may encounter collectivist values and either accept or reject them. As globalization continues, various cultural changes occur around the world.

The impact of globalization on culture can be viewed both positively and negatively. On the positive side, countries and regions can introduce their unique cultures to the world. Through interaction, existing cultures are respected, and new cultural fusions can emerge. A good example is K-pop, which, as its name suggests, blends Western pop and hip-hop genres with Korean sentiment and creativity. On the negative side, globalization may lead to cultural homogenization, where national cultures become increasingly similar. Fast food chains like McDonald’s and global coffee brands like Starbucks, as well as global pop culture such as music, can spread worldwide, sometimes replacing or weakening traditional local cultures.

Ultimately, while it is important to accept and create new cultures, it is equally vital to preserve our traditions and originality.

 

2) What I Learned and Found Interesting

I had always thought of Korea as a developed country. However, after studying Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory and comparing data across countries, I realized that Korea still has areas that need improvement to truly become a leading nation. In particular, the analysis on uncertainty avoidance showed that Korea tends to prefer safe and predictable paths rather than exploring new possibilities.

To become a more advanced society, we need to embrace uncertainty and be more open to innovation. Yet, Korean culture still places excessive importance on the university entrance exam, known as Suneung. People often view those who do not attend college as unsuccessful, and such social pressure makes students follow the same “safe” path, afraid of being labeled as failures if they take a different route. I believe that through cultural globalization, these rigid mindsets may gradually change.

Korea is also achieving modernization and global recognition through the power of K-pop. With the help of social media, our culture is spreading rapidly and reaching people around the world. I found it fascinating that K-pop, though created in Korea, is essentially a fusion of Korean and Western cultures—and yet it has become recognized as a uniquely Korean identity. I think that in the future, cultural fusion and the ability to successfully integrate different influences will be key drivers of societal development.

 

3) Concerns, Discussion Topics, and Questions

First, I wonder whether cultural fusion might eventually lead to conflicts. K-pop, for example, can be seen as one of the early outcomes of globalization through social media. Initially, nobody objected to the blending of Western pop with Korean elements, and it was widely accepted as Korean culture. However, now that K-pop has become globally popular and successful, I wonder—if another culture in the future combines elements of Korean culture with its own and achieves similar success—will there be disputes over cultural ownership? Some might view it positively as cultural exchange, while others might feel that their culture was exploited or taken away. I would like to discuss how people might react when entirely new cultural forms emerge that do not clearly belong to any single nation.

Second, I am curious about how China might change in the future. Both China and North Korea control information to maintain political stability. From talking with Chinese students, I learned that while Koreans freely use platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and KakaoTalk, these apps are blocked once they return to China. This is because the government wants to prevent uncontrolled public opinion from forming on social media.

However, unlike North Korea, many Chinese people travel abroad and are increasingly exposed to other cultures. As globalization progresses, more Chinese citizens may begin to feel frustrated with such restrictions or find ways to bypass them. I wonder what kinds of changes might occur in the next generation if cultural globalization continues to challenge information control within China.

4) Using Ai

I used GPT for translation.