Recently, the Korean people were exposed to Southeast Asians, Southeast Asian food and sceneries by Korean media which has showed and increased various Asian multi-cultural programs. At the same time, Koreans can frequently encounter Southeast Asians ...
Recently, the Korean people were exposed to Southeast Asians, Southeast Asian food and sceneries by Korean media which has showed and increased various Asian multi-cultural programs. At the same time, Koreans can frequently encounter Southeast Asians in their everyday lives. Thus, a specific image and ideology of Southeast Asia has been established in our society, which creates a new social happening known as 'Southeast Asia phenomena'.
Simply, as a generalized concept, 'Southeast Asia phenomena' encompasses all the phenomenon that relate to Koreans' Southeast Asian experience and perception. 'Southeast Asia phenomena' is a happening as a result of direct inflow of Southeast Asians and culture in Korea. On the other hand, it is a phenomena resulting from understanding of Southeast Asia by Koreans from their movements to Southeast Asia or though their interactions with Southeast Asians.
The emerging period of 'Southeast Asia phenomena' can be seen from early 2000. immigrant workers and international marriage immigrants are main players leading the 'Southeast Asia phenomena'. But there are other factors such as tourism, small and medium sized business investment, food, retirement migration, study-abroad and pop culture, which contribute to this phenomena.
So far, there was no comprehensive academic term for a new social phenomenon in Korean society related to Southeast Asian elements. Particulary, often Southeast Asian Phenomena has a blurred border with Korean Wave in Southeast Asia, but the former is different from the latter in terms of its intension and extension.
'Korean Wave' refers to cultural concept that includes two main types of culture: commercial and material. Commercial culture is referred as pop culture composed of movies, TV soap opera and pop-music. While material culture represents elements such as fashion, food, game and animation. However, 'Southeast Asia phenomena' is not very evident in pop culture. Yet, 'Southeast Asia phenomena' appears in more diverse forms. Thus, its expansion process and social influence is more fundamental and longstanding compared to 'Korean Wave'.
'Southeast Asia phenomena' is arising both in Korea and Southeast Asia. immigrant workers, international marriage immigrants and pop culture portray 'Southeast Asia phenomena' adopted through direct interaction with Southeast Asians in Korea. On the other hand, through small and medium sized company investments and retirement migrations where Koreans move to Southeast Asia and interact with Southeast Asians, Koreans create their own unique understanding of Southeast Asia that formed another type of 'Southeast Asia phenomena. Whereas tourism and study abroad causes 'Southeast Asia phenomena' to coexist in Southeast Asia and Korea.
This research analyzes the origin and diffusion of Southeast Asian Phenomena in Korea, which has conducted for two years. At the first year, it was designed to study immigrant workers, small and medium sized business investments, retirement migrations categorized under humans movement and at the second year, the research involved in studying international marriage immigrants, food, pop culture and tourism as cultural movement. This research differenciates from the others in terms of the analysis especially focusing on Southeast Asian perspectives.