South Korea

38
SOUTH KOREA

Transcript of South Korea

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea ( officially

the Republic of Korea), is a

country in East Asia, constituting

the southern part of the Korean

Peninsula. The name Korea is

derived from Goryeo, a dynasty

which ruled in the Middle Ages. It

shares land borders with North

Korea to the north, and oversea

borders with China to the west

and Japan to the east.

Capital: Seoul

Administrative Divisions:

9 Provinces (North and South Chungcheong,

Gangwon, Gyeonggi, North and South Gyeongsang,

Jeju, North and South Jeolla)

7 metropolitan cities:

► Busan ► Daegu ► Daejeon

► Gwangju ► Incheon ► Sejong City

► Ulsan

The Flag of South Korea, or Taegukgi

is the national flag for the Republic

of Korea. It has three parts:

A white background which

represents peace and purity.

a red and blue Taeguk, which is a

red and blue Taiji yin- and yang-

symbol in the center, represents

the balance of the universe

and four black trigrams which

represents the heaven ☰(kun),

earth ☷(kon), water ☵(kam),

fire ☲(yi)

HISTORY OF KOREA

Monarchy Begin:

Gojoseon by Tangun

(legendary:2333 B.C)

Three Kingdoms and Gaya (5th century)

•Goguryeo 37 B.C. - AD 668),

•Baekje (18 B.C. - AD 660),

•Silla (57 B.C.- AD 935),

•Gaya (42-562)

Unified Silla and Balhae (8th century)

Goryeo Dynasty (11th century)

Joseon Dynasty (15th century)

Korean Empire

Monarchy Ended: Sunjong (The Last

Emperor: August 29, 1910

Tangun creation myth of Korea

Traditional myths of ancient Korea tell that over 4,000 years ago

Hwanung, the King of Heaven, descended near a Tan tree on Mt. Taebak in

North Korea. Accompanying Hwanung were 3,000 followers, and he ruled

over all of their needs. In a nearby cave lived a tiger and a bear who wished

to become human. As part of the test he gave them mugwort and garlic to

eat, requiring them to live in darkness for 100 days. After only a few days,

the tiger could no longer stand it and ran out into the mountain forests. The

bear, however, stayed in the den, finally emerging as a beautiful woman. She

repeatedly prayed beneath the Tan tree for a child, and Hwanung

momentarily transformed himself to marry her. They produced a wonderful

child they called Tangun. Tangun invented the basics of civilization and

created a dynasty that lasted for 1,500 years.

This was followed by a period

called Kija Choson that lasted 99 years.

Tangun is still regarded as a great

culture-hero and his memory is marked

every 3rd of October on Foundation Day.

Depictions of Tangun often show him

with a tiger, which is regarded as a

mountain god.

Over the last 2,000 years the Korean peninsula has been

wracked by eight major invasions and countless smaller

wars and incursions.

Among the many invaders have been ancient Chinese

kingdoms, Qidans (Khitans), Mongols, Japanese, and

Manchus.

In the 20th century, Korea was colonized by Japan and in

the Post-WWII era was caught in the middle of conflicts

between the United States, the Soviet Union, and China

over the expansion of Communism in the Cold War Era – an

era which still lingers in the as yet unresolved division

between North and South Korea.

KOREAN WAR

On June 25, 1950, North Korea

launched an unprovoked full-

scale invasion of the South,

triggering a three-year war

which drew in U.S., Chinese, and

other foreign forces. The entire

peninsula was devastated by the

conflict. A ceasefire was signed in

July 1953.

Korean Culture,

Traditions and Literature

CULTURE

HANBOK

Traditional women's hanbok consists

of jeogori, a blouse shirt or a jacket

and chima, a wrap-around skirt,

which is usually worn full.

The ensemble is often called chimajeogori.

Men's hanbok consists of jeogori and

baji which means pants in Korea.

The baji were baggy pants in traditional

men's hanbok.

HANGEUL (한글)

The Korean AlphabetThe Great King Yi Sejong

HANOK

Korean traditional house

The raw materials used in

Hanok are soil, timber, and

rocks

Windows and doors are made

with Hanji (traditional

Korean paper).

Traditional Korean Musical

Instruments

RELIGION in South Korea

South Korea has various types of

religion throughout the country. Over

40% of the whole population do not

believe in any religion. The next two

main religions within the country

are Buddhism(25%) and Protestantism

(Over 15%).

Heywood, P, 2008, ‘Religions of South Korea’

Classical Poetry

Classical Korean literature has its roots in traditional folk beliefs

and folk tales of the Korean peninsula.

There are four major traditional poetic forms: hyangga ("native songs"); pyolgok ("special songs"), or changga ("long poems"); sijo ("current melodies"); and kasa ("verses").

Other poetic forms that flourished briefly include the kyonggi-

style, in the 14th and 15th centuries, and the akchang

("words for songs") in the 15th century.

The most representative akchang is Yongbi och'on ka (1445–47;

Songs of Flying Dragons), a cycle compiled in praise of the

founding of the Yi dynasty.

Korean poetry originally was meant to be sung, and its forms and

styles reflect its melodic origins.

The basis of its prosody is a line of alternating groups of three or

four syllables, which is probably the most natural rhythm

the language.

Idu Medieval Korean Modern Korean Translation

願往生歌 원왕생가 왕생을기원하는노래Ode to Eternal

Life(translation by Mark

Peterson, 2006)

月下伊低赤 달하이제 달이여이제 Oh Moon!

西方念丁去賜里遣 서방까정가시리고서방(西方) 넘어가시려는고

As you go to the west

this night,

無量壽佛前乃 무량수불전에 무량수불전(無量壽佛前)에I pray thee, go before the

eternal Buddha,

惱叱古音多可支白遣賜立 닛곰다가살ㅂ고사서 일러서사뢰옵소서And tell him that there

is one here

誓音深史隱尊衣希仰支 다짐깊으샨존에울워러다짐깊으신아미타불을우러러

Who adores Him of the

deep oaths,

兩手集刀花乎白良 두손모도호살바 두손을모두어And chants daily with

hands together, saying

願往生願往生 원왕생원왕생 왕생(往生)을 원하며 Oh grant me eternal life,

慕人有如白遣賜立그럴사람있다살ㅂ고사서

그리워하는사람있다사뢰소서

Oh grant me eternal life,

阿耶此身遣也置古 아으이몸기쳐두고 아아이몸을남겨놓고But alas, can any of the

48 vows be kept

四十八大願成遣賜去 사십팔대원일고살까사십팔대원(大願)

이루실까While still trapped in

this mortal frame?

A typical hyangga is "the Ode for Life Eternal", or perhaps, "the Ode for Nirvana". The poem is a song that calls upon the moon to convey the supplicant's prayer to the

Western paradise, the home of Amita (or Amitabha - the Buddha of the Western

paradise). The poem's authorship is somewhat unclear; it was either written by a

monk named Gwangdeok or, onesource says, the monk's wife.

Middle Korea Modern Korean Translation

내벗이몇인가하ᄒᆞ 니수석과송죽이라

내벗이몇인가하니수석과송죽이라

You ask how

many friends I

have? Water and

stone, bamboo

and pine.

동산의ᄃᆞᆯ 오르니긔더옥반갑고야

동산에달오르니그더욱반갑도다

The moon rising

over the eastern

hill is a joyful

comrade.

두어라이다ᄉᆞᆺ 밧긔또더ᄒᆞ 야머엇ᄒᆞ 리

두어라, 이다섯밖에또더해야무엇하리

Besides these five

companions, what

other pleasure

should I ask

Sijo, unlike some other East Asian poetic forms, frequently

employs metaphors, puns, allusions and similar word play. Most poets

follow these guidelines very closely although there are longer

examples. An exemplar is this poem by Yun Seondo (1587–1671) :

Other forms of Classic Literature

P’ansori

This “one-man opera” (p’ansori)

featured a single storyteller who would

unroll a grass mat as a performance

space and holding a folding fan would

entertain audiences with long stories, the

musical parts accompanied by an

assistant playing an hour-glass drum

(changgol).

Gagok (long lyrical song) is a genre of

Korean traditional vocal music

accompanied by a small ensemble of

Korean traditional musical instruments.

It uses sijo, Korean traditional poetry, as

lyrics, allowing us a glimpse into the

spirit of the Koreans long ago and their

appreciation of the arts.

Yi Kwangsu (1892-1950)

wrote the first modern Korean Novel

“The Heartless”

The story itself is about a love

triangle between the schoolteacher Yi

Hyŏngshik and two women: Yŏngch’ae

who became a Kisaeng and Sŏnhyŏng a

daughter of a minister. He eventually

marries Sŏnhyŏng, since her father had

arranged and expected this from him

by allowing him to teach English to his

daughter, and also with the hopes that

they could both go to the US for studies.

The story is quasi-historical with its

setting being just before the formal

annexation of Korea.

Honggildongjeon (Classic)

Honggildongjeon (Tales of Hong Gil-dong,

the first novel published in Hangeul) is a work of

social criticism that scathingly attacked the

inequities of Joseon with its discriminatory

treatment of illegitimate offspring and its

differences based on wealth.

KOREA TODAY

President: Park Geun-hye

(2013)

Prime Minister: Chung

Hong Won (2013)

Government: Republic

Land area: 37,421 sq mi

(96,920 sq km)

Population (2012 est.):

48,860,500

Capital and largest city

(2009 est.) Seoul, 9.778

million

Other large cities: Pusan,

3.439 million; Inchon,

2.572; Taegu, 2.458

million; Taejon 1.497

million.

Monetary unit: won

ECONOMY

South Korea is one of the

world's wealthiest

nations, and is a member

of the Organization for

Economic Co-operation

and Development (OECD)

and the G-20 major

economies.

South Korea has a market

economy that ranks 15th

in the world by nominal

GDP and 12th by

purchasing power parity

(PPP).

LANDMARKS

Haeinsa Temple, Hapcheon (합천해인사)

Haeinsa is one of the three Jewel Temples inKorea.

The world's oldest intact Buddhist canon,

the Tripitaka Koreana, is carefully housed in

the 1,200-year-old Haeinsa Temple.

Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress was built in the late 18th century by

King Yeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty in Suwon, South Korea. It

was built to honor and house the remains of his father, Prince

Sado who was killed by being locked alive inside a rice chest by

his father, King Yeongjo because the prince had failed to obey his

fathers command to commit suicide.

Gyeongbokgung(경복궁), also known Gyeongbok Palace

It is a royal palace located in northern Seoul, South

Korea. First constructed in 1395, later burned and abandoned

for almost three centuries, and then reconstructed in 1867, it

was the main and largest palace of the Five GrandPalaces built by the Joseon Dynasty.

Changdeokgung Palace

One of South Korea’s “Five Grand Palaces” built

by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty sits within a large park

in Jongnu-gu, Seoul. It is often referred to as Changdeok

Palace as well as the East Palace due to its location.

Changgyeonggung Palace

Changgyeonggung Palace is a royal residence

located in the heart of Seoul that was built for

King Taejong. In 1418, King Sejong built a royal

residence for his father, King Taejong.

Jeju Island, also known as the "Island of the Gods," is a

popular vacation spot for Koreans and foreigners. It remains the

top honeymoon destination for Korean newlyweds, and is also

regarded as one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world.

Chocolate Museum (초콜릿박물관)

The Chocolate Museum in Seogwipo,

Jeju is the second largest chocolate

museum in the world (the largest being

the Cologne Chocolate Museum in

Germany)

Teddy Bear Museum

Lotte World is a major recreation

complex in Seoul, South Korea. It

consists of the world's largest

indoor theme park (a Guinness

World Record) which is open all

year.

Namsan locks of love, Seoul, South Korea

At Seoul’s Mt Namsan, thousands of love padlocks can be seen hanging on

the fences around the base level of N Seoul Tower. Locks of love is a custom

in some cultures where love birds would lock their padlocks at public areas

and throw away the key to symbolise that their love will be locked forever.

Seoraksan National Park (NaeSeorak) (설악산국립공원 - 내설악)

Also referred to as Seolsan and Seolbongsan, the mountain

was named Seorak ('Seol' meaning 'snow' and 'Ak' meaning 'big

mountain') because the snow would not melt for a long time keeping

the rocks in a permanent state of white.

Ganghwa Dolmen Site [UNESCO World Heritage] (강화부근리지석묘[유네스코세계문화유산])

Dolmens’ are stone graves/tombs which date back to the pre-

historic era. Dolmens are largely concentrated in Northeast Asia with

Korea alone being home to a total of around 30,000 dolmens.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Korean Wave

The Korean Wave is a neologism referring to

the increase in the popularity of South

Korean culture since the late 1990s. The term

was originally coined in mid-1999

by Beijing journalists who were surprised by

China's growing appetite for South Korean

cultural exports. They subsequently referred

to this new phenomenon as "Hánliú" (韓流),

which literally means "flow of Korea".