Seoul power: How South Korea became a cultural giant

Seoul power: How South Korea became a cultural giant
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1PTK7zbvyLfjBYjdb8ZRjdp/seoul-power-how-south-korea-became-a-cultural-giant

16 February 2016


From movies and TV to K-Pop, South Korean culture manages to punch far above its weight - across East Asia, and beyond. But how did this happen, and why is it so important to Koreans? In three exclusive films produced and directed by Phil Tinline for BBC Arts, Rana Mitter visits the South Korean capital, Seoul, to investigate.


South Korea: Past pain, present power

Rana Mitter investigates how Korea's history has informed its culture.


Throughout much of the 20th century, South Korea endured occupation, war and poverty. But since then, it has risen very fast. Here, Rana explores how this has spurred its culture to do two things: to confront the pain of the past; and to give this once-powerless country an outsize presence on the world stage.


What K-Pop did next

Rana Mitter investigates the South Korean music that has conquered the world.


One of South Korea’s most successful cultural exports is K-Pop. From China and Japan to Singapore and Thailand, K-Pop stars like Psy, HyunA, CL and G-Dragon are dizzyingly famous. But how did this happen? Rana finds out – and discovers that this shiny, manufactured genre has begun to take an unexpected turn...


The other side of South Korean cinema

Rana Mitter investigates the breadth and depth of the country's movie industry.


South Korea has earned a good reputation for its action movies. But its cinema is much more varied than that suggests – encompassing everything from period naval blockbusters to meditations on mixed national loyalties. Rana speaks to actress Moon So-ri, and directors Chung Chang-wha and Zhang Lu.