Slow takes and cultural essays that reframe how we see Korea: its aesthetics, contradictions, and transformations.
When I think about the most authentic Korean streetscape, it’s not the sleek landmarks designed by world-renowned architects, nor the hanoks, which, while cherished, are few in number. It’s the villas—the low-rise, multi-family buildings that have shaped Seoul’s residential fabric since the 1970s. Unlike high-rise apartment complexes, which feel closed off from the streets, villas…
Where Contradictions Collide to Create Korean Cool Recently, Seongsu was ranked as the 4th coolest neighborhood in the world by Time Out magazine in the UK. Like its nickname “Seoul’s Brooklyn,” Seongsu is a very dynamic space with a strong industrial feel, full of interesting discoveries, where people with diverse life trajectories move busily with…
An Anthropological Perspective on Culture, Identity, and Storytelling I recently came across an insightful interview with Pauline Brown, former North American Chairman at LVMH, in Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo. In it, she describes Korea’s explosive global popularity — through K-Pop, K-Dramas, and K-Beauty — as akin to “sweet candy,” beloved globally yet at risk of losing momentum unless…