Sports most effective in promoting Korea globally

By Rachel Lee

Following the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup football championship, sports was most influential in promoting Korean culture abroad, according to a survey by a communication institute Thursday.

The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) presented the results of a survey at a conference in the Westin-Chosun Hotel as part of the third Cultural Communication Forum (CCF). The three-day session opened Tuesday in a bid to promote Korean culture abroad.

The survey ― which allowed multiple responses ― was conducted on 455 respondents comprised of 303 Koreans and 152 foreigners from all walks of life, who visited or lived in the country.

“Sports” was chosen by foreigners as the most influential (76.17 percent) followed by Korean food (70.9 percent), film/drama (70.84 percent), literature (69.76 percent) and K-pop (69.04 percent).

K-pop, however, topped the list in a subcategory for communication based on interactivity, showing its popularity has built up over the long term and there are many new opportunities ahead.

Korean artist Psy showed the enormous power of social media that recently gained him exceptional international recognition with his sensational music video.

“I believe Korea could be an anchor for cultural dialogue. Its position at the crossroads of Asia, and Chinese Confucian and Western liberal values could incite it. It could be also the role of a new Korean cultural wave that does not appear to me as an alternative to American culture but as a gateway where aesthetic and moral values are traded and exchanged,” Dominique Wolton said at the conference where a total of 15 cultural leaders from 14 countries gathered to discuss the topic of “communication” and share their views on how Korea can communicate with the world in the future.

“It’s important that we maintain cultural, linguistic diversity. We really need to look at communication and cultural diversity itself excluding technology,” Wolton added.

Wolton is a research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. He has been a communication sciences specialist in this new scientific field for 30 years. He is also founder and chief editor of the international academic journal Hermes and a member of the board of directors of the France Televisions.

“Korea needs to be able to embrace diverse religions and languages in light of the growing number of immigrants and refugees,” said Yi Sun-kyung, a documentary filmmaker from Canada. “I believe Korea will be able to be at the forefront of cultural diversity.”

Kim Ran-do, bestseller writer “You are Suffering Because You are Young” and a professor at Seoul National University, espoused on communication among different generations.

“’Conflict among different generations is the most important social issue,” Kim said. “In order to enable smooth communication, the older generation must take the initiative and lead the much needed change, as they are the ones with greater resources. They must try to see things from the perspective of today’s young generation and understand the current economic, social and political changes of the young.”

The opinion leaders experienced a wide range of Korean culture through various programs, including “Sugungga,” a traditional opera directed by German director Achim Freyes; a performance by pianist Kim Sun-wook and a moonlight tour of Changdeok Palace with Choe Kwang-shik, minister of culture, sports and tourism.