In recent years, K-pop idols have increasingly served as ambassadors of Korea to a world audience. One novel aspect of this ambassadorship is their role as presenters of Korean traditional culture, even though they frequently know little about the traditions in question. In this paper, I conduct a close reading of the K-Community Festival 2021 as an example of a program in which K-pop idols introduce their viewers to traditional Korean arts by presenting themselves as inexpert learners. This festival, with its contradictory positioning of the idols as spokespeople for Korea who need instruction in Korean tradition, appeals to viewers by inviting the audience to identify with the idols, emphasizing its entertainment value, and using the idols as cultural intermediaries. I argue that in doing so, it devalues cultural expertise and the essentialization of tradition. Nevertheless, this and similar programs serve an important function for fans in that they offer a cultural product that can be consumed in opposition to the hegemonic cultural flows from the United States.
목차
Abstract Introduction The K-Community Festival and Knowledge of Traditions Enjoying Korean Traditions with Idols Entertainment over Education Idols as Cultural Intermediaries Devaluing the Experts and Essentializing Korean Traditions Consumption of Media and Cultural Hegemony References
키워드
KugakK-popKorean traditionsappropriation of tradition
저자
CedarBough T. SAEJI [ An assistant professor at Pusan National University. ]
한국연구원은 1970년 5월 한국 민속의 각 분야에 걸친 자료의 수집과 학술적 연구를 목적으로 '한국민속연구소'로 출발하였다. 그 후 1973년 5월 연구 분야를 확대하며 민속뿐만 아니라 한국학 전반에 걸친 연구를 위해 '한국학연구소'로 개편하였고, 다시 1989년 3월 한국의 국제적 위상의 부상과 함께 한국학 연구의 중요성이 높아짐에 따라 '한국학연구원'으로 확대, 개편하였다. 한국학연구원은 한국학 전반에 걸친 연구를 통해 지역과 민족문화 발전에 기여하며 한국학의 세계화를 위해서 학술활동을 강화하고 나아가 내·외국인에 대한 한국문화 교육을 담당하고자 한다.