How the world views Korea is split into two different viewpoints. The great divide in Korea marked by the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) splits North and South Korea into two completely different worlds. This makes it difficult to paint a unified picture of what Korea really stands for in the international scene.

When someone talks about Korea today, probably the most popular image of it at the moment comes from South Korea and the rise of K-pop culture. While North Korea is rumored to be raising military people and manufacturing weapons of war, South Korea’s biggest weapon comes from personalities in their entertainment industry.

K-pop culture has become a worldwide phenomenon in such a short period of time. In a 2020 survey by Statista, 22.7 percent of respondents from 18 countries answered that K-pop was very popular in their country. Around 28.8% of them say that K-pop is not only known to enthusiasts but also to ordinary citizens. This says a lot about the popularity of Korea, even outside of Asia.

Along with the rise of K-pop is the surge in interest in Korean cuisine. Suddenly, restaurants all over the world are creating fusion dishes with an Asian twist, incorporating Korean flavors and ingredients. As a result, Korean products have emerged on the shelves of supermarkets worldwide, and it’s selling even faster online.

What makes Korean pop culture so popular? It’s all about the colors, the funk, the groove, and the perfect image that Koreans portray. It is a portrayal of a life filled with fun and color, freedom of expression, and liberation.

This is a vast contradiction to the life lived by the people in North Korea, who are sheltered from technology and the innovations of the world. While the South is taking its seat on the world stage, North Korea is hell-bent on making efforts to boost its military power.

The image of Korea as a whole post a bizarre economic predicament. How can a nation rise to power if its image is split between love and hate, peace and war, liberation and militarization?

It is important to add that South Korea seems to be the only one making efforts to be liked by other nations. They are continuously pushing for industrialization, trade, and international development. But, on the other hand, North Korea still refuses to let the world see what’s behind its walls.

If this continues, South Korea may achieve some development to gain investor’s trust, but they won’t be able to achieve their full potential as a nation as long as they have the looming shadow of North Korea.

Images of Korea in International Instruction Materials

There is a lack of information about Korea in the vast majority of textbooks concerning world history. The Korean War, for instance, is often overlooked in the U.S. textbooks, even though the United States has been deeply involved in backing South Korea.

The Korean War, also known as the ‘Forgotten War’, left people wondering whether it really happened. Nations once involved in the conflicts of Korea are now taking a step back and watching the two split nations at a safe distance. Why?

The continuous tension between North and South Korea is like a wound that has not healed even after decades. This means that any trigger can start a war not just between the two nations but will compel their supposed allies to take action.

A conflict between North and South Korea will be devastating. They have poured all their resources into developing missile technologies and nuclear weapons. They are rich in weapons of war, but reports show that 60 percent of their citizens live in poverty.

Putting history in writing will encourage academic debates, further investigations, and launch opinions on the web. And because these are sensitive times, nations may be walking on eggshells around Korea for a much deeper reason.

Another reason why there is a lack of information about Korea in international textbooks is that Korea itself cannot provide accurate background about its history. There is vast misinformation and conflict of facts happening internally. Therefore, it is very difficult for historians and textbook authors to find accurate information to write about.

For instance, in 2015, protesters moved to the streets to oppose the South Korean government’s plan to issue a state-owned history book depicting the history of South Korea. The government insisted that there were too many mistakes in the current books, and it needs to be revised to show the proud achievements of South Korea.

Members of the academe were quick to protest, saying that history is a subject that should be open to multiple opinions. They believe that textbooks should not be used as a tool to gain loyalty for one side but to form educated opinions drawn from actual facts.

What were the controversies surrounding the information written in the textbooks? First, there are opposing views in the interpretation of the events that occurred during the Korean war. One side draws sympathy towards North Korea, while others believe it was the North that provoked it all.

There is also the controversy surrounding former President Park Chung-hee. He was credited for spearheading the fast industrialization and rise of South Korea. But he is also connected to a dark event in 1961 wherein he led a coup that used extreme brutality and suppressed South Korea’s democracy. However, even after his death, efforts are still being made by his allies to erase this negative image in any publication.

Proposals on How to Improve The Images of Korea

For the past decades, efforts have been made to greatly improve the image of Korea and to let the world understand accurate facts about this nation. However, only South Korea seems to be fully invested in this pursuit, mainly for economic gains.

This effort is partly rewarded as K-pop catapulted the image of South Korea into the world stage. This, however, is not enough to sustain a strong economy. South Korea needs to strive to renew its image to boost its tourism, attract investors, and take control of the prices of its products.

In 2009, South Korea sought the help of an international consultant for nation branding, Simon Anholt. He said that in order for South Korea to boost its image at an international level, it needs to pay attention to global issues such as poverty and climate change. Launching efforts to make contributions to these international causes will show the world that they have strong leadership.

On another note, South Korea has risen to show great competence in the field of technology. They are widely recognized for their remarkable performance in the field of research and development intensity. Another notable achievement is the Korean brand Samsung, which has become one of the world’s leading producers of mobile gadget devices.

Thus, this proposal calls for South Korea to stay on the track where they shine the most. Boosting their resources in the fields of biotechnology and robotics can help anchor their position as one of the global leaders in technological advancements.

See what happens when the South Korean government pours its support to a growing industry. Sometime in the ’90s, the government allotted millions to create the Ministry of Culture with the sole task of supporting the K-pop industry. Years after, the whole world is now supporting Korean culture.

Another way to boost Korea’s image is to address a global problem that is about to become deadly serious in the coming years---climate change. Every nation seems to have its own efforts to address climate change, but no nation is taking it as seriously as it should be taken. There is no forerunner in this issue, no solid strategies to follow, no technological advancements fully addressing environmental problems. Environmental protection has no global image, no face, no one taking the lead. If South Korea wants to have a solid global impact, they should take this issue as an opportunity.

It is also important to note that there is no possible suggestion that can be presented to improve the image of North Korea. This is because they have already laid down their cards and insist on their militarized way of living. While they seem to be reaching out to the world in the past years, allowing in tourists and having media releases, it would probably take a new kind of leadership to make them embrace the ways of the modern world.