[C20] C20 brings Korean culture to the world
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C20 participants and organizers gather for a panel on their experiences at the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, Friday.
From left, C4 co-president James Bemowski, Guy Sorman, CICI President Choi Jung-hwa, Vittorio Missoni, Dorothy Hamilton and Cemil Ipekci.
/ Korea Times photo by Michael Schreiber
By Ines Min
The Culture 20 (C20) wrapped up its three days of events Friday, with a panel discussion at the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, which emphasized a greater understanding of the importance of gaining insight into new cultures.
The C20 has served to create natural ambassadors out of the participants from the G20 member countries, as it brought cultural icons together in order to provide them with experiences of the true culture of Korea ahead of the November economic summit — but each delegate is leaving with more than simply the knowledge of how to eat hansik, or Korean cuisine.
"There are very few ideas on the originality, singularity and creativity of the Korean civilization", said French writer and economic expert Guy Sorman, a C20 participant. "I say civilization because it's stronger than culture and Korea is a civilization".
The thought that Korea has yet to rise to the truly elite ranks of such countries as the United States, the United Kingdom or other European sites was nearly a ubiquitous opinion among the attendees.
Although Sorman — who was selected as a global advisor to President Lee Myung-bak in 2008 — is intimate with the ways of Korean tradition through his numerous visits, for many other delegates the trip was their first encounter with the country.
"I didn't know that Korea is this advanced", said Hope Zinde, a South African communications expert and former journalist. "When I called my mom, she couldn't believe it. I didn't know that Korea has such beautiful people. I've got almost all of your products in my home, and I didn't know that they were Korean".
"I think it's very critical that we really share these things with people".
For others still, the exposure to Korean culture felt more akin to learning new aspects of one's native land.
"It's interesting the way East Asian cultures have been influencing each other so much", said Ye Xiao-gang, a Chinese contemporary composer. "All the cultural and the shapes are always the same, but the details are different".
"We face the same problem as we are marching toward becoming more important countries in the world", he said.
"It's a problem of how to keep our steps of developing countries quicker, while preserving our own cultural tradition".
And then, of course, there were those who took some getting used to Korea.
"Each time I come here, I understand a little bit more, I learn a little bit more about the culture and I feel more affection", said Bruce Dover, chief of the Australian Network media outlet.
"If you take your time and you start to delve deeper, ask more questions, only then does the object of your affection start to reveal her true beauty".
However, the overwhelming outcome of the C20 event was to show — to both the attending delegates and Korean observers — that the culture here is certainly a hidden gem, and not one that necessarily needs constant promotion.
'The time has come for us to project ourselves", said Samuel Koo, president and CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, who attended as a special guest. "But I think Korea is slightly uptight about it".
Although he feels that the Korean culture is best experienced with the five senses, a more natural approach by letting the country's uniqueness speak for itself is the best course of action.
And, although the event was greatly successful in showing the strength of Korean industry to prominent figures — several delegates admitted to believing Samsung was a Japanese brand — the lasting sentiment was one of overall unity, in bringing together the nations in an eye-opening exercise.
"The dominant feeling is one of friendship", said Sorman. "Friendship between us and really between the Korean people that we meet".
"I think we are too much focused on this concept of national identity. We all belong to a new world that is simultaneously local and global", he said to the audience, as well as to his fellow C20 delegates.
"Therefore, I don't think that the way to go is to take a kind of nationalistic road and reinforce at any cost the Korean, French or Turkish identity as if we were fighting the rest of the world.
"I invite you to be each better Korean citizens by becoming also a better global citizen".
From left, C4 co-president James Bemowski, Guy Sorman, CICI President Choi Jung-hwa, Vittorio Missoni, Dorothy Hamilton and Cemil Ipekci.
/ Korea Times photo by Michael Schreiber
By Ines Min
The Culture 20 (C20) wrapped up its three days of events Friday, with a panel discussion at the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, which emphasized a greater understanding of the importance of gaining insight into new cultures.
The C20 has served to create natural ambassadors out of the participants from the G20 member countries, as it brought cultural icons together in order to provide them with experiences of the true culture of Korea ahead of the November economic summit — but each delegate is leaving with more than simply the knowledge of how to eat hansik, or Korean cuisine.
"There are very few ideas on the originality, singularity and creativity of the Korean civilization", said French writer and economic expert Guy Sorman, a C20 participant. "I say civilization because it's stronger than culture and Korea is a civilization".
The thought that Korea has yet to rise to the truly elite ranks of such countries as the United States, the United Kingdom or other European sites was nearly a ubiquitous opinion among the attendees.
Although Sorman — who was selected as a global advisor to President Lee Myung-bak in 2008 — is intimate with the ways of Korean tradition through his numerous visits, for many other delegates the trip was their first encounter with the country.
"I didn't know that Korea is this advanced", said Hope Zinde, a South African communications expert and former journalist. "When I called my mom, she couldn't believe it. I didn't know that Korea has such beautiful people. I've got almost all of your products in my home, and I didn't know that they were Korean".
"I think it's very critical that we really share these things with people".
For others still, the exposure to Korean culture felt more akin to learning new aspects of one's native land.
"It's interesting the way East Asian cultures have been influencing each other so much", said Ye Xiao-gang, a Chinese contemporary composer. "All the cultural and the shapes are always the same, but the details are different".
"We face the same problem as we are marching toward becoming more important countries in the world", he said.
"It's a problem of how to keep our steps of developing countries quicker, while preserving our own cultural tradition".
And then, of course, there were those who took some getting used to Korea.
"Each time I come here, I understand a little bit more, I learn a little bit more about the culture and I feel more affection", said Bruce Dover, chief of the Australian Network media outlet.
"If you take your time and you start to delve deeper, ask more questions, only then does the object of your affection start to reveal her true beauty".
However, the overwhelming outcome of the C20 event was to show — to both the attending delegates and Korean observers — that the culture here is certainly a hidden gem, and not one that necessarily needs constant promotion.
'The time has come for us to project ourselves", said Samuel Koo, president and CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, who attended as a special guest. "But I think Korea is slightly uptight about it".
Although he feels that the Korean culture is best experienced with the five senses, a more natural approach by letting the country's uniqueness speak for itself is the best course of action.
And, although the event was greatly successful in showing the strength of Korean industry to prominent figures — several delegates admitted to believing Samsung was a Japanese brand — the lasting sentiment was one of overall unity, in bringing together the nations in an eye-opening exercise.
"The dominant feeling is one of friendship", said Sorman. "Friendship between us and really between the Korean people that we meet".
"I think we are too much focused on this concept of national identity. We all belong to a new world that is simultaneously local and global", he said to the audience, as well as to his fellow C20 delegates.
"Therefore, I don't think that the way to go is to take a kind of nationalistic road and reinforce at any cost the Korean, French or Turkish identity as if we were fighting the rest of the world.
"I invite you to be each better Korean citizens by becoming also a better global citizen".
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