Essay Contest Result
Image of Korea from the Brazilian Point of View
Despite the fact that Brazil and South Korea diplomatic relations date back to 1959, it was not until recently that the latter became popular in Brazil. Both countries have been connected due to industry and economic matters, with few cultural exchanges, however. Nowadays, the scenario has been changing due to the Korean wave (Hallyu), and a great number of Brazilians are becoming interested in the Korean culture, language and people. However, Brazil's perspective of South Korea is still carried with stereotypes and generalizations, mainly because of the impact of orientalism in western countries, the lack of information and range.
Orientalism can be defined as a depiction of the East in a stereotyped way. Though the concept was coined taking European and American perspectives into account, it has also greatly impacted the way Brazil perceives Asian countries. Oftentimes you will see the many Asian expats in Brazil lumped together in the same group having their diversity and culture erased by the misinformed belief that Asians are all the same.
Generalizing a whole continent is harmful and might lead to the spread of false information. Besides, it discourages people from learning and understanding a place's history, people, culture and language. For instance, most Brazilians think South Korea and North Korea are the same country, even though it has been more than 70 years since they were divided. Moreover, although several Brazilian students have had the chance to go to South Korea in university exchange programs, Brazilians are still completely unaware that it is a first world country, extremely developed, culturally rich, economically strong, and with one of the best educational systems in the world.
Fortunately, Hallyu is changing this scenario. Brazil is becoming more aware of Korea as a whole and much is already being done by the Korean government to raise awareness and strengthen even more the ties with Brazil. Initiatives taken by both Brazil's and South Korea's governments have made it possible for more people to get in touch with the Korean culture and language. For instance, the establishment of a King Sejong Institute in the University of Brasília (UnB), allowed for a great number of students to finally start learning the Korean language. The institute not only offers language classes, but also provides a variety of cultural activities for free. Moreover, there is the Korean Cultural Center in São Paulo that aims to promote information regarding Korean food, culture and taekwondo. To do so, it holds exhibitions and film festivals on Korea-related topics, as well as taekwondo and Korean language classes. Finally, the Embassy of South Korea in Brazil constantly comes up with projects to foster awareness of Korean culture, language and people among Brazilians.
So why aren't things changing if a lot is being done? Brazil is home to the largest South Korean community in Latin America, yet there is little if any information regarding Korean history, economy and culture available in Portuguese. Those that have been translated can be found online, but won't ever be seen in school or college books. Furthemore, the majority of people who look for these pieces of information are those who want to learn about South Korea due to the Korean wave. These same people are the ones who usually take part in the aforementioned activities proposed by the Korean government. This is not negative, however it shows that the information is only reaching those who have previously shown interest in Korea, and not Brazil as a whole, which does not help to spread accurate information about South Korea, because it remains confined to a certain group of people.
Therefore, the problem is not what is being done, but how it is being done. In order to reach more people and successfully approach a certain audience, it is important to understand how said audience communicates and thinks. Brazil ranks as the fourth country with the highest number of internet users in the world and that should be taken advantage of. Brazilians have built their own world inside the internet and easily communicate through memes. Internet and meme culture are such strong influences in Brazilian culture that they are used not only by average people, but also by brands and all types of professionals, and even impacted the last presidential election. As silly as it may seem, it is a great way to spread information, given that the chance of a meme becoming viral is much higher than that of an informative text or book.
A great example of how a funny episode may stick for a long time is the way the expression for 'it's good' in Portuguese - tá bom - became popular in Korea. In 1989, a commercial used the expression to say the juice tasted good and it became a hit. To this day, Koreans know and use the expression, regardless of being familiar with Brazil or Portuguese.
Orientalism can be defined as a depiction of the East in a stereotyped way. Though the concept was coined taking European and American perspectives into account, it has also greatly impacted the way Brazil perceives Asian countries. Oftentimes you will see the many Asian expats in Brazil lumped together in the same group having their diversity and culture erased by the misinformed belief that Asians are all the same.
Generalizing a whole continent is harmful and might lead to the spread of false information. Besides, it discourages people from learning and understanding a place's history, people, culture and language. For instance, most Brazilians think South Korea and North Korea are the same country, even though it has been more than 70 years since they were divided. Moreover, although several Brazilian students have had the chance to go to South Korea in university exchange programs, Brazilians are still completely unaware that it is a first world country, extremely developed, culturally rich, economically strong, and with one of the best educational systems in the world.
Fortunately, Hallyu is changing this scenario. Brazil is becoming more aware of Korea as a whole and much is already being done by the Korean government to raise awareness and strengthen even more the ties with Brazil. Initiatives taken by both Brazil's and South Korea's governments have made it possible for more people to get in touch with the Korean culture and language. For instance, the establishment of a King Sejong Institute in the University of Brasília (UnB), allowed for a great number of students to finally start learning the Korean language. The institute not only offers language classes, but also provides a variety of cultural activities for free. Moreover, there is the Korean Cultural Center in São Paulo that aims to promote information regarding Korean food, culture and taekwondo. To do so, it holds exhibitions and film festivals on Korea-related topics, as well as taekwondo and Korean language classes. Finally, the Embassy of South Korea in Brazil constantly comes up with projects to foster awareness of Korean culture, language and people among Brazilians.
So why aren't things changing if a lot is being done? Brazil is home to the largest South Korean community in Latin America, yet there is little if any information regarding Korean history, economy and culture available in Portuguese. Those that have been translated can be found online, but won't ever be seen in school or college books. Furthemore, the majority of people who look for these pieces of information are those who want to learn about South Korea due to the Korean wave. These same people are the ones who usually take part in the aforementioned activities proposed by the Korean government. This is not negative, however it shows that the information is only reaching those who have previously shown interest in Korea, and not Brazil as a whole, which does not help to spread accurate information about South Korea, because it remains confined to a certain group of people.
Therefore, the problem is not what is being done, but how it is being done. In order to reach more people and successfully approach a certain audience, it is important to understand how said audience communicates and thinks. Brazil ranks as the fourth country with the highest number of internet users in the world and that should be taken advantage of. Brazilians have built their own world inside the internet and easily communicate through memes. Internet and meme culture are such strong influences in Brazilian culture that they are used not only by average people, but also by brands and all types of professionals, and even impacted the last presidential election. As silly as it may seem, it is a great way to spread information, given that the chance of a meme becoming viral is much higher than that of an informative text or book.
A great example of how a funny episode may stick for a long time is the way the expression for 'it's good' in Portuguese - tá bom - became popular in Korea. In 1989, a commercial used the expression to say the juice tasted good and it became a hit. To this day, Koreans know and use the expression, regardless of being familiar with Brazil or Portuguese.
Another illustration of how humor can be used to spread information is the Brazilian Instagram page Greengo Dictionary which explains Brazilian references, such as jokes and memes, by making literal translations of these expressions from Portuguese to English. Besides promoting Brazilian culture, it also helps to promote the use of English and other languages, allowing Brazilians to get in touch with cultural aspects of countries they are not familiar with. Its reach has been so impressive that even the ambassador of the British Embassy in Brazil took part in a video for the page reading some expressions and trying to guess their meaning.
Because of Hallyu, Korea is in the spotlight and that should be put to good use. Combining the huge success of Korea with the power the internet has in Brazil can definitely have positive effects in the image of Korea and help spread accurate information, putting an end to the sea of misinformation regarding the country and its nation. It goes without saying that this is not the most conventional way to spread information, but it is certainly one that can reach a wide range of people and that people can relate to. I firmly believe using an approach that fits Brazilian culture is going to be more successful when it comes to the information reaching a wider range of people. Additionally, it is a great opportunity for the new generations in Brazil to disseminate information that shows how great of a country South Korea is in all aspects.
Because of Hallyu, Korea is in the spotlight and that should be put to good use. Combining the huge success of Korea with the power the internet has in Brazil can definitely have positive effects in the image of Korea and help spread accurate information, putting an end to the sea of misinformation regarding the country and its nation. It goes without saying that this is not the most conventional way to spread information, but it is certainly one that can reach a wide range of people and that people can relate to. I firmly believe using an approach that fits Brazilian culture is going to be more successful when it comes to the information reaching a wider range of people. Additionally, it is a great opportunity for the new generations in Brazil to disseminate information that shows how great of a country South Korea is in all aspects.
[Excellence Prize]
Rafaella B. G. Cardoso
(Country of Activity : Brazil)
Rafaella B. G. Cardoso
(Country of Activity : Brazil)
