This study investigates the evolving cultural and diplomatic ties between Mongolia and Korea since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990. As the popularity of Korean popular culture and economic ties increase, along with cultural exchange between the two nations, there has been a significant rise in the demand for Korean language education in Mongolia. This trend is primarily driven by the younger generation, resulting in a substantial presence of Mongolian students in Korea. The stability and growth in the number of Mongolian students studying in Korea underscore sustained interest and engagement. This article carefully examines the multifaceted factors contributing to this trend, encompassing cultural exchanges inspired by Korean popular culture, governmental initiatives, and Mongolia’s rich educational history. Notably, it addresses the historical foundations of Mongolia’s high literacy rate and the proactive role of Mongolian parents in fostering education. The expansive higher education sector in Mongolia is explored, acknowledging its growth since the early 1990s. Additionally, the study sheds light on the challenges confronted by international students in Korea, emphasizing the necessity for robust support systems. Furthermore, it delves into Korea’s initiatives to attract and seamlessly integrate foreign talent, with a focus on Mongolian graduates, into its workforce. This paper also recognizes the complexities and dynamics that prompt Mongolian students to seek international opportunities, emphasizing the need for support structures. This perspective is essential for the leaders and officials of both nations as they navigate the educational landscape and plan collaborative ventures contributing to mutual economic and social development.

Modern industrial heritage in East Asia shares the social and historical background of industrial and cultural products shaped during the colonial times around the 20th century—a period of political upheaval and rapid social transformation. Gunsan (Korea) and Taipei (Taiwan) share the historical characteristics of modern industrial facilities built during the Japanese colonial period. Moreover, these facilities are controversial and complex objects regarding which the notions of conservation of historical heritage and liquidation of colonial heritage coexist and are subjects of mediating the creation of modern cities in East Asia and transition to creative modern urbanization. The complexity surrounding these modern industrial facilities warrants an in-depth analysis of the methods of utilizing them as cultural heritage sites for cultural mediation, and Gunsan and Taipei are good examples for comparison. Here, we examined cultural urban regeneration utilizing modern industrial facilities formed from similar historical and social backgrounds in Taiwan and Korea. This is a comparative study of historical and cultural belts utilizing industrial buildings in Gunsan’s original city centre and Songshan Cultural and Creation Park in Taipei. Finally, we proposed implications for local residents, cultural communities rooted in the region, and user-centered cultural content for sustainable cultural urban regeneration.

The purpose of the study is to apply the function of the Eco Museum to the local resource culture of Pansori and to examine its possibility. In particular, this study focused on Jeonju's ‘Hagindang’, and derived the value of the Pansori Eco Museum as a way to revitalize the Pansori local culture in Jeonju, and the results of the study are as follows. First, ‘Hagindang’ is an old house of more than 100 years and a historical space as the first Pansori performance hall. Second, it is a town with the reputation of traditional music called “Jeonju Daesaseup”. Third, it includes “museum activities” in which both local residents and tourists participate. Fourth, if the infrastructure of Jeonju Hanok Village, the home of traditional culture and sound, is utilized, it has a utility value as a sustainable cultural salon space. Fifth, in order for Hakdang to function as an eco-music museum, the participation and service of the region and residents are important. Through this study, it is hoped that research on eco-museums related to more diverse Korean traditional music spaces will be conducted.

연구 목적: 이 연구는 일제강점기 말, 권번에서 활동하던 기생들의 활동과 계층적 특징을 영화를 통해 고찰하는데 목적이 있다. 연구 방법: 영화 <해어화>에 등장하는 권번과 기생을 살펴보고 특히, 전통예인 기생들의 계층과 음악적 특징을 작품 속 장면과 연결하여 고찰하였다. 연구 내용: 권번은 예능교육소와 학교의 기능을 겸하며 전통예능을 지도하였는데, 이곳에서 최고의 전통예인이 될 일패기생은 경연을 통해 선발되었으며 전통음악을 수련하고 전승하는 계층이었다. 엄격한 전통복식이 있었으나 근대 음악양식에 맞는 근대식 복식 또한 선호하였다. 영화 <해어화>에 나타난 권번 내 기생들 중 전통예인들만의 계층적 특징을 살펴본 바, 향응이나 접대를 하지 않으며, 예인으로서의 자존심을 굽히지 않았다. 또한 지식과 교양을 겸비하여 남성들과 수평적 사회관계를 지향하였고, 여성의 지위향상을 위해 힘썼다는 점이다. 결론 및 제언: 영화 속에 나타난 권번의 특징과 기생연구를 통해, 근대음악 문화 속 전통예인 기생들의 계층과 예술적 삶을 제시하였다.

The island of Muharraq in the Kingdom of Bahrain was previously in a state of socioeconomic disrepair and neglect, until the nine years-long “Pearling Trail” project revived the area. Historically, Muharraq’s importance inheres in it being the main trade center of the Middle East since the Mesopotamian period, especially as the source of the finest pearls in the world. However, the discovery of oil that led to the rapid urbanization of the region and Japan perfecting the production of cultured pearls had meant that Muharraq dwindled out of cultural significance. Due to the residents’ dissatisfaction and nostalgia for the island’s past glory, along with the government’s new policies towards cultural preservation, the “Pearling Trail” Project commenced in 2012. The Ministry of Culture of Bahrain repaired, renovated and preserved an area of 3.5 km, transforming it into an eco-museum with a thriving business and cultural community. The transformation of the island elevated the city into a trendy local attraction, hosting local and global cultural festivals and events, owing to the “Pearling Trail’s” Urban Regeneration Project’s success. By studying the “Pearling Trail” three success factors are identified: Project expansion beyond UNESCO preservation requirements, focus on sustainability and continuous use, and improved access to culture and cultural opportunities. Identifying these factors could allow for future preservation projects in Bahrain or elsewhere to be upgraded for urban regeneration or revitalization.

Gunsan is a port city located on the west coast of South Korea. After the port was opened in 1899, foreign concessions were formed there, and the modern city began to be formed in accordance with Japanese colonial policy. This region grew into a modern port city by exporting rice harvested from the plains in the hinterland to Japan and managed and controlled commercial and industrial products of the surrounding area. Modern industrial facilities such as warehouses, financial, and administration facilities necessary for seizing the food resources for the colony were built there, and Gunsan developed as a hub city in the southwestern region of South Korea during the 1930s. However, after liberation in 1945, the number of modern industrial facilities in this area, which contained traces of Japanese imperialism, gradually declined. In the 2000s, as urbanisation accelerated, the problem of abandoned modern industrial facilities was raised, and the necessity of urban regeneration by utilizing the modern industrial facilities scattered in the original downtown of Gunsan emerged. The purpose of this paper is to examine the regional activation and cultural regeneration of the city by using modern industrial facilities as cultural places and targeting the case of Gunsan, which was developed as a colonial-planned city. In particular, through field studies, this paper examines those cultural spaces, utilising modern industrial facilities that contribute to the formation of regional uniqueness, mediate local communities, and create future values of sustainable cultural regeneration.

Subcultures are generally considered to be closely related to the youth who usually explore their identities in a rebellious way. Therefore subcultures are generally interpreted as resistance to the dominant culture and commerce. Commerce has been thought of as one of the main forces that could wipe out subcultural styles by incorporation. However, the relationship between subcultures and commerce has been remarkably changed by the rapid development of globalisation and new media technologies. This research is a case study on the fandom of Luo Tianyi, who is currently viewed as China’s most successful virtual singer. The influences that commerce has exerted on Luo Tianyi’s fandom are analysed in order to explain the new relationship between subcultures and commerce given today’s social context

The concept of secularism underpinning modern Western society insists on weakening the influence of religion by viewing the world through the lens of science and reason rather than through religious beliefs, traditions, and political authority. However, Korea has adopted a different perspective on this matter. A number of Korean new religions were in decline and they seemed to be facing imminent death during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), the Rhee Syngman government (1948-1960), and the Park Chung-hee government (1961-1979), which were periods of peak political suppression and control. The 1970s saw a dramatic shift in religious circles, when new religions founded in the 19th century but oppressed until then revitalized and spread rapidly. Why could Korea in the 1970s not adopt the smooth relationship between religion and modernity prevalent in the West? Instead, why did new religions based on tradition develop and flourish? This study aims to answer these questions by comparing the theories on secularization and post-secularization of the West with the philosophy of Confucianism of the late Joseon Era and reveal the foundation of Korean new religions from a theoretical perspective.

With the process of urbanization and post-industrialization, the diversity of regions and their unique cultures have become cultural properties for the competitiveness of cities. The concept of cultural heritage and resources has expanded in recent years. In the past, they were confined to architectural and artistic artifacts, but now, cultural heritage and resources have evolved to include environmental elements, industrial and vernacular construction, urban and rural settlements, and intangible elements related to community activities and ways of life. The community is the carrier of cultural resources and heritage. Cultural heritage sites contribute to the creation of a community’s identity. This multi-layered discussion of community engagements in cultural heritages and resources provides a unique approach to understanding cultural properties as sustainability enablers. This paper intends to go beyond the theoretical assumptions of the role of community cultural resources by studying the target research group, Bukjeong village in Seoul, Korea. The paper focuses on the possibilities of community engagement for sustainable development for urban regeneration. It proposes that cultural sustainability in its broader definition should be derived from the community realities of a particular place or cultural context. This approach must be grounded in the principles of regional networks, urban governance, and community-based activities.

The importance of preserving intangible cultural heritage (ICH) for sustainable development has been widely acknowledged by the international society. Various forms of cooperation have taken place to prevent deterioration and destruction due to its inherent characteristic of ‘intangibleness’. Public engagement, however, has largely been excluded from the system in spite of its significance in safeguarding ICH by inducing people to be trained as successors. In this respect, this paper discusses and emphasises the necessity of public engagement in safeguarding ICH. To this end, it suggests the use of digital technologies to create museum content to encourage public involvement with and learning about ICH. Focusing on ICH in Korea, digital exhibitions on Jultagi and Daemokjang utilising virtual reality technology are proposed. The ultimate aim of this article is to contribute to the sustainability of world ICH for humanity through digital exhibitions.

Despite predictions that modernization would threaten the existence of religion, Korean religions have thrived throughout the process of modernization. Unlike many Western countries, where Christianity is the principal religion, multiple religions and beliefs have co-existed in Korea since antiquity. Thus, even if social change brings the downfall of one religion, another religion takes its place. Although Korea has never historically seen the decline of religion, a decrease in the religious population has been observed since 2010. We believe this is attributable to the secularization of institutional religions and could be interpreted as another choice or change in itself, rather than as evidence of the decline or deterioration of religiosity. We argue that Korean religions are going through the post-secularization process, wherein people seek out their own individual spirituality. Based on Western theories of secularization and post-secularization, we examine the changes in Korean religious diversity, and discuss the challenges they face. This will, finally, lead to helping reveal what Korean religious institutions have to do for Koreans to find their way into religion again.

Abandoned industrial facilities have become a nuisance in cities because the needs of society members are continuously changing. Idle industrial facilities might be considered to be merely abandoned and empty spaces, but they are in reality historic sites that illustrate the period of industrialization in the region. They are valuable because they serve to accumulate memories from the past. Recently, with the need for urban regeneration, there have been various discussions on converting the abandoned industrial facilities into cultural art spaces. They are intended to promote the sustainability of communities and cities by vitalizing the area. Considering the social dimensions of urban regeneration, it is necessary to render such a creative space as a ‘Third Place’ to promote the city’s sustainability. Converted industrial facilities, through the medium of ‘Voluntary Arts Activities,’ have many elements that are suitable for the needs of a creative space, and even for a ‘Third Place’. As opposed to the private sector, it is seen that when the public sector regenerates these facilities, they approach this issue in order to lower the cultural arts barrier. The public sector, which is a government-centered first sector, conducts regeneration projects based on the ‘Democratization of Culture’ perspective. However, in order to promote participation in the third sector, which is a community-based, non-profit sector that actually uses the space, it is important to approach the issue from the ‘Cultural Democracy’ perspective. Focusing on this aspect, this study aims to examine cases of public sector-led converted cultural arts spaces by ‘Voluntary Arts Activities’ in France and South Korea, namely ‘Le Centquatre-Paris,’ the ‘Oil Tank Culture Park,’ and the ‘West Seoul Arts Center for Learning’. This will allow us to contemplate the possibility of sustainable spaces, individuals, communities and cities.

Despite predictions that modernization would threaten the existence of religion, Korean religions have thrived throughout the process of modernization. Unlike many Western countries, where Christianity is the principal religion, multiple religions and beliefs have co-existed in Korea since antiquity. Thus, even if social change brings the downfall of one religion, another religion takes its place. Although Korea has never historically seen the decline of religion, a decrease in the religious population has been observed since 2010. We believe this is attributable to the secularization of institutional religions and could be interpreted as another choice or change in itself, rather than as evidence of the decline or deterioration of religiosity. We argue that Korean religions are going through the post-secularization process, wherein people seek out their own individual spirituality. Based on Western theories of secularization and post-secularization, we examine the changes in Korean religious diversity, and discuss the challenges they face. This will, finally, lead to helping reveal what Korean religious institutions have to do for Koreans to find their way into religion again.