THE DIGITAL ERA: AN ESSAY ON INTERCULTURALITY AND TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

That the future has come there is no doubt. But there are some countries which have embraced the digital era more than others. South Korea has been well on the vanguard of technology for the last fifteen years. From the latest cell-phone technology to megalomaniac futuristic “U-cities”, South Korea is looking to establish itself as the world leader in technology and science. Being a “new” country, still in search for its place in the world, Korea has come a long way since World War II and the Korean War. Overcoming war, anarchy, dictatorship and deep economic crisis, Korea has been slowly crawling into the international spotlight.

But not only technology and science make the core of Korea’s success. The strong will of its people and the visionary political and social stances adopted by the governments of the Sixth Republic1 also helped to shape Korean society into a role-model for the modern Western world.

With well-defined goals for the future, Korea should be looked at as an example of the integration of the latest technologies into day-to-day life. This short reflection aims to unveil the secrets of the success of the Asian advent of technologyand its long-lasting relationship with videogames, and to give a glimpse into the future of Western societies.