Deciphering South Korea

Journalist Joi Lee visits her motherland of South Korea to understand what it takes to keep this country pulsating, the fallout with South Koreans and meets the people fighting for change. In episode one, Joi explores the Korean wave that has swept the globe. She encounters K-drama stars on set, wannabe K-pop idols in training and the therapists trying to keep the stars of this industry sane.

In episode two, Joi dives into what has shaped Korean masculinity and meets the people trying to redefine it: from military Youtubers to anti-feminists and stage performers.

Next, Joi visits stressed-out students, angst-fueled musicians and radical politicians to find out why the youth feel like life in South Korea is hell on earth.

In the final episode, Joi hangs out at AI-enabled strawberry farms, assists the police in sweeping for hidden cameras, and joins a contact tracing team on the hunt for a potential COVID-19 case, to explore how tech has shaped the nation's identity.

Check out the rest of the Deciphering Series:

• Deciphering Japan
• Deciphering India
  
• Deciphering The Philippines
• Deciphering Indonesia

Awards and Accolades: 

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2022 - 

Documentary: Social Issues - Deciphering South Korea - Hell Korea (Finalist)

World Media Festivals Television & Corporate Media Awards 2022 -

Documentaries: Gender Equity - Gold (Deciphering South Korea – E2: Changing Korean Man)

Episodes: 4 x 60 minutes

Languages: English

Production year: 2021