On Critical Postmedia and Korea

<P><I>On Critical Postmedia and Korea: Philosophy, Technology, Literature</I> was curated for the simple reason that a shift has taken place in orientation towards the future. Not long ago, the West looked to Japan as charting a path to a new form of society, with a unique dynamic of media, economics, technology, culture, and politics. Yet, across the Sea of Japan, a phase change has occurred since the bursting of the economic bubble on the Japanese archipelago. Now, we look to South Korea for a new vision of the future and a fresh perspective on media and technology. A new era beckons—a Korean era! With much attention given to the reclusive, paranoid, nuclear-armed neighbor in the north, South Korea, with its vast smart cities and urban technopoles, has emerged as a smart country, boasting an exotic, exciting, explosive, vibrant, and dynamic culture. Therefore, it''s imperative to understand this gleaming model of hyper-accelerant advanced industrial capitalism and its soft and hard power effects. This collection thus embraces South Korea''s transformation, positioning it as a key architect of future societies.</P>