With the success of Korean movies, series, and music – just to name a few – Korean culture has reached an all-time high in international reception. However, with this form of international consumption, all sorts of cultural phenomena get taken out of their originating context. The Korean Context aims to fill these gaps and provide a more sound understanding of contemporary Korean society.
The Korean Context was started by Miro Leon Bucher, graduate student of Social- and Cultural Anthropology and Philosophy at the University of Cologne, Germany. It provides a space for fellow students and researchers in Korean Studies and neighbouring disciplines to share their scientific insights with a general audience.
But why is science communication important?
First and foremost, the goal of science is to enhance human knowledge. This does not mean to enhance the knowledge for a small intellectual elite, but for each and everyone who wants to know more about the world we share. Since not everyone has access to extensive education, it should be the scientist’s goal to make their findings principally available for everyone. This means to find a way to put the complex thoughts behind a scientific paper into a language that is easily accessible while it is not oversimplifying, making it factually wrong.
The Korean Context has the advantage of filling a space in science communication that is barely addressed while there is a vast audience interested in better understanding Korean culture and society.