Are there any South Koreans here who will speak out? I'd trust a local's opinion over the above writer's.
Confucianism and Taoism, the principal founding blocks of Korean consciousness, are deeply feminist. (Look up "Confucian feminism", "Taoist feminism", or "Do-ol" on any search engine; or just consider the fact that Feng Shui is a vagina-worshipping cult) The patriarchy apparent in them is only superficial. The superficial patriarchical aspects of Confucianism have sometimes morphed with the deeply patriarchal aspects of Christianity, and have produced some devastating effects, I admit.
Point is, you are absolutely correct, the author is exoticizing without any understanding of Korean society beyond the superficial.
Even if you disagree with their thesis that "the principal founding blocks of Korean consciousness are deeply feminist", it's still an interesting take. And their other point that the author is exoticising Korea is bang on I think. We have seen the same for decades with Japan and its population decline. Seems like it's Korea's turn now.
And why can't the LA Review of Books employ a Korean to write its 'Korea Blog'? Why do we always have non-anglophone countries being "explained" by anglophones?
In particular in tech circles it feels like people adopt very universalist attitudes instead of keeping in mind that different cultures are anything but.
Korea used to be a highly sexist/Confucian country for the past several centuries (and still is, to a degree). Confucianism are Taoism are about as much feminist as Christianity and Islam, that is, you can make them look feminist if you want. They are all ancient philosophies practiced by diverse peoples. Something is bound to sound feminist if you look hard enough.
Besides Korea is not exactly a threatened Amazonian tribe. It has literate tradition going back ~2,000 years, chip factories, skyscrapers, and idol groups. (I heard some of them are even popular worldwide these days.) There's certainly enough room for non-Koreans to talk about Korea.
* Finally, Do-ol (도올) is a quack. For an expert of traditional Asian philosophy, he always seemed too eager to promote himself rather than, you know, doing actual study of the values he's supposedly an expert of. Doubly ironic, considering how much traditional Confucian philosophy despised self-promotion. I heard he used to even praise Xi Jinping as an ideal Confucian ruler, so go figure.
I wouldn't call Do-ol the greatest sage alive, but he is one of the most original and prolific thinkers in modern Korean philosophy. Before you dismiss him as a quack, try reading at least one of his fifty books.
This doesn't actually follow - "do as I say, not as I do" and all that. The actions of the philosopher and the preferences of the philosophy do not have to match.
I was wondering the same, myself.
I'm sure they could run a group of Korean & Korean-American stringers to contribute weekly articles. It's LA - I'm sure there are a few Koreans around. If nothing else, "Current Events"(tm) would suggest that having a better understanding of Korean culture and history would serve the American populace well...
Typical HN attitude really ... people on this board seem to have this "know it all / know it better than you" attitude even when they clearly don't.
As someone who is not a Westerner or American, this place always makes me feel that it is just a self validating echo chamber being so sure of your views even when it isn't matched to reality.