Americanization in South Korea
American Influence and its Causes “ Americanization is the process by which people or countries become more and more similar to Americans and the United States. ” – Collins Dictionary Starbucks franchise in Insa-dong, Seoul. Under the influence of globalization which links the world into one in fields such as economies, politics and cultures, South Korea is often described as one of the most Americanized countries in the world. On top of the fact that the allegiance between the two countries has been historically significant, Koreans' admiration towards America can be seen everywhere; from endless number of English academies that you can encounter on the streets of Gangnam to K-pop whose presence can be felt around the world today. According to Dr. Seongwon Park, an Associate Research Fellow at the Center for Strategic Foresight at the Science and Technology Policy Institute in South Korea, there are three main reasons why Korea has become such an ardent sup...