Freedom requires constant maintenance.
New Thoughts. New World.
Injustice unites us all. So does ignorance. But greater is our collective instinct to protect humanity and inch towards freedom - if we aren’t too blind, scared or fighting amongst ourselves.
In theory, we believe in our courage to manifest the joy that comes from freedom and abundance. But tyrants cater to our laziness with offers of false security and promises of riches that only materialize for the few.
Our new world will bring old forces of manipulation hidden under fresh foreign faces to new markets. Those who can’t see the timeless tricks of thieves and abusers in cross-cultural forms don’t stand a chance. Those who succeed will be equipped with lessons to defeat these new enemies. It can only be learned by studying other societies.
Fortunate for you there is Seoulite TV to bring you sassy commentary in the form of The Shade Report, vlogs, podcasts and other digital media to unpack the real stories of Korea. Entertain yourself with K-drama. Then educate yourself on Korean society behind the drama. Eventually, you’ll be on your way to succeeding anywhere in the world.
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The Seoulite vs. The New Yorker
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Seoulite on the Seoul Subway (L) | New Yorker on the New York City Subway (R)
In the 20th century, the saying went if you could make it in New York City, you could make it anywhere. Well, in the 21st century, any where will also include the metaverse. With borders eroding, those who can live in between worlds will have the advantage. Life in Seoul is excellent preparation. Not only are the villains entitled, empowered and elevated, to survive one must pretend there is no game while the game board shifts rapidly underneath.
The desperate knife each other to get aboard the biggest lifeboat with the strongest bully only to find it’s a doomed Titanic with a megalomaniac captain. The foolish drown each other in jealousy for having missed the boat. The wise outcasts find airplanes. The next world will require a new mode of transport.
If you can buck the system and create your own world against the incredible odds in Korea, then you can succeed in the next metaverse no matter where it converges.
A new world with fewer borders will absolutely destroy those who are manipulated and are in denial of their passive complicity. Enhance your pattern recognition of modern villainy.
What’s real in Korean dramas? How do Korean people actually think? What are the questions you can’t ask Koreans to their face? And even if you do, are you really getting a straight answer?
More importantly, why does it matter so much to understand Korean society? It becomes an addiction. You’ll find a gateway to feel emotions higher and lower than before. You see there are others who face formidable injustices and rigged systems. You join a community of fighters who survive against all odds.
The villains here are world class. More cunning, clever, entitled and empowered.
We will always have corrupt judges, sexual predators, financial swindlers, cheating partners, abusive family members and so-called friends. They’re fulfilling their destinies quite well, just like parasites, viruses and bacteria.
However, instead condemning individual villains, it’s vital we check if our system allows them to rise to the top and easily stay there. Stop waiting for David to save us from Goliath. You should be asking whether you’re passively supporting a failing system that allows a corrupt David to fool the masses into thinking he’s an almighty Goliath. If so, he’s stealing from you and you’re probably worshipping him for it.
That’s essentially Korea. It’s what makes our content so good to watch.
But don’t mindlessly watch the drama and miss the hidden gems.
The more you see how Korean people trick each other, the more prepared you’ll be when faced with your own version in your own world.
Whenever you put up with injustice, it’s usually hidden underneath your ‘culture’, ‘heritage’, ‘history’ or ‘tradition’. Once you see a Korean person do it the same way because of Korean ‘culture’, ‘heritage’, ‘history’ or ‘tradition’, the bullshit alarm goes off. Two villains from different nations can’t have the same ‘heritage’ in common to justify their behavior. But they do share the same evil intent.
Seoulite TV focuses on the social unrest that creates such great Korean entertainment. It’s a world where the transition to full democracy has yet to complete. The angst and tortured heroics that come alive in K-dramas, cinema and music are rooted in a nation that hastily wallpapered over its imperial palace in the name of a ‘republic’ over 100 years ago. Then it fell under foreign colonial occupation until 1945. After WWII, a series of dictators ruled for decades until 1992. Many Koreans chose democracy, some still don’t really know what it is and others frankly prefer to live as mini emperors in their modern micro fiefdoms. Meanwhile, others have given their lives for democracy for over the past 100 years so that we can have it today.
Founder, Sean Lim
“Sorry I said it, but I’m glad they heard it.”
Sean is a writer and YouTuber based in Seoul, South Korea. He is a former broadcast journalist and theater producer. Originally from Los Angeles, CA.