Ping-ponging across the divide

FROM afar it was already the most visually interesting table tennis table I had ever seen, oddly shaped and colourful, and upon closer inspection, it was also the most politically charged. Tracing an outline of the Korean Penin­sula, players were ping-ponging across the armistice line.

The asymmetry enables some interesting tactics: it’s easier for the south player, because the north has more land area and a curvy bit that’s impossible to access if a drop shot is played at the eastern side of the border.

I observed this neat encapsulation of South Korean juxtapositions in Mapo-gu in Seoul, an area renowned for its hip vibe courtesy of nearby universities.

Street performances abounded – the lucky and talented students might get noticed by the big labels – and bold art complemented the quirky boutiques along the streets.

Perhaps to a greater degree than most other countries, one’s view of South Korea has been formed from recent, rather than ancient, popular culture.

K-pop is impossible to escape – even if one does not have an “ultimate bias” (a favourite member from among all the bands) – the genre’s singers now routinely cross over into mainstream Western pop.

Indeed, in November 2023, the four members of Blackpink were presented with honorary MBEs (ostensibly for their work on ­raising awareness on climate change) by King Charles III in conjunction with the state visit of the President of the Republic of Korea.

I have so far resisted getting hooked on to any K-dramas but so many people I know – who previously have never expressed any interest in Korea – certainly have, to the point of trying to learn the language.

Squid Game and Physical: 100 have acquired massive audiences of their own, propelled by a rising interest in old and new Korean movies ever since Parasite won four Oscars including Best Picture in 2020.

The aesthetic of these bands and shows has inspired swathes of young Malaysians – certainly I see it in the university campuses I visit – bringing economic effects through spending on cosmetics, fashion and of course travel.

For me, this massive cultural phenomenon occurred against two other reference points: Korean cuisine, which was an occasional treat growing up; and history lessons on the Korean War.

The latter – apart from the table tennis table – featured prominently in the Asian Leadership Conference I attended at the Shilla Hotel (named after an old kingdom originating in the south that unified most of the peninsula).

The conference began by ­honouring heroes and veterans of that war from around the world: although it was a United Nations force with the United States providing 90% of the military personnel.

The event marked the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Libera­tion, and then there were messages from the candidates of the upcoming presidential election: all safe, to the international ­audience, emphasising the need for geopolitical stability to ensure continued economic development.

Apart from being attended by several current, former and potential future heads of government from around the world, the conference was massive, featuring hundreds of speakers and panel discussions on geopolitics, governance, industry sector-­specific sessions and a strong focus on artificial intelligence (AI), which I was invited to speak on from the perspective of civil society and education.

Visits to universities and research institutes formed ­another plank of the visits, and I was continually amazed by how seamless the integration was between these entities and the government.

We often have this idea that the south was always very laissez-­faire; but early institutions were deliberately created by domestic and foreign policy to kickstart the Korean economy, giving rise to many of the brands that we know and love today.

Some of them have long been in Malaysia (with Samsung’s biggest factory for televisions outside South Korea previously being in Negri Sembilan – with a new battery factory now currently being built). That caused my first interaction with a Korean: my best friend from school, who isn’t a Kim, Lee or Park (which half of all Koreans are!).

Although the emphasis of the bilateral relationship with change, especially in relation to cultural and technological innovations, it’s certainly right to hope it will prosper for a long time to come.

Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin is founding president of Ideas. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.