The world wants a piece of Korea. It wants the music, the dramas, the skin care, the fashion, the food — and increasingly, the language itself. A country once associated primarily with its industrial transformation has become a cultural force whose influence extends far beyond its borders. Yet there is a paradox at the heart of Korea’s global success. The country that captivates the world with its beauty, creativity and aspirational lifestyles is also a society grappling with the pressures of competition, conformity and an increasingly demanding definition of success. This is not to suggest that Korea’s cultural appeal is an illusion. Its creative achievements are real, and its global influence has been hard-earned. But the image of a country that travels abroad through its cultural exports is necessarily selective. What the world sees is often the finished product, not the social conditions, personal sacrifices or contradictions that exist behind it. Nor does an appreciation of a country’s cultural products necessarily translate into an understanding of the people who create th