Gwangju International Center

The Global Reach of Contemporary British Culture

Date: Dec 12.2012

Speaker: David Magee

Review: Saebom Kim

Editor: Bradely Weiss

Whenever they see a western person, most Koreans say “미국인이다!” (There is an American!). This is just one prejudice that exists among Koreans. Moreover, we are sometimes confused about the origins of things, often assuming that they come from America if they are in English. However, there is more than one country in which English is the predominate language. Koreans are sometimes even confused about the country origin of English-speaking people in addition to culture which is in the English language medium. So, this week’s talk was The Global Reach of Contemporary British Culture by David Magee who is proud of the culture of his native land.

First, he gave us some examples of British music, listing such famous acts as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Queen, Spice Girls, etc. They not only achieved worldwide fame but also influenced other singers. The trend continues in the present , for example, with artists such as Amy Winehouse and Adele.

Second, he introduced us to some influential British figures in cinema. Charlie Chaplin was one of the biggest stars in early silent movies. Other popular and influential figures include Alfred Hitchcock , who is most known for his work behind the camera as a director, and Laurence Olivier. Furthermore, Brits in cinema helped to develop certain genres. Thus, James bond affected action movies and the spy genre, Ridley Scott is often cited as the best director in science fiction. The visionary producer and director of Inception, Christopher Nolan, is from England also. Obviously, Harry potter was made in England and it’s hugely popular in many countries.

Third, the speaker mentioned about the impact of British literature and authors. The most famous is, of course,  William Shakespeare, even though he’s an early English author. The presenter said that most Brigs can recite phrases  from Shakespeare’s plays from memory. In addition, he mentioned the importance of Conan Doyle, George Orwell and Agatha Christie. He emphasized that British culture is incredible and he is really proud of it.

In short, British culture still holds a powerful influence on our society today. The cultural of England offers many things that are very unique for which there is no substitute. British culture is valuable by itself and moreover, it is currently having a global impact, just as it has in the past.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVnvlhL674
Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/117593299426331932940/121201_DavidMagee