Unpacking the Technological Paradox: Japan’s Analog Affinity and South Korea’s Digital Shift

Japan is undeniably a technologically advanced country, where digital technologies play a significant role in various aspects of life and industry. At the same time, it has shown a strong analog persistence. Japan's seeming caution to fully embrace digital technology is nothing new; similar attitudes were evident in the 1980s when the country's thriving electronics industry sought to capture public interest in personal computers. Japanese society's slow adoption of PCs-and subsequently, PC-based internet-has left many scholars scratching their heads. With disposable income being one of the strongest predictors of technology diffusion, the Japanese had some of the deepest pockets in the world during the 1980s.

Kang tackles this mystery by comparing Japan with another exceptional case: South Korea. This neighboring country has been considered an outlier for the opposite reason-its people embraced computer and internet technologies surprisingly quickly, despite having a significantly lower income level than Japan. What explains these contrasting attitudes toward computers and the internet?

To answer this question, Kang traces the evolution of media discourses surrounding computers and the internet from the 1980s to the 1990s. By analyzing and comparing PC advertisements in both countries, he examines what these new machines meant to the Japanese and Korean publics. In doing so, he reevaluates the relevance of conventional explanations, such as Japan's aging population and language-input barriers. Finally, he situates his findings within broader historical and cultural contexts, exploring representations of technology in literature, film, and animation, including "Godzilla," "Astro Boy," and "Galaxy Express 999."

About the speaker:
Inkyu Kang is a professor of journalism and communication at Penn State University, Behrend College. Having earned his MA and PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he also taught there before transitioning to Penn State. His experience extends internationally, encompassing visiting scholar positions at Rikkyo University (2024) and Saint Petersburg State University (2017).

Kang's primary research interests include global media, visual semiotics, and new media technology. He is also an award-winning journalist who has written extensively about cultural and technological issues. His work has been featured in outlets such as "The Guardian," "USA Today," and "Billboard Magazine."