I’ve been feeling like it’s recently become trendy on the internet to trash South Korea for being a “cyberpunk dystopia of triumphant capitalism.” I don’t know which countries most of these people are from, but judging by the looks of it, mostly the US, which is ironic.
Need I say that’s not the case? If we were a country of triumphant capitalism, we wouldn’t have a system where over 90% of the population is covered by health insurance that covers 60-70% of medical costs, and where you don’t have to pay for an ambulance ride, foreign nationals included. In the US, only 7.5% of the population is covered by actual proper insurance, and people live in terror of having to call an ambulance—for very good reason.
I admit that South Korea has plenty of problems, but these aren’t problems of TRIUMPHANT CAPITALISM; they are issues caused by culture and overall societal structure, especially when talking about the high suicide rate and toxic work culture. There are also birth rate issues, but that’s a social problem as well, compounded by global trends in developed countries regarding housing costs. That said, I wouldn’t say it’s hard to live in Korea alone. If you live by yourself or as a couple without kids, you can easily afford rent and still have money left over for entertainment and savings.
Now that I’ve started talking about the US, with all their giant budgets, their social safety net and basic infrastructure feel completely different. In the States, without a car, you are literally cut off from the world; healthcare can easily land you in lifelong debt that you’ll spend forever digging yourself out of; and walking through certain parts of major cities isn’t going to give you much peace of mind. In Korea, at least we have normal public transportation that isn’t terrifying to ride, and some sort of social safety net.
And honestly, if you’re so set on finding a real “cyberpunk utopia” with neon signs, inequality, and corporations running everything, you’re frankly looking in the wrong place. Just look at those same American metropolises with all their contrasts, where tent cities for the homeless thrive right against the backdrop of glass skyscrapers. Compared to that, Korea is just a cozy and safe country where people can at least walk the streets safely at any time of day, rather than some set piece for a grim sci-fi movie.
I’m not saying the US is a bad country overall—it’s actually one of those places I’d love to visit myself. I just brought it up as an example of a country that, in my opinion, fits the description of a cyberpunk dystopia way more closely. And I’m saying all of this as a first-generation immigrant from Russia on an F-4 visa. As an immigrant, I genuinely LIKE living here.
submitted by /u/CranberryCapable
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