Korean Studies for International Management Journal

How Drinking Culture is Learned:A Socio-Cultural Learning Ecosystem Perspective on South Korea

Piyakasidet Plueai-sri — 2026-09-01

Alcohol drinking culture occupied a central place in South Korean social life, functioning as a key mechanism for social networking, interpersonal communication, and the maintenance of organizational relationships. Although previous scholars had examined drinking patterns, health consequences, and gender-related changes in alcohol use, relatively little attention had been given to the learning processes through which drinking-related knowledge, values, and practices were acquired, reproduced, and transmitted across social contexts and generations. This article addressed this gap by analyzing the socio-cultural learning ecosystem that shaped drinking behaviors and alcohol-related values in South Korean society. Using a documentary research approach, the study synthesized scholarly articles, research studies, academic reports, and relevant media sources through content analysis within the framework of learning ecosystem theory.

The findings revealed that drinking culture in South Korea was sustained through an interconnected learning ecosystem comprising five principal components: families, peer groups, workplaces, mass media, and the alcohol industry. Individuals acquired drinking practices and the social meanings associated with alcohol consumption through both formal and informal learning processes embedded in everyday social interactions. The family established foundational drinking meanings through ritual practices and observational learning; peer groups reinforced social conformity and belonging; workplace settings institutionalized drinking as organizational culture through practices such as hoesik; mass media, particularly K-dramas, constructed and disseminated positive associations between alcohol and social life; and the alcohol industry transformed soju into a symbol of national identity within the global Korean Wave. Furthermore, shifting gender norms and social changes among younger generations contributed to the ongoing transformation of traditional drinking patterns. The study concluded that drinking culture should be understood not merely as an individual behavioral choice but as the outcome of socially and culturally embedded learning processes operating within a complex, multi-institutional ecosystem.

Korean Brand Origin under French-Inspired Positioning: A Qualitative Semi-Systematic Review of Paris Baguette’s Market Entry Opportunity in Thailand

Vajirawit Siripiyaphat — 2026-09-01

This study examines Paris Baguette’s market entry opportunity in Thailand as a case of Korean brand origin under French-inspired positioning. Using a qualitative semi-systematic literature review with thematic synthesis and conceptual framework development, the study integrates literature on country-of-origin, Korean branding and Hallyu, bakery café experience, and international localization with official business and institutional sources. The findings suggest that Paris Baguette’s Korean origin can be a strategic but partly hidden asset because the brand name and bakery identity may activate French or European associations more strongly than Korean origin. French-inspired positioning may support premium quality perception, but country-of-origin ambiguity can create confusion unless Korean origin and French-inspired bakery cues are connected coherently. The synthesis identifies six themes: Korean brand origin as a hidden asset, French-inspired positioning as a quality cue, ambiguity as risk and opportunity, Thai K-lifestyle familiarity, bakery café as lifestyle experience, and balanced localization–Koreanization. The study proposes a conceptual framework and six propositions suggesting that Paris Baguette’s opportunity depends on combining Korean lifestyle appeal, French-inspired bakery quality, and Thai market adaptation. It contributes to country-of-origin and Korean branding literature and offers evidence-based recommendations for Korean food-service brands entering Southeast Asia.

The Execution Gap: Why Foreign Startups Fail to Convert Korean Market Entry into Commercial Traction

Pidchayanin Chutipattana — 2026-09-01

Korea has emerged as one of Asia's most structured destinations for foreign startup entry, supported by government-backed programs, institutional infrastructure, and a nationally coordinated startup ecosystem. However, despite rising inbound interest, persistent execution failure among foreign startups remains a documented pattern. This paper argues that the dominant failure mode is not a market access problem but an execution gap, defined here as a structural disconnect between the moment of market entry and achieving commercial traction. The execution gap exists because foreign founders consistently enter Korea with mental models shaped by their home market experience, misreading commitment signals, underestimating the role of physical presence, and misinterpreting culturally embedded communication as commercial progress. Drawing on practitioner experience in the Korean startup ecosystem and situated within established internationalization theory, this paper introduces the execution gap as an analytical framework for understanding why entry and execution are fundamentally distinct phases requiring different forms of preparation. This paper contributes a practitioner-grounded perspective to the internationalization literature and opens a broader conversation on what structural conditions foreign startups must meet before market entry, not after.

The Role of Korea in Promoting Maritime Security in the Asia-Pacific Region

Pongsakorn Puangsuwan — 2026-09-01

Maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region is of critical importance due to the presence of major Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), strategic maritime chokepoints, leading economies, and contested maritime domains. Stability at sea is fundamental not only to global trade and energy security but also to regional peace and prosperity. Moreover, maritime security increasingly shapes the strategic calculations of major powers and influences the broader international order. Since the end of the Cold War, the international system has evolved from a bipolar structure into a more complex and dynamic multipolar order. In this environment, the United States, China, Russia, and the European Union have emerged as influential actors shaping the global balance of power. Intensifying patterns of competition, alongside selective cooperation among these major powers, have significantly affected the security landscape of the Asia-Pacific region. Recent strategic developments, including U.S. policy approaches that combine engagement with China and greater burden-sharing among allies and partners, further illustrate the evolving nature of great-power relations and their implications for regional security governance.

These systemic transformations have compelled regional states to reassess and adapt their foreign and security policies in order to safeguard national interests and respond effectively to emerging challenges. As a middle power in the Asia-Pacific, South Korea faces the strategic imperative of redefining its role within this changing international environment. This adjustment has become increasingly important in light of contemporary global conflicts, including the Russia–Ukraine War and persistent instability in the Middle East. These developments have demonstrated that military capability, diplomatic influence, economic resilience, and technological advancement are critical determinants of national power and effective crisis management. Beyond traditional security concerns, the Asia-Pacific region is confronted with a growing range of non-traditional maritime threats, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, transnational crime and natural disasters. As these challenges are inherently transnational in nature, they cannot be effectively addressed by any single state acting alone. Instead, they require enhanced international cooperation, institutional coordination, and multilateral engagement.

According to the Complex Interdependence theory, the Republic of Kore is able to contribute to strengthening maritime security in the Asia-Pacific. The country can promote safety and stability through two primary approaches. First, The Republic of Korea should prioritize the enhancement of its autonomous capabilities. Capacity building is crucial not only for protecting national interests but also for providing support to long-standing allies that continue to require assistance. Furthermore, this approach contributes significantly to regional stability by helping to maintain the balance of power. Second, The Republic of Korea should actively foster trust among regional states, organizations, and agencies through constructive partnerships and multilateral cooperation. Effective security measures, robust law enforcement, and enhanced international collaboration with regional partners are essential for addressing maritime threats, especially non-traditional security challenges. Such cooperative efforts contribute to a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to maintaining maritime safety and security in the region. These efforts will enable South Korea to address maritime security challenges more effectively while contributing to the maintenance of long-term peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Traces of Compressed Modernity in the Representation of Multicultural Family: A case study of Wandeukki by Kim Ryeoryeong

Chatmongkon Moonninta — 2026-09-01

This research discovers the coexistence of disparate elements, namely Neo-liberalism and Neo Confucianism, caused by Compressed Modernity in the representation of multicultural family in Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s Wandeukki. To decode the representation of a family comprising of native Korean father, marriage mother, and their mixed-heritage son, characterization is employed to the study for analyzing how they are represented. The result demonstrates that multicultural family is represented as “new Korean family,” a crucial micro foundation of society that each family member embraces familial role assigned by Neo-Confucianism as breadwinner father, virtuous mother, and filial son. Despite being centered around Neo-Confucianism, the study shows that driving forces of compressed modernity rebrand the moral duties to align with neoliberal expectations due to the driving force of Compressed Modernity. The breadwinner father must maximize his physical labor to generate the economic output necessary to maintain his position as a household leader who secures his family's well-being. The virtuous mother's role is transformed into that of an affective care worker, thereby reducing the neoliberal state's obligation to provide social welfare to its population. Meanwhile, the filial son maintains his status on the condition that he continuously engages in self-improvement and self-discipline to cultivate specialized skills.