Barbershops in Korea: Cutting Through Tradition

Barbershops in Korea: Cutting through tradition

For many men, hair loss can be devastating to one’s vanity and confidence. But in 19th-century Korea, the loss of one’s hair was nothing short of emasculating. In the early 1900s, Lillias Underwood, an American missionary in Korea, described the deep importance that Korean men placed on their hair. “No matter how old [a Korean male] is, without a top-knot (sangtu) he is never considered a man, addressed with high endings, or treated with respect…

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society Katarina Benson Mon, 11/03/2025 - 11:03 Body With the global rise of Korean culture—from K-pop and film to food and language—George Mason University’s Mason Korea campus recently launched the Center for Korean Culture and Society (CKCS), its first independently operating research center.  The center will lead interdisciplinary research and education in media content, K-pop,…