Flower of Capitalism

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This ethnography explores advertising in postmillennial South Korea, focusing on the tensions surrounding advertising freedoms and obligations among various stakeholders. It raises important questions about the social contract governing advertising in late-capitalist societies. The phrase "flower of capitalism" is a common metaphor in South Korea, suggesting positive aspects of advertising while obscuring its commercial intentions and emphasizing its potential for public service. Traditionally, South Korean advertising aimed to promote virtue, with expenditures monitored to limit advertisers' influence in the name of public interest. Although this ideal was often compromised, advertising remained accountable to public scrutiny and popular demands. However, as neoliberalism took hold in the twenty-first century, this beneficent role faced challenges. The work examines the conflict between advertising's historical responsibilities and newfound freedoms, as experienced by practitioners, censors, audiences, and activists. Through a multi-sited ethnography at an advertising agency and a censorship board, it delves into controversies, from provocative campaigns to boycotts. Advertising is portrayed as a contested social institution, with its ties to business, media, and government continually evolving. The author critiques mainstream advertising concepts based on Transatlantic models and envisions a future where public impacts are p