Abstract:This paper attempts to understand and analyze ‘‘pariah-capitalism’’ in South Korea through the case of highly dehumanized and commodified funeral services as advertised in the media. There is much in common between Max Weber’s concept of pariah-capitalism and ‘‘funeral capitalism’’ in the context of this paper, the latter of which pays attention to the practice and impact of pariah-capitalism on the lives of Koreans in Korean society. The paper starts by commenting on a couple of dramatic changes in Korean funeral rites in the last two decades: the change of the venues of funeral rites and the popularization of cremation rather than traditional burials. In addition, the dramatic commercialization of funeral services has created a huge source of income for prestigious general hospitals and funeral service conglomerates. I then discuss some long-lasting socioeconomic and cultural aspects of Korea that have paved the way for a high degree of commercialization of funeral services, eventually triggering the coming of ‘‘funeral capitalism’’ to South Korea. The ways in which funeral capitalism is manifested in Korean society are illustrated through an analysis of TV advertisements. This analysis reveals the extent to which funeral services are rituals through which socioeconomically and culturally grounded Korean greed is fulfilled, illustrating the characteristics of a highly competitive and overly dehumanized Korean capitalism that is strongly promoted by the digital media.

中文翻译：

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殡葬资本主义：当代韩国殡葬服务的商品化和数字营销

摘要：本文试图通过媒体宣传的高度非人化和商品化的葬礼服务案例来理解和分析韩国的“贱民资本主义”。马克斯韦伯的贱民资本主义概念与本文语境中的“丧葬资本主义”有很多共同点，后者关注贱民资本主义对韩国社会中韩国人生活的实践和影响. 本文首先评论了过去二十年韩国丧葬仪式的几个戏剧性变化：丧葬仪式场所的变化和火葬而不是传统葬礼的普及。此外，殡葬服务的急剧商业化为著名的综合医院和殡葬服务集团创造了巨大的收入来源。然后，我讨论了韩国的一些长期社会经济和文化方面，这些方面为殡葬服务的高度商业化铺平了道路，最终引发了“殡葬资本主义”进入韩国。通过对电视广告的分析，说明了葬礼资本主义在韩国社会的表现方式。这一分析揭示了葬礼服务在多大程度上是满足韩国社会经济和文化基础的贪婪的仪式，说明了由数字媒体大力推动的高度竞争和过度非人化的韩国资本主义的特征。最终引发了“殡葬资本主义”来到韩国。通过对电视广告的分析，说明了葬礼资本主义在韩国社会的表现方式。这一分析揭示了葬礼服务在多大程度上是满足韩国社会经济和文化基础的贪婪的仪式，说明了由数字媒体大力推动的高度竞争和过度非人化的韩国资本主义的特征。最终引发了“殡葬资本主义”来到韩国。通过对电视广告的分析，说明了葬礼资本主义在韩国社会的表现方式。这一分析揭示了葬礼服务在多大程度上是满足韩国社会经济和文化基础的贪婪的仪式，说明了由数字媒体大力推动的高度竞争和过度非人化的韩国资本主义的特征。