Comments on: ‘Wellbeing’ Means Green in Korean: Health Trend Stomps Smoking

By: Anti Smoking Campaign Takes Off in South Korea : EcoWorldly

Anti Smoking Campaign Takes Off in South Korea : EcoWorldly — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:30:14 +0000

[...] were looking good. But in the last decade, an emerging health consciousness, popularly known as the wellbeing trend, has threatened to send the plans of cigarette makers up in [...]

By: Environmentalism, Organic Foods Explode in South Korea : EcoWorldly

Environmentalism, Organic Foods Explode in South Korea : EcoWorldly — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:41:09 +0000

[...] buildings painted giant LOHAS emblems across their faces. Restaurants highlighted healthy “wellbeing” foods on their menus and shop windows. Across South Korea, anti-smoking campains took off. [...]

By: 17 Signs That You Might Be A Korean Environmentalist If… : EcoWorldly

17 Signs That You Might Be A Korean Environmentalist If… : EcoWorldly — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:50:51 +0000

[...] Give yourself 1 point. Over 40% of Korean men smoke. And this is the good news. Before the recent wellbeing trend, the number was almost 60%. Smoking seems less common among Korean [...]

By: Gavin Hudson

Gavin Hudson — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:17:20 +0000

Thanks for your continued readership and your feedback.

Willem, I too hope that smoking declines everywhere. The bars here are like little cancer lounges, even with the recent decline in smoking.

Michelle brings up another interesting point. Although Koreans have unquestionably benefited from the wellbeing trend, as the recent decline in smoking shows, here we have what might be called “well-washing.”

Pesticides are called “plant medicine” in Korean, for example. There’s also been a lot of re-marketing to fit the wellbeing image, although this has only been economically successful for foods that actually are healthy.

I’ll talk more about this in an upcoming article.

By: MichelleBennett

MichelleBennett — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:50:09 +0000

Well being and well-washing? During my year in S. Korea it was hard not to encounter well-being products. Health and beauty go hand-in-hand with green consumerism. However, I was not at all surprised to spot those magic words on products you could hardly consider healthy or green. Well-being insecticide? The Bugs were cute and happy even as they died! I don’t know what kinds of regulations they may or may not have in Korea, but I just assumed that “well-being” was like the word “natural” here in America – it could mean almost anything. Hopefully I’m wrong.

By: willem van der pas - deeljehuiswerk

willem van der pas - deeljehuiswerk — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:05:30 +0000

Interesting post. I can’t wait until the moment smoking in the nightlife is prohibited here.

By: How To Stop Smoking » Blog Archive » Wellbeing is a Breath of Fresh Air

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:44:20 +0000

[...] pippy4tao wrote something noteworthy recently.Here’s a little excerpt:What is wellbeing? Outside of noreband (Korean kareoke), it’s just about the biggest trend around in South Korea. Since 2000, it’s helped Koreans to stop smoking, buy organic foods, and get back to nature. (more…) [...]