Living co-ops in Korea 149local figures such as chiefs, elders, and other elites who wielded enormous power
and socio-political control within communities (Broadbent 2003). Nevertheless,
in recent years, it has become evident that new forms of associations have arisen,
evolving out of the mutual interests of ordinary citizens. Today’s co-ops offer a
clear example of this: Even though they inherit the basic philosophies of dure, in
contrast to older-style community organizations, these new co-ops are composed
of individuals who are willing to pursue their shared socio-politico-economic
interests within a largely horizontal structure reliant upon trust-based relationships
with strangers and people outside their immediate social circle. These new ways
of network building are dramatically enhanced by social media technologies in
the current Web 2.0 environment, and with the growth of the urban middle-class,
social movements have been very active on the local political front and constantly
address concerns about consumer interests, consumer rights, education issues,
and environmental well-being.
The activities of the living co-op Hansalim, for example, illustrate the
increasing concerns with the environment, food safety, and direct trade between
farmers and consumers. In Korean, “han” means “great, one and whole,” and
it also refers to all living things on earth. “Salim” has two meanings: It is the
domestic work that takes care of their houses, families, and children and also
means “to revive” and “to give life.” Thus, Hansalim is a compound of these
two words, meaning “save all living things.” Founded in 1986, Hansalm is now
the biggest living co-op in Korea, with 168 offline stores as of March 2014.
Hansalim is a co-op where producer communities in rural areas and consumer
members in urban areas cooperate, trading environmentally friendly organic
products directly through its own distribution system without any commission-
based sales. Product prices are determined by consultation between producers
and consumers, independent from the market’s price system.^6 To maximize the
efficiency of these operations, members rely on social media: Through their blog
bulletin boards or Twitter postings, members of Hansalim share their thoughts
and ideas with other members, allowing everyone’s experiences to be reflected in
their operation processes within rather a horizontal social network.^7 They also run
an online shopping mall where consumers in urban areas can easily purchase fresh
food products directly and have them delivered from local farms, and through its
mobile application, users can access co-op-related news and information (such as
recipes using Hansalim products).^8
On their website, a research report illustrates how high school students’
changing diets— where they consume only an organic vegetarian menu prepared
with Hansalim products—have created “miraculous results.”^9 According to
the report, all of the 25 voluntary participants lost an average of 3 kg after 2
months, and their cholesterol levels also notably dropped, while antioxidant
nutrient levels increased. Stress levels were also reported to have decreased. The
website links to the “Hansalim Food Life Education Centre” blog, which offers
a range of educational programs where co-op members (and/or any participant)
can learn about food safety, environmentally friendly diets, and fresh local
food consumption for children, families, communities, and farmers. Hansalim