Konyanger Culture and Society
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Demographics
Konyang’s ethnic mix up is far less diverse than other Human planets’, resulting in a strongly homogenous population with a significant expatriate minority. Since the beginning, Konyang's colonists were made up almost entirely of ethnic Koreans, Japanese and Chinese, with any other Alliance nationalities representing a tiny fraction of it. With a reduced enticement from immigration due to the planet's remoteness and lack of any significant development, the situation stayed more or less the same, until Konyang's Robotics Boom, which catapulted the colony to one of great interest. Millions of foreign workers, scientists and corporate employees flocked to the planet to participate and share in its newly found fortune, creating expatriate communities of their own and injecting much-desired capital to fuel the rapid development of the economy. Such was the impact of the migration that the foreigners outnumbered the native Japanese Konyangers of Aoyama, making the city known to the wider world as Point Verdant, after the name of the local Terraneus Diagnostics facility which was home to the birth of the positronic brain.
Since then however, the return of normality after the twilight of the Boom led to the majority of foreigners leaving; the prime draw of positronic AI had spread away from Konyang and into the rest of the Alliance. The expatriates thus abandoned Konyang just as fast as they had arrived, leaving behind significant economic development and derelict industrial zones alike. While the percentage of foreigners on Konyang is now less than 2% of the total population, their numbers would soon be replaced by a rapidly rising IPC community. Presently, while virtually all citizens identify as Konyanger nationals, heritage remains a part of people's identity, as reflected in their names, the local dialect, religion and customs, even with a lot of fusions between the three cultural groups. The prefectures of Suwon and Boryeong are primarily of Korean heritage while Aoyama boasts of a Japanese heritage. New Hong Kong has always been a stronghold of a Chinese and Cantonese majority, with Ganzaodeng following last as the least populous prefecture on Konyang, with a heavy mixup of Chinese and foreigner communities. IPCs are present in all urban centers and rural areas, with most of them residing in New Hong Kong, followed by Aoyama.
Linguistics
Konyang's Earther heritage is vibrant and evident in the customs and languages that people speak. In every city, town and village, one will come across the local language being written and spoken alongside the planet's version of Sol Common, a practice that has become standard in a country that pursues equality between its constituent ethnicities and their unification under a common Konyanger identity. Over 70% of Konyangers are bilingual, having a grasp of their original Earther language. Many families especially in the countryside speak their regional language at home, leading to new generations perpetuating the practice and even preferring it to Sol Common. Prefectural schools also offer them as optional courses, with deeper learning being available in the form of local languages institutes and prefectural universities.
Konyang Solarian Common
Hangugeo
Nihongo
Hanyu
Encoded Audio Language
Others
Religion and Holidays
The Republic of Konyang is a secular state with no official religion. With around 72% of the population professing no faith, it nonetheless maintains strong communities of various religions carried over from the colonists’ home countries. The urban areas are the most irreligious compared to the rural towns and villages, the people of which are regarded as more spiritual in general. While shrines and temples do exist in most cities, it is the countryside where one can see them dotted out in the jungles and mountain ranges, maintained by the local communities.
Despite the predominant atheism or agnosticism in Konyanger society, religious traditions remain a significant part of the national culture. Government mandated public holidays often fall on the same days as major religious holidays, cabinet members and local officials regularly pay visits at major shrines, while nominally religious festivals have become cultural staples in all five prefectural capitals, attracting thousands every year. Ancient traditional dress that was once lost to the adoption of streetwear and business attire, has been revived and preserved through direct connection with certain faiths. It is then frequently worn and enjoyed by millions during these days, ensuring the original cultures’ continuation while making artisans and craftsmen in towns and villages thrive.
Folk Religions
Shinto
Buddhism
Chondo
Trinary Perfection
Other
Some notable holidays and festivals include:
Qixian New Year: January 15th
Adopted directly by all three communities from their original shared tradition, the Konyanger Qixian New Year is the most significant and widely celebrated day on the planet’s religious and secular calendar. Taking place yearly on the 15th of January, the date was standardized early on by the government to resolve disputes between the planet’s religions and religious sects that used their own versions of the Lunar and Qixian calendars. Hydrologically, it marks the beginning of the High Tides.
Fireworks are extensively used to mark the occasion at midnight, with people taking to the streets in major cities, towns and villages for the New Year Parade. The parade itself is the central and grandest spectacle of the night, and almost every organized institution in Konyang, from the military to the universities, takes part with dedicated parade teams. The paraders don traditional outfits and carry around enormous and overly decorated sculptures of animals or effigies of deities made of metal, wood or paper. Friendly rivalry is a strong element of the parade, with the participants trying to outdo each other in the creativity, amount and craftsmanship of their icon by grabbing the attention of the crowds. Alcohol, games and street candy are also major parts of the festivities, which reserve entire city blocks for the plethora of shop stands that are put up for the night, as well as the parade itself. In Suwon, it is tradition for the Prime Minister to attend from the veranda of Government House, underneath which the parade always goes through. A remnant from colonial times, this was a prime opportunity for the parade goers to tastefully voice their approval or discontent for the government through subtle signs on the sculptures, chants or dance moves as they passed under the balcony, though it’s not rare for this to get out of hand in times of economic strain and hardship.
For the religious aspect of the holiday, most practitioners start preparing from Qixian New Year’s Eve, with offerings or local religious celebrations and small festivals, mostly in the rural areas. Exchange of gifts is also widespread and varies from area to area, depending on the local culture and predominant religion. Dried moss is a particularly commonplace gift in the Suwon and Boryeong prefectures, meant to give the other person courage to last until the dry season. For most people however, the credit-filled red or white envelope never ceases to be a New Year’s classic, expected by all Konyanger children.
Konyanger Culture
Having settled on the planet some two hundred years ago, the people of Konyang have brought with them the societal norms, traditions and culture of their original lands from Earth's East Asia region. While migrant waves during the country's Robotics Boom introduced a myriad of new and different communities in the cities, these have had little impact on Konyanger society at large, which has been shaped by its original ethnicities' backgrounds, its colonial history, and the most recent embrace of IPCs into daily life. Said synthetics now make up a large percentage of the population, adding their own uniqueness and enhancing Konyang's cultural field, despite being brought up to follow the norms established by their human compatriots. By and large, the most fundamental aspects of being a Konyanger are followed in every region of the planet, though each national prefecture has developed its own peculiarities, from local cuisine and fashion, to religion and outlook on life.
The Three Values
Konyangers are raised to silently follow some core values, infused into them by both their families and the wider society around them. They are not named, nor are they set in stone or officially taught. Scholars however have grouped them in the three main categories of Harmony, Reciprocity, and Face, around which most values revolve.
Harmony regards how a person fits in with their environment, conforming with a strict social establishment and expectations. It is a key aspect everywhere, and is how Konyangers perceive a functioning and well organised society. Standing out is permitted within boundaries, with contemporary fads being accepted as just that, and not something that is allowed to disrupt the established order and traditions of the wider public. In the cities, children are expected to follow certain predetermined paths, get a stable career and provide for their parents later in life. Questioning rules is something an adult will do with great difficulty and consideration, while silently enduring a situation is viewed as a sign of great virtue and patience. A proper Konyanger is always expected to be courteous towards strangers and the elders, as well as maintain a level of awareness of the public mood and their surroundings. Talking above a whisper on a packed city bus or train for example, would be considered rather awkward, or even rude, by the rest of the passengers. This emphasis on social harmony on Konyang can go to lengths that people from other countries may find weird; never will a Konyanger think of cutting in line as they stand in a queue, nor will it cross their mind to cross a road in the city without going through the crosswalk or under a red light, even in light traffic. Asking for a raise is considered taboo, and in many cases workers will find their careers reaching a ceiling due to the fallout of transfering to a different company. Penalties for breaking the social harmony are not immediately apparent to an outsider, since complaining of one's behavior and creating a scene is not something that most Konyangers will find easy to do, nor will the police be called in most cases unless the act is egregious or criminal. For a person living there however, it is something that becomes apparent for both themselves and their close ones. Especially in more tight knit communities in the towns and villages of the countryside, ostracization is a real threat a person's social environment can use against them to prevent them from standing out.
Reciprocity is a concept not dissimilar to the sense of community that many other colonial nations experienced during their founding days, still persisting in daily life on Konyang. It is the sense that people have a duty to assist eachother, even if they are unacquainted. This is extremely prevalent in the rural areas, where the smaller populations create a more personal dimension between the inhabitants of the village. Trading for goods and services between neighbors and families is a very common thing both there and in the cities, stemming directly from the cultural phenomenon of reciprocity. On Konyang, when someone offers help, it is only proper for you to offer something in return at some point in the future. This may range from something simple such as hand-me-down clothes or groceries, to favors or even sums of money. Everyone, no matter their situation, is expected to participate in this process according to their means; During certain holidays or festivities, families keep track of others that they need to reciprocate to, often leading to huge dinners with entire city blocks or the whole village coming to celebrate together.
Face is a broad and hard to translate culmination of all the above virtues, critical to the fabric of society. It can be considered to be the "social capital" for a Konyanger and their family, determined by the set of appearances and behaviors they use to interact with the world. As long as a person progresses according to societal rules, keeping up with the ideals of harmony and reciprocity, they are said to have "face". This is an important concept applying to all rungs of society, as average individuals and the biggest Konyanger conglomerates alike strive to maintain their level of dignity and honor. Without it one is considered to live in disgrace, affecting both themselves and anyone whom they might associate with. A person who has suffered a loss of face may, for example, be excluded from social events, be avoided on the street or even lose their job on account of strict Konyanger corporate ethics codes. Families tend hide the more "shameful" secrets in fear that they might be discovered, particularly in the countryside, and disgraced family members are often not spoken of again until their face is sufficiently rehabilitated. Public functionaries and well-known figures are also extremely considerate of their image, with scandals in both government and the corporate world often leading to scapegoating and ceremonial dismissal of those deemed at fault. It is not uncommon for low-level business officials to resign in disgrace on live TV, begging the public's forgiveness and taking the blame so that their company can save face.
The social pressure upon Konyangers has always been enormous compared to other developed planets across the Spur, though more and more young people rise to question and reject the status quo. Counterculture movements have always been prevalent in the cities, especially amongst the student movements both in the present day and during colonial times. Resistance to what they call an oppressive social regime has led to the emergence of new genres of music, fashion and art, with the youth pioneering ever more novel and often provocative forms of self expression. While older generations and society at large may consider them "fads" and "phases" that the youth will eventually "grow up" from, it is largely from these culture movements that things such as IPC rights rose from to become widespread and staple elements of Konyang.
Work Culture
White collar employment is a major part of millions of Konyangers' lives, more so than people from other countries. Working for a local company is something a lot more intricate than how it is abroad, transcending the personal dimension one might have about their pay and career. For a Konyanger conglomerate, employment is a bond between the employer and the employee, from which both rights and responsibilities are born. Loyalty to the workplace plays a great role in people's lives, with employees expected to remain in their position for even their entire careers. Raises, promotions and benefits are handed out primarily based on time served rather than merit, rewarding the quiet and dedicated office worker. Knowing your place in the chain is very important in the office, as is observing decorum and the usually strict dress and ethics codes put down by the company. Unspoken rules dominate these environments, creating their own microcosm that reflects and accentuates the three values of Konyanger culture. It is custom that management treat their employees as part of an extended family; Konyanger corporations and firms have some of the best benefits packages, while no matter how badly underperforming, a loyal employee will never be fired, almost certainly receiving some sort of different post or responsiility that will accommodate them better instead. In exchange, full adherence to company rules is demanded, as well as a variety of personal initiatives will be expected, even if they are not included in the official responsibilities of the job. Personal donations for office events, undertaking additional work and regular overtime are very common expectations for workers, with the last two being particularly taxing. The old Earther concept of a "salaryman" is fully translatable to Konyang's white collar corporate culture, with many people putting work above their personal lives, often to a fault. Those that are unable to or refuse to integrate with the system are silently and swiftly pushed out, losing face and reputation between the corporate circles, blackening their record and significantly diminishing their chances of working at a different large Konyanger company.
The introduction of synthetics has exacerbated the workload issue. Konyanger employees are always expected to put in more hours to remain competitive against their synthetic counterparts, many of them willing to go to far greater lengths than what is healthy or required by their employer. The issue, particularly in Suwon, has grown to such an extent that local laws were passed, limiting IPC overtime work as well as making leaves mandatory for them in order for humans to catch up more easily. Such legislation has been fiercely debated as unconstitutional and infringing on the rights of synthetic citizens, nonetheless remaining in effect as a temporary, much needed measure. While a strong work ethic is a very common trait, the rural populace is generally more relaxed than their urban counterparts.
Most private local conglomerates such as PACHROM, big law firms, banks or shipping companies are more often than not exclusively interested in hiring Konyangers, Konyanger IPCs or people of shared descent, turning away foreigners apart from token numbers each year. This is due to a widespread perception that only Konyangers understand the fundamentals of the corporate culture, and thus will conform and not raise issues about the more oppressive elements of their employment. The more artistically inclined studios such as Konymation however, regularly bring in talent from abroad to enrich their style and productions. Creativity in Konyang's media industry is encouraged to thrive in the workplace, and while crunching and overtime are not unheard of, most studios are admittedly more relaxed environments compared to the strict office complexes. Blue collar work on the other hand, largely is in a rather different situation when it comes to obligations and expectations. As Konyang's industrial heartland rests within the prefecture of New Hong Kong, the concepts of forced overtime, unwritten rules and subservience to management do not exist, thanks to the region's history of robust labor unions and collective bargaining.
Life in Konyang
Urban Life
The Konyang of the 2460s bears little resemblance to the minor colony of 2305. Expansive cities dot its islands, with everyday life flowing very similarly to other advanced societies abroad. Its major urban centers are the respective capitals of each prefecture, with Suwon, Point Verdant and New Hong Kong having the heaviest density. Living in these areas has both its advantages and drawbacks, as Konyang's challenging landscape required innovative and compact planning. Surrounded by the sea on one side and either jungle, mountains, or both on the other, Konyanger cities tend to follow a pattern which consists of a sprawling and chaotic urban network orbiting dense downtowns. Cramped apartment blocks are particularly popular an unfortunate staple of the planet's "city charm", with the majority of the denizens living in so called "shoebox studios" due to the limited planning space and the general lack of raw materials such as steel. In the city, a large living space is a luxury that few can afford without sacrificing proximity to the central districts, where most of the economic activity is present. High rents are the norm in these situations, and unsurprisingly, the rich have the best pieces of real estate in Suwon and Point Verdant, owning entire buildings or large apartments with a seaside view in the heart of the urban center.
Apart from the job security and higher salaries offered by office work, urban life on Konyang presents limitless opportunities for nightlife and entertainment, as well as bustling shopping districts dedicated entirely to attracting tourists and people from out of town. Additionally, services are very well developed in the cities, with a shop at every corner catered to every need a person might virtually have. Small restaurants and takeout spots provide much needed and cheap hot meals for salarymen to grab during their small lunch breaks, many situated strategically within convenient reach of the big firms and office complexes. Healthcare and repairs are readily available in the form of hospitals and KRC clinics, as well as ready access to the country's biggest ports and space shuttledromes. Public transport is managed through a system of light urban rail and buses, and is regarded as essential for day-to-day movement; thanks to the rapid expansion during the Robotics Boom, poor planning has resulted in mazes of roads that are near always congested. Car traffic can delay commuters for hours in the overcrowded cities, despite Konyang's automobile industry trying to create even more compact and energy efficient cars. The snarled traffic is, in an odd way, a symbol of pride for some Konyangers. The mere fact that they have enough vehicles to have traffic issues is, compared to the rest of the outer ring, a symbol of the prosperity that has resulted from the planet's robotics industry.
However, smaller towns outside of the more famous centers have a different standard of living, with most being employed in water-related industries or manufacturing jobs. Wood is used as the primary material for construction, giving Konyanger towns a signature look that mixes modern technological achievements with centuries-old designs. A significant upside to life in these areas is the relative abundance of space, allowing for single-house homes outside of the centers, attracting pensioners and large working class families. Most towns are sustained by a nearby farming complex, dam or industrial center where the majority of the population is employed, while additionally serving as a hub for the surrounding villages that depend on it. Regional health centers, schools and other services can in many cases only be found at such towns, making them beacons for the wider area. The standard is not the same for all however, as many of these former "boom towns" of the robotics industry are entering into a spiral of decay due to an inability to continue to maintain their buildings and utilities. The cessation of government grants from the Alliance, the increase in price of construction materials from the offworld and many more calamities brought on by the phoron shortage have made these places unsustainable, leading to a flight of the younger population in waves of increased urbanization, contributing negatively to the growth and skyrocketing the mean age of the inhabitants.
Rural Life
Life in less populated areas and islands is generally regarded as more carefree, with coastal villages being relatively self-sustaining and liberated from the complicated stresses and cramped environments found in cities. Such settlements are dedicated to aquaculture, farming algae, as well as moss collection. One would struggle to find a village not built almost entirely out of wood, with lumberyards frequently dotting the countryside to exploit the lush jungles. Fishing is a major source of subsistence for rural people, with Konyangers being taught how to fish an take to the sea from a relatively young age. Most families usually own a boat, passed down from each generation to the next as a heirloom and major financial asset. Needless to say, virtually all Konyangers are apt swimmers from childhood, with diving being regarded as both a popular sport and a timeless tradition; some villages specialize in the export of certain goods that must be collected underwater by hand, at reefs and moss-covered seabeds, requiring diving which is often done without equipment. Farming, to a more limited extent, is also a big source of income for rural families. As adequately sized clearings are rare in the surrounding jungle, conventionally farming the boggy, heavily wooded Konyanger terrain is impossible without the low-scale terraforming conducted in the early colonial days. Today, most "farmers" delve into their plots of land inside the jungle to harvest the fruit, moss and other goods that grow naturally. Surprising as it may be, many IPCs find themselves in these communities, finding work in manual labour or in the fields. Considered fully integrated, synthetics participate fully in a village's social life, playing an important part of the social fabric and the workforce. It is not uncommon for a village to possess a KRC repair station and charging spots dedicated to positronics, and village shops are always stocked with goods and materials specifically for the IPC inhabitants.
Much care is given to keep the traditions of the original colonists alive, with old rituals thriving and sometimes only found in the rural villages. Shrines belonging to local religions are placed in prominent positions within the village, with many rural Konyangers having some form of memory of themselves playing, praying or celebrating in the presence of a statue of an animal deity or god. Traditional music, instruments and the art of making them remain vibrant in countryside culture as well, being in stark difference to the heavily industrialized electronic and pop music of the cities. Most crucial and known of all are the festivals, with every village being known for their own unique twist and tradition. People from all over the world flock to the rural areas during the holidays just to attend, with many involving big parades, shows, games and large amounts of local delicacies. The government is very supporting of such customs, not only for the planet’s cultural heritage but also as an important tourist attraction for both Alliance and Coalition visitors. Religious undertones are a lot more prominent in these celebrations and in village life in general, as are the concepts of family and conservative Konyanger values; respect and reverence of ancestors and the elderly are particularly important.
Mariner Life
Sailors, workers in remote hydroelectric rigs, radio technicians on scattered islands and anyone else who spends considerable amounts of time surrounded by the planet's vast seas and oceans is considered a mariner, an often thankless line of work in which millions of people are engaged. A life at sea means a life away from the comfort of family and friends, a life filled with danger and the unknown. As such, a stoic outlook is often required to cope with these harsh realities, with many aged mariners are hardened from decades of hard work and struggle against waves, cold and rain. In fact, the sight of thick, worn-out raincoats is indicative of a person's life as a mariner, with flocks of yell and orange-jacketed figures being very common in the large port-towns and cities of Konyang. Sailors and outpost technicians are expected to spend multiple months on a journey or at their post, the former sometimes being afforded short breaks at various resupply stops along the way. This lifestyle is not for naught however, as salaries for these professions far exceed the wages of corresponding employment on land. Many mariners can afford to both support a family and bank funds for the future, their income imrpoving substantially as they move up the ranks. Entire coastal villages and towns offer up their men, women and synthetics to the sea, who in turn bring back enough capital to completely transform the area with beautiful buildings and public spaces; the nicer a coastal settlement appears, the more chances it is dedicated to some mariner-related industry. It is not uncommon for even the lowliest of sailors to eventually own a vacation home in the countryside in addition to their primary residence, and many high-ranking captains and rig managers combine their wages to purchase their own merchant ship, giving birth to an ever increasing number of shipping companies.
The mariner lifestyle has subsequently created a specific subculture they and their families all in some way or another share, involving both traditional Konyanger values and traditions of the sea. Fidelity and supportiveness are particularly important for the mariner's relatives to exhibit, and it is in some way socially mandated. Seafarers regularly receive gifts, provisions and mail from home or the locals in the more distant ports they visit, and households may throw large parties to celebrate the homecoming of a relative after a particularly lenghty journey. Religious talismans and charms are sometimes carried for good luck, though most are generally not superstitious. Cleanliness is a point of pride for mariners, and since freshwater is not an issue, a clean shaven appearance is extremely common on ships and sea stations.
Media
Public media in Konyang is a powerful industry, and as broad as it may seem, it is very tightly knit. Aside from galactic-wide reruns and broadcasts of other nation’s shows, little seems to stand out - except the audio broadcast and illustrated artistic avenues. These two are well-refined artistic giants compared to other forms of entertainment on the planet.
A huge portion of the planet’s political views and very “personality” are channeled through its larger studios, where many are found enthused to spread its culture galaxy-wide.
Audio Broadcast
Radio, or more broadly the global net of wireless communication, is a huge industry in Konyang. Many IPCs have found harmless additions to their daily lives to be the standard headset and wearable radio kit, permitting any number of fast EAL communication planet-wide streamed directly into their receptors. While not particularly lucrative, the major broadcast stations have made quick work to monopolize their grip over this method of communication. Analog radio has also held a prominent position in people's routine, dating back to early colonial times. Most households maintain an analog radio set able to tune in to Konyang's many different stations that broadcast day and night on a planetary scale. Mariners especially make frequent use of the radio, with talk shows, news, and shipping forecasts keeping them company and up to date along their voyages in the open seas.
Matsumoto’s Talk and Walk
Meant for the on-the-go working IPC, this Encoded Audio Language bluespace broadcast is run by a particularly energetic “Matsumoto.” Though the true nature or even appearance of Matsumoto is unknown, they have constructed a massive following built from IPCs who obsessively strive to uphold their strict, rigid lifestyle. Talk and Walk states clear affiliation with multiple government and corporate organizations, particularly those with Hephaestus Industries. Matsumoto will often promote charitable foundations or corporate products found on Konyang, especially to those tuning in to their tourist-centric broadcast. When speaking in Sol Common, they take on a fast-paced and high-pitched masculine tone. They are frequently put on loudspeakers in popular tourist destinations, with recordings accompanying stylized eyeballs which track passerbys.
Great Blue Dot
Hidden somewhere in the depths of Konyang’s shallow seas is a moving, unseen broadcast station which has gone undetected since its first broadcast in 2430. It is known as the Great Blue Dot, attributed to what researchers believe to be its tremendous size and the color of its marker on sea-charts. While itself illegally broadcasts to every openly-receiving piece of hardware on the southern hemisphere of the planet, little can be gleaned of the actual broadcasts themselves. From incoherent gibberish of “swarms of wasps,” to “hives in the skies,” the outgoing material is poorly formed at best. Receiving these broadcasts is not illegal, contrarily, and the sheer number of watchful eyes bouncing back to the broadcast keeps its location perpetually hidden from local authorities. Search efforts for the source of the Great Blue Dot stopped in May of 2462, due to “excessive cost for little reward,” police officials say.
Visual Animation
Animated media is commonplace on Konyang, and chief among the many outlets that enhance its unique culture. Whereas hundreds, perhaps thousands of animated studios take up projects annually, very few make critical success. By far the most famous and successful studio, Konymation, remains a staple in everyday life, employing thousands throughout the planet in drawing, voicing and animating high budget movies and series of all kinds and genres. The industry, despite computer-aided assistance, heavily leans on IPC labor and organic oversight for its newly-animated creations. This makes it very costly, and few endeavors pay off. Some examples of those that succeeded are below.
Stormman
A very popular series created by Konymation, Stormman has been described as a staple animation by both human and IPC audiences. Aimed primarily at young adults, the action packed franchise features the masked protagonist, Stormman, harnessing the power of Konyang’s stormy and thunderous weather with his high-tech suit, battling crime and apocalyptic alien invaders alike, all while trying to lead a normal life. Eight seasons have been released so far, whereas merchandise of all sorts are widely prominent as well as lucrative.
Believe!~ (In the Time)
A hit animated series renowned for its choppy, quick action sequences led by a stoic heroine by the name of Marie, a time traveling Venusian shell IPC from the 2460’s. Targeted primarily at IPC audiences, it takes place in the pre-war “wild west” Frontier at around the early warp era. Being released in 2435, it has claimed fame as a “hit 30’s classic,” still being aired on prime broadcast stations globally in subtitled Sol Common. To organic viewers, much of the dialogue, tones or consistency is said to be lost in a muddle of incomprehensibly fast shoot-out scenes and plot twists that happen for split-seconds.
Comics
Spearheaded by Mujigae Publishing, the planet's comic sector has seen great successes that brought paper back into the mainstream. Comic books have a huge share of the market on Konyang, and is perhaps the largest industry of its kind to exist in any civilized world in the Orion Spur. Comic genres vary from children-oriented adventures, to gritty, graphic murder mysteries for adults, all of which may incorporate elements of fantasy and superheroes. Movie and animation adaptations of Mujigae's comics are also a common practice used to boost numbers, making readers able to see their favourite stories and characters on the big screen.
Inspector 404/Kyung-Sun
Since its debut in the issue “Phantoms of Suwon,” the series simply referred to as I404 is the most popular comic in the Orion Spur, and Konyang’s most profitable media franchise. The series centers around the titular Inspector 404, a shell IPC who goes by the alias of Kyung-Sun, in a bleak and highly dystopian Konyanger cityscape. While the series itself starts upon a Suwon highrise, the character would go on to travel the world in its 67 current issues. Issue #67, known as “Under the Shadows,” revolves around the Kyung-Sun going up against the same police establishment he had been serving, pitting himself against corrupt police superintendent Hayashi.
The Corrupted
Written by former National Police detective Yu-Mi Han and originally published in 2464, The Corrupted is a successful yet controversial detective thriller set in Suwon which is regarded as a more grounded, realistic story than the competing Inspector 404. In first days of Konyang’s independence Detective Sergeant Dae-Jung Song and his assistant Detective Synthetic Duri-IU#21 (later Detective Duri Ryu) uncover a conspiracy by the Trinary Perfection to overthrow its government, turning the planet into a theocracy under a Trinary leader known as “The Patriarch.” Over the course of the series Song and Ryu discover the Trinary Perfection intends to infect synthetic citizens with a virus distributed through overloaders known as “go-sticks,” and the series culminates in a battle between the National Police — aided by 5-Cheung and the Sea Bandits — and Trinary Perfection in the streets of Suwon when their conspiracy is uncovered. Criticized by the Trinary Perfection as, “baseless propaganda,” — a comment put on the back of the series’ first omnibus — The Corrupted has become increasingly popular during Konyang’s ongoing viral outbreak. Han — herself an IPC residing in Suwon — has used its fame to bring attention to the ongoing crisis and encourage cooperation with law enforcement.
Fashion
Being as moist as it is, one would expect the average Konyanger outfits to consist of drysuits and reflective outerwear, with raincoats and the like. This is the case in the majority of urban settings, whereas people in the villages take quite their own unique spin on their fashion choices.
Insulation from water is difficult to come by without some form of thermal insulation coming with it. This is clearly suboptimal, seeing as beating the heat is just as important as staying dry here. In their ingenuity, rural Konyangers have utilized a “miracle weave” of natural fibers acquired from the feathers of much avian wildlife planetside. Replicating the byproducts of these feathers has proven impossible, leaving only hunting to produce the necessities for the weave. Traditional villages take immense pride in their unique attire, many calling it the most important difference between them and the cities. Combining vibrant colours and utility, Konyanger fields are regularly dotted with farmers sporting colourful ponchos, robes and traditional Gat headwear. Most rural Konyanger “fashion” draws from this weave in some form - resulting in cool, waterproof, and sharp-looking outerwear resembling a poncho in most cases. More complex items such as jackets and legwear are quite expensive and marketed as luxury items for the elite, with the weave still in quite high demand.
Urban fashion on the other hand is rather detached from the realities of that of the villages. The natural, feather based fabrics are rarely found amongst the denizens of the large cities, while those who do own them are quickly singled out as either people from the countryside, or individuals of a higher class. Rainy weather still being the primary issue, city dwellers have adopted a different stance, preferring clothes of industrial origin.
In combination with normal everyday clothing items, these Konyangers have adopted a heavy use of water resistant plastics. Stemming from the first years of settlement on the planet, plastic and translucent raincoats were slowly shaped into all sorts of jackets, coats and pants, creating a more comfortable and utilitarian approach to keeping clothes dry. Slowly developing into a fashion sense, and with research on more flexible materials, plastic-based attire has culminated into being the norm. LED lights, translucency and water resistance are the staples of this trend, the youth and clothes designers taking it a step further, with holographic microprojectors being woven and fluorescent substances infused into the material, creating quite the cutting edge in fashion.