This thesis presents two main causes of the Asian financial/economic crisis. The first major cause of the Asian financial crisis can be directly attributed to the international financial markets. In short, the crisis was brought about due to fundamental structural problems in the financial systems of the Southeast Asian countries. International financial institutions lent large sums of capital to many of the countries of Southeast Asia without first thoroughly examining the borrower's ability to pay (i.e. creditworthiness). The preceding cause was made possible by two factors. The first factor pertains to inadequate government and bank supervision of the scale and usage of the foreign debt taken on by companies throughout the various countries of Southeast Asia. the second factor relates to the corporate business practices based on excessive borrowing of foreign capital and the poor management of that debt. The Korean financial system lacked the checks and balances, and accountability characteristic of the banks in the U.S., Japan, and many other industrial nations. A second cause for the Asian financial crisis lies in the structural deficiencies of the Southeast Asian economies, and to a greater extent, that of South Korea. The prevalence of covert dealings between government officials and businesses, and the lack of transparency of these economies eventually lead to the loss of confidence on the part of international lenders and speculators. the hypothesis of this thesis is that the crisis was made possible by the systemic changes in international capitalism - specifically in the growing prominence of highly mobile and volatile forms of capital and transactions.

This study analyzed the different impacts of COVID-19 on dental care utilization in South Koreans living in Korea, Korean Immigrants in America, and Korean Americans. Many variables were looked at, observing how cultural differences between South Korea and the United States may impact other dental habits. These variables included: COVID impact, brushing and flossing habits, individually ranked general health and dental health, personal opinion of the dentist and dental health, routine dental care and time between last visit, dental insurance, and sociodemographic factors. A binational survey was opened and distributed for five consecutive weeks with both an English and Korean version available. Recruitment for the survey was conducted through the convenient sampling method. An analysis of the weighted descriptive statistics data found that Korean Immigrants felt the greatest negative impact on dental visits due to COVID (59.3%) compared to Koreans in Korea and Korean Americans subgroups. Koreans in Korea had the largest number of participants exceeding the recommended six months since their last dental visit (56.7%) and Koreans in Korea were also least likely to have additional dental insurance (25.3%), as their national healthcare program covers general cleanings. Koreans in Korea had the largest proportion of unfavorable attitudes towards the dentist (29.3%), possibly giving indication into why they had the smallest number seeing the dentist every six months. The majority of participants, regardless of residency or immigration status, cited “fear of contracting COVID” for why they had gone to the dentist less frequently, among other reasons. Understanding these habits will allow for more personalized care for specific groups. Both Korean Americans and Korean immigrants may more consistently go to their routine dental care visits, possibly due to their paid dental insurance encouraging them to stay accountable.

The impact traditional East Asian design has had on modern-day East Asian design has not been extensively researched. This paper examines the relationship traditional East Asian architectural design has with more modern styles of design in order to determine and compare the extent to which Western-style influences have had an impact in Eastern societies. This research specifically focuses on the country of South Korea and explores various case studies and articles dating from the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) till present day. By comparing factors related to South Korean culture, the environment, religious philosophies, etc., to architectural trends within the country, we are able to explore the distinct and changing architectural values the society has prioritised over the centuries. This research aims to provide a clearer and more solidified timeline of Korean architectural history which in the past has lacked to address the question revolving around the impact tradition has had on ongoing design trends. I then compare South Korean culture and architecture to other case studies on both East Asian and Western societies in order to determine similarities between past and present architectural styles. The introduction of Western-style architecture in East Asian societies occurred at different critical periods of time and has pushed architectural modernisation to evolve at various speeds and in different directions. By comparing case studies on Japan, China and Korea/South Korea, we are able to explore the various interpretations and the extent to which Western-style design has had influence in this countries. While certain symbolic elements in traditional East Asian architecture have been lost during the modernisation phase of design, there continues to be a link between past and present styles through the emergence of new and improved modern features that have acted as replacements for previous ones. Currently trending in South Korean society is the want to revive and reincorporate traditional architectural features in the city landscape. Perhaps a new vision will emerge where past will become the new modern, and this will encourage an even greater extent of traditional influences on modern architecture in East Asia.