President Park Chung-hee proclaimed emergency martial law on October 17, 1972, opening the era of the Yushin Constitution. The new Constitution gave the president almost absolute power over every aspect of Korean people's lives, from judicial and legislative matters to people's preference in pop culture. Rebelling against such oppressive government, Korea's young people began to express their unique cultural identity in the form of long hair, acoustic guitars, blue jeans, and mini-skirts. This is how Korea’s youth culture in the 1970s paved the way for today's cultural identity of young Koreans.
