International Courant
When authorized advisor Anne Ho fell in love with South Korean actor Ryu Si-won whereas watching his efficiency within the drama Stunning Days in 2001, she did not notice it could flip right into a full-blown love affair with all issues Korean. has.
From South Korean dramas, she turned a fan of South Korean selection reveals, and immediately is a follower of Okay-pop group Winner.
Alongside the way in which, Ms. Ho realized the Korean language, got here to like spicy Korean delicacies, traveled commonly to South Korea and even started exploring enterprise alternatives there.
Her ardour for Korean tradition led her to develop her social circle, stated Ms Ho, 50, a Malaysian residing in Hong Kong. “It is the friendships I’ve constructed over time which have stored me going.”
Her journey is typical of many longtime Okay followers and is a testomony to how the Korean Wave has developed for the reason that romantic TV drama Winter Sonata took Asia by storm in 2002.
South Korean popular culture has since expanded past Asian shores and grow to be a world phenomenon, fueled by the rise of social media, cell phone expertise and on-line streaming.
Exports of South Korea’s cultural content material – outlined as all the pieces from music to drama, movies, video games, animation and webtoons – reached a report excessive of US$12.4 billion ($16.9 billion) in 2021, in response to official figures from 2023.
This accounted for 1.92 % of South Korea’s complete exports of $644.5 billion. This determine is increased than for family home equipment at $8.7 billion, and for rechargeable batteries additionally at $8.7 billion.
Observers say arduous work, sensible investments, streamlined advertising and marketing and continuous innovation by each business and authorities are behind this phenomenon, which reveals no signal of going away anytime quickly.
How did the tradition of South Korea, a rustic of 51.7 million folks, grow to be so in style?
Mr James Kang, CEO of Singapore’s Mode Leisure, which manages artists and organizes concert events, described Okay-wave as a “stoic id success story”.
“South Korea’s technique for world domination is a lethal mixture of meticulous preparation, perseverance, ambition and arduous work,” stated the Singaporean business veteran, who has dealt with promotions for high South Korean singer BoA and pop teams Massive Bang and Shinee.
The Korean Wave shouldn’t be a replica or pattern of American tradition, Kang famous. “Okay-pop remains to be largely sung in Korean, produced by Koreans with a singular sound, with fiercely stylized dance choreography that the West had by no means skilled earlier than.”
What’s subsequent after the Korean Wave?
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