Korean wave
Encyclopedia
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture
around the world. The term was coined in China
in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China. The Korean wave is responsible for achieving over one billion dollars in revenue annually for South Korea through cultural exports.
, referred to as K-pop
(an abbreviation of Korean pop), has become a large part of the Korean Wave. K-pop's popularity has been attributed to talent and individualism, as well as having diversity through collaborating with international producers. In recent years, Korean entertainment companies have started to recognize YouTube
as a key component to the international spread of Korean culture. According to Bernie Cho, president of a Seoul-based agency specializing in the marketing of international K-pop acts, the entertainment companies are "aggressively steering their efforts to go international via the Internet".
The Korean wave has been a source of national pride for many Koreans. Lee Dong Yeun, in a paper for the Korea Journal, states that "if the Korean Wave continues to surge, reflecting the diplomatic relations that supports a capitalist logic rather than [...] diversifying the cultural taste of the masses, then it will have to put up a hard fight against China's ethnocentrism and Japan's malleable nationalism."
Korean male celebrities are now among the highest-paid actors outside of Hollywood. According to the South Korean media, Winter Sonata
star Bae Yong Joon
is now charging US$5 million a film; the highest in Asia. At least nine other Korean male stars earn more than $10 million a year. The celebrity culture serves as a tourist magnet for international visitors.
Tourism to South Korea has reported drastic increases since the Hallyu. From 2003 to 2004 alone, tourism increased from 2.8 million to 3.7 million foreign visitors. Television content, films, and music have been utilized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KCCA) of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism into bringing increased interest to the country.
In 2008, Korea's biggest Kpop export TVXQ
/Tohoshinki made it in the Guinness World Records
for having the world's largest official fan club. Cassiopeia
, the band's official fan club
, have more than 800,000 official members just in South Korea, more than 200,000 official members in Japan (BigEast) and more than 200,000 international fans (iCassies). They also made the Guinness World Records a second time in 2009. Aside from having the world's largest fan club, the group was also listed as the most photographed celebrities in the world. From the day of their debut to March 19, 2009, the five members are estimated to have been photographed about 500 million times in magazines, albums jackets, and commercials, etc. The total figure includes individual photos as well as group pictures.
. Older Japanese women were the primary focus of the Hallyu at this time. Succeeding Korean culture booms happened through Korean music singers BoA
and TVXQ
. TVXQ's album Best Selection 2010
debuted #1 at the Oricon
Chart by selling a total of 413,000 copies. They broke a 15 year record as the highest first-week sales by a foreign group, which was last set by Bon Jovi
in 1995. TVXQ is also the first Korean group to perform and sold out 100,000 seats at Tokyo Dome. JYJ
followed a year after, selling 140,000 seats during their Thanksgiving Live in Dome. TVXQ is the first and only Korean group to attend the prestigious Kōhaku Uta Gassen
. The honor of performing on Kohaku is strictly by invitation, so only the most successful J-pop artists and enka singers can perform. Even today, a performance on Kohaku is said to be a big highlight in a singer’s career. BIGBANG followed TVXQ's success in Japan as they debuted on the Oricon Charts at #2. Big Bang was also hailed as ‘Korea’s EXILE’ by one of the Japanese newspaper. Some Japanese reporters and media representatives recently visited Korea, and when asked about Big Bang they said, “They seem to be doing very well with their first official album released in Japan”.They also said, “For those who are interested with HanRyu (Korean Wave) will know Big Bang well in Japan. Big Bang is seemed as a singing group who have their charms and their unique music styles. There is quite a mania for them here in Japan.”
In 2010, Korean girl groups like Girls' Generation
and Kara
marked progress for other K-pop acts after being able to rank in the top five in the Oricon
charts. K-pop girl groups that advance into Japan focus on the young, independent, and teenage market. K-pop groups are seen as "cool and attractive", with emphasis on being "strong-minded" rather than being seen as "cute and sweet", with emphasis on being "Kawaii", which J-pop girl groups are known to be. In 2011, the boyband 2PM
's new single 'Take Off' topped pre-order charts as well as reaching #1 on USEN J-POP chart and most noticeably, achieving #3 on the Oricon. Whilst already having a large established fan base in Japan, despite the group having not released any Japanese albums. Many Korean groups are debuting in Japan and have been popular.
However, the introduction of Hallyu into Japan has resulted in controversy. Conservative and nationalist groups
and Uyoku dantai
in Japan have organized anti-hallyu demonstrations. On 7 August 2011, more the 2,000 protesters demonstrated in front of Fuji TV's headquarters in Odaiba
, Tokyo
against the abundance of Korean drama
s being broadcast by the television network. Earlier, in July 2011, well-known actor Sousuke Takaoka
was fired from Stardust Promotion
, his agency for tweeting against the influx of Korean soaps. Another demonstration against the Korean wave was held on August 21.
Despite the popularity of Korean dramas in the Sinosphere
, Taiwanese and Chinese television stations, including Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television
, have strengtened measures to reduce the airtime allotted to Korean shows, because of fears that their respective domestic film industries suffer at the expense of imported Korean entertainment and criticism from the local film industry, including China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
.
, India
, where Korean culture has overtaken the place of banned Bollywood
dramas and movies. The youths of urban Nepal
have also embraced Korean wave. Korean music and dramas are becoming really popular also in the Middle East
where there is a channel called Korea TV in Arabic. In India as well as Pakistan
, Korean music and television serials have acquired a trendy reputation and popularity. The Korean wave has also reached Thailand
,, Vietnam
, the Philippines
, and other parts of Southeast Asia
.
, YouTube
, Tumblr
, and Twitter
all have been recognized as international tools to spread the Korean wave. Korean artists BoA
, Seven
, Wonder Girls
and JYJ
have attempted to break into the American market, each met with varying levels of success. Rain, a Korean superstar, entered the American film industry. On May 2, Will.I.Am made a visit to the YG Entertainment building in Korea for a four hour-long meeting with Yang Hyun Suk, 2NE1
, and Teddy regarding 2NE1’s American advancement. Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas has also released a new music video for his single “Check It Out” featuring Nicki Minaj, and it has gained interest in Korea for his use of Korean text. Will.I.Am expressed his excitement in working with 2NE1 by asking the girls to try recording a song that he’s been working on in the States.Representatives of YG Entertainment commented, “Through Will.I.Am’s visit, we feel that we’ll be able to get closer to materializing a release date for 2NE1’s American advancement album.”
BIGBANG has won the EMA for Best Worldwide Act, beating Brittany Spears and many other tough competitors. This is seen as a sign of K-Pop fandom across the globe and has sparked the idea of BIGBANG expanding to American music market.
In addition, Korean companies have recently taken an interest in North American websites. Websites like DramaFever, Crunchyroll
, and Hulu
all offer Korean language television shows. Korean company Enswers bought Soompi.com, a pop culture site serving the United States.
's Sorry Sorry. The petition was a success for SM Entertainment decided to hold an additional concert. As a result, more than 14,000 people were gathered to see the SM Town Live in Paris concerts in Le Zénith de Paris on June 10 and 11 .
In late July 2011, 2NE1
's single "I Am the Best" ranked top of German music channel Viva's online clip charts, followed by MBLAQ
's "Mona Lisa" and Beast's "Breath."
, China
, and Taiwan
. Anti-Korean attitudes are suspected to be rooted in historical hatreds and ethnic nationalism. In Japan, an anti-Korean comic book, Hating the Korean Wave or Hate Korea: A Comic was released in July 26, 2005, which became a #1 bestseller on Amazon.co.jp. Japanese actor Sousuke Takaoka
openly showed his dislike for the Korean wave on his Twitter
, which triggered an internet movement to boycott Korean programming on Japanese television on the 8th of August.
Contemporary culture of South Korea
The contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have brought many changes to the way Korean...
around the world. The term was coined in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China. The Korean wave is responsible for achieving over one billion dollars in revenue annually for South Korea through cultural exports.
Korean drama
In 1999, reports of an emerging “Korean Wave" in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and other Asian countries started to come out. In 1997, as Korea was shaken by the IMF crisis and its belief in the industrial modernization process was turning weak, there was a widespread societal movement to make use of the cultural industry with its high added value to overcome the national crisis. Korean dramas continued to spread throughout Asia, achieving mainstream success in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, as well as carving niche markets in Europe and North America.Korean pop music
Korean pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, referred to as K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
(an abbreviation of Korean pop), has become a large part of the Korean Wave. K-pop's popularity has been attributed to talent and individualism, as well as having diversity through collaborating with international producers. In recent years, Korean entertainment companies have started to recognize YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
as a key component to the international spread of Korean culture. According to Bernie Cho, president of a Seoul-based agency specializing in the marketing of international K-pop acts, the entertainment companies are "aggressively steering their efforts to go international via the Internet".
Other aspects of the Korean wave
The Korean wave also reflects to the spread of other aspects of Korean culture, including food, clothing, video games, and the language.Effects and Impact
In the formative years of the Hallyu, many critics predicted the Korean wave would soon die down. However, recent trends suggest otherwise.An online copy of the article is available here. Korean culture exports are predicted to reach up to $3.8 billion in revenue in 2011, a 14% increase from the previous year. Although Hallyu has been reaching new heights, concerns have been issued about long-term stable growth of Korean culture exports.The Korean wave has been a source of national pride for many Koreans. Lee Dong Yeun, in a paper for the Korea Journal, states that "if the Korean Wave continues to surge, reflecting the diplomatic relations that supports a capitalist logic rather than [...] diversifying the cultural taste of the masses, then it will have to put up a hard fight against China's ethnocentrism and Japan's malleable nationalism."
Korean male celebrities are now among the highest-paid actors outside of Hollywood. According to the South Korean media, Winter Sonata
Winter Sonata
Winter Sonata is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by KBS in 2002. It is the second part of the Endless Love installment directed by Yoon Seok-Ho...
star Bae Yong Joon
Bae Yong Joon
Bae Yong-joon , is a South Korean actor best known for his roles in numerous television dramas and one of the first kkonminam icons. He is known as Yon-sama to his Japanese fans.- Early and private life :...
is now charging US$5 million a film; the highest in Asia. At least nine other Korean male stars earn more than $10 million a year. The celebrity culture serves as a tourist magnet for international visitors.
Tourism to South Korea has reported drastic increases since the Hallyu. From 2003 to 2004 alone, tourism increased from 2.8 million to 3.7 million foreign visitors. Television content, films, and music have been utilized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KCCA) of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism into bringing increased interest to the country.
In 2008, Korea's biggest Kpop export TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
/Tohoshinki made it in the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for having the world's largest official fan club. Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (TVXQ)
Cassiopeia is the official Korean fan club name of the Korean singing group, TVXQ . Its counterpart in Japan is BigEast. Cassiopeia is the biggest and largest fan club in Korea, with over 800,000 supporters. Members go to their concerts, give the band members birthday gifts and cheer them with red...
, the band's official fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
, have more than 800,000 official members just in South Korea, more than 200,000 official members in Japan (BigEast) and more than 200,000 international fans (iCassies). They also made the Guinness World Records a second time in 2009. Aside from having the world's largest fan club, the group was also listed as the most photographed celebrities in the world. From the day of their debut to March 19, 2009, the five members are estimated to have been photographed about 500 million times in magazines, albums jackets, and commercials, etc. The total figure includes individual photos as well as group pictures.
North Korea
There has been a steady flow of Hallyu pop culture in North Korea, with soap operas, movies and music from the south being smuggled in and sold in North Korean markets on CDs, DVDs and USB sticks. In November 2010, the North Korean State Security Department arrested a man for creating copies of South Korean drama DVDs in his Pyonganbukdo home and selling them in Pyongyang.Japan
In Japan, the Korean wave started after the successful airing of Winter SonataWinter Sonata
Winter Sonata is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by KBS in 2002. It is the second part of the Endless Love installment directed by Yoon Seok-Ho...
. Older Japanese women were the primary focus of the Hallyu at this time. Succeeding Korean culture booms happened through Korean music singers BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
and TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
. TVXQ's album Best Selection 2010
Best Selection 2010
Best Selection 2010 is the first Japanese greatest hits album by Korean boy band TVXQ. It was released on February 17, 2010 in Japan by their label Rhythm Zone in three editions: a 2CD+DVD version, a CD+DVD version and a CD version.-Track list:...
debuted #1 at the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
Chart by selling a total of 413,000 copies. They broke a 15 year record as the highest first-week sales by a foreign group, which was last set by Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
in 1995. TVXQ is also the first Korean group to perform and sold out 100,000 seats at Tokyo Dome. JYJ
JYJ
JYJ is a three-member pop group, formed by three members of the South Korean boyband TVXQ: Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu. Their group name is taken from the first letters of each members' names....
followed a year after, selling 140,000 seats during their Thanksgiving Live in Dome. TVXQ is the first and only Korean group to attend the prestigious Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Kohaku Uta Gassen
, more commonly known as simply Kōhaku, is an annual music show on New Year's Eve produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK and broadcast on both television and radio, nationally and internationally by NHK's networks and some overseas broadcasters which bought the program...
. The honor of performing on Kohaku is strictly by invitation, so only the most successful J-pop artists and enka singers can perform. Even today, a performance on Kohaku is said to be a big highlight in a singer’s career. BIGBANG followed TVXQ's success in Japan as they debuted on the Oricon Charts at #2. Big Bang was also hailed as ‘Korea’s EXILE’ by one of the Japanese newspaper. Some Japanese reporters and media representatives recently visited Korea, and when asked about Big Bang they said, “They seem to be doing very well with their first official album released in Japan”.They also said, “For those who are interested with HanRyu (Korean Wave) will know Big Bang well in Japan. Big Bang is seemed as a singing group who have their charms and their unique music styles. There is quite a mania for them here in Japan.”
In 2010, Korean girl groups like Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
and Kara
Kara (band)
Kara is a popular South Korean girl group signed with DSP Media . The band name Kara comes from the Greek Word "chara" Kara (Hangul: 카라, Japanese: カラ, often stylized as KARA) is a popular South Korean girl group signed with DSP Media (DSP). The band name Kara comes from the Greek Word "chara" Kara...
marked progress for other K-pop acts after being able to rank in the top five in the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. K-pop girl groups that advance into Japan focus on the young, independent, and teenage market. K-pop groups are seen as "cool and attractive", with emphasis on being "strong-minded" rather than being seen as "cute and sweet", with emphasis on being "Kawaii", which J-pop girl groups are known to be. In 2011, the boyband 2PM
2PM
2PM is a South Korean boy band, originally a seven-member group, but currently consisting of six members due to the sudden contract termination of leader Jaebeom following an Internet controversy in September 2009. They are managed by JYP Entertainment...
's new single 'Take Off' topped pre-order charts as well as reaching #1 on USEN J-POP chart and most noticeably, achieving #3 on the Oricon. Whilst already having a large established fan base in Japan, despite the group having not released any Japanese albums. Many Korean groups are debuting in Japan and have been popular.
However, the introduction of Hallyu into Japan has resulted in controversy. Conservative and nationalist groups
Japanese nationalism
encompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
and Uyoku dantai
Uyoku dantai
Uyoku dantai are Japanese nationalist right-wing groups.In 1996, the National Police Agency estimated that there are over 1000 right wing groups in Japan with about 100,000 members in total.-Tennō period:...
in Japan have organized anti-hallyu demonstrations. On 7 August 2011, more the 2,000 protesters demonstrated in front of Fuji TV's headquarters in Odaiba
Odaiba
is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
against the abundance of Korean drama
Korean drama
Korean drama refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. Many of these dramas have become popular throughout Asia and have contributed to the general phenomenon of the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu", and also "Drama Fever" in some countries...
s being broadcast by the television network. Earlier, in July 2011, well-known actor Sousuke Takaoka
Sousuke Takaoka
is a Japanese actor, who currently lives in Tokyo.Takaoka has often tackled powerful supporting roles, playing conflicted young men on the fringes of society...
was fired from Stardust Promotion
Stardust Promotion
is one of the leading talent management firms in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shibuya, Tokyo Stardust also operates its own record label, Stardust Music, and its own production company, Stardust Studio is one of the leading talent management firms in Japan. Its headquarters are located...
, his agency for tweeting against the influx of Korean soaps. Another demonstration against the Korean wave was held on August 21.
China, Taiwan and Hong Kong
China was one of the first locations to be hit by the Hallyu. In 2006, South Korean programs on Chinese government TV networks accounted for more than all other foreign shows combined. In addition, Korean music has mass appeal in the Chinese and Taiwanese markets. China's trade deficit in cultural goods has caused the government to attempt to limit the number of South Korean dramas and concert tours on several occasions. In Taiwan, Korean dramas' success is credited to a specific emphasis on the localization process. There is such a high demand in Hong Kong for Korean dramas that several channels were made, solely dedicated to them. TVB, building on the Korean hype in Hong Kong, established a new TV channel TVB-J2 in 2008, a station which devotes hours of airtime showing imported dramas. Another local free channel, ATV, shows Korean dramas in prime time five days a week.Despite the popularity of Korean dramas in the Sinosphere
Sinosphere
In areal linguistics, Sinosphere refers to a grouping of countries and regions that are currently inhabited with a majority of Chinese population or were historically under Chinese cultural influence...
, Taiwanese and Chinese television stations, including Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
, have strengtened measures to reduce the airtime allotted to Korean shows, because of fears that their respective domestic film industries suffer at the expense of imported Korean entertainment and criticism from the local film industry, including China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television is an executive branch under the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
.
Other parts of Asia
The Korean wave has been reported in places such as ManipurManipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where Korean culture has overtaken the place of banned Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
dramas and movies. The youths of urban Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
have also embraced Korean wave. Korean music and dramas are becoming really popular also in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
where there is a channel called Korea TV in Arabic. In India as well as Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Korean music and television serials have acquired a trendy reputation and popularity. The Korean wave has also reached Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
,, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and other parts of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
North, South & Latin America
The American Hallyu is relatively new. It has spread only since the digital age, and primarily through music and dramas. Social media sites like FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, Tumblr
Tumblr
Tumblr is a website and microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th...
, and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
all have been recognized as international tools to spread the Korean wave. Korean artists BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
, Seven
Seven (South Korean singer)
Choi Dong-wook , better known by his stage name Se7en, is a South Korean singer from YG Entertainment. He has released songs in South Korea, Japan, China and the United States.-2003: Debut:...
, Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls is a South Korean girl group. Its producer and manager is singer-songwriter Park Jin-Young and the Wonder Girls is signed to his talent agency, JYP Entertainment. Each of the five original members were selected through auditions...
and JYJ
JYJ
JYJ is a three-member pop group, formed by three members of the South Korean boyband TVXQ: Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu. Their group name is taken from the first letters of each members' names....
have attempted to break into the American market, each met with varying levels of success. Rain, a Korean superstar, entered the American film industry. On May 2, Will.I.Am made a visit to the YG Entertainment building in Korea for a four hour-long meeting with Yang Hyun Suk, 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
, and Teddy regarding 2NE1’s American advancement. Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas has also released a new music video for his single “Check It Out” featuring Nicki Minaj, and it has gained interest in Korea for his use of Korean text. Will.I.Am expressed his excitement in working with 2NE1 by asking the girls to try recording a song that he’s been working on in the States.Representatives of YG Entertainment commented, “Through Will.I.Am’s visit, we feel that we’ll be able to get closer to materializing a release date for 2NE1’s American advancement album.”
BIGBANG has won the EMA for Best Worldwide Act, beating Brittany Spears and many other tough competitors. This is seen as a sign of K-Pop fandom across the globe and has sparked the idea of BIGBANG expanding to American music market.
In addition, Korean companies have recently taken an interest in North American websites. Websites like DramaFever, Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is an American website and international online community focused on streaming East Asian media including anime, manga, drama, music, electronic entertainment, and auto racing content...
, and Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
all offer Korean language television shows. Korean company Enswers bought Soompi.com, a pop culture site serving the United States.
Europe & North Africa / Middle East
There has been a rising interest about K-pop and Korean dramas in Europe and North Africa/Middle East through Youtube and social networking services. On May 1 2011, K-pop fans from all parts of Europe did a flash mob in front of Le musée du Louvre requesting an additional “SM Town World Tour in Paris” concert after the tickets for the first concert was sold out in just 15 minutes. The flash mob was performed by European fans dancing and singing to K-pop music such as Super JuniorSuper Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
's Sorry Sorry. The petition was a success for SM Entertainment decided to hold an additional concert. As a result, more than 14,000 people were gathered to see the SM Town Live in Paris concerts in Le Zénith de Paris on June 10 and 11 .
In late July 2011, 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
's single "I Am the Best" ranked top of German music channel Viva's online clip charts, followed by MBLAQ
MBLAQ
MBLAQ is a South Korean quintet boy band created by Korean entertainer Rain under J.Tune Camp. The group consists of Seung Ho , G.O , Joon , Cheondoong/Thunder , and Mir...
's "Mona Lisa" and Beast's "Breath."
Backlash and criticism
Along with the success of the Korean wave came criticism. Like any other growing media force, Korean pop culture has come under attack in the countries it spreads to, as is the case in nations like JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. Anti-Korean attitudes are suspected to be rooted in historical hatreds and ethnic nationalism. In Japan, an anti-Korean comic book, Hating the Korean Wave or Hate Korea: A Comic was released in July 26, 2005, which became a #1 bestseller on Amazon.co.jp. Japanese actor Sousuke Takaoka
Sousuke Takaoka
is a Japanese actor, who currently lives in Tokyo.Takaoka has often tackled powerful supporting roles, playing conflicted young men on the fringes of society...
openly showed his dislike for the Korean wave on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, which triggered an internet movement to boycott Korean programming on Japanese television on the 8th of August.
See also
- Contemporary culture of South KoreaContemporary culture of South KoreaThe contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have brought many changes to the way Korean...
- Cinema of KoreaCinema of KoreaKorean cinema encompasses the motion picture industries of North and South Korea. As with all aspects of Korean life during the past century, the film industry has often been at the mercy of political events, from the late Joseon dynasty to the Korean War to domestic governmental interference...
- K-popK-popK-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
- Korean dramaKorean dramaKorean drama refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. Many of these dramas have become popular throughout Asia and have contributed to the general phenomenon of the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu", and also "Drama Fever" in some countries...
- ManhwaManhwaManhwa is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons . Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua...
- Korea Tourism OrganizationKorea Tourism OrganizationThe Korea Tourism Organization is a statutory organization of the Republic of Korea under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and is commissioned to promote the country's tourism industry.-Overview:...
- Presidential Council on Nation Branding, KoreaPresidential Council on Nation Branding, KoreaThe Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea was established on January 22, 2009 by Executive Decree 21283 with the objective to promote Korea’s global image; to right misconceptions about Korea, its culture, its products, and its people; and to raise respect for Korea so as to support...
- British InvasionBritish InvasionThe British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
- Uruguayan InvasionUruguayan InvasionThe Uruguayan Invasion was a musical phenomenon of the 1960s similar to the British Invasion, with rock bands from Uruguay gaining popularity in Argentina.-History:...
External links
- Critical article by Roald Maliangkay on the recent development of the Wave
- "'Korean Wave' Piracy Hits Music Industry", BBC, November 9, 2001.
- "A rising Korean wave: If Seoul sells it, China craves it", The International Herald Tribune, January 10, 2006.
- Korean Culture & Content Agency