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The Korean Wave,[1] also known as the Hallyu (Hangul: 한류; Hanja: 韓流; RR: Hallyu), refers to the 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.[2] The Korean wave is responsible for achieving over one billion dollars in revenue annually for South Korea through cultural exports.[3][4]
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In 1999, there were reports of an emerging “Korean Wave" in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and other Asian countries started to come out.[5] 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.[6] Korean dramas continued to spread throughout Asia, achieving mainstream success in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia,[1][2] as well as carving niche markets in Europe[7][8] and North America.[9]
Korean pop music, referred to as K-pop (an abbreviation of Korean pop), has become a large part of the Korean Wave.[4][10] K-pop's popularity has been attributed to intense hype and promotion, rather than any exhibited talent and individualism,[11] as well being very similar in spite of collaborating with international producers.[12] In recent years, Korean entertainment companies have started to recognize YouTube as a key component to the international spread of Korean culture.[8] 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".[13]
The Korean wave also reflects to the spread of other aspects of Korean culture, including food, clothing, video games, and the language.[1][2]
In the formative years of the Hallyu, many critics predicted the Korean wave would soon die down.[14] However, recent trends suggest otherwise.[15] Korean culture exports are predicted to reach up to $3.8 billion in revenue in 2011, a 14% increase from the previous year.[4] Although Hallyu has been reaching new heights, concerns have been issued about long-term stable growth of Korean culture exports.[16]
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."[15]
Korean male celebrities are now among the highest-paid actors outside of Hollywood.[17] 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.[2] The celebrity culture serves as a tourist magnet for international visitors.[17]
Tourism to South Korea has reported dramatic increases since the Hallyu. From 2003 to 2004 alone, tourism increased from 2.8 million to 3.7 million foreign visitors.[2] 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.[18]
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.[19]
A steady flow of Hallyu pop-culture reaches North Korea, with smuggled soap-operas, movies and music from the south sold in North Korean markets on CDs, DVDs and USB sticks.[20][21] 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.[22]
In Japan, the Korean wave started after the successful airing of Winter Sonata. Older Japanese women were the primary focus of the Hallyu at this time.[2] Succeeding Korean culture booms happened through Korean music singers BoA and TVXQ(TVXQ has refused to belong to the Korean wave [23]). TVXQ is the first album Best Selection 2010 debuted # 1 on the Oricon weekly charts and sold a total of 413000 copies.[24] 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.[25] 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.[26][27] 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 [28] as well as reaching #1 on USEN J-POP chart [29] 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 dramas being broadcast by the television network.[30][31] Earlier, in July 2011, well-known actor Sousuke Takaoka was fired from Stardust Promotion, his agency for tweeting against the influx of Korean soaps.[32] Another demonstration against the Korean wave was held on August 21.
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.[2] 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.[33] In Taiwan, Korean dramas' success is credited to a specific emphasis on the localization process.[34] 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.[35]
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.[36]
The Korean wave has been reported in places such as North Eastern part/states of India (where majority of population is of Mongoloid race) such as in state of Manipur, India, where Korean culture has overtaken the place of banned Bollywood dramas and movies.[37][38][39] There is also a very small minority of people spread across India, primarily youngsters in metros, cities or places with access to broadband internet who are aware and are often ardent fans of Korean movies and culture.
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,[10] Vietnam, the Philippines, and other parts of Southeast Asia.[8]
The American Hallyu is relatively new. It has spread only since the digital age, and primarily through music and dramas. Social media sites like Facebook, 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.[8][13][40] Rain, a Korean superstar, entered the American film industry.[41] 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.[9] Korean company Enswers bought Soompi.com, a pop culture site serving the United States.[42]
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.[43] The flash mob was performed by European fans dancing and singing to K-pop music such as Super Junior'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 .[44]
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."[45]
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 Japan, China, and Taiwan. Anti-Korean attitudes are suspected to be rooted in historical hatreds and ethnic nationalism.[15][46] 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.[47]
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