Hallyu: A Closer Look at Korean Globalization

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The second round of Korean Wave surfaced from 2009 as Korean idol groups took advantage of the increased popularity of social networking services such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Unlike the Korean dramas, the spread of K-pop went step by step, as there has not been a giant success in the music industry that could match that of Winter Sonata or Dae Jang Geum (Tuk 19). By the late 2000s, teenagers and young adults from around the world became receptive to K-pop bands such as big Bang and Super Junior, both of which attracted a huge number of fans from South America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and among immigrants with an Asian, Middle Eastern, African, or Eastern European background. With the increasing global interest in K-pop, several Korean singers – notably BoA, Se7en, and Wonder Girls – attempted to expand their music careers, releasing English albums in the United States, which led to a failure in attracting a large group of fans. Although Korean pop culture remained confined to the immigrant population in the United States, Hallyu continued to reach countries outside North America, as Korean singers put efforts into connecting with their fans at a more personal level, through social networking services. Furthermore, the three major entertainment companies today – SM, YG, and JYP – have played an important role in spreading Hallyu by creating a “hybrid form of music that appeals to many different cultures” (Tuk 47). Their music is often written and produced by composers and writers from around the world, choreographers are also recruited from foreign countries, and a number of idol groups have members who are not born in South Korea. Following these efforts in expanding the Korean pop culture, by the end of 2011, the immense growth and recognition of Hallyu could be observed through the popularity of K-pop videos on YouTube. The total number of YouTube views generated by K-pop videos has surpassed the 1 billion mark, tripling from 800 million in the previous year. Today, K-pop artists maintain their fandom by holding global events such as the 2010 SM Town Live in Paris, France.

The music video for Psy’s Gangnam Style reached 100 million views on YouTube. His success did not go unnoticed in the United States, as Psy signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records for the release of his album in America. Although Psy’s accomplishment worldwide may seem unexpected to some, the growth and spread of Hallyu or Korean Wave has been showing signs for such events to occur since the early 2000s. Hallyu had its first appearance with the success of the drama Winter Sonata as the drama attracted hardcore fans from all over Asia. The appeal of Korean dramas can be attributed to its ability to capture unrealistic but ideal life with the perfect relationships and characters. While the sudden boom of Korean dramas triggered Asian countries to set a restriction to the number of Korean television series and music and Hallyu seemed to die down in the mid 2000s, the Korean Wave made its big return with the rise of K-pop music. In an attempt to expand Korean music industry, SM, YG, and JYP entertainment companies began to produce hybrid music with the help of foreign composers, writers, and choreographers. Idol groups not only consisted of foreign and English-speaking members, but also took the advantage of social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, connecting with fans at a closer personal level. These efforts allowed Korean pop culture to blend into the countries around and even outside the boundaries of Asia, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the Americas. With the power of social media, the effort to create media products that embrace a hybrid culture, and the constant development of technology and economy in Korea, Hallyu shows the potential to maintain its success in the future.

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Works Cited

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