When I spoke to a Korean audience last week, the subject of "Hallyu", or the "Korean Wave," came up. "Hallyu" is a buzzword that describes the spread of Korean media and culture worldwide, primarily through Korean films and television shows (especially dramas). The person who introduced me noted that I had done a study on the economic impact of the Korean Wave and mentioned that audience members who had questions about it could ask me questions on the subject. The irony in that offer is that he was inviting Koreans to ask me, a foreigner, about a Korean phenomenon that most Koreans already know well. What they don’t know is just how significant an economic impact Hallyu has had on the Korean economy.
I did my study on the effects of Hallyu in 2004. My study is a bit dated but still relevant. In 2004, "Winter Sonata," a 20-episode drama series by Korean broadcasting company KBS, rocked the Asian world. The drama made Korean stars Bae Yong Jun and Choi Ji Woo household names in Asia. The euphoria over "Winter Sonata" has since subsided, but Korean Wave is still rolling. Korean films and dramas tend to become popular overseas about a year after they are initially released in Korea. During the past two years, three notable Korean dramas have been extremely popular here and have the potential to become Korea’s next runaway global hit–"Lovers in Paris," "Lovers in Prague," and "My Lovely Samsoon." Like their American counterparts, Korean producers and directors are keen to build lucrative franchises ala James Bond and the "Lord of the Rings." For example, "Winter Sonata" is one of four dramas in the "Seasons" series. The other three lesser-known dramas in the series are "Summer Scent," "Autumn Tales," and the upcoming "Spring Waltz." Dramas with variations of the "Lovers" theme also form a quasi-franchise. I sometimes remark that "Lovers" dramas, which are set in various amorous locations ranging from Harvard to Prague, is a bit like the U.S. show "Survivor," which moves around from destination to destination. I’m still waiting for "Lovers in Guatamala." Probably won’t happen.
Here is a summary of my 2004 report on the effects of "Hallyu" on the Korean economy.
What is "Hallyu," or the "Korean Wave"?
The term Hallyu, or "Korean Wave," was created by the Chinese media to describe a “new” Korean media phenomenon. "Hallyu" is especially popular in East and Southeast Asia and in overseas Asian communities. Countries that have embraced "Hallyu" include Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. "Hallyu" is a buzzword for the rising worldwide interest in Korean culture, including:
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Dramas (soap operas)
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Movies
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Popular music
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Food and drink
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Traditional culture
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Tourism
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Cosmetic surgery
"Hallyu" is not just a teen phenomenon. In fact, in many places such as Japan, older women are its biggest fans. It has been actively promoted by the Korean Government through organizations such as the Korean National Tourism Organization. Korean actors such as Bae Yong Jun, Choi Ji Woo, and Won Bin, singers such as BoA and Bi, and artists and designers such as Andre Kim have helped promote "Hallyu" worldwide.
Hallyu Timeline
Worldwide interest in Korean media and culture grew after the Korean War (1950-53):
1955: Modern tae kwondo is born
- 1980s: Discourses on Korean culture by Yi Gyu-tae and others
- 1988: Korea showcased during Summer Olympics
- 1997: Hong Kong’s STAR-TV broadcasts Korean drama "Star in My Heart"
- 2002: World Cup promotes Korean culture globally
- 2004: KNTO launches “Korean Wave 2004” campaign and interest in the Korean Wave skyrockets after "Winter Sonata" is broadcast in Japan
Benefits of "Hallyu"
"Hallyu" significantly benefits Korea and its economy, including:
A subtle social barrier exists in Korea than few recognize–the Korean identification number, or KID number. Each Korean citizen has a unique seven-digit Korean national ID number akin to a Social Security number (SSN). KID numbers are assigned to individuals based on age, gender, and place of birth. Usage of the Korean ID is far more prevalent here than the Social Security number is in the United States. While usage of the SSN has been on the decline in the U.S. because the private sector is moving away from using SSNs, the Korean ID number remains omnipresent in Korea. It is difficult to integrate into Korean society without a KID. When you open a Korean bank account, you need to furnish a KID. When you subscribe to a Korean cell phone plan, you need to give the provider your Korean ID number. If you want to join Cyworld, the hottest Web site in Korea, you need to give them your KID number. (If you want to read more about Cyworld, read BusinessWeek’s article about the wildly popular Korean social networking website. Cyworld is absolutely fascinating. Unfortunately, you need to read Korean to be a member.)
Last weekend my wife and son tried to visit the Children’s Museum at the National Museum of Korea. My wife was told that she needed to buy tickets online. When she tried to buy them, the web site asked for her KID. This happens virtually anytime you visit a Korean website that requires membership. If you’re an expatriate in Korea who does not have a KID, you are not only hamstrung if you don’t know the Korean language, but you’re also hindered by not having a KID. It’s very frustrating. The KID is a useful way to distinguish people with the same name, which is a frequent occurance in Korea. The surnames Kim, Park, and Lee and related combinations comprise the vast majority of Korean surnames. The KID is an easy way to distinguish Kim Seunghee 1234567 from Kim Seunghee 7654321. Unfortunately, the KID can lead to discrimination, as those who do not qualify for KIDs–namely foreigners, must cope with living in Korea without a national ID number. Of course, if you’re a privacy advocacy, perhaps not having a KID is a good thing.
One year ago today, we arrived in Korea. One year from now, we’ll be on our way to an unknown destination. Our time in Seoul has passed by much too fast. I remember the day we arrived at Incheon International Airport. We were all feeling under the weather after our trip to Hawai’i (our illnesses made us feel as if we going through hell in paradise). To make matters worse, my son had an eye infection. Our sponsor picked us up and immediately drove us to the nurse, who treated our son’s eye. It healed within a few days. We all experienced jetlag for about a week after we arrived. We arrived on a Thursday evening and spent a quiet first weekend in Seoul. After that, it’s never been the same. The past two weeks have been filled with so many distractions that it makes me nostalgic for some peace and quiet. This blog is one of the few refuges I have to get away from it all. Perhaps our next destination will be slower paced than life is here in Seoul. I can’t complain too loudly, though. The first year in Seoul has been crazy and chaotic, life changing and mind-blowing at the same time.
Blog Notes: This entry will be short because I spent some time tonight expermenting with MSN Spaces’ Power Toys. You may have noticed that I added Windows Media Player to World Adventurers. This is a feature common to other blogs. I added a piece of traditional Korean music available at this web site. I also added an MSN Alerts feature using the Custom HTML Toy. The Space Craft, MSN Spaces’ team blog, provided detailed instructions on adding Power Toys to MSN Spaces (see the Quick Links section). They are really cool toys, but they require some effort to install and basic knowledge of Web development to quickly and painlessly add them to an MSN Spaces blog. Give them a try!
