The Globalizing Effect of Korean Pop Culture (2011)

The subject of globalization is typically centered heavily on the economic aspects changing the world.However, the cultural impact of globalization has also left a substantial footprint on all the nations involved in the integrated world system.Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith describe in The Case Against the Global Economy that "an intrinsic part of the process of economic globalization is the rapid homogenization of global culture." 1 The United States is typically seen as the leading agent behind the cultural changes taking place, a role which has sparked protest and opposition.As D. Clayton Brown states, "The most vocal expressions of dissatisfaction have come from spokespersons of other countries who denounced the spread of American culture around the world." 2 Accusations of McDonaldization labeled United States' entry into foreign lands as an act with the malevolent intentions of supplanting local cultures with American commercialism.Richard Barnet and John Cavanagh's essay in The Case Against the Global Economy is rife with examples of American music, Hollywood films, and media corporations like MTV overpowering local media and driving local entertainment aside, with the effect of replacing native tastes with a preference for American pop culture. 3he focus and attention on United States' dominance in the cultural atmosphere of globalization with its crass Americanism distracts attention from other aspects or types of cultural globalization.There is, as well, a tendency to view and categorize characteristics by continents and major cultural groups without careful distinctions.Operas and ballets are associated with Europe; tango dances and reggae are viewed as Latin American; martial arts, bamboo furniture, and feng-shui arrangements are inevitably grouped as Asian.For these reasons, a powerful development emanating from Seoul, South Korea, growing rapidly and resonating throughout the Asian continent for over a decade is relatively unknown in the West.To the majority of people living outside of Asia, the mention of Korea, if there is any cognition at all, will undoubtedly bring forth images of the Korean War and news reports of events around the demilitarized zone.To the denizens of Asia, however, the "Korean Wave" will irrevocably be the most prominent association.What then, is the Korean Wave?The term, hanliu (Mandarin) or Hallyu (Korean), was first coined by the Chinese media to describe what seemed like an overnight explosion of interest in Korean culture inside China. 4From there, the popularity of all things Korean, from pop bands to fashion, continued to grow and spread throughout the Asian continent.This development was wholly unanticipated and featured all the aspects of cultural globalization as Asian countries one after another embraced Korean pop culture.When viewed in a case-by-case analysis, especially in China and Japan, the Korean Wave has certain differences depending on the country, such as variations in the demographic categories, ef-audiences were drawn in by the modern images of "tall buildings, fancy cars, and high standard of living" projected onto their television screens. 16The popularity of this first drama resulted in a dramatic increase of Korean broadcasts, an effect enthusiastically hailed by the South Korean press."In the past, Korean soap operas rarely got broadcast abroadThese days, soap operas starring Korean stars like Chang Dong-kun and Kim Hee-sun are among the hottest items at international TV fairs for Asian buyers," remarked a 1999 article in the Korean Herald. 17At the same time, Korean pop music was making a similar breakthrough in China and Taiwan."In particular, the boy band H.O.T. found itself topping the pop charts in China and Taiwan in 1998; the band was so popular that album sales continued to surge, even after the band's break-up in mid-2001," wrote Professor Doobo Shim of Singapore National University. 18In Hong Kong, South Korean stars Song Seung-hun, Song Hye-kyo, and Won Bin became household names after their drama Autumn in My Heart created a large following in 2000. 19y 2001, the Korean pop culture fever, han guo re, was sweeping through in full force and given the term "Korean Wave" by the Chinese media as "a new generation of consumers classified as the 'Korea Tribes' in China aggressively [adopted] and [emulated] Korean lifestyles, ranging from fashion, food and consumption patterns to even plastic surgeries." 20In many large shopping districts of Beijing such as Women's Street, fashion stalls loudly advertising "Made in South-Korea" clothing became common features.Young Chinese students such as Ni Zhongwei and his friends often sing Korean songs at karaoke lounges, despite not understanding the language.An official at the South Korean Embassy said in a China Youth Daily interview that the interest in "Korean food, fashion, ornaments and lifestyle is gradually increasing." 21Korean shows began to sideline the formerly popular Japanese programs in Taiwan.Huang Tai-yu, a social psychologist remarked, "Just a few years back, when you said you were crazy about showbiz figures from South Korea, you would be regarded as a weirdo.And now you would be criticized as being old-fashioned for not taking in the Korean craze." 22he South Korean government, surprised and excited at the pace of events, began to draw up greater plans to support the explosive growth of Korean pop culture abroad.Korean Wave halls were planned to be set up in major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Hanoi, where the phenomenon had the heaviest impact.In South Korea as well, a large cultural center featuring exhibitions from all aspects of Korean pop culture was planned to be built near the capital's famed Dongdaemun (East Gate) to attract tourists and fans.A new "Korean Wave policy planning team" was created to be in charge of these large-scale projects. 23n 2002, the government created the Korea Culture and Content Agency to assist in the promotion of the country's cultural exports. 24South Korean shows leaking into North Korea influenced its women into copying the hairstyles of popular South Korean actresses, an act the North Korean regime subsequently cracked down upon.The surprising defection of a North Korean soldier who crossed the demilitarized zone stated that his action was spurred by what he saw from South Korean programs. 25Hong Kong tabloids began to cover South Korean celebrities and local vendors such as Dicky Tsang reported boosts of sales of Korean music and videos.Zhang Jianhua, a Beijing shop owner, expressed that "In the 80s it was Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong singers and movies, but now Korean is the thing." 26The popularity of Korean