03 The global K-wave effect

The global K-wave effect

Korean culture is an increasingly potent global force, exerting influence on everything from film to fashion to food to fandoms.

In October 2021, Billboard launched its Hot Trending Songs chart, which ranks songs according to how much Twitter conversation they are driving. In an astonishing show of domination, 14 of the top 20 songs on the debut chart came from K-pop acts, including boy band legends BTS, rivals Enhypen and the Blackpink rapper Lisa. K-pop idols inspire fierce loyalty and their fandoms are a global cultural force on social media (see Mobilizing Fandoms, “Future 100: 2021”). The K-wave, also known as Hallyu, is taking the world by storm.

K-pop stars have graduated to the A-list, gathering brand endorsements by the dozen. Kai from Exo has partnered with Gucci and Blackpink’s members can reel off a host of collaborations with brands including Chanel, Celine, Dior and Tiffany. Burberry has signed up girl band Itzy, while Blackpink singer Rosé and rapper CL were the first Korean female artists to be invited to the Met Gala in 2021.

K-pop is just one of several Korean cultural exports building a global audience. The international popularity of Korean food and beauty brands is at an all-time high, with the latter exceeding $6 billion in 2020 according to data from the South Korean government. Even the English language has succumbed, with the

Oxford English Dictionary adding over 20 Korean words for 2022, including bulgogi (a delicacy of thin slices of pork or beef) and mukbang (livestream broadcasts of people eating large amounts of food).

Perhaps most surprising is the seemingly meteoric success of Korean entertainment, or K-drama, from 2020’s Oscar-winning film Parasite through to the Netflix phenomena Squid Game and Hellbound. The latter is already Netflix’s most watched original show, topping the charts in 80 countries within 24 hours of its launch in November 2021. It has overtaken Squid Game, which previously held the record and whose lead female protagonist, HoYeon Jung, has been snapped up by Louis Vuitton for its stable of global brand ambassadors, alongside K-pop giants BTS. Netflix is giving the K-wave a major vote of confidence, investing $500 million in K-dramas in 2021, including Bulgasal: Immortal Souls, released in December.

Korea’s rising star may seem to have come out of the blue but, as explained in a recent BBC Culture piece, it’s the successful result of a long-term economic initiative by the South Korean government to invest in so-called “soft power.” Now the rise of K-culture is being honored with a dedicated exhibition. From September 2022 to June 2023, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum will host a celebration of Korea’s cultural impact on the world. Hallyu! The Korean Wave is the first exhibition of its kind and has the backing of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Seoul.

Why it’s interesting The accessibility and freshness of Korean popular culture has taken the global stage, turning the nation’s exports into powerhouses across music, fashion, entertainment and more. Brands can ride the K-wave, tapping into the currency of Hallyu stars that now transcends borders.

Left: Korean musical artist Psy on Today 2012, New York. Courtesy of Jason Decrow, Invision, AP, Shutterstock Right: Tchai Kim Young-Jin Hanbok Collection, 2015, modeled by Bae Yoon Young. Courtesy of YG Kplus