The Korean Wave or as it is more popularly known the ‘Hallyu Wave’ is the rise in the popularity of South Korean culture globally. 

The word ‘Hallyu’ finds its origin in the chinese word Hanryu meaning “Korean wave”. The Korean wave refers to a global awareness of several aspects of South Korean culture, such as television and film (especially “K-dramas”), K-pop, manhwa, the Korean language, and Korean food. 

Hallyu first started gaining prominence in the 1990s and was originally only limited to Japan and China. That all changed with one movie. Released in 1999, ‘Swiri’ is a North Korea/South Korea espionage film. The film was not only popular in China and Japan but soon gained popularity in several South East Asian countries as well. This momentum was carried forward with dramas such as ‘Autumn In My Heart’ and ‘Winter Sonata’ and films like ‘My Sassy Girl’. The popularity of these entertainment products generated a lot of hype about Korean culture’s exploding prominence. 

The Korean government’s decision to relax the prohibition on Koreans travelling abroad in the early 1990s was perhaps the most crucial element that ultimately paved the way for Hallyu. This allowed a number of Koreans to go to the western world, primarily the United States and Europe. These western-educated Koreans carried with them new business approaches, new nuances and interpretations of art, movies, and music, as well as new means of expression. This resulted in a massive pool of young, energetic, and highly competent people eager to explore prospects in Korea. 

At the same time when the restrictions were repealed, Asia (including Korea) was experiencing the terrible Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. The Asian financial crisis was a perfect storm of bad debt, lender anxiety, and regional economic difficulties.Because many worldwide stakeholders still felt Korea was in terrible health after the crisis, the nation lost foreign direct investments, tourism, and faced global mistrust. To address the issue, the then newly elected president Kim Dae-Jung and the Korean head of global PR agency Edelman co-authored a book geared towards foreign investors titled “Korea: On Course – and Open for Business.”

Since the 2000s, the Korean Wave has seen a steady increase in popularity but that all changed with the growing use of the internet and social media. Hallyu has been spreading for over 20 years, but K-pop in particular has grown more visible to worldwide audiences in the last five to ten years. K-pop is a noticeable and distinct addition to the domain of pop music for three reasons: very high-quality performance (particularly dancing), an exceedingly perfected aesthetic, and a “in-house” technique of studio production. The international breakthrough of “Gangnam Style” was followed by a boom of K-Pop idol groups such as Big Bang, Girls’ Generation, 2PM, EXO, Wanna One, BTS, Twice and Blackpink.

Korean films and filmmakers have increasingly piqued the curiosity of international cinema communities. Train to Busan, has gained international acclaim as a must-see Korean film due to its intriguing subject matter and good narrative structure.Films such as ‘Parasite’ and ‘Minari’ have won several accolades worldwide. 

Korean skincare products have also grown in popularity throughout Asia. Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care have risen to the top of the Asia-Pacific beauty industry. K-dramas and K-pop boosted exposure of Korean beauty goods and brands, which increased demand among Indian women, resulting in the establishment of several specialist e-commerce businesses. Korean consumer brands are expected to be in great demand in India by 2020, with items ranging from food to cosmetics and toys, in addition to household gadgets. 

The Korean Wave’s budding global surge has not only boosted South Korea’s economy but also enhanced its soft power and cultural diplomacy. People all over the world are interested in the Korean Wave’s future because the continued flourishing of a local culture in global cultural marketplaces might send an inspirational message of acceptance and inclusiveness. The Korean Wave’s rise may also be an indication of changing relations between Western and non-Western cultures.