Hallyu: The Origin, Impacts and the Factors for the Global Rise of the Korean Wave

BINUS Korea Corner invited a professor at the Division of International Studies from Korea University, Prof. Andrew Eungi Kim to speak about “Hallyu: Origins, Impact, and Factors for the Global Rise of the Korean Wave” at its virtual international seminar, held Friday (18/06).

Attended by Mr. Bae Sung Won, the director of Jakarta Office, Korea Foundation and no less than 600 participants, the webinar discussed how Korean Wave or so-called Hallyu were firstly initiated and how it gained international prominence. 

Prof. Kim emphasized that Hallyu is South Korean ’s soft power to raise international exposure and recognition of Korean cultural products. 

Korean culture-related exports have significantly contributed to their GDP, amounting over $6.7 billion in 2017. 

Surprisingly, the lead export commodity is not K-pop nor K-drama, but rather online games, such as Lineage Revolution and Battlegrounds, and characters, such as Pororo, Dooly, and Larva

“…Products which stimulate people’s imagination and emotions are worth much more than material goods. That is popular music, movies, television programs, cartoons, and animations. All of which provide pleasure and happiness to people, are more important than ever before,” Prof. Kim opined about today’s consumers’ intrinsic motivational factor.

The webinar concluded with a Question & Answer session focusing on the discussion about the future prospects of Hallyu, its economic and cultural impacts on other countries, and how Korean government supports the continuation of Hallyu.