Present and Future of K-Culture – by Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Do you know exactly what the Hallyu is? Hallyu is a cultural phenomenon in which Korean popular culture is spread and consumed overseas. Starting with dramas in the late 1990s, Hallyu began to be known, and since 2010, K-pop has been leading the trend. The Hallyu Korean wave is not just here to stay — it was reborn as a Brand-new Hallyu with new content development and overseas expansion in more various regions. Despite the COVID-19, the increase in consumption of Korean cultural contents such as dramas, entertainment, and gamesfully reveals the powerful influence of the Hallyu.

Then, what is the secret of Korean cultural contents being so popular and loved around the world? First of all, it’s the overwhelming share of K-film and K-pop in the domestic market. In the ranking of all-time Korean releases, only 5 out of the top 20 are foreign films. And in the top 10 Korean Netflix viewing rankings in 2022, there are only 2 foreign films in the film sector, and no foreign programs in the TV sector. Looking at last week's Melon chart, Charlie Puth’s Attention was the only pop song in the top 50, and Justin Bieber was the only foreign singer to be ranked 9th in the top 20 Korean YouTube views. I think creative and high-quality contents owe to the solid demand of Koreans who love Korean movies and music.

And then, most foreign films are sci-fi or action films to target the global market. Marvel and Disney dominate the screen. On the other hand, Korean films are mostly dramas and comedies, which satisfied viewers looking for emotional empathy. Although the Korean market is incomparably smaller than the US market, Korean movie’s unique story is enough to be loved around the world.

Lastly, Hallyu was influenced by Korea's palli-palli (hurry-hurry) culture. Internet connection spped is also the fastest in the world. Koreans tend to be hot-tempered, so they collaborate a lot with other producers to create various contents quickly. In Korean society, people compete with each other at speed, and as a result, the Korean cultural industry has also developed rapidly. In Korean society, there is a speed competition, and because of this tendency, the Korean cultural industry was able to develop rapidly. And as the domestic market became saturated, Koreans quickly turned their attention to overseas markets.

I think the solid demand of Koreans who love Korean contents, unique and creative stories, and the fast and competitive culture of Korean society have a great influence on the growth of K-culture in the future.