From music to skincare, many are familiar with South Korean pop culture in one way or another. 한류, spelled “hallyu” romanized, directly translates to “Korean wave” and refers to the popularity of South Korean pop culture all around the world. So, how did a country that only gained independence 78 years ago achieve such widespread prominence, especially in the Western world.
The rise of South Korean pop culture can be traced back to the first movies produced in the modern Korean film industry in the late 90s, specifically Shiri, a movie about South Korean agents trying to stop a North Korean terrorist plan. The film was a major success, earning more box revenue than Hollywood films like Titanic in Korea. It adopted an American style while remaining relevant to both Koreans, in the setting of the film, and non-Koreans alike. Shiri significantly contributed to the spread of Korean cinema in Korea as well as abroad, acting as a catalyst for hallyu.
Another part of Korean pop culture that strengthened hallyu was Korean cosmetics, dubbed K-beauty. K-beauty started to become popular worldwide during the 90s, during the same time in which Korean cinema began to develop worldwide relevance. The products were officially introduced to the U.S. market in 2011 when skincare brand Dr Jart+ arrived in Sephora stores. Before Korean skincare was introduced, skincare in the Western world was not nearly as complex, consisting of washing the face once and applying a moisturizer with sunscreen for the day, and a night cream for the evening. By contrast, Korean skincare philosophy encouraged an extensive use of skincare to prevent skin concerns, rather than using makeup to cover them. An example of this unique philosophy is the Korean 10-step skincare routine, which shook Westerners and made K-beauty to stand out among Western beauty products. It is estimated that K-beauty is 10-12 years ahead of Western cosmetics, showing just how innovative it is. Pimple patches, stick-on acne spot-treatments with hydrocolloid, microneedles, or other substances, serve as an example of this. Currently, they are new and mainstreamed in the U.S., but have been used in South Korea for close to ten years. The unfamiliar and fascinating ideas behind K-beauty, as well as its innovative product formulas, allowed K-beauty to become renowned globally, further feeding hallyu.
Fast forward to 2012, Korean singer Psy released “Gangnam Style,” a Korean pop song that became the first video to top a billion streams on YouTube. This marked the introduction of Korean Pop music (referred to as K-pop) to the U.S. Slowly, but surely, K-pop became more popular with the rise of groups like BTS, who managed to amass a startlingly immense following. BTS became popular for their music that embraced Western pop while staying true to its Korean roots, with Korean-style harmonies and melodies, as well as lyrics in Korean. People liked the music so much to the point where they would listen to it despite not understanding the lyrics. The cultural significance of BTS was in part made possible by the Internet, as fans had platforms to share their love for it with others. Additionally, online communities like Soompi, which is still active, allowed fans who spoke Korean to translate and analyze K-pop songs and interviews with the artists for those who did not. The release of “Gangnam Style” made K-pop known on a global scale and put it on the map as a significant global force in the music industry. This was later followed by a rise in K-pop, caused by groups like BTS who became enormously popular for their music that combined American and Korean elements, further helped by online platforms that gave fans a voice.
Close to 80 years post-independence and post-war with North Korea, South Korean culture has gained international recognition, nothing short of a phenomenon. Today, people all over the world participate in South Korean pop culture, whether it’s by listening to K-pop, watching Korean cinema, or adopting K-beauty into their beauty routines. Through combining Western and Korean elements in entertainment and introducing revolutionary ideas in skin care practices, South Korean culture has made a name for itself around the world. Sheer innovation has allowed a relatively new country like South Korea to spread its culture worldwide, from advanced beauty products to cinema that can compete against Hollywood.
Works Cited:
Baptiste Le Guay, Vincent Gallon. “K-Beauty: How Did Korea Make Its Mark in the World of Cosmetics?” Premium Beauty News, 19 October, 2021, https://www.premiumbeautynews.com/en/k-beauty-how-did-korea-make-its,19204.
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Havis, Richard James. “How 1999 South Korean Blockbuster Shiri Changed Asian Cinema Forever.” South China Morning Post, 24 March, 2019, https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3002848/shiri-how-1999-south-korean-action-blockbuster-changed.
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Mastantuono, Molly. “Hooray for Hallyu.” Bentley University, 14 April, 2021. https://www.bentley.edu/news/hooray-hallyu.
“Shiri.” IMDb, 13 February, 1999. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192657/.
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