K-Pop: Korean Cultural Imperialism in Asia

2PM

The term “hallyu,” or the Korean wave, symbolizes the widespread of Korean pop music and soap operas in Asian countries. The first-generation Korean wave started with Korean soap operas and TV shows in the late 90s, and now Korean pop music, or so-called K-pop, is leading the new generation of “hallyu.”  K-pop is a unique genre of music that is performed by boy bands or girl groups, and is also characterized by synthesized beats, synchronized dance routines, and fashionable outfits (you can watch this video of Wonder Girls’ performing “No Body” to get a better understanding of K-pop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFjP-OJ7Bh4). K-pop groups, such as Girls Generation, 2PM, Wonder Girls, and Super Junior, attracted millions of teenagers in Asia. According to Korean Creative Industry Research Institute, K-pop accounts for “more than half of imported music sales in Thailand,” and other Southeast Asian countries pay a lot more to import Korean music than they do for other foreign music. Also, a research provided by Asian Pulse magazine reveals that “the combined net income of South Korea’s three major music agencies grew more than eight-fold from a year earlier to US$28.6 million in 2010.” The three industry giants – SM Entertainment Co., JYP Entertainment Corp., and YG Entertainment Co. now have a large economic and cultural impact in Asia, generating positive publicity across Asia. I call this new phenomenon “Korean Cultural Imperialism”.

Girls Generation

When I was growing up in Korea in the 90s, K-pop had just started to develop its style and had only a limited number of audience groups as the Asian music market was largely dominated by Japanese singers and rock bands. Honestly, I don’t think any music critics had predicted that K-pop would dominate the music market in Asia and create a sense of Korean cultural imperialism across Asia. Some critics may say that describing the popularity of K-pop as “cultural imperialism” might be an overstatement. However, it is only appropriate to use the term “imperialism” for the following reasons:

1.Fuels exports of music-related products: With the thriving technology and social media sites, K-pop bands were able to reach a wider audience. The official Girls Generation’s Facebook page has more than 2 million fans, and there are thousands of YouTube videos of teenagers following famous K-pop dance routines step by step. In addition, iTunes and social media sites made it easier for K-pop fans to purchase songs digitally, generating more popularity and revenues in digital sales. Furthermore, the top three agencies have created a new revenue stream through tours and events. For example, SM Entertainment Co. organizes an annual tour called “SM Summer Town.” This sold-out tour is extremely popular in Asia and fans sometimes perform a flash mob to demand tickets and more concert dates. With the successful digital sales and tours, some companies in Korea also export other music-related products, such as karaoke machines, apparels, and ring tones to generate more revenues. 

2. Boosts the country’s image abroad:  As K-pop culture thrives in Asia, other Asian countries are becoming more familiar with Korean culture, food, and language. According to Asia Pulse, more students are learning Korean as their second language in school. Furthermore, some conservative towns or countries in Asia that were reluctant to accept foreign cultures, they are now more accepting of other cultures. The perception of Korea has changed and its positive image affects other industries as well. The positive image of Korea could improve the diplomatic relationship between Korea and other Asian countries as K-pop acts as a cultural ambassador. 

3.  Improves more positive image to other Korean brands and products: K-pop also popularized other non-music-related products. When fans see K-pop stars using Korean products, they want to buy the same products as well. Also, the popularity of K-pop created a national image that Korea only manufactures good-quality products. From Samsung’s home appliances to Etude’s cosmetic products, Korean brands and products gained more popularity and exposure through K-pop.

K-pop not only boosts the Korean entertainment industry, but also acts as an economic growth engine and diplomatic ambassador for Korea. Now, investors and companies wish to jump on the K-pop bandwagon to seize golden opportunities in Asian market. K-pop indeed created a sense of cultural imperialism in Asia. However, why isn’t K-pop popular in the U.S. even though it is extremely popular in Asia? I will be discussing my thoughts on that topic in my next blog.