KOREAN WAVE: ORIGIN, HALLYU IN MEXICO, SPAIN, PERU, COLOMBIA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

Hallyu, or the Korean wave, refers to the great global expansion of South Korean culture, in terms of the economics of entertainment, music, TV shows, pop trends, and more. It arises from the 90s and continues to this day.

The word "Hallyu" was popularized by Chinese media out of amazement at the growing popularity and influence of South Korean culture on the Asian continent. Much of the origins of Hallyu stem from television entertainment products such as dramas, which are popularly known as "K-dramas."

Hallyu or the Korean wave, talks about the expansion of South Korean culture throughout the world

Image by min woo park from Pixabay

At the beginning, during the 90s, the Korean wave had its first levels of expansion within the Asian continent. However, over time, South Korea has emerged as one of the great exporters of culture and has used multiple investments and financing from its own government entities to increase the value of the cultural industry.

Similarly, the development of social networks and new ways of communication, dissemination and distribution of content, have allowed all the entertainment products of the Korean wave to cross borders and become known in the different continents of the world.

Origin of the Korean wave

One of the first highlights in the development of the entertainment world in South Korea was the contact with foreign productions. It was not until the 1980s with the arrival of democracy, during the government of Roh Tae Woo, when the market was opened for the entry of international products.

In earlier times, national film production had been quite limited because filmmakers had to obtain government permits in order to produce a film. After the new policies resulting from democracy, production was freer and increased considerably.

The growth of the entertainment industry was influenced, first of all, by the introduction of film distribution offices of some film studios such as Twentieth Century Fox, Disney and Warner Brothers. This last factor produced a great unevenness within the film market in which the North American product began to have a greater advantage than the Korean.

As a result of this, the government decided to change its policy in order to favor the entertainment industry and thus enhance the image of South Korea. In part, it was because of the remarkable amount of profit that can be generated through entertainment, which also seemed a plus in the face of the 1994 manufacturing crisis.

Takeoff of the Korean wave

The beginning of the great Korean wave can be placed in the year 1997, the moment in which the South Korean industry began to penetrate other countries on the Asian continent. Its most successful initial product was television dramas, which became quite popular in East Asia. These dramas are characterized by being romantic or historical and their value has increased over the years.

During the first decade of the 21st century, multiple television shows and the K-pop music trend began to enter the Asian market with more frequency, which began to gain widespread popularity. The latter is possibly the most culturally driven product of Korean culture.

Within this musical field different genres are handled such as electro pop, hip hop and electronics. Besides, the element of dance is also included.

Girls Generation, one of the most successful k-pop bands in the world

Tangel’s tale

Today, K-pop has become a business-minded product within South Korea, and schools have even been developed to train aspiring young people who want to be in the music industry. In 2017, the Korean wave managed to collect a contribution of at least 18,000 million dollars.

On the other hand, animation and video games also stand out. All these entertainment products, apart from generating fame for the culture of the region, also led to increased tourism, interest in cooking and even learning Korean. Today, they are all export products with great influence on the economy of this country.

The Korean wave in America and Spain

Mexico

One of the most relevant aspects of the Korean wave in Mexico has been K-pop. Since 2006, Korean groups such as Super Junior, which has also performed in the country, have generated huge fans. According to data from Spotify, within the international market, Mexico ranks at number 3 as one of the most successful countries for K-pop.

Colombia

Not only has K-pop appeared as an element of cultural relevance in Colombia, but also k-dramas have managed to gain space on the television grid. By 2012, some television shows like Winter Sonata or Boys Before Flowers were part of the hits.

Fan meetings and conventions around pop culture are frequent. On the other hand, at the beginning of the current decade, the Korean Creative Content Agency (KoCCA) has supported multiple alliances in terms of educational and cultural projects for television, such as alliances with RCN and agreements with Caracol Television.

Korea and Colombia have maintained close relations, reaching various agreements and programs related to cultural and content exchange.

Peru

At the end of the 2010s, the Korean wave was growing in Peru with great impact in the musical field. Bands like Girls Generation or Super Junior have managed to create large fan communities in this country.

On the other hand, gastronomy has also been relevant. The Korean food market has tried to introduce its products within the territory of Peru. Cases such as “Assi Market”, a Korean product import business, can serve as an example. This project has operated since 2012 and continues today.

Spain

In Spain, as in Latin America, the Korean wave has stood out for its musical successes and television shows. Meetings for cultural exchange in holding events dedicated to the Korean wave have also become popular.

In these meetings, workshops, talks and samples of gastronomy, dances and other traditions are usually held.

Within the market, the popularity generated by Korean cosmetics has also begun to stand out, which has managed to position itself within the Spanish market.

References

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