BY Lee Seung-Ho
Jamsil Middle school
Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, refers to the increase in popularity of Korean culture over the past two decades. Hallyu has helped many Korean industries with economic gains, and it has helped improve Korea’s international image by drawing in many tourists from all over the world.
Since the 1990s, many Korean drama stars and singers have gained popularity in China and other parts of East Asia, including Japan and Taiwan. Even countries farther away, such as India, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Russia, and the United States have developed a growing interest in the Korean Wave. As a result of the interest in Korean shows and actors, many people have become interested in Korean products used in shows or promoted by actors.
To illustrate, actors Jeon Jihyun and Kim Soohyun are both expected to earn 50 billion won in the year 2015 due to their roles in the popular show “You Who Came from the Stars.” As a result, many Chinese corporations and consumers have become interested in products that the two celebrities have been promoting, reflecting just how influential Korean dramas and pop culture are to China. According to The Chosun Ilbo, the fashion brand ‘ShesMiss’ is experiencing a huge surge in sales due to a winter coat that Jeon wore in a recent episode. A representative of ShesMiss stated that, after the program aired, all 2,500 of the coats that were in stock at their stores sold out almost immediately.
The Korean Wave has also helped to attract many tourists from all over the world. Many fans of Korean dramas wish to see the real sites where dramas have filmed. The popular tourist site, visitkorea.or.kr, includes many filming locations as themed tours. Tourists now have the opportunity to learn more about Korean entertainment firsthand.
Promoting ethnocentrism will do nothing to further the Korean economy. We have achieved our current world status due to the Korean Wave. Due to technology, today’s world is a world of global citizens. We can accept this truth and take advantage of it, or we can reject it and fall by the wayside.
sngho411@naver.com
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