Understanding the Korean Wave A comprehensive and critical introduction to understanding the Korean Wave (Hallyu) as a transnational media phenomenon. This book provides an accessible introduction to the Korean Wave—the rapid growth of local cultural industries and the global popularity of Korean popular culture over the past 30 years—providing historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural context to its initial rise and enduring popularity. Jin explores the transnational cultural flows of Hallyu across a variety of products and digital technologies—from television dramas, film, and K-pop to online games, and webtoons—and explains the process of cross-media convergence and the socio-political contexts behind the Hallyu phenomenon. He also explores how overseas fans and audiences advance K- pop fandom as social agents in different geo-cultural contexts.
The book concludes by discussing if Hallyu can become a sustainable global popular culture beyond a fan-based regional cultural phenomenon. Each chapter features detailed contemporary case studies and discussion questions to enhance student engagement. This is essential reading for students of Media and Communication, Cultural Studies, Korean Studies, and Asian Studies, particularly those taking classes on popular culture and media, media and globalization, Korean popular culture, and East Asian culture. Dal Yong Jin is a Distinguished Professor at Simon Fraser University and a Global Professor in the School of Media & Communication at Korea University.
Jin’s primary research and teaching interests are digital platforms and games, globalization and media, transnational cultural studies, and the political economy of media and culture. Jin has published numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters. His books include Korea’s Online Gaming Empire (2010), Digital Platforms, Imperialism and Political Culture (2015), New Korean Wave: Transnational Cultural Power in the Age of Social Media (2016), Smartland Korea: Mobile Communication, Culture and Society (2017), and Artificial Intelligence in Cultural Production: Critical Perspectives on Digital Platforms (2021). Understanding the Korean Wave Transnational Korean Pop Culture and Digital Technologies Dal Yong Jin Cover image: Marco_Piunti/Getty Images First published 2024 by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 and by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2024 Dal Yong Jin The right of Dal Yong Jin to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Jin, Dal Yong, 1964- author.
Title: Understanding the Korean wave : transnational Korean pop culture and digital technologies / Dal Yong Jin. Description: New York : Routledge, 2024. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023011065 (print) | LCCN 2023011066 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032492957 (paperback) | ISBN 9781032492964 (hardback) | ISBN 9781003393016 (ebook) Classification: LCC HM621 .48/3-- dc23/eng/20230508 LC record available at https://lccn.gov/2023011065 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.gov/2023011066 ISBN: 978-1-032-49296-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-49295-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-39301-6 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003393016 Typeset in Sabon by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
Contents Preface 1 Introduction What Is the Korean Wave? Major Goals of the Book Summary of the Book PART I History, Theory, and Context of the Korean Wave 2 The History of the Korean Wave Introduction From the Pre-Korean Wave to the New Korean Wave Hallyu 1.0: Early 1990s–2007 Advent of Local Cultural Industries and the Korean Wave Korean Government Initiatives Early Hallyu and Globalization in the Asian Region Hallyu 2.0: 2017 Through the Present Conclusion 3 Theoretical Approaches: From Cultural Proximity to Transnational Proximity Introduction Theoretical Considerations in Global Cultural Flows Cultural Proximity in Hallyu Audiences Affective Affinities in Global Hallyu Fans Emergence of Transnational Proximity in Global “Fan Audiences” Transnational Proximity in K-pop Transnational Proximity in Screen Culture Conclusion 4 Cultural Policy in the New Korean Wave Introduction What Is Cultural Policy in Hallyu Studies? Neoliberalism vs. State-led Developmentalism in Cultural Policy Cultural Policy in the Pre-Hallyu Era Cultural Policy in the Hallyu 1.0 Era Cultural Policy in the Hallyu 2.0 Era Cultural Policy in the Hallyu 3.0 Era Conclusion 5 Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy Introduction Understanding Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy Soft Power and the Korean Government Soft Power Toward Public Diplomacy Celebrity Diplomacy Film Festivals K-pop Competitions Cultural Diplomacy in the Korean Wave Tradition Conclusion 6 Local Cultural Industries Toward the Global Cultural Markets Introduction Cultural Industries vs. Creative Industries in the Korean Wave The Cultural Industries The Creative Industries The Content Industries The Growth of the Local Cultural Industries in the Early Hallyu Era Cultural Industries in the New Korean Wave Media Workers as Cultural Creators Digital Platforms in the Korean Wave Conclusion PART II Transnational Korean Wave 7 The New Wave of K-dramas in the Digital Platform Age Introduction Television Hallyu in the Hallyu 1.0 Era Was What Is Love? the Forerunner of the Korean Wave? Growth of Television Formats in the New Korean Wave Shift in Television Content in the OTT Platform Era Transnational Cultural Flows in the Digital Platform Netflix and Platform Imperialism Case Studies: The Squid Game Model vs. The Extraordinary Attorney Woo Model Television Hallyu’s Global Fans Conclusion 8 K-pop Fandom from Global Perspectives Introduction K-pop Fandom and Transculturalism The Growth of K-pop in the Global Cultural Sphere Hybridity of K-pop The Advent of Virtual K-pop Nexus of K-pop and Social Media Case Study: BTS-Authenticity, Hardship, and Learning to Love Yourself Conclusion 9 Korean Cinema and Hallyu Cinema Introduction Korean Cinema as the Korean Wave Evolution of Korean Cinema in the Korean Wave Era Remakes of Korean Films and Hallyu Netflix Is Riding the Korean Wave Case Study: Parasite (2019) Conclusion 10 Transnational Digital Games and Esports Introduction Convergence of Youth Culture and Digital Gaming The Growth of the Korean Game Industry Transformation of the Korean Game Industry in the Smartphone Era Growth of Esports Across the Globe From Korean Esports to Global Esports Case Study: KRAFTON’s Battlegrounds and Esports Conclusion PART III Problematizing the Korean Wave 11 What Is the K in the Korean Wave? Introduction What Is Koreanness in Hallyu Content The K in K-pop Hybridization in the Korean Wave The K in Hallyu and Cultural Nationalism Critical Understanding of K-Everything Conclusion 12 Diaspora, Ethnicity, and the Korean Wave Introduction Diaspora and Popular Culture The Role of Diaspora Koreans in the Hallyu Phenomenon Korean Diaspora and Digital Technologies The Korean Wave and Diasporic Identity Case Study: Ethnic Drama Kim’s Convenience in Canada Conclusion 13 BTS and Fan-Nationalism Introduction From Banal Nationalism and Cyber-Nationalism in a BTS Nation BTS and ARMY in the Global Music Sphere Cyber-Nationalism in a BTS Nation: ARMY as Bulletproof for BTS ARMY Citizens Fulfill BTS’s Messages Critical Interpretations of Cyber-Nationalism in the BTS Sphere Conclusion 14 Webtoons, Transmedia Storytelling, and Intellectual Property Introduction Transmedia Storytelling in the Korean Wave Webtoons in the Korean Cultural Industries Transnationalization of Korean Webtoons Webtoons’ Transnational Transmedia Storytelling Case Study: Tower of God Conclusion References Index Preface Over the past 30 years, the Korean Wave has continued to evolve.
Despite several setbacks due to geopolitics and global competition, Korean popular culture and digital technologies have become some of the most significant non-Western forces. Several scholars and media, both nationally and internationally, believed the Korean Wave was a fad, and therefore, they claimed that the boom would disappear sooner rather than later. Due to its small size and influence in its earlier stages, the Korean Wave was not stable and consistent. Whenever neighboring countries blocked Korean popular culture in the midst of anti-Korean movements and geopolitics, the Korean Wave experienced consecutive crises.
The situation surrounding the Korean Wave has fundamentally changed. Unlike its expectation and presumption, the Korean Wave has not only continued but also surged in various parts worldwide. Though there are a few different strategies, Korean cultural creators have added new driving forces to existing cultural genres to advance their prominent status in the global cultural markets. In the initial stage of Hallyu, dramas and films were primary drivers; during the Hallyu 2.0 era, K-pop and online gaming led the growth of the Korean Wave; and webtoons, webtoon-based transmedia storytelling, as well as mobile gaming, are essential forces in nascent Korean Wave.
The increasing popularity of Korean cultural products will likely not slow down anytime soon. As Hallyu has expanded its cultural genres and target regions, global audiences in Asia, North America, Western Europe, and Latin America have enjoyed various Korean cultural genres. Fascinated by contemporary Korean popular culture, many global audiences want to visit Korea, plan to learn Korean, and go to Korean towns to eat Korean foods in their countries. In addition, many academic units, such as media studies, Korean studies, Asian studies, anthropology, and literature, have experienced an increasing number of students who want to study Korean, Korean popular culture, and Korean society.
Academic discourses in numerous academic events, including conferences, seminars, and colloquia, are soaring. The problem is that there is no reliable and comprehensive textbook written in various languages, including English, for students in these academic venues. Though there are increasing academic works on the Korean Wave, they are mainly based on a few case studies or any particular area like K-pop, K-film, and K- drama. These existing academic works did not pay attention to digital Hallyu, nor shifting media ecology, which is a blind spot in Hallyu studies.
Due to the lack of reliable textbooks in Hallyu studies, several scholars in various fields and regions asked me to write a Hallyu textbook in English. Whenever I encountered scholars at academic venues, they said they needed a textbook for students. They provided some ideas regarding the coverage areas, the level of the materials, and the necessity of the new textbook. I was initially hesitant to write the textbook on Hallyu as I had already published a few books on this particular subject.
However, due to these increasing demands and needs, I had to reschedule my priority in writing and finally decided to develop a new textbook. During the process, the most crucial element for me is whether the Hallyu phenomenon would continue in the future, which might decide the necessity of the textbook. Though it is not difficult to argue that the Korean Wave is a compelling example of the convergence of popular culture and digital technologies, one of the most unique and distinctive prospects for local-based cultural industries, and therefore, Hallyu will not only continue but also intensify its increasing popularity in the global sphere in the future. As I did not want to make the textbook based on a few case studies, it characterized a handful of major distinctions.
To begin with, this textbook explains the Korean Wave comprehensively and comparatively so that the students and the general readers understand the complicated Hallyu phenomenon. By combining several primary areas, such as cultural content, global reception, cultural industries, and cultural policy, which have driven the growth of Hallyu in the global cultural sphere, this textbook provides critical discussions and potential debates on contemporary Hallyu studies. Second, I emphasize the significant role of cultural practices and academic discourses at the same time, which means that the students learn not only cultural content but also the vicious circle of cultural production. By studying cultural industries and cultural policies as backgrounds of these cultural genres, the readers will be able to understand cultural practices and academic discourses simultaneously.
This implies that Korea’s cultural industries and content should be discussed as the flip side of the same token rather than as separated dimensions. Third, I underscore the importance of theoretical frameworks in understanding the Korean Wave.
