Hallyu Explained | The reason Korean culture is taking over the world | This Is Why

Produced by Lucy Hatcher.

In 1994, the South Korean government released a report stating that the movie 'Jurassic Park' was worth the sale of 1.5 million Hyundai cars, one of South Korea's biggest exports.

After the Asian Financial Crisis hit South Korea hard, president Kim Dae-Jung relied on the power of cultural exports to make back their lost money.

Now, South Korea's entertainment industry is worth around $US10.3 billion.

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[jasonk.-imod]

If it was a "planned industry model", then anyone could do it.
Everyone is trying to do it, but only a few succeed at exporting pop culture.

[dsgcloud]

Hallyu is not orchestrated by the Korean government. In fact, the government has been an obstacle at times. YouTube has been much more influential.

[ashburnian]

The best thing the Korean government did was staying out of the way.

[soondori]

This is so wrong about K-culture. I’m a south Korean. What?? Our government orchestrated this all???
Where did you get all this wrong info??

[resistancepoet]

Nope. You missed the point. No government can control pop culture nor sell it as export products. K pop. K drama. K food. K beauty... everything was just very authentic Korean way/contents of daily life. We've always have great dramas, songs, and food. Government or public factors have LITTLE parts in HANRYU. Yes, some try to use it politically but please understand art and culture are free expressions of human creativity. I would say youtube. Netflix and sns contribute much more for korean culture to be found by the world. Please do not downgrade Hanryu to a 'plannned industry model' .

[thierrytecumseh]

Ancient Chinese records describe Koreans as people who love to sing and dance. That said, I think videos like this greatly exaggerate the role of the Korean government. They only sought to capitalize once the fire caught on. Rather, what really helped was Youtube and SNS, which democratized pop culture, which everyone is able to access from anywhere without media gatekeepers, and decide for themselves. With a true free market the best sells the most, and that’s what happened with K culture. It is simply due to outstanding quality, which the market recognized and chose. Rather than the government, it was the creativity, advanced technology, and natural penchant for entertainment of the Korean people finally shining through.

[willywilly]

How ridiculous this video is! The culture cannot be designed by government policy.
Bong Joon-ho was one of the directors who Korean government once suppressed as a blacklist.
The power of Hallyu comes from a sharp critique of Korean society and the savagery of capitalism.

[xinpingdonohoe]

I'd boil it down to the fact that South Korea is where East meets West. It's Asian, but with enough American influence for the Western audience to flock to it without overly leaving their comfort zone.

[lofiguy]

Back then people use to laugh at me and told me Hallyu(korean contents) kpop would not succeed in spreading outside of Asia. Someone was proven wrong in this argument, certainly wasn't me. One thing I've learned was never underestimate the power and the intelligence of one of the smartest people in the world. I had the utmost curiosity and the fascination everything about Asian culture, but it was first Japan culture while gradually drawn to Kpop world and the rest was history. By learning about Korea and Japan gave me huge hopes and ideas to further improve my mind, body and soul.

[hsjung]

So wrong in many levels. You have dramatize and put on a condescending twist, just like how the Japanese has spread it, for reasons behind success of Korean entertainment.. Hallyu was NOT intentional, NOT orchestrated, especially at the beginning and even now, not more than it is in any other countries. Yes, now there is a government department dedicated to SUPPORTING, not orchestrating, the industry but it dwarfs in comparison to Japanese 1 billion dollar a year support to promote Japan Cool, or Chinese propaganda for it's own entertainment industry. Both of which failed. Korean government itself was surprised in 1980s when Korean drama was well received across Asia when trade of entertainment contexts became more prominent. Some of it top drama, like Pearl of the Palace received top viewership rating in ALL of Asian countries, and some middle eastern countries where copies were sent for free as good gesture trading initiative, even though it was not produced to be exported. This surprised the Korean government and Korean entertainment industry because no one thought at the time, contents so Korean could be so overwhelmingly well received in Asia or elsewhere. This is why during President Kim reign, the possibility of supporting the entertainment industry was raised using the Jurassic Park movie as turning point for the argument. K pop success followed suit. However, In case of K-pop's popularity around the world, the reaction was again a big surprise to Koreans. It started with popularity in Asia and then slowly spread to the rest of the world. BTS for instance received NO support or direction from the government. Perhaps appearing in K Con set up around the world by the government is what you mean by orchestrated, then that is a weak argument. BTS was not even the most popular as other K-pop groups in Korea when global fandom picked it up organically. meaning without Korean government's support, and made it explode into global arena. Most Koreans actually had a hard time believing BTS was so popular around the world and often the questions from domestic fandom was, do Americans really know BTS?

Your explanation of the Hallyu is so misguided by the Japanese media's excuse used for explaining why they failed while Korea has succeeded- if you actually did any research of your own other than copying that made up by neighboring countries, you will know it is 100% untrue, Hallyu was NOT intentional and orchestrated. It was popular FIRST and mediocre support followed afterwards. Yes, now the K-pop/drama/cinema all aim for global export because now there is huge demand. But Hallyu is big around the world now, because of Korean people's creativity and the values it uphold that reflects on the art people produce. NOT because it was artificially created for that reason. Your video can not be more misleading.

[sazavytube]

일본과 중국의 영향력이 대단하네요. 한류가 국가주도로 태어났다는 낭설을 일본 매체가 떠들고 다니더니 이십여년 지나니까 그냥 정설이 되고 아예 호주 방송국에서는 그걸 사실화 시켜 버리고...한국인으로서 한마디 하자면, 김대중 정부 당시 문화에 힘을 실고자 하는 정책은 폈지만 국가가 무엇을 만들고 계획하는 것이 아니라 문화 육성을 위해 지원프로그램을 짠 겁니다. 그리고 그게 무슨 대단한 투자도 아니고. 이게 국가 주도라고 인식해서 엄청난 투자가 있었겠거니 하지만 그렇지만도 않다는 거. 아니 그게 그렇게 엄청난 투자였다면 내가 기억하는 그 투자의 결과물이 있어야 하는 거 아니겠나요. 국가가 투자해서 만들어진 뭣도 없는데, 이게 정설처럼 되어 버린 이 현상을 어찌 해석해야 하나. 이상한 한류 전문가 한 사람 붙잡고 이상한 소리 듣지 말고, 한국에 와서 길거리에서 아무나 붙잡고 100명쯤에게 물어 보면 바로 알 것을....한국이나 호주나 어디든 기자정신이 없네요. 한국인 중에 누가 국가주도의 문화정책을 편 적이 있다고 기억하는지. 아마 백에 한 사람 있을까 말까 할 겁니다.

국가가 행한 일은 아니고 기업 단위에서 일어난 일이긴 한데, 과거 한류 확산을 위해 취했던 반 강제 비슷한 일이 있긴 했습니다. 바로 몇 년 전까지만해도 절대권력과 같았던 KBS, MBC, SBS 공중파 방송국에서 해외 한류콘서트. 대개 케이팝 가수들에게도 기회일 수 있지만 또 한 편으로는 상황이 안되도 억지로라도 참여해야 하는 그런 ... 하지만 이 방송사들이 국가는 아니니.

이게 2000대 초에 일본에서 한국의 문화육성 정책을 굉장히 교묘하게 비틀면서 중국이나 북한의 계획경제와 같이 부정적인 국가시스템의 주도였다는 식으로 퍼졌는데...이걸 이렇게 멀리 있는 호주에서도 그런 뉘앙스로 다루니 어이가 없네요.

비슷한 예를 하나 들면, 한국인 중에 중국의 '공자'를 한국인이라 생각하는 이는 (있긴 한데 만명에 한명 있을까 말까) 거의 없는데, 한국인들은 중국의 공자마저 빼앗으려고 한다는 낭설이 퍼트려지더니 아예 대만 방송국에서도 그렇고 아시아 국가 여러 나라의 방송국에서도 떠들더군요. 아니 한국 사람 열에 한명이라도 그런 생각을 갖고 있다면 얘기가 되지만 만에 한명도 안된다고요. 아니 조금 더 확실히 말하자면 전국민 중에 아마 공자의 출신이 한국이라고 생각하는 비율은 될까 말까 할겁니다. 아니 이런 주장이 있는지조차 모르는 사람이 99.9999%는 될 겁니다.

과거 유교문화가 숭상하던 인물인 '공자'. 과거 한국에서도 공자를 중요하게 가르치긴 했어도 공식적인 자리, 발언, 문서, 교육 어디서도 한국인 이었다는 주장은 평생 들어본 적 조차 없고, 한국인이라면 대부분 이게 논란이 될 줄은 꿈에도 몰랐을 겁니다. 정말 상상조차 하지 못했던 우스꽝 스러운 주장을 일본과 중국이 퍼트린다는 말입니다.

한류는 안그래도 부흥하고 있던 한국의 컨텐츠가 중국에서 대단한 반향을 일으키고 인가를 얻으면서 지들끼리 그냥 한류라고 부른 겁니다. 즉, 당시 잘나가던 드라마들이 일본, 대만, 중국, 인도네시아 등 아시아권에서 큰 인기를 끌게 되자 명명된 것이죠.
실제 한류가 국가가 전면에서 끌어가며 만들어진 것이라면, 실제로 한류라는 명칭 자체도 한국 정부가 지었어야 하는 거 아니겠습니까. 평범한 한국인들은 당시 뉴스를 보다가 한국의 드라마가 해외에서 인기를 얻게 되면서 한류라고 하는 구나....라고 인식하고 기억하는 이들이 99%입니다.

[Meowmento]

Glad to know that Jurassic Park, one of my favorite films of all time indirectly helped the growth of korean cinema haha.

[pkim]

As a Korean, I want to add a little more on political shifts around early 1990s in Korea. The expansion of democracy lifted the the restricitions on song, dance, fashion, writings and media imposed by the military dictactorships. I mean the freedom of expressions. That paved the way of the onset of the hallyu. I believe that the people of Korea achieved the democracy with bloods in decades of protests and movements. They are the ones who brought the Hallyu.

[Alw]

great video. bts actually inspired me to learn the korean language.

[thomasciarlariello]

:24 interesting since both Elizabethan and Queen Anne sailors referred to Korea as "Land of Gigantics"

[stephenkim]

It was not a government planned outcome at all. You missed out the point of their success. It comes from their unlimited passion to create something unique.

[kashhhhh]

this is crazy "before the pandemic 1 in 13 people visited Korea because of BTS"

[americanvoice]

If you’re a Korean fan
You know it’s not by Chance Strategic and Unwavering Faith in their Culture, I myself love the Trot Songs Which I Found by Watching Kdramas and K-pop Is PSY Gangnam Style, I was like Wow look at this Guy Go, You can Call K-pop Shameless ART
I love it and Will tell Everyone I know how my Entertainment purpose’s have Changed I told everyone about Squid Games and some of my kids Dressed up as the Characters on Halloween Some Understood some Didn’t, I look forward to More Hallyu To say a small Country like SOUTH KOREA that has Achieved GLOBAL SUCCESS!! RESPECT!!

[aKevinPArka]

This content creator does not know about not only Korea but also Human Being. Foods, movies, dramas, musics..anything like these. everyone has their own taste or preference. these things can not influence over whole world by goverment or anyone's intension. it naturally perbade good image each people by their own experience about korean things.

[Koreasarang_]

Я такая дура. Мне нужно было написать сочинение о Халлю и я посмотрев это видео написала в сочинении что Халлю было запланировано государством🤦‍♀️ и за это моя учительница кореянка поругала (вы бы видели её реакцию) мне стоило сначала почитать комментарии😪