Initially, as many trends do, Korean media rose with the globalization of the internet. Drama streaming sites and YouTube had a huge contribution to the Korean Wave’s wide reach. The most obvious example is “Gangnam Style”, whose reasons of popularity are still somewhat difficult to pinpoint. An important point to note here is the spontaneity of its sudden rise — there was no intent from the corporations or PSY to enter the international market. Until the early 2010s, most of Korean media were exclusively catered to Korean society in every way. Even Director Bong Joon-ho stated that he never intended for Parasite to perform well overseas; the difficulty in translating some of its most Korean elements — such as jjapaguri or the prestige of Seoul National University — shows that universal appeal was not its foremost concern. In fact, when the domestically thriving Wonder Girls tried to venture out in America, it failed to rise to fame, and the move eventually led to their downfall in popularity within Korea. 

There must be some type of gravity pulling the Korean Wave forward, many times without intent. However, what is the force that seems to put so many different aspects of Korean culture on the international market? Is it simply another phase of orientalism that seems to pop up every so often in the West, as did its infatuation with Japan in the ‘60s? Is American media’s familiarity to Korean culture spurring the explosion?

For the last question, at least, we can be sure that it’s not the main factor in Korean media’s globalization. While K-Pop has been burgeoning the most in Asia, North America, and Europe, it’s also been seeing more and more fans in South America and Africa. The Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released a Hallyu index in the “Report on the effect of Hallyu 2018” that describes how fast Korean culture is spreading within a country. Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, and India were the fastest growing nations, with South Africa beginning to flourish. Interestingly, Korean culture diffusion has been declining in Japan and China due to the increasing political adversity between the East Asian nations.

The virality of Korean media always seems to rely on the fascination with the unusual aspects, such as gats from Kingdom or the “Jessica song” from Parasite. But, while not the main factor, the abundance of English words and pop culture references have been a necessary stepping stone in getting the content off the ground and continuing to resonate with international audiences. Korean media accentuates its peculiarities while maintaining a careful level of familiarity to seem fresh without being too weird. Media production companies balance the use of sounds and visual language that are not quite foreign with sufficiently “exotic” cultural displays.

In the modern age, Korean media is meticulously crafted to satisfy the international palette. Many production and music companies are salivating to tap into the well-paying consumer groups outside of the already saturated domestic market. Behind this movement, the Korean government has been pushing heavily to manufacture profitable products. Since 2008, the budget towards “international culture exchange” has increased significantly, and media exports have seen a 9.1% growth, while tourism and products have decreased by 0.5% in 2018. With COVID-19, the shift in focus to non-physical products has been ever more blatant.

Even so, the biggest reason for Korean media diffusion still lies with the small-scale productions: YouTube videos. Popular channels like Buzzfeed do “Fire Noodle Challenge” and feature Korean snacks and meals frequently. Even make-up giant James Charles has collaborated with a Korean makeup YouTuber to “exchange styles” when Korean skincare routine became a craze. Mukbangs still retain a huge presence on the platform, the term now being used generally without Korean association. And fans uploading Korean variety shows now provide high quality subtitles that reflect the zany style of the Korean counterparts. Fan videos and translations of K-pop songs really pushed them to be shared among people who did not know a single word of Korean beforehand. Twitter also provides a platform for much exposure and fan activities, even coining #BongHive for Director Bong Joon Ho’s fans. More exposure means more views, leading to more content, and it created a positive feedback loop of Korea-related media.

It’s difficult to tell whether the Korean wave is meant to stay, or if it will just be a one-hit wonder. For now, the wave continues to sweep across the globe. It’s not just Korea, but also other countries who are closely watching how this international culture exchange will play out. Whether it’s just a fad or something more, it is certain that the Korean wave has changed the landscape of global media.