Hallyu or the Korean Wave is the term given to the global spread of Korean popular culture in various countries of the world. Generally, Hallyu triggers many people to learn Korean language and culture. The craze for popular culture began in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Southeast Asia in the late 1990s.
The term Hallyu was adopted by Chinese media after the popular Korean music album, HOT, was released in China, Korean TV drama series started playing in China and spread to other countries such as: Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, United States, Latin America , Middle East and also Indonesia.
At this time, Hallyu was followed by a lot of attention for South Korean products such as: food, electronics, music, make-up, accessories and Korean films. This phenomenon also promotes the Korean language and Korean culture to various countries around the world.
The globalization of Korean popular culture, or better known as the Korean Wave (Hallyu), has succeeded in influencing people's lives, especially among teenagers and students. In the 21st century, it can be said that Korea can compete with Hollywood and Bollywood in order to spread its cultural wings internationally.
Various kinds of Korean cultural products ranging from films, dramas, songs, fashion, make-up adorn people's lives. This is what triggers the emergence of popular culture or pop culture. Pop culture is a culture formed by society that is unconsciously accepted and widely adopted in society.
Society forms a new culture from the cultures they absorb through the information they get from the presence of global media. The Korean Wave has become an interesting phenomenon in today's entertainment industry.
History
Hallyu or the Korean Wave has become an interesting phenomenon in the world of entertainment. When traced from history, before 1993 the people of South Korea lived in an authoritarian regime. As a result, the South Korean government really protects their culture and limits the entry of foreign cultures. In 1993, the new President of South Korea, Kim Young Sam, ended the authoritarian regime.
In November 1994, Kim created the globalization project named Segyehwa. This project aims to prepare South Korean society to accept outside influences.
South Korean people are required to be creative in making works so they can compete in the market. As a result, in the 1990s, several Korean bands managed to enter the Chinese market. Korean dramas also hit several countries, especially Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.
In late 1999, the phrase Hallyu was coined by a Chinese newspaper, the Beijing Youth Daily, due to the increasing popularity of South Korean pop culture. The term Hallyu is used to describe the spread of South Korean culture and lifestyle to other countries.