The astronomical rise of Korean culture in mainstream media can be traced back to 2012 - the song "Gangnam Style" by Korean artist Psy. The catchy hit has currently accumulated around 4.2 billion views on Youtube, and can be argued to have pioneered the global wave of Kpop. With its social commentary on South Korea and eyecatching visuals, it was instrumental in launching the rise of Kpop. Keen to take advantage of this new Western interest in Kpop, multiple Korean music companies pounced on this market by manufacturing hundreds of picture perfect pop groups, for example Blackpink, Twice and Ateez. The most notable being BTS, who were most recently nominated for a Grammy along with the likes of Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.
Hallyu doesn't stop there. It has additionally seeped its way into television and film, indeed one of the most talked about films of the last decade was "Parasite", and all-Korean production that connected with international audiences due to its universal themes and social issues that can be mirrored in other countries. Winning a total of four Oscars, it was a breakout hit for South Korea, with the director Bong Joon Ho stating himself that "once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films".
"Parasite's" success has been a major factor in enabling Western audiences to feel more comfortable with subtitled productions, the most notable currently being "Squid Game", a brutal survival drama asking questions about capitalism and touching on social injustice. While it was inspired by economic struggles in South Korea, it has resonated with international audiences and taken off globally. Watched by 111 million viewers in its first 28 days, the Korean drama knocked "Bridgerton" off the top spot for Netflix's biggest ever series launch. The show has further been ingrained in Western media, inspiring memes, Halloween costumes and merchandise.
While some may argue the Korean wave could slow down, hallyu can not be seen as a fad. It has enveloped itself into mainstream media, and ignited an interest into Korean culture as a whole. It has seen an increase in Korean language learners, a rise in Korean technology use and a flood in the market of trending Korean skincare products. For hallyu, the future certainly looks bright.
