From globalization to glocalization: configuring Korean pop culture to meet glocal demands

Abstract

The Hallyu (Korean Wave) phenomenon has caught the attention of the world since the late 1990s. Over the last twenty years, Hallyu has evolved from regional entertainment to a global cultural industry. In the early stage of glocalization, K-pop and K-dramas were mere mimicries of imported contents. Specifically, K-pop has mostly been influenced by European and American dance music since the early 1990s, whereas K-dramas have been heavily influenced by the trendy Japanese TV dramas of the 1980s. Nevertheless, K-pop and K-dramas have demonstrated the adept rearrangement skills of Korean artists, writers and producers. Accordingly, these Korean creators of cultural contents have ushered in a new era of domestic pop culture that had been on the verge of collapse by the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997. Despite the influx of Hollywood films and Japanese pop culture, Hallyu has now successfully attained fame domestically and worldwide.