K-POP AS A MAIN TOOL OF KOREAN ‘SOFT POWER’ TOWARDS CENTRAL ASIA

Abstract

The Republic of Korea plays one of the leading roles in the global economy and is a dynamically developing country. As one of the key elements of South Korea's success, many researchers in their works note the so-called concept of "soft power". The strategy of the contemporary notion of "soft power" of the Republic of Korea is based on the dissemination of traditional cultural values and pop culture. South Korea places a great emphasis on the "soft power" of culture, which helped it shape a positive image and create its South Korean attractive brand on the world stage. The main focus of this paper is to examine the essence of the Korean popular culture and its implementation in Central Asian states. Toward this objective, this research first explores the emergence and diffusion of Korean popular culture, especially with regards to globalization, soft power and value change. Further, its impact on CA will be considered in different perspectives. The research concludes that the implementation of Korean popular culture works as an efficient ‘soft power’ policy instrument for South Korea's cultural diplomacy.