Over the past decade, Korean culture has taken over the Western world through its media and music industries, expanding rapidly and establishing itself as a cultural force, becoming a diplomatic tool.
Following the 2012 phenomenon of PSY’s “Gangnam Style,” K-pop entered the global market, attracting audiences across age groups with its unique songs and videos. The popularity of K-pop has increased massively over the last year, with groups such as Stray Kids, BTS, and Blackpink.
The origins of K-pop
Korean pop or “K-Pop” found its origin after World War II, when K-pop was looking to rebuild itself as a nation, and the exportation of cultural values began. The first time Korean music made its way to the U.S charts was in the 1950s, thanks to the Kim sisters. Although considered the first interaction of Korean music, the format of K-pop, as it is known nowadays, began in the 1990s with the first generation of the genre.
The global impact of K-pop began in 20212 with Gangnam Style, which went viral as a meme and funny video at first, and the Korean government then decided to propel the industry with what is known as the Hallyu wave.
The Hallyu wave, or Korean wave, is the exportation of Korean cultural values to the rest of the world. The first Hallyu wave occurred in the early 2000’s, with the rise of K-pop and groups like Big Bang, AOA, and Girls’ Generation. But after Gangnam Style, the Korean government promoted the country’s industries not only through music but also through products such as K-dramas (Korean shows), K-beauty (Korean Beauty products), and others. The industry’s export brought the nation a new tool over other countries: soft power. The export of Korean music worldwide has increased to over 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.
Soft Power and K-pop
Soft power, as defined by Joseph Nye in 1990, is a form of persuasion that seeks to obtain an outcome through attraction rather than coercion. For a country, it works by relying on its resources, such as culture, values, and policies.
K-pop serves as a form of cultural diplomacy by using artistic and cultural expressions to strengthen international relations.
The globalization of K-pop is evident through groups such as BTS, Twice, Expo, Blackpink, and Stray Kids. To whose fan bases are distributed proportionally: 10% or more European fans, 40% or more Asian fans, around 10% U.S. fans, and over 10% Latin American fans.
A clear example of how effective Korean groups can be in diplomacy is the attendance of the girl group Red Velvet at the 2018 North Korea summit. BTS addressed the United Nations in 2021, breaking the United Nations channel’s record with 1 million live viewers and 6.4 million YouTube views. Another form of soft power wielded by K-pop is having “idols” (Korean artists) serve as ambassadors; Felix Lee of Stray Kids is currently a UNESCO ambassador in Korea.
K-pop and diplomacy
K-pop diplomacy shows how entertainment can influence international affairs in ways that traditional diplomacy cannot. Through music, social media, and global fan communities, South Korea has built relationships with millions of people worldwide by reaching different audiences, ranging from country to age and gender. Social media also makes the Korean industry more accessible.
As K-pop continues to grow, it serves as a powerful example of how culture and entertainment can shape international perceptions, strengthen national branding, and play a meaningful role in global diplomacy.
Despite the worldwide diplomacy, K-pop has reached. Inside the country, the panorama might not be as free as it seems, compared to Western culture, for example, in elections. Celebrities are expected to share their opinions, knowing the power they hold to influence the masses. In Korea, idols are asked by their companies not to take any action that could be seen as a political stance. This has brought some controversy, as some groups have kept quiet in certain political situations, such as the Palestinian-Israeli war.
As the industry continues to expand, K-pop remains a powerful example of how popular culture can shape international relationships.
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