K-culture becomes global cultural leader


The year was 2004. I was walking down a street in New York, where I served as the director of the local Korean Culture Center. A familiar tune from a shop caught my attention, and it did not take long for me to realize that it was from the soundtrack of the hit Korean TV show "Winter Sonata."


Although I knew that the lead actor, Bae Yong-joon, had a massive following in Japan, I felt pleasantly surprised and proud to hear the iconic melody playing in the Big Apple. For the first time in my 20 years at the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), I finally witnessed the sprouting of the seeds sown by Koreans to build a "nation with great cultural power" (a vision professed by Baekbeom Kim Koo, one of the quintessential figures in the Korean independence movement).


Fifteen years has passed since that proud moment on a random New York street. The sprouts of hallyu (the Korean Wave, or K-wave) are now in full bloom.


In fact, the flowers are more brilliant than ever with the arrival of "new hallyu" or, to use the term proposed by the MCST, "K-culture." Korean culture has proved its prowess on numerous fronts, as exemplified by the hit TV show "Crash Landing on You," director Bong Joon-hos movie "Parasite," the award-winning novel "The Vegetarian," the boy band sensation BTS, and the genre-defining game "PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds."


Their success has had countless tourists knocking at the countrys gates. In 2004, Koreans were elated by the news that their home country set a new record in the number of overseas tourists at 5.81 million. By 2019, the number grew to an
even more striking 17.50 million, an achievement driven by Koreas relentless efforts to attract tourists.


Also riding the wave is Koreas traditional culture. When the Netflix series "Kingdom" was released, one particular element from Koreas traditional culture caught overseas viewers attention ― the traditional hats worn by the male characters.


Many of the viewers reported being pleasantly amused by the fact that the Korean word for hat ("gat") happens to sound similar to the English word "God," and their reactions equally entertained Koreans. The music video for the K-pop group BLACKPINKs "How You Like That," which recorded 600 million views, created a buzz with the beauty of the hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) worn by the members, complementing the songs evident appeal.


In fact, the company that created the clothes has reported a 200-fold increase in revenue. Since its inauguration, the Moon Jae-in administration has supported the hanbok industry and its globalization in various ways, including online marketing, extended sales channels, and PR activities featuring hallyu stars. The recent success of the music video once again proved the value-added potential of hanbok.


If my 40 years in public service taught me anything, it is that a governments support should reach beyond the fiscal and industrial realms. BTS member Suga, under the name Agust D, released "Daechwita," a song that heavily features a type of traditional Korean music of the same name. The Korean government refined the romanization rules for terms related to traditional Korean music (or gugak) to help non-Korean speakers find information about the music. In response to the heightened interest in the Korean language that followed from Korean cultures popularity, the MCST has been taking active measures to expand the use of the local language.


The ministry announced "Connect the World: A Dissemination Plan for the Korean Language" (2020-2022) in September of this year, and set aside a 2021 budget close to KRW 90 billion for related projects. These efforts represent the MCSTs dedication to upholding the beauty of the Korean language, and spread knowledge and awareness both in its spoken and written forms.


Young Koreans born between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, who are often collectively referred to as Generation Z, reportedly speak Korean when talking to people outside the country. In addition, we often hear familiar Korean tunes playing in TV shows and films made abroad. Nowadays, we are witnesses to how more and more people across the world are accepting Korean culture wholeheartedly.


With the advent of K-culture, content featuring Korean culture has become a leading force in global culture. The original Korean Wave was led by K-pop, Korean TV shows (or K-drama), and other pop culture content. Now, the wave has expanded to include Koreas language and traditional clothes, which has resulted in a broader range of new content. I believe that the surge of interest in Korea will soon expand to all aspects of the countrys culture and lifestyle.


As mentioned in the K-culture Promotion Plan announced in July, the MCST will strongly support the overseas release of Koreas cultural content and introduce Korean culture to the world by promoting the shared growth of related industries. I hope that more and more people from all parts of the world will incorporate Korean culture into their daily lives, and with all the efforts being made, that day will definitely come soon.