A New Hallyu?
Since K-dramas and K-pop reached a worldwide audience, the Korean government has decided to open a new government department to support Hallyu (Korean Wave). The first wave being such a great success, it is believed that bringing various aspects of Korean culture into light, it could further increase people’s interest in South Korea.
If you follow sports, you have probably heard about the famous Korean footballer Park Ji-Sung, or the famous figure skater Yuna Kim. If you have an artsy soul, you have probably listened to Yiruma numerous times, without ever realizing that he is a Korean talent, and if you are a gamer, you have probably won multiple times on Lineage, which is, again, a video game produced my Korean masterminds.
However, there are some more aspects of Korean culture worth discovering:
1. Korean cosmetics. If you’ve seen at least one K-drama or K-pop music video, you have probably admired their flawless skin and perfect make-up. Well, you’re not alone! With an increasing popularity of Hallyu Wave, the sales of Korean cosmetics have soared drastically too, as more and more fans are keen to try out the Korean beauty products. Have you tried any of the Korean cosmetics? What do you think about it?
2. Korean Webtoons. If you have seen Itaewon Class, then you definitely have heard of a word ‘webtoon’. Webtoons are comics, which let you immerse into an undiscovered world of your favourite characters and completely lose track of time. So much so, that some of the best Webtoons have been converted to the famous K-dramas (such as Itaewon Class itself!). Are you a fan of a Webtoon? Which one is your favourite?
3. Korean cinema. Although Korean dramas were popular for some time now, however, the Korean cinema is still on a rise. Thanks to Bong Joon-Ho’s movie ‘Parasite’, more and more people have further researched the Korean movie scene, discovering a completely different kind of cinema. Check out our recommendation and let us know yours!
4. Korean e-sports. If you are a gamer and have done even a small research on the game industry, you might know that Korea is home to some of the best e-sports there are. Korea being the first country to recognise pro gamers as athletes, it is only natural that the Korean e-sports industry is thriving like never before. Any recommendations for the newbies?
5. Korean Wellness Programmes. If you follow KTO (Korean Tourism Organization) on Social media, you may have seen the rising popularity of posts on Korean wellness centres. With Korea having so many mountains and temples, the popularity of its wellness centres is rapidly rising, where looking after one’s mind, body and soul has never been easier.
The new and the old Hallyu added together, it is expected to have a great influence on today’s entertainment industry and Korea’s tourism numbers. An increasing number of Hallyu fans are visiting Korea, curious to discover their favourite K-drama filming locations, K-pop music video filming locations or attend a K-pop concert in Korea. Hopefully, the new Hallyu will act as a catalyst, helping more people discover Korean culture. With such a broad diversity, what’s your favourite Hallyu aspect?
Author: Raimonda Kekyte