by Wendy Sun “Oppan Gangnam Style!” This catchy electro tune with its horse-riding dance went viral around the world last year and became a global phenomenon. Yet Korean pop culture is not a marvel that has suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It has been around for quite some time. The so-called “Korean Wave” began in the late 1990s. Movies such as Shiri (魚) were huge commercial successes in Korea. In the early 2000s, with the release of movies such as My Sassy Girl (我的野蠻女友) and the television series Winter Sonata (冬季戀歌), Korean pop culture received widespread popularity across Asia. At the same time, the Korean pop music industry was also blooming. Singers like BoA sold over a million records in Japan. Starting from the late 2000s, Korean clothing and make-up also become fashion trendsetters. It seems as if any item labeled “Made in Korea” would automatically become a best seller. But exactly what is Korean pop culture, and how does it differ from Japanese or Western influences? Most of us have gotten so used to it that we hardly notice its uniqueness. Nonetheless, certain variations and specific traits can be identified to distinguish Korean pop culture from the rest. K-Pop I was not originally familiar with the Korean music industry until I starting hearing news every couple of months that another K-pop group was paying a visit to Taiwan. It was hard not to notice the considerable number of them. Most seemed to share the same features:
K-Drama Korean drama comes in a number of varieties, but most fall into two main categories: taking place in modern/contemporary Korea (such as Winter Sonata, Coffee Prince [咖啡王子一號店] and Full House [浪漫滿屋]), or during ancient times (as in Jewel in the Palace [大長今] and Empress Myeongseong [明成皇后]). Recently, time travel has become another popular motif. Here are some common plot elements:
Other elements also seem ubiquitous to almost every storyline:
Last but not least, despite some melodramatic clichés, there would always be certain plot present in Korean drama where viewers would go “Hey, this girl or guy is going through exactly the same thing as I am”! This emotional connection between viewers and the plot may be the ultimate recipe of the success of Korean drama. These characters almost become a real-life friend, and we are eager to know what happens to them afterwards. K-Fashion
The “Korean Look” is the new chic, fast becoming a style that all girls are eagerly trying to imitate. Typically, a “Korean Look” is as follows:
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May 2024
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