Hallyu Evolves from a "Consumption Culture" to an "Internalized Culture"... K-Content Takes Leadership in Global Popular Culture

A journalist who spent the 1980s in Toronto, Canada, was asked by friends during school days, "What are Koreans?" At that time, Korean culture was virtually unknown in the West. Twenty-seven years later, the situation has changed dramatically. Today, Hallyu has moved beyond simple "consumption of exotic products" to a stage of "internalization and assimilation." The Netflix series “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which ranks first globally, has sparked group viewing events in theaters, while BTS and BLACKPINK hold positions one and two respectively as the top artist channels on YouTube. In the film industry, Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” was ranked first on a list of the 100 greatest films of the 21st century by this outlet, and “Squid Game” is the most-watched drama in Netflix history. On streaming platforms, Korean dramas are the second-most watched content after English-language material. Cultural critics reject the idea that this phenomenon can be attributed solely to technical innovations in animation. They analyze that the real success of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” lies in its structure, which uses Western myths as base culture and Korean culture as supplementary culture. The film incorporates Koreans’ faces, expressions, lifestyles, historical civilization, customs, architecture, landscapes, myths, as well as current popular culture and consumption patterns—all at once—yet global audiences accept and internalize it without resistance. This is described as the first time such a thing has occurred since works from the English-speaking world like The Beatles, Marvel, and Harry Potter. It is the result of K-content, starting with Seo Taiji and progressing through “Winter Sonata,” “Dae Jang Geum,” BTS, BLACKPINK, “Parasite,” and “Squid Game,” continuously expanding its reach over the past 30 years or so. However, in earlier stages, Korean culture was consumed in a way that kept a distance between sellers and buyers, presented as something "beautiful, sophisticated, and exotic." “K-Pop Demon Hunters” destroyed this boundary. As of 2023, the global market size of Hallyu was 114 billion dollars, and it is projected to reach 143 billion dollars by 2030. This is seen as opening a new path that breaks away from Disney’s century-long authoritative animation tradition. Over the past 100 years, Disney and Japan’s Studio Ghibli have remained focused on authoritative, instructive, but often alienating princess-themed narratives. Yet “K-Pop Demon Hunters” offers content similar to Marvel, featuring female heroes saving male characters without seeking rewards. Although created with capital from Netflix in the United States and technology from Sony in Japan, this work symbolizes the shift of cultural leadership from the English-speaking world to South Korea. It means that Korea’s reinterpreted culture has become a universal language for people around the world, and Korean popular culture has become the new standard for global popular art.