Hallyu Expanding Beyond K-Pop to Literature, Film, and Food – Foreigners’ Favorability Reaches Record High of 82.3%

Foreigners’ favorability toward South Korea has reached 82.3%, the highest level ever recorded in surveys. According to the “2025 Republic of Korea National Image Survey” conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, this represents the greatest figure since the survey began in 2018. Notably, the rise has been particularly steep over the past year, suggesting a shift from temporary trends toward lasting improvements in global perception.

Nearly half of respondents cited cultural content (45.2%) as the primary factor behind increased favorability for South Korea. K-Pop, dramas, and films have expanded South Korea’s cultural influence and enhanced its national image. Following this were modern lifestyle culture (31.9%), products and brands (28.7%), and economic standards (21.2%) as contributing factors. By country, the highest levels of favorability were observed in the United Arab Emirates (94.8%), Egypt (94.0%), the Philippines (91.4%), and Turkey (90.2%). In the Middle East and Africa regions, products and brands along with economic standards drove the increase beyond cultural factors, whereas in Asia and the Pacific region, the impact of cultural content was especially significant. Countries such as the Philippines (69.3%), Japan (64.4%), Indonesia (59.5%), and Vietnam (58.4%) showed a pronounced contribution from cultural factors.

Hallyu is expanding beyond K-Pop to include literature, film, and food. According to the “2025 Global Hallyu Trend Analysis Report,” which analyzed approximately 1.5 million foreign media articles and social media posts from 30 countries between October 2024 and September 2025, coverage related to Hallyu was most frequent in Asia (44% of total), followed by Europe (20.8%) and North America (16.9%). Regional differences were also evident. While K-Pop accounted for the largest share in most regions, “K-literature” dominated in Africa, and “K-film” held a strong presence in Oceania, indicating that Hallyu is diversifying from music-centered formats to include literature, film, and dramas.

Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature propelled the global spread of K-literature. Following her award, coverage related to “K-literature” increased by more than 30 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, with works such as “The Vegetarian” and “Boy Who Came From the Sea” receiving significant attention. International media highlighted the symbolic significance of her being the first Asian woman to win the prize, praising Korean literature for opening new horizons in world literary history.

The global popularity of “K-food” was also notable. Popular and traditional Korean dishes such as “kimchi,” “soju,” “ramen,” and “bibimbap” remained key terms, while newer terms like “chef” and “Squid Game” emerged as important associations. This trend is attributed to Korean cuisine being rediscovered worldwide through the OTT cooking show “Chef in Black” and the drama “Squid Game.” Since the release of Season 3, “Squid Game” has topped charts in 93 countries and continues to account for 27.1% of all K-drama-related search terms.

“Goblin” is also driving growth in K-film. It accounted for 15.9% of all K-film-related search terms. The success of the series is attributed to the seamless integration of Korean elements such as “revenants,” “goblins,” “kimbap,” and “ramen” into its narrative. The series exceeding 300 million views on Netflix and its title track “Golden” reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 further demonstrate its global impact.

The primary ways foreigners encounter South Korea are through video platforms (64.4%), social networks (56.6%), websites (46.7%), and television broadcasts (32.8%). YouTube (77.4%), Netflix (65.1%), and Amazon Prime (27.8%) were identified as the main video platforms, while on social media, Instagram (63.7%), TikTok (56.2%), and Facebook (53.6%) held significant influence.

Meanwhile, the drama “Pokssak Sokasseuda,” set in Jeju, succeeded in building international resonance through localized titles tailored to different regional tastes and its universal theme of family love. After its release on Netflix, it contributed to increased tourism demand for Jeju and the spread of the “My Own Gwansik Challenge” on social media, earning recognition as an example of local content going global. As Hallyu culture crosses borders, South Korea’s national image across politics, economy, and society is also improving.