What Foreigners Think of “Koreanness” Is K-Pop, Dramas, Movies... With the Success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” Global Brand Status Is Strengthened

According to a survey conducted by the Korea Image Communication Institute (CICI), the fields that foreigners first associate with “Koreanness” are K-pop, dramas, movies, and other forms of Hallyu that are beloved around the world. CICI carried out a survey titled “What Is Koreanness? The Spread of K-Culture and the Image of Korea” from the 11th to the 31st of last month, interviewing 203 Koreans and 203 foreigners, for a total of 406 respondents. When asked what they believe foreigners think of as “Koreanness,” 94.58% of Koreans and 93.10% of foreigners overwhelmingly selected “Hallyu style.” For Koreans, the second most cited option was “advanced IT infrastructure such as internet and mobile technology” at 52.71%, while for foreigners it was “traditional beauty” at 41.87%. In third place, Koreans chose “a safe society with good public order” at 25.62%, and foreigners selected “advanced IT infrastructure such as internet and mobile technology” at 32.02%. Regarding “events or trends that have contributed to Korea’s rising image recently,” 93.10% of Koreans and 95.07% of foreigners answered “the global success of Korean dramas and movies.” CICI explained, “The movie ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ released in June, became the most-watched Netflix film of all time, demonstrating that K-content has established itself as a global brand.” Both Koreans and foreigners listed “global tours by K-pop artists” as the second most important factor and “the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature” as the third, indicating that success in cultural fields such as popular culture and fine arts contributes to improving the national image. When asked about “the future shape of K-culture that will capture the world,” 71.92% of Koreans and 77.83% of foreigners both replied “converged content that combines tradition and future, as well as Korea and the world.” As for “elements of Korean digital culture that foreigners are particularly interested in,” 85.71% of Koreans and 92.12% of foreigners cited “Korean dramas and movies available on OTT platforms such as Netflix and Disney+.” CICI analyzed this as evidence that “as K-dramas and movies have become key content on global OTT platforms, Korea’s digital culture is recognized as a major force in world popular culture.” Meanwhile, extreme ideological conflicts within Korean society have been shown to negatively impact the national image. When asked about “issues that have recently had a negative effect on Korea’s image,” 79.80% of Koreans and 80.79% of foreigners both cited “extreme ideological conflicts” as the primary factor. The second most common answer was “social conflicts” (41.87% of Koreans, 30.05% of foreigners), followed by “an excessive culture of competition and stress” (29.06% of Koreans, 27.09% of foreigners). CICI pointed out that “divisions across society, such as political polarization, differences in values between generations, and regional conflicts, are being reported by foreign media, which in turn affects Korea’s national image by increasing societal tension.” When asked about “fields that Korea should prioritize strengthening in order to prepare for an uncertain future,” 81.77% of Koreans and 77.34% of foreigners both chose “education and talent development.” As for “the image that foreigners will think of first when they think of Korea in 2 to 3 years,” 84.24% of Koreans and 85.22% of foreigners both selected “technological innovation and a digital powerhouse.”