SOUTH KOREA'S TOP OFFICIAL TASKED WITH PROmoting the seemingly miraculous campaign of exporting entertainment to international audiences has revealed to Newsweek the secret recipe to success in the hands of a nation still divided after nearly eight decades.
The phenomenon, known as the "K-Wave," or Hallyu in Korean, first began to rise across East Asia in the late 1990s, amid an explosion of cultural expression as the country emerged from a regional financial crisis and rigid military leadership. Today, a vibrant and democratic South Korea has become synonymous in households around the world with some of the most popular music, television series and cinema, producing megastar performers like BTS, binge-worthy shows like Squid Game and universally acclaimed movies like Parasite, the only foreign-language film so far to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The outsized impact for the emerging soft power giant comes despite the nuclear-charged threats of neighboring North Korea that loom from a yet unresolved conflict now intensifying over inflamed geopolitical frictions.
"The war is not over yet. It is in a state of rest," South Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-Chon told Newsweek in an exclusive interview at the grand opening of the eight-story Korea Center New York. "So, you may say, 'Well, does that mean it's dangerous?" "Well, it is true that you always have to be aware that there is tension," the famous actor-turned-politician said. "But as artists, people will sort of rise over that and use that for another way to express their creativity."
Turning Crisis Into Opportunity
This story is from the July 26, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 26, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Julia Stiles
“What’s funny is that I did everything as a director that I swore I would never do to my actors.”
AMERICA'S BEST - REGIONAL BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS 2025
REGIONAL BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS ARE the financial backbone of communities nationwide.
How the Other Half Live
Patricia Arquette returns for season 2 of Severance. Free from the corporation, she reveals her character's struggle with her newfound independence
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
\"I'm not too worried about her not being likable.\"
'These Were Courageous Leaders'
Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Bernice tells Newsweek how her family aligned with the Carters in the fight for civil rights
'A Clarion Call to Service'
Former ambassador to China heralds Jimmy Carter's 'exceptional dedication to humanity and world peace'
An Iron Dome for America
Donald Trump has promised to build a missile defense system to protect the continental U.S. from a nuclear strike. A new report lays out how it might look
THE GOLDEN AGE OF GENETIC SEQUENCING
HOW GENES ARE MAPPING THE WAY TO CANCER CURES
Mystery of Ginger Cat Is out of the Bag
The genetics behind the vibrant orange color in feline coats is finally confirmed after 112 years
Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie
PARIS HILTON AND NICOLE RICHIE ARE READY TO BRING A LITTLE “SANASA” to the world with Peacock's Paris & Nicole: The Encore, their first project together since their reality show The Simple Life ended in 2007. What's “sanasa”? It's a song and phrase the longtime friends created as kids and popularized on The Simple Life. The show, a cultural phenomenon in the early days of reality TV, followed them over a series of blue-collar jobs. Now they're bringing it back as an opera. “I know this is just going to make people laugh, have fun, be nostalgic and just celebrate our friendship,” Hilton said. While Richie acknowledged “you can't do Simple Life again,” she said now “felt like the right time.” The famous pair also revisit some old jobs in Arkansas, like fast-food chain Sonic, where they now have drinks named for them. “I think that there is a part of our friend- ship that the show ended up showing that people connect to,” Richie said. As for this new special, Hilton is glad to do something positive for their fans. “It's been such a crazy past couple years, and I just feel like the world needs more joy.”
