Has Korean soft power peaked? - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Soft Power: A country's ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion. This is achieved through cultural exports, political values, and foreign policies.
• Korean Wave (Hallyu): The global popularity of South Korean culture, encompassing K-pop, K-dramas, K-films, and other cultural products.
• Cultural Exports: Products and services that represent a country's culture and are distributed internationally, such as music, films, and literature.
• Government Role in Soft Power: The extent to which government policy and support influence the development and dissemination of a nation's soft power.
• Organic vs. State-Initiated Soft Power: The distinction between cultural influence that arises naturally from popular demand versus that which is actively promoted and controlled by the state.
• Consumer Trends and Pop Culture: The integration of cultural products into everyday consumer behavior and online trends as a means of soft power projection.
• Virtuous Cycle of Soft Power: The idea that increased soft power leads to an improved national image, which in turn further enhances soft power.

South Korea's Ascendancy in Soft Power

This discussion explores the phenomenon of South Korea's burgeoning soft power, examining its origins, drivers, and future prospects, while also contrasting it with the soft power strategies of Japan and China.

The Rise of the Korean Wave

• Early Stages: Fan Wang notes discovering South Korean entertainment online in the late 2000s, when it was still niche, even within Asia. The second generation of K-pop idols like Dong Bang Shin Ki, Super Junior, Girls Generation, and Big Bang gained significant traction across Asia.
• Global Breakthrough: BTS is identified as the "game changer" in the late 2010s, followed by Blackpink, which propelled K-pop onto the global stage and sparked worldwide interest in understanding its appeal.
• Longer Trajectory: Jake Kwon highlights that the Korean Wave has been developing for 20-30 years, with early popularity in China and Japan. He recalls Western friends in Canada asking about K-pop groups like H-Sonic and Girls Generation in the mid-2000s, indicating an earlier, though perhaps less mainstream, presence.
• Pipeline Effect: Many non-Asian fans of K-pop and K-culture initially engaged with Japanese culture (anime, J-pop) before discovering Korean content through platforms like YouTube and Netflix, suggesting a sequential cultural consumption pattern.

Factors Behind South Korea's Success

• Government Policy Shift: Jake Kwon attributes South Korea's success to a shift after its democratization in the 1980s. The government "got out of the way," moving from a state-controlled media model to allowing media companies to flourish and individuals to voice opinions.
• Economic Growth and Emulation: As South Korea became wealthier, its citizens, having grown up consuming Hollywood films and American music, were able to emulate these high production values. This led to content that could tackle taboo subjects, making it appealing across Asia.
• High Production Value: The ability to create "high production value stuff" that resonated with diverse audiences is a key factor.
• Role of Social Media: Fan Wang emphasizes the crucial role of social media in K-pop's infiltration and penetration of global audiences. K-pop is described as having a niche appeal, allowing individuals who feel like outsiders to connect and build communities.
• Government Investment (Post-Success): While the government has invested in its cultural sector, Fan Wang points out that this significant investment often followed initial successes, and the spending (1-1.5% of the national budget) is not drastically higher than other developed countries. The advent of social media was critical before widespread government funding.

Comparing Soft Power Strategies: South Korea, Japan, and China

• Japan's Past Dominance: In the 1980s and 90s, Japan was a leader in soft power with icons like Hello Kitty and Pokemon, and its gaming industry. However, South Korea has since "overtaken" Japan in the pop culture sphere.
• China's State-Initiated Approach: Fan Wang contrasts China's approach, which is often "state-initiated," citing the promotion of Chinese language learning through Confucius Institutes. This approach can backfire due to espionage suspicions and human rights concerns, making state-backed institutions targets.
• Labubu as an Example of Chinese Soft Power: The doll Labubu, created by the business brand Popmart for profit, is presented as an example of China's current soft power strategy. While not explicitly designed for soft power, its global viral success leads the Chinese government to claim it as a win. Labubu's appeal lies in its integration into consumer trends and internet culture, making it less overtly political.
• Challenges for China: Jake Kwon raises the question of whether China can supplant K-pop, given its censorship and global suspicion of its government. Fan Wang believes this is unlikely in the near future due to the complex and evolving relationship between China and the West.
• Japan's Continued Strength (Despite K-pop's Rise): Mariko acknowledges that while K-pop has surpassed J-pop in global popularity, Japan still possesses strong soft power through Studio Ghibli and Nintendo games. Her daughters' obsession with K-pop, however, made her realize how effectively South Korea captures Western audiences.

The Nature of Soft Power and its Impact

• Beyond Hard Dollars: Soft power's impact extends beyond direct financial gains. The success of the animation "K-pop Demon Hunters," even if not directly profiting Korean enterprises, is expected to boost tourism to South Korea.
• Personal and Diplomatic Goals: Soft power can achieve "real diplomatic goals" and influence personal lives. Examples include Western women being drawn to Korea to date Korean men after watching K-dramas, and the potential for improved business interactions ("Korean salesman's emails might get opened more often").
• Virtuous Cycle: Soft power can create a "virtuous cycle" where increased influence leads to a better national image, which in turn further enhances soft power.

The Future of South Korean Soft Power

• Not Peaked Yet: Both Fan Wang and Jake Kwon believe South Korea's soft power has not peaked.
• Untapped Potential: Fan Wang points to areas like theater (plays starring South Korean actors) and literature (author Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize) as untapped global potentials.
• Continuous Evolution: Jake Kwon notes that the Korean Wave has faced "peak" discussions every five years, with each instance being surpassed by new successes in different genres (K-pop, K-dramas, films like "Parasite," and literature).
• Interconnectedness of Genres: The rapid succession of successes across disparate genres suggests an underlying connection and synergy within Korean cultural production.

Challenges and Limitations for Asian Soft Power

• Language Barrier: The discussion acknowledges the potential challenge of language barriers for Asian soft power, though currently, South Korea's cultural influence is seen as so strong that it's hard to imagine another contender matching its level.
• China's Advantage in Innovation and Tech: China's economic size and capability give it an advantage in areas like innovation and technology, where its products are gaining global consumer traction.
• Korea's "Repackaging" Formula: Korea's success is partly attributed to its ability to take successful concepts, "repackage" them with a "little twist," and sell them. While artistry is involved, this formula is seen as potentially replicable by other countries.

The "K-pop Demon Hunters" Case Study

• Korean Elements, Korean American Singers: The animation "K-pop Demon Hunters" is discussed as an example of cultural production. While it uses Korean elements and depicts Korean culture faithfully, many of its singers are Korean American.
• No Controversy in South Korea: Within South Korea, there is no controversy or feeling of cultural appropriation regarding this production, with many Koreans being happy to see it succeed despite Korean enterprises not directly profiting.
• Indirect Benefits: The animation is expected to indirectly benefit South Korea through increased tourism.

Conclusion

South Korea's soft power has achieved remarkable global reach through a combination of government policy shifts, economic development, high production values, and the strategic use of social media. While Japan had its moment and China is pursuing a more state-controlled approach, South Korea's organic and adaptable cultural exports have captivated international audiences. The discussion concludes that South Korea's soft power is likely to continue evolving and expanding into new cultural domains, with its success serving as a model, albeit with unique national characteristics, for other Asian nations seeking to project their influence globally.