This seminar intends to deepen our understanding of the globalisation of South Korea’s cultural content by exploring innovations in the country’s cultural industries, especially K-pop, and the transgenerational aspects of K-content. Hopefully, the seminar discussion will help us to make sense of the Korean Wave in a more nuanced way within the broader context of the country’s creative economy, which is built on its compressed modernisation
Why K pop matters
K-pop, which was formed amid numerous cultural influences through a special historical process of South Korea, is receiving increasing attention due to its growing industrial, cultural, and social influence. This talk analyses the innovations that led to K-pop’s success as a global popular culture in their historical contexts, and reflects on the issues that K-pop raised to the creative industry and global culture.
Seok-Kyeong HONG is a Professor of Communication and the Director of the Center for Hallyu Studies at Seoul National University. Hong’s research interests include digital cultural forms and practices, visual culture and visual methods, Korean popular culture, and the Korean Wave in its regional and global dynamics. Her major works are Hallyu in Globalization and Digital Era (2013) and BTS on the Road (2020; Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian translation in 2022, English translation in 2023; French Translation in 2024), She edited All about Drama (2017) and Transnational Convergence of East Asian Pop Culture (2021) and one of three editors of the special edition on Netflix and the Korean Wave (International Journal of Communication, 2023). She currently writing a book on the Korean Drama and exploring the theoretical and reflexive contribution of Hallyu Studies on the transnational cultural flow and global cultural production.
Navigating the global tide
In this talk, Dr. WoongJo Chang delves into Hallyu, emphasizing its roots in South Korea’s compressed modernity and its widespread generational impact. He explores Hallyu’s global resonance, stemming from Korea’s melding of traditional and modern values, and advocates for recognizing the cultural diversity that spans generations. The presentation will argue for a deeper understanding of Hallyu’s role in reflecting Korea’s modernization challenges and successes.
WoongJo Chang, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of the Department of Arts and Cultural Management at Hongik University, Seoul, Korea. With a focus on Hallyu since 2008, he has contributed significant research on its global fandom. Currently, he is broadening his research scope as a visiting professor at King’s College London.