A look into Korean popular culture and its tourism benefits

Abstract

Republic of Korea has become a tourist destination for many in recent years both regionally and internationally. The ‘Korean wave or Hallyu” has been used by the Korean government to increase its tourism efforts. The promotion of Korean dramas, Korean pop-stars, and Korean athletes has led to an increased desire to travel to Korea and an increased attention to Korean culture. The concept of the Korean wave has increased the cultural exportation of the brand “Korea” and increased the influx of tourists to Korea. Whether it is in Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, or Singapore, K-culture stars are in high demand and as such the Korean government has attempted to promote the stars image as a positive achievement of Korean culture. This can be seen from such performers as girl’s generation, Super Junior, Big Bang, 2N1, and Psy’s popularity throughout those countries. The image of these performers has changed the social and cultural image of Korea – it is now viewed as a place of wealth and opportunity and as such, a place where many want to visit to experience the concept of “hallyu.” This paper will analyse the influence of Hallyu on Korea’s image and the government’s role in promoting the social impact of “hallyu” as a policy of cultural tourism.

Keywords: Hallyu, culture, tourism, Korea