THE HALLYU AND THE PANDEMIC: DIFFUSION OF THE SOUTH KOREAN POPULAR CULTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 AND ITS IMPACT

Abstract

During the pandemic, when reality was dismal and life was restricted behind four walls, many young people found hope in the vibrancy and vigour of Korean popular culture. Amid the lockdown, the Hallyu (Korean wave) swept the world, with K-Dramas and K-Pop attracting much attention from young adults and even the elderly. The Korean Wave refers to South Korea's cultural economy exporting entertainment, music, TV shows, movies, food, beauty fads, and culture in general. This paper attempts to read Hallyu as a pop culture phenomenon that gained attraction during COVID-19 to match the dispersal quality of globalization and the pandemic. The paper explores the influence of the Korean wave on the public in the context of the pandemic. It also aims to analyze the underpinnings and suitability of the ecological values conveyed by Hallyu in the current age of environmental crisis.