The Effect of the Korean Wave as a Korean-American
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Korean wave, also known as Hallyu, has been taking over the United States for the past couple years. Everything from Korean skincare products to popular Korean Pop groups like BTS and BLACKPINK have been completely taking over. This has led to a huge rise in interest in Korea and all the products that come out of it.
According to Billboard, “Spotify reports that K-pop’s share of listening has grown about 65 percent annually since 2015, and Apple Music had year-over-year growth of 86 percent in the United States between 2017 and 2018 alone.” With hit movies and TV shows like “Parasite” and “Squid Game” coming out in the recent years, interest in Korean TV and film has also peaked. Even our fellow Coloradan school, Metropolitan State University of Denver, has seen their “Korean language courses nationwide rose 78% from 2009 to 2016.”
Many people are excited to see the growing popularity of Korean pop culture within the United States and are eager to learn more about Korea and Korean culture, but what do Korean-Americans think of this rising trend?
I met with Eunjae Kim (김은재), better known in the United States as ‘Jae’, to speak about her thoughts and experiences as a Korean-American since the uprising of Korean media.
Here’s what she had to say:
Are you personally a fan of Korean Pop Culture?
I am! I grew up around it, even though I wasn’t raised in Korea. I have been a fan of it for as long as I can remember. I’m definitely not as into now as I was before, but I think I would still consider myself a fan. I mean, I did go to a few K-Pop concerts last year!
Do you think the Korean Wave in America has affected you personally as a Korean-American?
I would say it has. There have been a lot of good things and a lot of bad things that have come out of it, for Asian-Americans as a collective and for myself.
Would you say the effects of the Korean Wave have been more positive or more negative to you personally?
I would say it’s been a mix of both. I’ve definitely had my fair share of bad experiences, but I think there’s also been a lot of good to come out of it too!
What are some negative experiences you have had since the rise in Korean Pop Culture?
I think there are two extremes to this question.
There are some people who really hate the rise of Hallyu and unfortunately this has egged on a lot of negative stereotypes. As a person of color I have always had to deal with some sort of exclusion and racism, but I think since the trend of Korean media, I have had a lot more experiences that directly correlate to the Korean wave.
The other side of this are the people who kind of obsess over Korean and Asian culture. I think this has always been an existing issue, but it has definitely gotten worse since Korea started getting popular in the States. A lot of people now sort of fetishize Koreans and other Asian cultures and people and it is just really… uncomfortable. Even recently I saw a community on TikTok calling themselves “RCTA” (race change to another) where they are basically saying they are “switching races”. I understand that they believe they have a deep love for our cultures, but I think this could be harmful in the end.
What are some positive changes you have seen since the rise of Hallyu?
I think since then [the rise of Korean Pop Culture] a lot more people have been educating themselves on cultures outside of their own. A lot more people seem to be learning about not just Korean media but actually digging deeper into Korean culture. That’s really nice to see!
Overall, I think people are just becoming a lot more openminded to cultures that aren’t their own.
Has the trend of Korean Culture within the United States helped you feel more connected to your Korean heritage?
I think it definitely has! Since Korea is becoming so popular I’m starting to see a lot of different aspects of Korean culture everywhere. I’m seeing so much more Korean media in the US, I’m seeing so many more Korean courses being taught, and even simple things like seeing more Korean restaurants and stores being opened! It’s obviously not going to be exactly the same as actually living in Korea, but seeing bits and pieces of my culture around me has definitely helped me feel more connected to it.
Any final thoughts?
I think Korean media is great! I hope and encourage people to continue to learn, not just about Korean culture, but about all the different cultures around us! Just remember that there is a difference in fetishizing and respecting other cultures.
As for my fellow Korean-Americans, let’s continue to stay proud of our culture, who we are, and ourselves! We’re so cool and we have so much to offer!
