Week 5 Blog: Winnie Chen

“Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of ‘Pop Nationalism’ in Korea” by Jeongsuk Joo discusses the surge of popular nationalism in South Korea, which has largely transformed Korea’s economy by way of exporting its cultural entertainment in a global context. Because various imperial powers have historically invaded Korea, Korea was reluctant to expand its market out of fear, but as a result of the expansion, South Korea has become the dominant power of cultural globalism. According to the article, it is apparent that Korea’s national aesthetic is Korean Popular culture, and the phenomenon of such is termed as the “Korean Wave.” As if a sudden change has occurred, Korean popular culture dramatically boomed by the late 1990s. There are 2 major aspects that gave Korean popular culture its success, notably in Korean Pop (K-Pop). Throughout history, as Korea was invaded by Chinese, Japanese, and American influences, K-Pop was able to make a leap in the market by replacing foreign content at home and sending their popular artists overseas. According to Joo, K-Pop had an edgy image that drew a large audience, in its music style was “localized hip-hop that toned down the harsh beats of the American genre and dealt with issues more resonant youth” (Joo 492). For myself, I can relate to that fact because I am also a big fan of K-Pop. Though I am not Korean, I easily bought into Korean Popular culture because I found it very relatable. As an East Asian American, Korean popular culture sold the kinds of images and culture that I was not exposed to at home. The traditions were physically celebrated but I never understood the symbolic meanings until I had seen similar images on Korean entertainment shows. Regardless, the booming Korean Wave has encountered wide success in a transnational lens, to a degree in which China, Japan, the United States, and other nations can no longer harm Korea like they did in the past.

Works Cited:

Joo, Jeongsuk. "Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of ‘‘Pop Nationalism’’ in Korea." The Journal of Popular Culture 44.3 (2011): 489-504. 2 June 2011. Web.

Sment. “TVXQ!(동방신기) _ MIROTIC-주문 _ MusicVideo(뮤직비디오).” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 22 Nov. 2009. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.