K-Girl in SD – Wrap-up: What makes Korean wave have a golden age

This will be the last episode of K-Girl in SD. I have shared stories about Korean food, art, and film, all of which are influencing the U.S. with their attraction and freshness. The entire journey for four months has been a wholesome experience for me, allowing me to explore new trends. At times, I felt pride in my culture, but at other times, I felt its absence. This experience has helped me observe my country with an objective perspective and learn what is needed for Koreans to harmonize with the world. I hope you, the readers, have also enjoyed the stories. Below are the links to the previous columns for those who might want to read.

Ep 1. Journey of ‘Kimbap’ spreading across the U.S.

Ep 2. Korea in Color: Phenomenal exhibition’s happening in San Diego

Ep 3. Explore new pieces of films annually at the San Diego Asian Film Festival

Ep 4. Diversifying the table with fresh stimulation for the tongue

The first time I felt the “Hallyu (Korean wave)” was back when I was 12 years old. PSY’s “Gangnam Style” made it onto the Billboard’s Hot 100 and secured the second-place spot. I remember singing along with my friends, despite the lyrics being a little suggestive for kids. While idol groups like Girls’ Generation and Wonder Girls had already gained international fan bases before PSY, my most vivid memory is from 2012 when I saw foreigners dancing the horseback-riding dance through the news.

After I entered middle school, a long heyday of boy groups began. EXO’s “Growl” claimed first place on the 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2013 list, and the group was selected as one of the 14 Artists to Watch in 2014 by Billboard. The climax came with BTS, who ushered in another phase of the Hallyu. By then, K-Pop had become a significant part of the Hallyu; however, dramas, films, and food gradually emerged as other crucial aspects to consider when speaking of Korea.

“Parasite” winning four awards at the Academy Awards in 2020 was highlighted as the first Asian film to achieve this feat. Korean cinema gained attention in the early 2000s, especially with director Park Chan-wook’s “Oldboy,” but for younger generations, director Bong Joon-ho played a big role in piquing their interest in Korean films.

It is also interesting to see that non-traditional foods, such as Korean-style chicken or corn dogs, are becoming popular. We renovated recipes from other cultures in our way after accepting the originals. Now, people from other countries are enjoying these new types of food from our heritage. Isn’t it fascinating that we are constantly exchanging each other’s norms and values?

One of the features of Korean culture is our ability to absorb other customs. Once we learn about new cultures and deem them valuable to apply to our own, we don’t hesitate. While America has diversified its culture through immigrants from all over the world for many decades, Korea lacks diversity due to its history as a mono-ethnic nation. However, we are enthusiastic about learning from abroad and integrating these influences with our traits and preferences.

For example, ‘spicy cream pasta’ was a sensation a few years ago in Korea, combining the ‘spiciness’ that Koreans enjoy with pasta, a non-traditional food for us. Another example is Seoul, known as the ‘city of cafes.’ After adopting the cafe culture from Europe to create a public sphere for discussions and ateliers for creative ideas, we integrated it into our lifestyle. Now, we have a considerable number of cafes not only in Seoul but all over the peninsula, each with its style. Some cafes cater to students and workers by staying open 24 hours, while others host book clubs and various gatherings to connect people. Most of the cafes in the city are not large but offer unique vibes or concepts, and those in the suburbs have jaw-dropping sizes.

As Koreans are sensitive to trends, they rise and fall rapidly. Every time new brands are imported from abroad, customers flood into the stores. This happened with Blue Bottle Coffee, Shake Shack, and Tim Hortons, among many others. Some people complain of fatigue due to these phenomena because there is cultural pressure to chase fashion without discovering one’s preferences. I agree with them that we care too much about the trends, and I also feel fatigued sometimes. However, this is one of the ways we find our creativity by sprinkling a spoonful of familiarity onto the exotic.

There are likely people who feel sick of Hallyu due to its extensive exposure. However, it seems that Hallyu has persisted for a long time because Korean culture was not mainstream. Being a novelty as a fringe culture made ours sensational to others, and it hasn’t been long compared to how many eras mainstream culture has dominated the world. I could grasp the reality of my perception of Korea through people I met abroad, including San Diego. Some friends knew about K-Pop better than me, while others only knew that Korea is a country in Asia and weren’t exactly sure where it is.

Not only Korea but also many other cultures that have been non-mainstream are gradually breaking barriers nowadays. Luckily, I experienced the favor of Hallyu from childhood, but I learned how challenging it was for previous generations to cultivate our traditions and heritage. The society I look forward to is one where I can learn new customs and share diverse ways of life, with people accepting and acknowledging each other.

Kyungmin Min is an international intern from Korea.