Starting with the drama Winter Sonata in Japan, the Korean Wave has sparked a fad for Korean movies, dramas, and pop music. The trend is spreading across the world beyond Asia. However, nowadays, an anti-Korean Wave movement is spreading into China, Japan, and other countries.
There are many reasons why foreigners feel animosity to the Korean Wave. First, cultural identity is very important to all countries. People worry that their own culture will disappear because foreign culture spreads deeply in their culture. For this reason, they feel wary about Korean culture.
The second reason is the financial loss of countries which import Korean movies, dramas, and pop music. When Korean entertainment management companies enter foreign markets, they usually only take a profit without considering the local situation and emotion. This can provoke people’s antipathy. For instance, in Thailand, a fan meeting is considered a free event. However, some Korean entertainment management companies charged for fan meetings in Thailand, so Thais criticized them. This behavior can give people in other countries a negative impression that Korean entertainers don’t have affection for foreign fans.
Lastly, Korean entertainment management companies hiding the truth is a problem. In Korea, there are many rumors about the Korean entertainment world. Fans want entertainers to explain the rumors, but Korean entertainment management companies do not answer accurately. It arouses more suspicion. For instance, the actress Jang Ja-yoen, who committed suicide, left her will. She wrote that she was forced to give sexual favors. Similarly, the fact Korean entertainers are forced to give sexual favors is not an entirely false rumor. However, Korean entertainment management companies do not mention this. This attitude that they hide the truth makes rumors, and these rumors can be a cause of blame in foreign countries.
When we respond to the anti-Korean Wave, we should correct the internal problems of the entertainment world first before reacting emotionally. First, we should not make foreigners think Korean culture harms their own culture. Some Koreans think the Korean Wave means Korean culture is superior to other countries’ culture. This reaction can make foreigners repulsed. Therefore, we should not have superiority, but we should think it is cultural exchange. Furthermore, Korean entertainment management companies should do business after investigating the countries’ local cultural climate. A business which goes against the local cultural climate can arouse antipathy in the country’s people. Finally, we should try to remove the negative practices which could cause anti-Korean feeling. For example, when a rumor which causes a negative Korean image occurs, we should investigate thoroughly and reveal the truth like Korean entertainers’ forced sexual favors. When we try to make popular culture transparent, negative practices which could be seen negatively by foreign fans will disappear.
There is a phrase, crises present opportunities. If we take the anti-Korean Wave as an opportunity to rectify our internal problems, then the Korean Wave’s popularity will continue.
