Success without Design: Hallyu (Korean Wave) and Its Implications for Cultural Policy

Abstract

The huge popularity of Korean pop culture overseas, labeled Hallyu,otherwise known as the Korean Wave, is an unprecedented event in the culturalhistory of Korea. Many foreign observers tend to see it as the result of the Koreangovernment’s policy efforts. This paper claims that Hallyu in essence is an unintended“success without design.” No one, including the Korean government,intentionally planned it. There were five key factors that made it possible: thecompetitiveness of Korean culture industries, political economic changes inEast Asian countries, entrepreneurs in show business, fragmentary governmentalsupport, and global digital networks. Each of these factors has independentlycontributed in its own way to the success of Hallyu. The fact that Hallyu is not aproduct of any deliberate plan has some important implications for cultural policyand culture industries.