The Korean Diasporic Identity in the Context of K-Pop Consumption: The Case of Young Female Diaspora Members in Kazakhstan

Abstract

The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, is no longer simply a new phenomenon or an unusual surge in the cultural market. We argue that it is instead a cultural trend and environment with substantial influence among youth outside of Korea, and that it has the transformative power of (re)shaping Korean identity among young diaspora Koreans. Drawing upon the literature of diasporic identity construction, we explore the impact of the Korean Wave on the construction of Korean identity among Korean-Kazakhstani youth. The present article examines how young Korean Kazakhstanis interpret K-pop in relation with their selfidentity as Korean. Our qualitative analysis of a focus group exhibits that the current trend of K-pop in Kazakhstan not only involves the consumption of a cultural product, but also serves as stimuli for young diaspora Koreans to reflect upon their identity. Using Cohen’s (2004) framework for diasporic identity, we find that Korean-Kazakhstani youths interpret K-pop in a universal sense as well as in cultural and biological terms. The popularity of K-pop among local consumers in Kazakhstan has a transformative influence on young members of the Korean diaspora, as the Korean Wave has positively changed people’s perceptions of Korea in general.