DOCSLIB.ORG

Hallyu Wave (한류 웨이브 ) As a Major Motivation to Learn

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hallyu Wave (한류 웨이브 ) As a Major Motivation to Learn HALLYU WAVE (한류 웨이브 ) AS A MAJOR MOTIVATION TO LEARN KOREAN LANGUAGE BY DAYANA NAJWA BINTI SAMSUDIN INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA 2019 HALLYU WAVE (한류 웨이브 ) AS A MAJOR MOTIVATION TO LEARN KOREAN LANGUAGE BY DAYANA NAJWA BINTI SAMSUDIN A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Art (Hons.) of English for International Communication. JANUARY 2020 ABSTRACT Since 1990, Korean popular culture or known as Hallyu wave has become a global phenomenon due to the exportation of their culture. The Hallyu wave seems to give a big impact on individuals’ interests. However, till date, previous studies in Malaysia have only focused on the effects of Korean popular culture towards identity construction and in the area of tourism. Thus, this paper analyses the motivations to study Korean language and the types of Korean popular culture that students are interested in the content of Korean language learning. To answer these research objectives, this paper integrates qualitative approach on six students of Kulliyyah of Languages and Management (KLM) of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). From the findings, the result revealed that majority of the students wanted to learn the Korean language because of their interest in Hallyu wave. Furthermore, the participants believe that K-pop and Korean drama should be incorporated as part of the contents in Korean language learning as it can facilitate them in acquiring the language. These findings can facilitate both educators and individuals to incorporate the types of Korean popular culture as part of the Korean language learning. Keywords: Hallyu wave, Korean language learning, motivation, IIUM, KLM, K-pop, Korean drama i APPROVAL PAGE ii DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Dayana Najwa binti Samsudin iii INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH HALLYU WAVE AS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO KOREAN LANGUAGE LEARNING I declare that the copyright holder of this thesis/dissertation are jointly owned by the student and IIUM. Copyright © 2019 Dayana Najwa binti Samsudin and International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights reserved. No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purpose. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. By signing this form, I acknowledged that I have read and understand the IIUM Intellectual Property Right and Commercialization policy. Affirmed by Dayana Najwa binti Samsudin iv This is for me, Babah, Mama and Sam’s fam. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah SWT for His Mercy and Blessings throughout completing this thesis. He is indeed the one who eases the journey. Alhamdulillah. To Dr Shahrul Nizam Mohd Basari, the one I am most indebted to for his time and ideas in supervised and facilitated me throughout this research period. To my parents, Samsudin and Rahila, and my family for their endless duas and supports since forever. They are my backbones for always giving me the strength to keep moving forward. To all my lecturers in KLM, all of you have helped me grow throughout the four years I was here. To my partner in crimes, Natasha Suraya, from CFS PJ to Gombak, went to an exchange program in South Korea and till in Pagoh. All moments were so precious that I will cherish forever. To others, Qahirah Hasnan, Adlina Amani, Fadhlan Faiz, Farah Yusree, Batrisyia Qistina, and Hadi Alif, thank you for the time we had spent together, and all the supports given. It was indeed the happiest memories with all of you. To my research participants, thank you for being part of the research! You guys made this happened! Jazakallahukhairuljazak. 정말 엄청 하늘만큼 땅만큼 사랑한다! Love all of you to the moon and back. vi TABLE OF CONTENT Abstract ........................................................................................................................... i Approval Page ................................................................................................................ ii Declaration .................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................ ix List of Figures ................................................................................................................ x CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background Of The Study ........................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement Of Problem .................................................................................. 3 1.3 Research Questions ...................................................................................... 4 1.4 Research Objectives ..................................................................................... 5 1.5 Operational Definition .................................................................................. 5 1.5.1 Motivation .......................................................................................... 5 1.5.2 Hallyu Wave ....................................................................................... 5 1.5.3 K-Pop ................................................................................................. 5 1.5.4 K-Drama ............................................................................................. 5 1.6 Significance Of Study .................................................................................. 6 1.7 Organization Of Chapters ............................................................................ 6 CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................... 8 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................... 8 2.0 Introduction .................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Language Learning Motivation .................................................................... 8 2.2 Popular Culture .......................................................................................... 10 2.1.1 Types Of Popular Culture ................................................................ 11 2.2 Korean Popular Culture .............................................................................. 15 2.2.1 K-Pop ............................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Korean Drama .................................................................................. 17 2.2.3 Hallyu Wave And Language Learning ............................................ 19 2.4 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 21 vii CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................... 22 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................. 22 3.0 Overview Of The Chapter .......................................................................... 22 3.1 Research Design ......................................................................................... 22 3.2 Sampling .................................................................................................... 23 3.3 Instrument .................................................................................................. 24 3.4 Data Collection Methods ............................................................................ 25 3.5 Data Analysis ............................................................................................. 26 3.6 Trustworthiness .......................................................................................... 29 3.7 Ethical Consideration ................................................................................. 30 3.8 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................... 31 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ..............................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Perempuan Korea Dalam Film Serial Drama Korea “Jewel in the Palace”
    Perempuan Korea dalam Film Serial Drama Korea “Jewel in The Palace” SKRIPSI Diajukan sebagai Salah Satu Syarat untuk Mendapatkan Gelar Sarjana Ilmu Sosial dalam Bidang Antropologi Oleh : Indri Khairani 130905027 DEPARTEMEN ANTROPOLOGI SOSIAL FAKULTAS ILMU SOSIAL ILMU POLITIK UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2018 1 Universitas Sumatera Utara UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA FAKULTAS ILMU SOSIAL DAN ILMU POLITIK PERNYATAAN ORIGINALITAS Perempuan Korea dalam Film Serial Drama Korea“Jewel in The Palace” SKRIPSI Dengan ini saya menyatakan bahwa dalam skripsi ini tidak terdapat karya yang pernah diajukan untuk memperoleh gelar kesarjanaan di suatu perguruan tinggi, dan sepanjang pengetahuan saya tidak terdapat karya atau pendapat yang pernah ditulis atau diterbitkan oleh orang lain, kecuali yang secara tertulis diacu dalam naskah ini dan disebut dalam daftar pustaka. Apabila dikemudian hari ditemukan adanya kecurangan atau tidak seperti yang saya nyatakan di sini, saya bersedia menerima sanksi sesuai dengan peraturan yang berlaku. Medan, Januari 2018 Penulis Indri Khairani i Universitas Sumatera Utara ABSTRAK Indri Khairani, 2018. Judul skripsi: Perempuan Korea dalam Film Serial Drama Korea “Jewel in The Palace”. Skripsi ini terdiri dari 5 BAB, 113 halaman, 18 daftar gambar, 57 daftar pustaka Tulisan ini berjudul Perempuan Korea dalam Film Serial Drama ―Jewel in The Palace”, yang bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana perjuangan sosok seorang perempuan Korea yang tinggal di dalam istana “Gungnyeo” pada masa Dinasti Joseon di anad 15 dalam sebuah drama seri Jewel in The Palace Penelitian ini bersifat kualitatif. Metode yang digunakan adalah analisis wacana, dan model analisis yang digunakan adalalah analisis wacana dari Sara Mills yang merupakan model analisis wacana yang menaruh titik perhatian utama pada wacana mengenai feminisme.
    [Show full text]
  • Yun Mi Hwang Phd Thesis
    SOUTH KOREAN HISTORICAL DRAMA: GENDER, NATION AND THE HERITAGE INDUSTRY Yun Mi Hwang A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2011 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1924 This item is protected by original copyright This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence SOUTH KOREAN HISTORICAL DRAMA: GENDER, NATION AND THE HERITAGE INDUSTRY YUN MI HWANG Thesis Submitted to the University of St Andrews for the Degree of PhD in Film Studies 2011 DECLARATIONS I, Yun Mi Hwang, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 80,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student and as a candidate for the degree of PhD in September 2006; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2006 and 2010. I, Yun Mi Hwang, received assistance in the writing of this thesis in respect of language and grammar, which was provided by R.A.M Wright. Date …17 May 2011.… signature of candidate ……………… I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of PhD in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree.
    [Show full text]
  • Birth and Evolution of Korean Reality Show Formats
    Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Film, Media & Theatre Dissertations School of Film, Media & Theatre Spring 5-6-2019 Dynamics of a Periphery TV Industry: Birth and Evolution of Korean Reality Show Formats Soo keung Jung [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/fmt_dissertations Recommended Citation Jung, Soo keung, "Dynamics of a Periphery TV Industry: Birth and Evolution of Korean Reality Show Formats." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2019. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/fmt_dissertations/7 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Film, Media & Theatre at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Film, Media & Theatre Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DYNAMICS OF A PERIPHERY TV INDUSTRY: BIRTH AND EVOLUTION OF KOREAN REALITY SHOW FORMATS by SOOKEUNG JUNG Under the Direction of Ethan Tussey and Sharon Shahaf, PhD ABSTRACT Television format, a tradable program package, has allowed Korean television the new opportunity to be recognized globally. The booming transnational production of Korean reality formats have transformed the production culture, aesthetics and structure of the local television. This study, using a historical and practical approach to the evolution of the Korean reality formats, examines the dynamic relations between producer, industry and text in the
    [Show full text]
  • Great Food, Great Stories from Korea
    GREAT FOOD, GREAT STORIE FOOD, GREAT GREAT A Tableau of a Diamond Wedding Anniversary GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS This is a picture of an older couple from the 18th century repeating their wedding ceremony in celebration of their 60th anniversary. REGISTRATION NUMBER This painting vividly depicts a tableau in which their children offer up 11-1541000-001295-01 a cup of drink, wishing them health and longevity. The authorship of the painting is unknown, and the painting is currently housed in the National Museum of Korea. Designed to help foreigners understand Korean cuisine more easily and with greater accuracy, our <Korean Menu Guide> contains information on 154 Korean dishes in 10 languages. S <Korean Restaurant Guide 2011-Tokyo> introduces 34 excellent F Korean restaurants in the Greater Tokyo Area. ROM KOREA GREAT FOOD, GREAT STORIES FROM KOREA The Korean Food Foundation is a specialized GREAT FOOD, GREAT STORIES private organization that searches for new This book tells the many stories of Korean food, the rich flavors that have evolved generation dishes and conducts research on Korean cuisine after generation, meal after meal, for over several millennia on the Korean peninsula. in order to introduce Korean food and culinary A single dish usually leads to the creation of another through the expansion of time and space, FROM KOREA culture to the world, and support related making it impossible to count the exact number of dishes in the Korean cuisine. So, for this content development and marketing. <Korean Restaurant Guide 2011-Western Europe> (5 volumes in total) book, we have only included a selection of a hundred or so of the most representative.
    [Show full text]
  • Welcome to Korea Day: from Diasporic to Hallyu Fan-Nationalism
    International Journal of Communication 13(2019), 3764–3780 1932–8036/20190005 Welcome to Korea Day: From Diasporic to Hallyu Fan-Nationalism IRINA LYAN1 University of Oxford, UK With the increasing appeal of Korean popular culture known as the Korean Wave or hallyu, fans in Israel among Korean studies students have joined—and even replaced— ethnic Koreans in performing nationalism beyond South Korea’s borders, creating what I call hallyu fan-nationalism. As an unintended consequence of hallyu, such nationalism enables non-Korean hallyu fans to take on the empowering roles of cultural experts, educators, and even cultural ambassadors to promote Korea abroad. The symbolic shift from diasporic to hallyu nationalism brings to the fore nonnationalist, nonessentialist, and transcultural perspectives in fandom studies. In tracing the history of Korea Day from the 2000s to the 2010s, I found that hallyu fan-students are mobilized both by the macro mission to promote a positive image of Korea in their home societies and by the micro motivation to repair their own, often stigmatized, self-image. Keywords: transcultural fandom studies, hallyu, Korean Wave, Korean studies, Korea Day, diasporic nationalism While talking with Israeli students enrolled in Korean studies (mostly female fans of Korean popular culture) in an effort to understand their motivations behind organizing Korea Day and promoting Korean culture in Israel in general, I was surprised when some of them used the Hebrew word hasbara, which literally translates as “explanation.” As a synonym for propaganda, hasbara refers to the public diplomacy of Israel that aims to promote a positive image of Israel to the world and to counter its delegitimization.
    [Show full text]
  • Bukchon Hanok Village
    February 14, 2019 Local Information Provider for Foreigners in Korea Volume 18, lssue 19 Printed by Pyeongtaek Culture Newspaper, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Government, under written agreement with U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. Bukchon Hanok Village A village that preserves the beauty of Korean traditional houses of the house and includes traditional paint- by Lee, Sangbae ings, sculptures and ceramics by renowned Korea Culture News Korean artists. Other standout features include a gorgeously landscaped courtyard garden and Bukchon Hanok Village is a home to hundreds of a breathtaking bathroom outfitted with a Hanoks, traditional Korean houses, that date back to wooden tub and natural elements that blend the Joseon Dynasty in the heart of Seoul city. Today, harmoniously with the home’s surroundings. many of these Hanoks operate as cultural centers, Visitors can also enjoy a host of cultural activi- guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses, providing ties and performances and even sample Jo- visitors with an opportunity to experience, learn and seon-era cuisine. immerse themselves in traditional Korean culture. 41, Bukchon-ro 11ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul The name Bukchon literally translated to “northern >> Bukchon Cultural Center Bukchon Cultural Center was established to http://chiwoonjung.com village,” and was given to the district because it lies Reservation: 02-765-7400 north Seoul. Nestled at the southern foot of the offer traditional cultural experience opportu- mountain connecting Baegak and Eungbongsan nities for local residents and international visi- mountains, it is surrounded by lush forests and offers tors. The programs include tea ceremony, beautiful views.
    [Show full text]
  • Cross-National Study on the Perception of the Korean Wave and Cultural Hybridity in Indonesia and Malaysia Using Discourse on Social Media
    sustainability Article Cross-National Study on the Perception of the Korean Wave and Cultural Hybridity in Indonesia and Malaysia Using Discourse on Social Media Yu Lim Lee 1, Minji Jung 1, Robert Jeyakumar Nathan 2 and Jae-Eun Chung 1,* 1 Department of Consumer Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Sungkyunkwan-ro 25-2, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03063, Korea; [email protected] (Y.L.L.); [email protected] (M.J.) 2 Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Melaka 75450, Malaysia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-2-760-0508 Received: 25 June 2020; Accepted: 24 July 2020; Published: 28 July 2020 Abstract: In the era of globalization, due to the prevalent cultural exchange between countries, inflows of foreign cultural products can enrich local culture by hybridizing local and global culture together. Although there have been numerous studies on cultural hybridity using qualitative interviews with recipients of foreign cultural products in single countries, cross-national studies that examine the national characteristics that facilitate or impede cultural hybridity remain scarce. The purpose of the present study is to identify the factors that promote or hinder cultural hybridity between the Korean Wave and Muslim culture by probing the similarities and differences in social media data on Korean cultural products between Indonesia and Malaysia using a semantic network analysis. The results of the study uncovered the three factors that promote cultural hybridity (‘Asian identity’, policies emphasizing ‘unity in ethnic diversity’, and ‘local consumers xenocentrism’) and the two hindering elements (‘a conservative nature of religion’ and ‘discrimination between ethnic groups’). Theoretical contributions and practical implications are also provided for promoting cultural hybridity.
    [Show full text]
  • The Globalization of K-Pop: the Interplay of External and Internal Forces
    THE GLOBALIZATION OF K-POP: THE INTERPLAY OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FORCES Master Thesis presented by Hiu Yan Kong Furtwangen University MBA WS14/16 Matriculation Number 249536 May, 2016 Sworn Statement I hereby solemnly declare on my oath that the work presented has been carried out by me alone without any form of illicit assistance. All sources used have been fully quoted. (Signature, Date) Abstract This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic analysis about the growing popularity of Korean pop music (K-pop) worldwide in recent years. On one hand, the international expansion of K-pop can be understood as a result of the strategic planning and business execution that are created and carried out by the entertainment agencies. On the other hand, external circumstances such as the rise of social media also create a wide array of opportunities for K-pop to broaden its global appeal. The research explores the ways how the interplay between external circumstances and organizational strategies has jointly contributed to the global circulation of K-pop. The research starts with providing a general descriptive overview of K-pop. Following that, quantitative methods are applied to measure and assess the international recognition and global spread of K-pop. Next, a systematic approach is used to identify and analyze factors and forces that have important influences and implications on K-pop’s globalization. The analysis is carried out based on three levels of business environment which are macro, operating, and internal level. PEST analysis is applied to identify critical macro-environmental factors including political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological.
    [Show full text]
  • The K-Pop Wave: an Economic Analysis
    The K-pop Wave: An Economic Analysis Patrick A. Messerlin1 Wonkyu Shin2 (new revision October 6, 2013) ABSTRACT This paper first shows the key role of the Korean entertainment firms in the K-pop wave: they have found the right niche in which to operate— the ‘dance-intensive’ segment—and worked out a very innovative mix of old and new technologies for developing the Korean comparative advantages in this segment. Secondly, the paper focuses on the most significant features of the Korean market which have contributed to the K-pop success in the world: the relative smallness of this market, its high level of competition, its lower prices than in any other large developed country, and its innovative ways to cope with intellectual property rights issues. Thirdly, the paper discusses the many ways the K-pop wave could ensure its sustainability, in particular by developing and channeling the huge pool of skills and resources of the current K- pop stars to new entertainment and art activities. Last but not least, the paper addresses the key issue of the ‘Koreanness’ of the K-pop wave: does K-pop send some deep messages from and about Korea to the world? It argues that it does. Keywords: Entertainment; Comparative advantages; Services; Trade in services; Internet; Digital music; Technologies; Intellectual Property Rights; Culture; Koreanness. JEL classification: L82, O33, O34, Z1 Acknowledgements: We thank Dukgeun Ahn, Jinwoo Choi, Keun Lee, Walter G. Park and the participants to the seminars at the Graduate School of International Studies of Seoul National University, Hanyang University and STEPI (Science and Technology Policy Institute).
    [Show full text]
  • Korean Sauna (Jjimjilbang) Wellness Tourism As Perceived by Westerners Living in South Korea
    Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management December 2018, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 93-101 ISSN: 2372-5125 (Print), 2372-5133 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/jthm.v6n2a8 URL: https://doi.org/10.15640/jthm.v6n2a8 Korean Sauna (Jjimjilbang) Wellness Tourism as Perceived by Westerners Living in South Korea Ph.D. Candidate D. Kessler1, Professor K.J. Chung1, & Professor B.J. Jang1 Abstract In this paper, we examined attitudes of westerners living in South Korea regarding Korean saunas (jjimjilbangs). We surveyed (n=225) westerners living in South Korea who have visited a Korean sauna at least once during their stay. The purpose of our research was to measure subjective attitudes, frequency, and motivation towards sauna usage along with their self-reported health evaluations and basic demographic variables. We hypothesized there would be a positive correlation between the respondent's self-reported health evaluations and the frequency of usage of the spa. Additionally, we hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the length of time living in South Korea and the frequency of spa usage. Using the SF-36 to measure self-reported health characteristics, results of our statistical analysis indicate a Pearson Correlation of .428 between the frequency of spa usage and SF-36 respondents scores. Moreover, we found no correlation in the length of staying in Korea and frequency of spa usage. Findings from this research are consistent with the findings from our literature review of the general health benefits of saunas. Keywords: South Korea, tourism, sauna, spa, wellness, health 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Download and Upload Speeds for Any Individual Device That Is Connected to the Network
    UC Irvine UC Irvine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Acceleration and Information: Managing South Korean Online Gaming Culture Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2204k0wv Author Rea, Stephen Campbell Publication Date 2015 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE Acceleration and Information: Managing South Korean Online Gaming Culture DISSERTATION submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Anthropology by Stephen C. Rea Dissertation Committee: Associate Professor Keith M. Murphy, Chair Professor Tom Boellstorff Professor Bill Maurer 2015 © 2015 Stephen C. Rea TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii CURRICULUM VITAE v ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION vi CHAPTER 1: Playing at the Speed of Life: Korean Online Gaming Culture and the 1 Aesthetic Representations of an Advanced Information Society CHAPTER 2: “Slow to Industrialize, but Let’s Lead in Informatization”: The Korea 31 Information Infrastructure, the IMF, and Online Games CHAPTER 3: Situating Korean Online Gaming Culture Offline 71 CHAPTER 4: Managing the Gap: The Temporal, Spatial, and Social Entailments of 112 Playing Online Games CHAPTER 5: Crafting Stars: e-Sports and the Professionalization of Korean Online 144 Gaming Culture CHAPTER 6: “From Heroes to Monsters”: “Addiction” and Managing Online Gaming 184 Culture CONCLUSION 235 BIBLIOGRAPHY 242 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have been
    [Show full text]
  • K-Pop in Latin America: Transcultural Fandom and Digital Mediation
    International Journal of Communication 11(2017), 2250–2269 1932–8036/20170005 K-Pop in Latin America: Transcultural Fandom and Digital Mediation BENJAMIN HAN Concordia University Wisconsin, USA This article examines the transnational popularity of K-pop in Latin America. It argues K- pop as a subculture that transforms into transcultural fandom via digital mediation, further resulting in its accommodation into Latin American mass culture. The article further engages in a critical analysis of K-pop fan activism in Latin America to explore the transcultural dynamics of K-pop fandom. In doing so, the article provides a more holistic approach to the study of the Korean Wave in Latin America within the different “scapes” of globalization. Keywords: K-pop, fandom, Latin America, digital culture, Korean Wave The popularity of K-pop around the globe has garnered mass media publicity as Psy’s “Gangnam Style” reached number two on the Billboard Charts and became the most watched video on YouTube in 2012. Although newspapers, trade journals, and scholars have examined the growing transnational popularity of K-pop in East Asia, the reception and consumption of K-pop in Latin America have begun to receive serious scholarly consideration only in the last few years. Numerous reasons have been explicated for the international appeal and success of K-pop, but it also is important to understand that the transnational and transcultural fandom of K-pop cannot be confined solely to its metavisual aesthetics that creatively syncretize various genres of global popular music such as Black soul and J-pop. K-pop as hybrid music accentuated with powerful choreography is a form of visual spectacle but also promotes a particular kind of lifestyle represented by everyday modernity in which social mobility in the form of stardom becomes an important facet of the modernization process in Latin America.
    [Show full text]