MALAYSIA: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY
Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Usuluddin and Comparative
Religion
Sciences
ii
ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of Hallyu has been gaining popularity around the world, including
Malaysia, and has influenced many people, especially the youths. The obsession of
Muslim youths towards this phenomenon has sparked concern. This study focuses on
the impact of the phenomenon of Hallyu Wave towards the lifestyle of Muslim youths
in Malaysia. This is done firstly by explaining the concept of Hallyu. This paper also
investigates the impact of Hallyu on the lifestyle of Muslim youths. This is done by
measuring the effects of Hallyu’s cultural components such as entertainment, fashion
and lifestyle on the daily life of Muslims. This study also examines how the
phenomenon of Hallyu has influenced Muslim youths. The researcher used both
qualitative and quantitative methodology, in which a questionnaire was distributed to
students from two (2) different universities, namely International Islamic University
Malaysia (IIUM) and University of Malaya (UM), as respondents for this study. The
researcher also included library research on books, articles, journals, newspapers,
magazines and Internet sources in order to analyze the concept of Hallyu based on
previous research. This study has found that the obsession of Hallyu seen to be affected
the lifestyle of Muslim youths in Malaysia.
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(Hallyu) . .
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(UM) (IIUM)
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APPROVAL PAGE
I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms
to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and
………………………………………………
Supervisor
I certify that I have read this study that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable
standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis
for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge.
..……………………………………………..
Examiner
This thesis was submitted to the Department of Usuluddin and Comparative Religion
and is accepted as a fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic
Revealed Knowledge.
and Comparative Religion
This thesis was submitted to the Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human
Sciences and is accepted as a fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of
Islamic Revealed Knowledge.
Knowledge and Human Sciences
v
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigation, except
where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently
submitted as a whole for any other degree in IIUM or other institutions.
Nur Sa’adah Binti Syaiful Anwar
Signature ………………………... Date ……………………
FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH
THE IMPACTS OF THE PHENOMENON OF HALLYU ON THE
LIFESTYLE OF MUSLIM YOUTHS IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYTICAL STUDY
I declare that the copyright holders of this dissertation are jointly owned by the
student and IIUM.
Copyright © 2019 Nur Sa’adah Binti Syaiful Anwar 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
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
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By signing this form, I acknowledged that I have read and understand the IIUM
Intellectual Property Right and Commercialization policy.
Affirmed by Nur Sa’adah Binti Syaiful Anwar
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Praise be to Allah for His Mercy and His Greatness. The completion of this research has been possible with the support of the committee
members who guided and supported me through the rough patches of writing this
dissertation. I would like to thank my supervisor, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nur Suriya Mohd Nor,
for her knowledge, guidance, advice and patience, all of which have greatly helped me
throughout my postgraduate journey. I would also thank my co-supervisor, Asst. Prof.
Dr. Asma M. Uthman El-Muhammady, for her support and kind advice. My gratitude
also goes to Asst. Prof. Dr. Fatmir Shehu, whose feedback was significantly helpful and
very positive in supporting my study. My heartfelt gratitude goes to my parents, Hj.
Syaiful Anwar Bin Ali Akbar and Hjh. Nurbaity Binti Husin, and my family; without
their prayers, I would never have been able to complete my postgraduate journey. To
good friends of mine, Nor Athirah Binti Mohd Indera Alimshah and Najwa Binti
Mazlan, thank you for always being there through thick and thin. Finally yet importantly,
to other people who have helped directly or indirectly, thank you so much. May Allah
bless all of you.
Approval Page ............................................................................................................ iv Declaration ................................................................................................................. v Copypage ................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... vi Table of Content ........................................................................................................ viii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1
1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................... 4
1.6.1 The Phenomenon And Effect of Hallyu In Malaysia ..................... 5
1.6.2 The Phenomenon And Effect of Hallyu Wave In Other Countries 7
1.7 Scope of Research..................................................................................... 10
GENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................ 12
2.3 The Positive And Negative Perceptions of Hallyu Wave ......................... 18
CHAPTER 3: THE PHENOMENON OF HALLYU WAVE IN SOUTHEAST
ASIA .......................................................................................................................... 24
3.2 The Hallyu Phenomenon In Asean Countries .......................................... 28
3.2.1 Singapore ....................................................................................... 29
3.4 Hallyu And Fanaticism ............................................................................. 36
CHAPTER 4: THE EFFECTS OF HALLYU ON THE LIFESTYLE OF
MUSLIM YOUTHS IN MALAYSIA ..................................................................... 52
4.1 Demographic Data of Respondents .......................................................... 52
4.2 The Phenomenon of Hallyu ...................................................................... 55
4.3 The Impact of Hallyu ................................................................................ 65
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5.1 Hallyu Wave Vs. Asian Values ................................................................ 89
5.2 Hallyu Wave And Islam ........................................................................... 91
5.3 Conclusion And Suggestion ..................................................................... 93
BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................... 95
APPENDIX ............................................................................................................... 105
1.1 BACKGROUND
Globalization has been playing an increasingly important role in every area of life,
society and culture without any exception. Globalization has produced two unparalleled
phenomena: Standardization, which refers to similarities in clothing, eating habits and
cultural products; and Diversification, which leans towards motivation in approaching
the multiple cultures or heritages of the world. These two trends of globalization seem
to be the important aspects in spreading globalization in terms of culture. Scientific and
advanced technology of communication has been used to play a vital role in promoting,
as mentioned above, the globalization of culture around the world.
The evolution and development of technology enables information to spread
rapidly to every part of the world and also enables people to communicate with each
other without travelling. This makes people accessible to the outside world for their life
choices such as lifestyle, fashion and others. This unlimited development in the areas
of media and technology has been influencing the cultures of several countries and their
ethnic populations. The Korean Wave (or “Hallyu” in Korean; henceforth known as
Hallyu) is a highly popular cultural product of globalization that has been influencing
people today, especially in Asia. The Hallyu has gained immense popularity and
widespread dissemination as an export of South Korean culture since the 1990s. It has
experienced a significant change with the development of digital technologies and
social media such as YouTube, Social Networking Sites (SNSs) and communication
media devices such as the smartphone. These advanced technologies play their role as
2
a platform for Hallyu to spread its influence around the world.1 For the last few years,
the Hallyu has been spreading to almost all parts of the world, including Malaysia,
through not only its music and dramas, but also its culture and beliefs.
Nowadays, Korean popular music (K-pop) plays an important part in
influencing the lifestyle of its fans. Some Malaysians have accepted and adopted K-pop
culture into their lives. This has slowly influenced their fashion styles, music, dance,
food and, ultimately, language. These Malaysian youths even willingly spend a large
sum of money—between MYR299 and MYR799—to attend the concerts of their
favorite K-pop celebrities. 2 These youths have become so obsessed with Korean
celebrities that they tend to imitate every single thing that they do, and follow the luxury
life the celebrities are living in. Plastic surgery, which is very common amongst the
Koreans, has also become popular among the Malaysians, especially the youths who
aspire to achieve a petite face with milky-white complexion similar to that of Korean
celebrities.
Nowadays, Malaysian youths are becoming obsessed with Korean culture and
the entertainment brought by them and, in turn, they have become ignorant of their own
culture and even religion. This Hallyu practices and encourages a liberal and modern
lifestyle, which is detached and mostly deflected from Islamic teachings. Therefore, this
study aims to examine the phenomenon of Hallyu, the factors that influence these
youths into becoming obsessed with the entertainment brought by the Hallyu from
1 Dal, Yong-Jin. “Hallyu 2.0: The New Korean Wave in the Creative Industry”, II Journal; Vol. 2, no.1,
University of Michigan, (Fall 2012): 3. 2 Khadijah Ibrahim, “Fenomena k-pop, Salah Siapa?”, Utusan Malaysia Online, (Published on 14th
January,2015; 1:16am),
South Korea and how it affects the lifestyle of Muslim youths in Malaysia, followed by
suggestions for solutions towards this issue.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The obsession toward the Hallyu among the Muslim youths has sparked concern, be it
in entertainment, fashion and even culture. The rapid progress of media and technology
has made it possible for Hallyu to spread across the world, including Malaysia.
Technology plays a significant role in planting the interest and fanaticism in Hallyu
culture, and this has led Muslim youths to be influenced by this culture. Youths who
obsessively idolize celebrities have a wall covered with celebrity posters, a bookshelf
full of magazines in which their favorite celebrities have been featured and a calendar
marked with celebrity birthdays, in addition to following celebrity-endorsed fashion
styles, beauty and lifestyles, including cosmetic surgeries. This trending phenomenon
is seen as a threat to the lifestyle of Muslim youths in Malaysia as their idolization of
Korean celebrities and following their lifestyles contradict Islamic teachings. Islam has
underlined boundaries for entertainment and exceeding these boundaries might affect
one’s faith and way of living. There are several studies by researchers regarding the
impact of Hallyu, yet there is none that focus on its effect towards the lifestyle of
Muslim youths in Malaysia. Therefore, this study will focus on its impact on the
lifestyle of Muslim youths by measuring the effects of Hallyu through its entertainment,
fashion and lifestyle on the daily life of Muslims.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
The findings of this study will identify the effects of Hallyu Wave towards the lifestyle
of Muslim youths in Malaysia, particularly on the students of two (2) public universities
4
in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. There are several studies previously done by other
researchers regarding this topic. However, these studies mainly focus on the social
context and ethical concerns, especially outside Malaysia. As far as the research area is
concerned, there has been no study that focuses on the context of lifestyle among
Muslims in Malaysia. Therefore, this study will uncover this specific area or context
that has not been explored by other researchers.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions of this study are:
1. What is the concept of Hallyu?
2. How are the Muslim youths in Malaysia influenced by the Hallyu
phenomenon?
3. In what ways does the phenomenon of Hallyu affect the lifestyle of these
Muslim youths?
4. What are the solutions can be suggested to overcome the challenges posed
by the Hallyu Wave?
2. To study the concept of Hallyu
3. To highlight the Hallyu phenomenon in Malaysia
4. To identify the factors and effects of Hallyu towards the lifestyle of Muslim
youths in Malaysia
5. To propose solutions in order to overcome the challenges posed by Hallyu
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1.6 LITERATURE REVIEW
The researcher reviewed related studies done by other researchers that are significant in
order to help in understanding the concept of Hallyu wave. The previous researcher
discussed on the increase in social media usage and social networking sites, which
caused Hallyu wave to become popular in Malaysia, especially among the youths. The
Hallyu phenomenon does not only affect this country, but also other Asian and Western
countries. Previous studies have also discussed on the phenomenon of Hallyu wave in
other countries and the effects of Hallyu wave from the social and economic
perspectives. However, there is no study that has focused on its effects on the lifestyle
of Muslims. This study will therefore focus on the effects of Hallyu wave towards the
lifestyle of Muslim youths in Malaysia.
One of the distinguished approaches used in existing studies on Hallyu is the
concept of globalization due to its cross-cultural phenomenon. The involvement of the
cross-border flow of cultural product and recent globalization process in East Asia has
laid the base for the culture industry sector.3 However, globalization is not limited only
to the economic and political dimensions, but also the social and cultural dimensions.4
1.6.1 The Phenomenon and Effect of Hallyu in Malaysia
A study by Cho explored the two-way relationship between Korea and Malaysia with
regards to the changes caused by Korean wave.5 This study reveals that the initiation of
the bilateral relationship started with the former 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr.
3 Jonghoe Yang, “The Korean Wave (Hallyu) in East Asia: A Comparison of Chinese, Japanese, and
Taiwanese Audiences Who Watch Korean TV Dramas,” Development and Society 41, no. 1. (2012):
103–147. 4 Held, David, Anthony McGrew, David Goldblatt, and Jonathan Perraton. “Global Transformations:
Politics, Economics and Culture”. Stanford: Stanford University Press. (1999): Pg. 341. 5 Chul Ho, Cho, “Korean Wave in Malaysia and Changes of the Korea-Malaysia Relations”. Malaysian
Journal of Media Studies, Volume 12. (2012): 1–14.
6
Mahathir Bin Mohamad’s “Look East Policy”. The relation between Korea and
Malaysia was first seen as the state-initiated artificial promotion of bilateral relations
that later developed on a civilian level as Hallyu prevailed. This relationship is
characterized by the natural promotion of ties initiated by civilians. The Hallyu wave in
Malaysia displays this potential as Cho underlined its significance through the
possibility of Hallyu going global, spreading to the Islamic world and sustaining itself
for the long term. The acceptance of Malaysia towards Hallyu can be seen as proof of
Korean culture being embraced by Muslims, hence the spread of its value as a global
trend.
The effects of Hallyu in Malaysian society has shown more favorable views of
Korea, leading to further interest in South Korean society and culture, including the
Korean language and study about Korea and subsequently altering the Malaysian way
of thinking and mode of living. In terms of the economy, Hallyu has resulted in an
increase in Malaysians’ preference for Korean cuisine, the number of Malaysian tourists
visiting South Korea and the purchase of South Korean products in Malaysia. Cho, in
his writing, has briefly mentioned on the influence of Hallyu wave in the Muslim world,
but without a detailed explanation. Thus, this study will fill the research gap by
discussing the impact of Hallyu wave on the lifestyle of Muslim youths with special
focus on university students.
The Hallyu phenomenon has been viewed as a negative impact on Muslim
youths in Malaysia in newspaper articles written by Khadijah Ibrahim for Utusan
Malaysia6 and Siti Fatimah Hassan for Harian Metro respectively.7 These two authors
6 Khadijah Ibrahim, “Fenomena k-pop, Salah Siapa?”, Utusan Online, (Published on 14th January,2015;
1:16am), http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/fenomena-k-pop-salah-siapa-1.47782, (Quoted on
30th December, 2017). 7 Siti Fatimah Hassan, “Apa Sudah jadi”, Harian Metro, (Published on Sunday, 11th
January,2015;3:48pm), https://www.hmetro.com.my/node/23109 , (Quoted on 30th December, 2017).
highlighted that the expanding Hallyu phenomenon in this country contradicts Islamic
teachings. For example, a concert by the Korean male singing group called B1A4 in
Kuala Lumpur, attracted the attendance of many Muslim youths, especially women. A
meet and greet session during the concert showed female Muslim youths being hugged
and kissed by the artists. The authors have both highlighted in their writings on the
obsession of these youths towards such artists that they allow themselves to break
Islamic principles. They have elaborated well on the Islamic point of view regarding
the issue of Hallyu wave but without focusing directly on its impact on the lifestyle of
Muslim youths. The main point of this study is to study the effects of Hallyu wave on
the lifestyle of Muslim youths.
1.6.2 The Phenomenon and Effect of Hallyu Wave in Other Countries
Some researchers have looked into the cultural aspect of Hallyu in order to find the clue
to its success and many of them focused on its cultural contents. For example, Han Hong
Xi, in his writing “The Phenomenon of “Hanliu” and the Acceptability of Foreign
Popular Culture in China”8 , and Yang Eun Kyung, in “Formation of East-Asian
Identity and Consumption of Television” 9 , mentioned that it is the elements of
Confucianism and traditional values that attract certain segments of the population of
receiving countries. While Asians wanted to accept more Western influences in
entertainment, they are reluctant to it due to differences in ideology, among others.10
8 Hong-xi. H. “‘Hanliu’ hyeonsangeuro bon Junggugeseoui Hanguk daejung munhwa suyong” (The
Phenomenon of “Hanliu” and the Acceptability of Foreign Popular Culture in China)”. Gukje jiyeok
yeongu (International Regional Studies) 9 (1) (2005): 1-21. 9 Eun-Kyung. Y. “Dongasia munhwa jeongcheseongui hyeongseonggwa telebijeonui sobi” (Formation
of East-Asian Identity and Consumption of Television).” Hanguk bangsonghakbo (Korean Journal of
Broadcasting) 20 (3) (2006): 198-238. 10 Jinseok, L., Haesung, K., Jeonghwa, K., Chungsok, S., and Seungho K.,. “Dongnama jiyeogui Hanguk
munhwa suyonggwa hwaksan gwajeonge daehan yeongu: Hanguk munhwa mit munhwa saneobui
hyogwajeogin haeoe jinchureul wihan jeollyakjeok neteuwokeu guchugeul jungsimeuro” (The Transfer
8
Shin Yoon Whan wrote in “A View of the Korean Wave in East Asia: Discourses and
Reality” that the cultural contents and tastes as well as the reception process of the
audiences that were examined contain certain common elements with Korean popular
culture.11 In other words, the audiences of the receiving countries tend to accept more
readily those imported cultural products that are similar or have commonality with their
own values, feelings and experiences. Some of the dramas and movies exported contain
Confucian ethics and traditional values such as harmony, morality and respect for
family ties, all of which attract audiences in East Asia.12
However, this cultural approach is obviously not enough to explain the Hallyu
phenomenon in other Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines,
which neither practice Confucianism nor share many cultural values with that of Korea.
Han Hee Joo and Lee Jae Sub, in “Study on the KBS TV Drama Winter Sonata
and its impact on Korea’s Hallyu tourism development. Journal of Travel & Tourism
Marketing”13, and Hanaki et al., in “Hanryu sweeps East Asia: How Winter Sonata is
Gripping Japan” 14 , mentioned that the Hallyu phenomenon has captured global
attention. Its influence towards the Korean drama viewers’ lives has led to organizing
fan meetings, with some fans even studying the Korean language and culture and even
visiting the country. Besides K-pop fans becoming interested in learning Korean
of Korean Culture in Southeast Asia: Focusing on Strategic Network Development for Effective Transfer
of Korean Culture and Related Industries)”. Simin gyoyugyeongu (Theory and Research in Citizenship
Education) 38 (3). (2006): 153-180. 11 Yoon-Whan, S. “Dongasiaui Hallyureul boneun nun: Damnongwa silche” (A View of the Korean Wave
in East Asia: Discourses and Reality). (2006). Pp. 11-47 in Dongasiaui Hallyu (Korean Wave in East
Asia), edited by Yoon-Whan Shin and Han-Woo Lee. Seoul: Jeonyewon. 12 Gyong-woo. Y. “Junggugui Hallyu suyong yangsang: Seontaekjeok suyong, jeohang, geurigo
byeonyong mit jubyeonhwa” (The Korean Wave in China: Selective Reception, Resistance,
Transformation, and Marginalization).” Jung-So yeongu (Studies on China and Russia) 120 (2009): 99-
238. 13 Han, H.J. & Lee, J.S. “Study on the KBS TV Drama Winter Sonata and its impact on Korea’s Hallyu
tourism development”. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 24(2/3), (2010): 115-126. 14 Hanaki, T., Singhal, A., Han, M.W., Kim, D.K., & Chitnis, K. “Hanryu sweeps East Asia: How Winter
Sonata is Gripping Japan”. The International Communication Gazette, 69(3), (2007): 281-294.
9
language and using Korean words and expressions in conversations, they have also
become interested in Korean cooking. These abovementioned articles and books discuss
on the Hallyu phenomenon that have affected the audiences of Korean dramas and
shows in other Asian countries. The scenes shown in these dramas have influenced
viewers to emulate the same culture. There are many viewers, especially the youths,
who are influenced by this phenomenon. However this study will discuss specifically
on the effect of Hallyu towards the lifestyle of Muslim youths in Malaysia.
One effect of Hallyu can also be seen in international relations and tourism as
well. 15 The Korean national tourism industry is reaping the benefits of Hallyu’s
international fame.16 Lee Keehyeung, in his book “Mapping out the Cultural Politics
of the Korean Wave in Contemporary South Korea”, stated that according to the Korean
Tourism Organization (KTO), Korean dramas have given a positive impact towards the
tourism sector of the country as it receives tourists mainly from Japan and other Asian
countries.17 This effect of Hallyu on South Korea’s cultural tourism is seen as an
“economic windfall”; this phenomenon has resulted in a particular type of tourism
called Hallyu tourism. This includes buying Hallyu-related products, visiting movie sets
or filming locations and attending concerts and events. There are studies that have tried
to access the effects of Hallyu for both Korea and the receiving countries. Many of them
are concerned with its effect towards the economy such as the increase in tourists,
15 Hanaki, T., Singhal, A., Han, M.W., Kim, D.K., & Chitnis, K. “Hanryu sweeps East Asia: How Winter
Sonata is Gripping Japan”, 294. 16 Hirata, Y. “Touring “Dramatic Korea”: Japanese women as viewers of Hanryu dramas and tourists on
Hanryu tours.” In C.B. Huat & K. Iwabuchi (Eds.), “East Asian pop culture: Analyzing the Korean wave”
(pp. 143-156). Aberdeen, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. (2008). 17 Lee, Keehyeung. “Mapping out the cultural politics of ‘the Korean Wave’ in contemporary South
Korea”. In C.B. Huat & K. Iwabuchi (Eds.), “East Asian pop culture: Analyzing the Korean wave”.
Aberdeen, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press (2008): 175-190.
10
booming sales of Hallyu-related products and its marketing. This study will focus on its
effect from the perspective of Muslim lifestyle.
Several studies have been made on South Korea’s Hallyu culture from various
aspects. Previous researchers used ethnography to observe the effects of Hallyu globally
through selected resources and historical method in which past documents were
examined in order to understand Korean culture. However, this study will highlight the
influence of Hallyu culture towards the Muslim youths and the effect of the
entertainment brought by the Hallyu on the lifestyle of Muslim youths.
1.7 SCOPE OF RESEARCH
The focus of this study is on the effect of Hallyu towards the lifestyle of Muslim youths
in Malaysia. This study will focus on two (2) public universities, namely the University
of Malaya (UM) located in Kuala Lumpur and the International Islamic University
Malaysia (IIUM) in Selangor. A set of questionnaire is distributed to 60 target
participants from each university for this study. The participants are Muslim
undergraduate students within the age range of 18 to 25. The limitations of this study
comprise a number of factors, such as resources, time, fund, manpower and also
accessibility to information on the subject matter.
1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
research uses numerical data for analysis while qualitative research uses non-numerical
11
data and other information that are not amenable to quantitative measurement.18In this
study, the researcher takes into consideration these following methods:
1. Quantitative methodology includes a questionnaire that is distributed to 120
students from two (2) public universities, comprising 60 students from each
university. The universities are the International Islamic University
Malaysia (IIUM) in Selangor and the University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala
Lumpur. The questionnaire is circulated online to the students using Google
Forms for 7 days. This target group has been chosen by the researcher as
there is no previous study that specifically targeted this group.
2. Qualitative methodology includes library research on books, articles,
journals, newspapers, magazines and Internet sources. The researcher has
critically analyzed these sources in order to further understand the concept
of Hallyu based on previous research.
18 Punch, K. “Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches”, London, Sage;
(1998): 4
AND DEVELOPMENT
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The viral sensation of the song “Gangnam Style”1 by the South Korean singer, Psy, with
more than 3 billion views has been a platform for the Hallyu Wave or K-pop to gain
popularity worldwide. The catchy genre of the music and its unique “horse riding dance”
attracted people around the world to watch the music video and hum the song. This was
when the Hallyu Wave first became a global phenomenon. This sensation led to the
expanding popularity of Korean solo and group singers, who could only sing and speak
in their own language, yet gained the highest views on YouTube.
This chapter will discuss on the concept of Hallyu Wave, covering the meaning
of the term, its origin and its trend from the beginning to the present. This chapter will
also discuss its expansion to other countries, followed by its general impact.
2.2 THE GENESIS OF HALLYU PHENOMENON
Globalization has played an increasingly critical role in every aspect of life, society, and
culture without exception. One of the effects of globalization is Hallyu (Korean Wave),
a phenomenon of the streaming of Korean popular culture into other countries, mainly
that of South-East Asia. It seems appropriate to state that Hallyu is the result of
globalization as it is associated with the cross-border flow of cultural products and
1 Psy’s Gangnam Style, (published on 15th July, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0
(accessed on 5th January, 2018)
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recent globalization process in East Asia, which has laid the base for its propagation
through the liberalization of markets and the culture industry sector. Consequently,
Hallyu has raised heated debates on the nature of globalization, particularly in East Asia.
Hallyu refers to the explosive popularity of Korean pop culture through music,
movies, cuisine, fashion, skincare and cosmetics, and other products. The term “Korean
Wave”, which is also known as “Hallyu”, was introduced in China in mid-1999 by
Beijing journalists in order to explain the rapid popularity of South Korean pop culture
and products in China.2 In recent years, the interest given to Korean popular culture has
enabled the cultural industries of South Korea to form new markets around the world.
Hallyu became increasingly popular among the young people today, who are captivated
by Korean music (K-pop), drama (K-drama), movies, fashion, food and beauty.
Since the 15th century, the East and the West has been two subjects of cultural
phenomena, which has been articulated by the Westerners in the scholarly tradition of
“Orientalism”. During the Age of Exploration (1400-1600), the West did not only
control the East by military force, but also developed a new idea of the East/Orient and,
later, with “civilization and modernization”. The modern history of East Asia was a
compulsive reflection of Western civilization or, in other words, a measurement of
progress with the West.3 The “compressed modernization” that led to the gain of
economic power among the East Asian people encouraged them to be ambitious in
being the main agents of cultural activities.4
2 Eunkyong L. Y., Young-Ok Y., Sunny J. K., “The Effects of Hallyu (Korean Wave) on Korean
Transnationals in the U.S.”, Asian Communication Research 3/9. (2014): 6. 3 Kim, Bok-Rae, “Past, Present and Future of Hallyu (Korean Wave)”, American International Journal of
Contemporary Research; Vol 5, No. 5, (October, 2015): 154. 4 Chang, Kyung-sup, “Compressed Modernity and Its Discontents: South Korean Society in Transition,”
Economy and Society, volume 28, number 1, (1999): 30-55.
14
The Hallyu Wave became popular in the modernized/industrialized East Asia
where people with economic power became more interested in being the cognitive
subjects of South Korea’s cultural activities. The products of South Korea gained more
demand from other East Asian countries, especially from China, Hong Kong and the
Philippines, and later expanded to Latin America. Therefore, Hallyu could be seen and
is considered as transcultural phenomenon; it goes beyond simple acculturation or a
process called “cultural power reorganization”, caused by the rapid movement of people,
the mass media and transnational capitals.5
The trending of Hallyu is not unexpected. The term “Hallyu” comprises of two
words: hal () and lyu (). The word lyu here does not only specify the trend of
popular culture, but also indicates a moving wave from simplistic politico-economic
ideologies into more different culture/civilization patterns in post-cold war period.
Globalization has also brought about an increase in connectivity, which further helps
the expansion of Hallyu, and provides convenient access for the international consumers
as well as opportunities for the local producers to access the international markets. Thus,
Hallyu can be considered as the medium of the growth of East Asian culture, running
alongside Western popular culture. The very idea of an integrated culture was
considered as a concept or idea that is uncertain in most places and times before the rise
of the modern nation-state.
The increase in interest on South Korea is astonishing to the world, especially
after taking into consideration on how South Korea has remained on the edge of global
consciousness for a long period until very recently.6 South Korea was considered as
5 Bok-Rae, Kim, “Past, Present and Future of Hallyu (Korean Wave)”, 155. 6 Keith, Howard, “The Foundations of Hallyu – K-Pop’s Coming Age” (Paper presented at the First
World Congress for Hallyu Studies, (Korea University, Seoul, October 18-19, 2013).
15
‘not cool’ before the 1990s, as the dramas used to be ‘provincial and tedious’,
highlighting the improbability that such old-fashioned and unprofitable local
productions would miraculously turn out to be to be popular internationally.7 However,
the development of South Korea’s cultural industries have totally changed the global
view towards the country, hence paving the way to the rise of Hallyu and bringing about
admiration for the speedy progress of the country and cultural influences since the 1990s.
The genre of music practiced in South Korea in the early 20th century was
influenced by Confucianism; the lyrics mainly spoke of harmony and order, though
there were also moralizing lyrics about spirituality, life, family and love. The dominant
singing style stressed emotive wails and melismatic expressions. Singers stood still
when singing, preserving the parental gift and avoiding any display of flesh as
influenced by the Confucian practices.8 Therefore, it is noted that Korean music back
then was in harmony with the cultural sensibility of Korean Confucianism. It is largely
through Japanese channels that urban Koreans became accustomed to the Western style
of music, from the classical style of music to popular genres such as the ballad. South
Korean and Japanese music did not merely imitate the Western form of music. However,
the pentatonic scale of Western popular music continued to dominate as the lyrics were
translated, created and adapted to suit local tastes.
Prior to the era of Hallyu, South Korea’s cultural industries were initially
produced for the local market. In the 1980s, the Korean music industry promoted artists
and singers with personalities that reflected traditional practices and preferences within
the context of South Korean society. For example, Cho Yong Pil, a South Korean singer
with a slight plump figure wore tailored white suits and gave an aura of masculine charm
7 Euny, Hong, “The Birth of Korean Cool”, London; Simon & Schuster, (2014): 100. 8 Lie, John., “What is the K in K-pop? South Korean Popular Music, the Culture Industry, and National
Identity”, Korea Observer, Vol. 43, No. 3, (2012): 341.