33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite & Squid Game 

[Introduction]

Witnessing Hallyu in New York

*한류를 이해하는 33가지 코드: 들어가는 말 <Korean version>

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/?document_srl=4099765 

How did the "Land of the Calm Morning" shake up the world today?

Hallyu, overthrowing Euro-American-centric cultural imperialism!

A bit dizzying, but truly thrilling, the dynamic Hallyu phenomenon summed up in 33 codes.

The Roof Garden Commission: Lauren Halsey and the Manhattan skyline at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in May 2023. Photo: Sukie Park

There is a term called 'Stendhal Syndrome.' It refers to a condition where people experience rapid heartbeat, fainting, confusion, and even hallucinations when encountering historically famous or exceptional artworks. It is also known as "Florence Syndrome," deriving its name from the city of Florence. I, too, experienced a moment of dizziness while immersed in the masterpieces of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Botticelli during my trip to Florence in the past.

With just a finger, you can access the Renaissance art, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and the rapidly evolving digital age that shows everything happening in the world. Even in New York, when I occasionally hear news about Koreans, I get a bit dizzy. BTS, BLACKPINK, Parasite, Minari, Kingdom, Squid Game, Seong-jin Cho, Yunchan Lim, Hei-Kyung Hong, Wookyung Kim, Hee Seo, Joo Won Ahn, Young Jean Lee, Unsuk Chin, Eun Sun Kim, David Chang, Corey Lee, Atomix, Ven. Jeong-gwan, Sandra Oh... "First in history," "First female," "First Asian," "First Korean," "Youngest winner"... The descendants of the divided nation, Korea, on the Far East's small peninsula, are creating the "K-Wave Syndrome" in the 21st century. Witnessing the mighty wave of Hallyu and the Korean cultural renaissance from the heart of world culture, New York, was indeed a stroke of luck.

In my early thirties, driven by a passionate impulse to live life differently, I decided to spend a year in New York. The city, familiar from Woody Allen’s films, appeared even more "stranger than paradise," akin to a Jim Jarmusch movie. While I used to be delighted to see a Hyundai car on the road or a Taekwondo studio on a quiet street, everyday encounters with language barriers, cultural differences, and racial discrimination made me suppress the passion that once filled my heart. How many Koreans in New York manage to survive without falling into "Hwabyeong(depression)" during their early days of immigration? New York may have been a "utopia of culture," but for new immigrants, it was a dangerous city where one could easily slip into dystopia.

Time flew by like an arrow. During that time, I, who write in my mother tongue, have been exposed to the various arts that New York offers, making it a true "island of cultural treasures." Luckily, while working as a cultural reporter for The Korea Daily of New York/ Joongang Ilbo, I also operated my website, New York Culture Beat (www.NYCultureBeat.com), which allowed me to inhale countless endorphins and vitamins that New York generates. In particular, Korean artists showcased their incredible talents everywhere. In the past, entertainers from Korea were often labeled as "ttanttara (a slang for entertainers) ." Today, they shine in the galaxy of K-culture, including K-pop, movies, dramas, classical music, opera, ballet, jazz, literature, fine arts, musicals, plays, games, and webtoons. The letter "K" now stands for the splendid "Korea." The inferiority complex that once occupied a corner of my heart has transformed into pride in my cultural heritage.

*Inside the book "33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite and Squid Game" (*English, short-4 min. 41 sec.)

https://youtu.be/yWkCd1rkK20

In the late 19th century, Korea was referred to as the "Hermit Nation" by American William E. Griffis and the "Land of the Morning Calm" by Percival Lowell. In the early 21st century, Korea has become more dynamic than any other country, and Koreans are showcasing their brilliant talents. Dynamic Korea, Sparkling Koreans!

As an outsider in Korea and an insider in New York, I have been fascinated by the resounding Hallyu (Korean Wave) phenomenon. I was occasionally captivated by the ecstatic Hallyu syndrome. BTS ushered in the year 2020 with a performance at the Times Square New Year's Eve event on December 31, 2019. Then, on February 9, Bong Joon-ho's film "Parasite" swept four categories at the Academy Awards. I was excited while watching the awards ceremony on TV. The fact that a Korean film, "Parasite," which criticized capitalist society, fascinated people around the world, filled me with pride as a Korean. The speeches by Director Bong and CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Miky Lee at the awards ceremony were also moving. It was a heartwarming scene that showcased Koreans' love for alcohol, critical thinking, wit, and sense of humor.

So, who coined the term "Hallyu" in the first place? According to a co-authored paper by Hong Yoo-sun and Im Dae-geun titled "A Study on the Derivation of Hallyu as a Term" (2018), the term "Hallyu" as an economic phenomenon was derived from the comparison of Korea's economic crisis in 1997 to a cold wave (Hanlyu) that affected Taiwan's economy. The term originated from the Chinese-language newspaper China Times on December 12, 1997. The term "Hallyu" as a popular culture concept was created by Yao Fengqun, an executive at Taiwan's record company Rock Records, who combined the pronunciation of "Han" (Korea) and "Lyu" (trend). The term "Hallyu" as a popular culture term was first used in the Taiwanese newspaper United Evening News on December 17, 1998. Since then, with the rise of K-pop bands like H.O.T. in the Chinese-speaking world and the immense popularity of idol dance groups and Korean dramas, Hallyu has spread beyond Asia to the world.

K-pop, K-movies, K-dramas, K-golf, K-classical music, K-ballet, K-food, K-games, K-beauty, K-fashion, K-spa, K-quaranteen... The Korean Wave, witnessing this hurricane, made me ponder how Koreans conquered global culture. Why are Koreans so artistically talented? Where does the power of Hallyu come from? Additionally, what is the secret behind the success of Korean immigrants who have excelled in grocery stores, dry cleaning business, and nail salons, especially? Is there something special about our nation? What are the codes to understanding Koreans and Korean culture?

*Inside the book "33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite and Squid Game" (*English, short-4 min. 41 sec.)

https://youtu.be/yWkCd1rkK20

These questions ultimately revolved around who Koreans are and who I am. Keywords such as "han" (한/ 恨/ resentment), people who enjoy eating, drinking, singing and dancing (음주가무/ 飮酒歌舞), "ppalli ppalli" (quickly, quickly) culture, nunchi (눈치, quick notice),  satire and humor, resistance spirit, Hangeul (Korean alphabet), white-clad people, traditional games, kimchi and gochujang (red pepper paste), bibimbap, metal chopsticks, bojagi (wrapping cloth), bottari (bundles), bossam (boiled pork slices), as well as strong women represented by Ryu Gwan-sun, haenyeo (female sea divers), and Pak Se-ri came to mind. These keywords could be the key to decoding Hallyu (Korean Wave).

To avoid falling into "Kukppong" (*excessive admiration for South Korea), I checked how international media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Rolling Stone, and Billboard evaluated Hallyu. I compared BTS and The Beatles, King Sejong and Leonardo da Vinci from the Joseon Renaissance and Italian Renaissance, pansori and opera, Psy and Charlie Chaplin, pop artist Andy Warhol and Korean mukbang (eating broadcast), Anthony Bourdain (host of CNN's "Parts Unknown") and Choi Bool-am ("Korean People's Dining Table" on KBS), "American Idol" and "National Singing Contest," and more.

In addition to BTS, "Parasite," and "Squid Game," I wanted to pay attention to the numerous Koreans who have contributed to Hallyu. From Nam June Paik, the "Godfather of Video Art," who praised bibimbap early on, Jhoon Rhee, "The Father of American Taekwondo" who taught Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Biden, two time Tony winner-Broadway costume designer Willa Kim, Margaret Cho, known as the 'Mother of Asian Stand-up Comedy, Chef David Chang, who was selected twice on Time's "100 Most Influential People" list, San Francisco Opera's first female Asian music director Eun Sun Kim, American Ballet Theatre's first Asian principal dancer Hee Seo, Metropolitan Opera's first Asian male and female leads, soprano Hei-Kyung Hong and tenor Woojkyung Kim, Sandra Oh, the first Asian actress to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series, the first Asian female playwright Young Jean Lee's debut on Broadway, and many other talented adoptive Koreans in the arts. I also wanted to reflect on the remarkable insights of Westerners such as German priest Norbert Weber, who discovered the beauty and potential of Korean culture 100 years ago, American missionary Homer Hulbert, curator Stewart Culin, Scottish artist Elizabeth Keith, and novelist Pearl S. Buck.

*Inside the book "33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite and Squid Game" (*English, short-4 min. 41 sec.)

https://youtu.be/yWkCd1rkK20

The abundant fruits hanging on the giant tree called Hallyu today are connected to the seeds and nutrients that our ancestors sowed long ago. It would be great to think and talk about our deeply rooted tree, discussing the history and culture of Korea and the current Hallyu. I hope "33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave" can become a coffee table book. It should be an ongoing book rather than a completed one, with readers pointing out the keys and fruits that the I overlooked. I boldly expect that this book will provide clues to Korean identity, potential, and pride for Koreans around the world, including second and third generations living abroad, as well as transnational individuals who want to discover their roots, intermarried couples, and fans of BTS (ARMY) and anyone else in the world interested in Korean culture. That's why I'm preparing an English version.

This book is the result of happy writing every day while walking through the dark and long tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic. I dedicate this book to the many heroes and collaborators of Hallyu who have shone like stars in that darkness and inspired me. Thanks to the warm encouragement and support from the readers of "NYCultureBeat," I was able to complete my column series. I am grateful to CEO Lee Won-joong of Jisungsa Books, who published those columns as a book, and to the diligent staff members of the company who edited them. 

Sukie Park