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KOREAN POPULAR MEDIA IN THE GLOBAL MARKETVeronica H.ASIA 367: Contemporary Korean CultureNovember 28, 2017IntroductionKorea is known for having a well-developed entertainment industry. In recent years, Korean pop music, also known as Kpop, has become popular in both domestic and international markets. The fans from all around the world come together to form a “fandom” and appreciate the work that is released by the idols that they all have a common interest in (Duffett 2015, 1). A role of a fan consumes just as much time and money as other activities that many people enjoy such as sports, where they are dedicated to one team and not betraying that chosen team (Ibid 2015, 1). Popular idols that also explore a new field of acting can allow their fans to see more of their talents. With technology on the rise, social networking sites such as Twitter and Instagram, helps Idols engage with their fans that are situated all around the world. Also, the invention of the Internet made live streaming and video posting available for fans overseas, allowing them to watch videos that are not available on TV. As these programs are broadcasted outside of Korea, it spreads the culture and the country’s image as well. Furthermore, it attracts more tourists to Korea to visit the sights where the dramas were filmed and it gives the fans a chance to be closer to the ones they admire. This led to a “Korea Boom” in Japan, where a drama was taking over the lives of middle-aged women, with the plot mesmerizing them. The cultural output of Korea’s popular media is a catalyst to help spread Korean culture into the global market. In relation to that, incorporating internationally famous idols in projects reflect the success abroad. A Global FandomIdols from Korea attract fans from all around the world. Ono and Kwon categorized these fans as a “global fandom” (2013, 200). With time, these global fans might end up consuming Korean popular media as if it was part of their culture. This is known as “re-worlding”, when multiple layers of cultural influences work together to add a diverse meaning and replace the original concept that it once was (Ibid 2013, 210). From China to Canada, Los Angeles to Mexico, there are fans located all around the world that share the same passion and dedication for those they respect and admire. They are able to surpass the language barrier and become one fandom as a whole. Idols who are truly popular can be recognized, not only by the fans that are living domestically in Korea, but also by other fans that are situated overseas. By incorporating these famous musical stars into other sectors of Korea’s entertainment industry, it encompasses a larger audience to recognize the work. A recent popular drama, Descendants of the Sun (2016), which was directed by Lee Eung-bok and Baek Sang-hoon, distributed by KBS, starred a doctor, Lee Chi-yeon, who was played by an internationally famous idol, Onew, who is from the music group, Shinee, that is part of SM entertainment. With Onew taking on this role, he was able to attract many fans to watch the drama, and allow fans to see on the small screen, rather than only singing and dancing on stage. Besides having a well-known idol in the drama, one of the songs from the original soundtrack featured Chen, who is part of Exo, which is one of the most popular boy-bands in Korea that is also under SM entertainment. This song, titled “Everytime,” was played when the main characters appeared together on screen for the first time, and then played many other times throughout the drama, as the theme song just for them. “Everytime” took over the music charts as soon as it was released. Having a popular idol featured in a song already gave it a head start to having the song remaining in top-charts. Role of a FanThe present success of the Korean wave is a social change that may signify a new future for popular media (Yoon 2016, 223). Korean entertainment has been popular in Asia for at least the past 10 years, and gradually spreading into international markets (Ibid 2016, 224). A new community is being formed with fans having a common interest, and collectivism arises when everyone in the fan club comes together to support their favourite idols. The act of voicing out what group or individual you like, shows independence, individuality, and values that a fan holds (Fung 2009, 291). Most fans are proud of being in a fandom and are not afraid to say whom they support. Fans dedicate their time and money to the idols they love and are engaged with. Having celebrities featured on television shows or music videos, are seen as an asset itself. This can increase the audience ratings because of the popularity of the idol(s), as devoted fans watch all shows their idols appear on. Once a fan has created a positive schema to the ones they support, they are more likely to buy any product that contains the face of that celebrity (Harmon-Kizer 2017, 163). Schemas help organize the perceptions one has of advertisements, and integrates the new information with the existing expectations (Ibid 2017, 163). This can lead to increased sales in both the domestic and international markets, and gain more recognition for the idols abroad. Additionally, when consumers are faced with numerous of advertisements everyday, they are more likely to be motivated to buy the products due to the celebrity’s image, rather than the brand name (Ibid 2017, 165). For example, for a fan of Exo, the popular boy band mentioned earlier, there is a higher chance that they are going to buy Nature Republic facial products because of the commercials that are constantly playing with them being featured in it. Additionally, even if they have never tried these products or are not sure about them, the fans still buy them because of the person endorsing it rather than the actual brand name. To the fans, their favourite idols aren’t just someone they look up to and admire, but they also think of them as someone who is meaningful; someone who has become part of their lives. For instance, when asked what Exo meant to them, one fan had replied, “Exo is my smile…a smile that can help erase painful memories…they are my motivation for my hard work, and dedication towards education.” Another fan went further and described Exo’s fans as being more than just a fandom. This fan commented under a YouTube video stating that they are a “family” that she is very proud to be part of. While scrolling through the comments of varies of videos, many of them said that they were part of a second family, and that they wish to be together forever. Some fans go to extreme factors and are way too attached to their biased members, which results in actions that interfere with the idol’s private lives. These fans are sometimes referred to as “Sasaeng” fans, who are capable of tracking where their favourite idols are at any time and locate them to have the chance to meet again and again. For example, it was during one of Exo’s members, Baekhyun’s brother’s wedding, when a group of fans crashed the wedding and disrupted the private party. They wanted to see Baekhyun and get his autograph, but like many other fans mentioned, they should not have been there and interrupt a family gathering. Even if they wanted to get an autograph, this wasn’t the place to ask for one. This type of event left Baekhyun vulnerable, where he probably wouldn’t have expected his fans to appear, so there were no bodyguards at the scene. Being a fan is a hard job but there are still boundaries like any other job that people have. Besides face-to-face interactions with the idols, another way to grow closer to them is through social media.Social NetworksSocial media is a way for celebrities to interact with their fans. No matter where the fans are from, as long as they have Internet available, they can see what their favourite idols are doing everyday. Consistent exposure to posts and photos that are posted can help form an emotional attachment between the celebrities and their fans, allowing a positive aspect to be present (Kowalczyk and Pounders 2016, 348). For instance, Descendants of the Sun’s actors such as Onew, had pictures of himself on set with the cast while filming, to let his fans have behind the scene advantages. Many consumers that follow famous stars on social media, not only follow just to see what their schedule is like, but they also want to know about the products that they endorse (Ibid 2016, 348). A positive association with a certain star and the product increases consumption, leading to better market activity that benefits both the country, and the entertainment company.In relation to the drama previously discussed, the actors and actresses that have social networking sites, had an increase in followers daily, and merchandise such as notebooks, posters, and soundtrack, had a growth in sales as well. Loyal fan’s activities do not just stop once the idols step off the stage (Duffett 2015, 4). They will still come together before and after to form a collective community, where they show their support to the idols, by purchasing these merchandises or simply watching the interviews, TV shows, music videos that are posted online as well. Besides social media, YouTube is an important platform to help circulate Korea’s entertainment. YouTube has a big role in marketing, distribution, and advertising, as it is accessible for almost everyone in the world (Ono and Kwon 2013, 200). The music videos, interviews, and drama highlight clips are posted onto YouTube without being censored. For example, KBS released previews and behind the scenes interviews for the drama, Descendants of the Sun beforehand, to help promote it and spread the information that there was going to be an upcoming new drama. This was able to engage more viewers to watch the drama once it airs because of the unanswered questions within the trailers and the cast stories that were being told during interviews. They are able to help many old and new international fans to stay engaged and follow all the new or even previously released videos, so that they are not missing anything. As stated in an article by Jung and Shim, YouTube plays a central role in “global cultural flows” (2013, 486). The online circulation of media catches a lot of attention overseas, exceeding company’s expectations domestically. Also, with this modern day technology, it allows fans to feel like they are apart of the Korean culture, and that they are only a few steps away from the actual country itself. A Country’s ImageUsing the new generation of technology not only allows easy access for everyone to view unlimited videos, but it also attracts tourists to visit the place of where it all started. With so many fans immersing themselves into Korean culture, many of them will have Korea as a destination for vacation. Once again, this will help boost sales and help spread the Korean culture around the world. Something as simple as Korean cuisine is being recognized more and more outside of Korea, and being enjoyed by the fans that are deeply submerged into the culture. Popular media acts as an international marketing tool that helps promote a country’s image, where national pride is exposed when consumers start being interested in the culture (Lee, Ham, and Kim 2015, 201). A country’s image is a mental representation of a nation and its people, where politics, personal experience, as well as mass media is influenced as a result of it (Ibid, 201). Having a positive or negative view about a country is firmly based on variables such as their environment, society, and economic status. With the help of celebrities that are valued across the globe, it can give a positive impact on their point of view of the country. Growth of TourismFans, who become tourists as a result of popular media, are devoted to getting more than just the experience through the monitor screens. Just by being a fan can help leave a good impression of a given country. Many tourists avoid an unsatisfied experience by visiting the same places, however, it was said that once they have awareness of a certain place, they are more likely to have a positive image about it ( Lee and Yoo 2015, 373). This will help promote the country; as well as gain more visitors as time goes by. In relation to having idols in Korean popular media, many fans visit Seoul, as they believe that this experience allows them to get closer to the idols they admire.Descendants of the Sun (2016), was partly shot abroad in Greece, bringing many tourists from all around the world to visit the locations of where they shot the scenes. At the same time, people that lived in Greece paid more attention to Korea, as they watched the drama because it was filmed in their hometown. This action benefitted both countries, as an increased number of fans were drawn to a new world. Onew, who is well known overseas, plays a huge role as part of the marketing team because his face helps draw recognition of the drama, and help to incorporate a larger audience. Korea Boom AbroadBefore 2003, the Japanese thought of Europe, North America, and Australia as ideal places for vacations, but after the release of Winter Sonata, a drama that caught the attention of many middle aged women. The young Korean male star, Bae Yong-jun, became respected in Japan as ‘Yon-sama’ and an “espoused idol” of many female clubs (Creighton 2016, 3). Also, he was labeled as everyone’s ideal type and this led his fans to become more interested in the Korean language. Descendants of the Sun also had major achievement outside of Korea as it surpassed two billion views in China on iqiyi, a online streaming video website. The cast was being more recognized and loved at the same time, as viewers were addicted to the drama. The complex love lines, relatable plots, and remarkable soundtracks, had made a huge impact on the fans. In recent years, Idols started releasing albums that were all in Japanese, trying to spread their work into another part of Asia. With the songs being released in their language, it helped engage many more fans outside of Korea, but at the same time, domestic fans can learn a new language as well. Also, fans were able to feel like they were experiencing a work from their home country by the idols they favour. The group Shinee, that was mentioned earlier, released both Japanese singles and albums that were successes. Their first Japanese studio album was released in December 2011, which featured 5 new songs along with 7 remakes of previously released Korean songs that were changed into Japanese. This album was certified as Gold for selling over 100,000 copies. In early 2012, they held 20 concerts in major cities of Japan such as Osaka, Sapporo, Kobe, and Tokyo. This tour set the record for having the most people attending to see a Korean act. Shinee was able to spread Korean culture into Japan, while incorporating Japan’s native language along with it at the same time.Furthermore, as pointed out earlier, Exo debuted as a boy group that was separated into two different subgroups, Exo-M and Exo-K. Each album has two versions released, one in Mandarin and one in Korean. Exo-M promoted the album in China, as some members spoke Mandarin and that was able to help them have a closer relationship with their fans. Although no all members spoke Mandarin fluently, the Korean members also learnt some by being in China for a while. Exo-K promoted domestically and helped the whole group become more recognized through interviews, game shows, and other variety shows as well. Although some members have left this group for personal purposes, Exo is still going strong with the remaining members. Fans situated outside of Korea still follow these famous idols, despite the changes that have happened in the past. This shows the dedicated they have towards the ones they love and support. ConclusionWhen Kpop was in its early days, it was centralized within Korea and people overseas barely had a clue of what it was. With the continuous spread of the Korean culture, international countries are becoming more aware of this noun. Kpop is starting to grow on people who have become massive fans because of famous idols who have their work distributed outside of Korea. Popular idol groups such as Exo have proved their success abroad with their fan club growing at a rapid pace. They have made their fan club accessible globally, allowing everyone to be part of the fandom at any time. Additionally, these fan clubs are able to help unite everyone without the need to be in the same country or city, making it more convenient to plan special events. Regardless of where you are located in this world, you will still be able to contact one another and become one team.In order to have these fan clubs in action, there is a need of the Internet. With modern day technology, fans are able to connect with the idols they love through social media and have a virtual meeting with them through live chats operated on networking sites such as Instagram and Facebook. This phenomenon had fans feeling that they almost had a face-to-face interaction with a certain celebrity (Kim, Ko, and Kim 2015, 281). Social media is broadcasted on television, online, and even printed on the newspaper, so the headlines of any famous celebrity can catch anyone’s attention, especially when you are a fan. This way, news travels fast and anyone in the world is able to stay updated on any situation that has happened. Although the celebrities may not prefer it, fans tend to search up all personal information, because they are just being curious and interested by a number of matters such as their past, hobbies, and relationship status (Kowalczyk and Pounders 2016, 347). Fans seek and enjoy posts from idols and feel a closer attachment towards them because of the engagement in their daily lives.The success of Kpop has attracted many fans to visit Korea. During their planned stay, they would visit their favourite entertainment companies, as well as the stores that sell official merchandise or products that are sponsored by the idols themselves. South Korea may be the one place any Kpop fan dreams of going to, and is probably on their bucket list before many other activities. From watching the dramas, fans can visit the cafés that the cast have filmed in and also visit the parks that have been featured in episodes. Tourists can experience the street food, shopping, and sight seeing, as part of learning about a new culture.The production of Korea’s popular media has indeed appealed to many international fans, expanding the global market little by little. As time goes by, more consumers are able to recognize Kpop and Korean dramas anywhere and hopefully become even more fascinated by the concepts as well. Although there are many competing media out there, Korea’s entertainment industry, produces unique talent and has dominated many charts all around the world. Therefore the endless spread of Korean media, with the help of incorporating internationally popular idols in projects, can help encompass a larger consuming market all around the world. Works Cited:Creighton, Millie. “Through the Korean Wave Looking Glass: Gender, Consumerism, Transnationalism, Tourism Reflecting Japan-Korea Relations in Global East Asia.” The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, no. 7 (2016): 1-15.Descendants of the Sun. 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Pounders. “Transforming Celebrities through Social Media: The Role of Authenticity and Emotional Attachment.” The Journal of Product and Brand Management 25, no. 4 (2016): 345-356.Lee, Bumjun, Ham, Sunny, and Kim, Donghoon. “The Effects of Likability of Korean Celebrities, Dramas, and Music on Preferences for Korean Restaurants: A Mediating Effect of a Country Image of Korea.” International Journal of Hospitality Management, no. 46 (2015): 200-212.Lee, Sojung and Yoo, Myongjee. “Examining Celebrity Fandom Levels and its’ Impact on Destination Loyalty.” Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, no. 16 (2015): 369-388.Ono, Kent A. and Kwan, Jungmin. “Re-worlding Culture: Youtube as a K-pop Interlocutor.” The Korean Wave, edited by Daya Kishan Thussu, 199-214. New York: Routledge, 2013.Stever, G. S., and Lawson, K. “Twitter as a Way for Celebrities to Communicate with Fans: Implications for the Study of Parasocial Interaction.” North American Journal of Psychology, no. 15 (2013): 339-354.Yoon, Sunny. “East to East: Cultural Politics and Fandom of Korean Popular Culture in Eastern Europe.” International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics, no. 12 (2016): 213-227. ................
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