http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/06/386_136889.html
Hallyu may lose popularity base in 5 years
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea in the past years has invested Herculean efforts to extend the international boom for its cultural exports, dubbed "hallyu" (the Korean wave). However, there are increasing arguments that the government should relax its aggressive marketing as foreigners seem to be showing signs of recoiling from the smell of nationalism.
Hallyu may lose popularity base in 5 years
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea in the past years has invested Herculean efforts to extend the international boom for its cultural exports, dubbed "hallyu" (the Korean wave). However, there are increasing arguments that the government should relax its aggressive marketing as foreigners seem to be showing signs of recoiling from the smell of nationalism.
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"We all know how popular hallyu is and these cultural products can have far-reaching impact and potentially complement Hollywood as international products. However, the government is too involved in this picture and even Korean culture exporters are seeing this as heavy-handed," said Han Seung-bum, president of the Korean Wave Research Institute (KWRI).
"The government has been busy planning one-off events of every kind, but officials are only chasing immediate and tangible outcomes, and not looking at the long term picture. The government wants to be a player on the field when they are better equipped as cheerleaders. They should focus on creating an environment where these companies can exercise larger creative freedom, which means more institutional support and less restriction."
Hallyu began to take root in the late 1990s when Korea began finding international markets for its films, television shows and music. Then the soap opera, “Winter Sonata,” aired on Japan’s NHK television in 2003, touched off a national fever, and launched hallyu as an international phenomenon.
Korean cultural products have since found markets beyond Asia and garnered followings in the Middle East, Latin America and to a lesser extent North America and Europe.
However, KOFICE believes there are reasons to think that hallyu has already passed its peak.
In its survey, about 71 percent of Chinese respondents said they believe hallyu will be diffuse in their country within the next five years. About 24 percent of them said Korean cultural products no longer pass the coolness test.
Among Japanese respondents, 91 percent of them gave five years for hallyu to matter. About 30 percent of the respondents said they were already fed up because Korean dramas and pop music have become predictable and cliched.
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However, there are debates on whether these excessive promotions are working as prescribed.
"Look at the case of Psy. He is popular because global fans found something to enjoy in his music, not because the government made a decent argument that everybody should like him. The consumption of cultural products is voluntary," Han said.
"We all know how popular hallyu is and these cultural products can have far-reaching impact and potentially complement Hollywood as international products. However, the government is too involved in this picture and even Korean culture exporters are seeing this as heavy-handed," said Han Seung-bum, president of the Korean Wave Research Institute (KWRI).
"The government has been busy planning one-off events of every kind, but officials are only chasing immediate and tangible outcomes, and not looking at the long term picture. The government wants to be a player on the field when they are better equipped as cheerleaders. They should focus on creating an environment where these companies can exercise larger creative freedom, which means more institutional support and less restriction."
Hallyu began to take root in the late 1990s when Korea began finding international markets for its films, television shows and music. Then the soap opera, “Winter Sonata,” aired on Japan’s NHK television in 2003, touched off a national fever, and launched hallyu as an international phenomenon.
Korean cultural products have since found markets beyond Asia and garnered followings in the Middle East, Latin America and to a lesser extent North America and Europe.
However, KOFICE believes there are reasons to think that hallyu has already passed its peak.
In its survey, about 71 percent of Chinese respondents said they believe hallyu will be diffuse in their country within the next five years. About 24 percent of them said Korean cultural products no longer pass the coolness test.
Among Japanese respondents, 91 percent of them gave five years for hallyu to matter. About 30 percent of the respondents said they were already fed up because Korean dramas and pop music have become predictable and cliched.
........중략......
However, there are debates on whether these excessive promotions are working as prescribed.
"Look at the case of Psy. He is popular because global fans found something to enjoy in his music, not because the government made a decent argument that everybody should like him. The consumption of cultural products is voluntary," Han said.
