Page 24 - PowerE-L05-F

Lesson 6

Korean Wave (Han Rue)

Increased popularity of South Korean culture around the
world in today’s generation is called the Korean wave
also referred to as “Han Rue” in Chinese. Beijing jour-
nalists gave the term in mid 1999 when the popularity

of South Koreans and South Korean goods increased
in China. Korean wave influence is strongest in China
and the rest of Southeast Asia, Middle East, Central
Asia, Iran, Israel, Turkey and Russia. It had expanded

tremendously through the Internet with its latest invasion in the UK and Australia. As one of
the top ten cultural exporters in the world, Korea began with the export of Korean TV dra-
mas followed by movies, popular music, food and language. Now, the term Korean wave
has been an acronym for growing economic power and the rise of global multinationals like

Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia. Throughout the 1990’s Chinese urban residents became
consumers of transnational branded stuffs like food, pop music videos and fashion. By the
end of 2004, more than 50 percent of the state-owned corporations became stock-sharing
companies with China’s continuous modernization, technologically and culturally. Han Rue

is inevitably prominent in Mainland China. In fact, in China’s television history and in many
major markets, the most aired show was Dae Jang Geum (A Jewel in the Palace). Before
the Beijing Olympics in 2008, a school in Shanghai sponsored a drawing painting contest for
the Olympics. Among the nine entries, two imitated Japanese and South Korean cartoons,

which turned out not surprising for primary and secondary students. The impact of Korean
fever in China has tremendously penetrated its culture.

Comprehension

1. Name some countries being influenced by the Korean Wave.
2. What products does Korea export to other countries?

Questions

1. What are some of the major Korean companies manufacturing products for export?
2. What medium helped introduce Korean fever to other countries outside Asia?

Vocabulary & Expressions

Transnational - a company or organization operating within more than one country
state-owned - entities controlled by the government for public interest
tremendous - extremely huge, great or powerful
invasion - arrival of something powerful into a certain territory
inevitable - something impossible to avoid or prevent from occurring

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