June 28, 2022
Domestic and Global Political Impacts of K-Pop: BoA, BTS, and Beyond
K-Pop idols and their music have positively contributed to South Korean diplomacy, economy, human rights movements, and the country’s global status for decades, especially during times of high political tension.
As a middle-power country, Seoul often relies on non-coercive diplomatic tools to strengthen its political position in the world, rather than using military or coercive economic power. Korean entertainment, in particular K-Pop, has provided a unique opportunity for Seoul to improve its global standing through appeal and attraction, known as “soft power.” After the fall of authoritarianism in South Korea in the late 1990s, which previously censored domestic and foreign media outlets, Korean music, film, and television programs began to circulate throughout Asia. As a result, Korean pop culture became accessible to a global audience for the first time, making way for the Korean Wave, also known as “Hallyu.” Overseas K-Pop fans have directly contributed to the growth of the South Korean economy, as the foreign market for South Korean music and pop culture roughly doubled from $5.7 billion in 2015 to $10 billion in 2019. However, K-Pop also has had a profound impact on domestic and foreign politics, demonstrating its importance for South Korean diplomacy.
K-Pop has had a profound impact on domestic and foreign politics, demonstrating its importance for South Korean diplomacy.
Since its founding in 2005, YouTube has provided an virtual window into Korean entertainment for viewers overseas, but the first ripples of the Korean Wave splashed on the shores of Japan several years earlier under the name Kwon Bo-ah (BoA). For 20 years, Korean singer and entertainer BoA has contributed to improving civil relations between the Korean and Japanese public through her music and appearances in Japanese radio and television.
Read the full article from The Diplomat.
More from CNAS
-
U.S.-China Competition Accelerates Across the Tech Stack
Congressional Testimony
This article was originally published in Just Security. Over the course of 2025, the United States and China rapidly escalated trade and tech restrictions toward each other, t...
By Geoffrey Gertz
-
Fortress North America: Mexico’s Role in Securing the Region’s Economic Future
Commentary
Executive Summary Economic security has become the new organizing principle of global trade policy, reflecting a fundamental shift in how states define and defend their econom...
By Diego Marroquín Bitar
-
It’s Complicated...
Commentary
Introduction The United States is Canada’s closest economic and security partner. While both countries share many interests, neither their interests nor the means they use to ...
By Jeff Mahon & Wolfgang Alschner
-
Moving On From Free Trade with Mark DiPlacido
Podcast
Geoff sits down with Mark DiPlacido of American Compass to discuss his recent series of essays, On Balance, that advocates U.S. trade policy should move away from the previous...
By Geoffrey Gertz
