Hallyu at High Tide: Korean Culture Takes off in the United States

Korean culture has become more prominent in the United States over the last few years, and has only continued to grow in 2018. In May, Korean boyband BTS became the first K-Pop act to hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the first foreign language album to hold that spot since 2006. Since the beginning of this year, U.S.-based streaming service Netflix has started churning out its own original Korean content aimed at international audiences excited to see more from their favorite Korean stars. Meanwhile, sales of Korean cosmetics and skincare to the United States hit $446 million in 2017, up from just $154 million in 2014.

Please join KEI and The Korea Society for a discussion of the latest Hallyu (Korean Wave) trends in the United States, what is driving this recent surge in popularity, and how the Korean government sees the demand for Korean cultural products as an opportunity for public diplomacy.