‘I didn’t feel the Korean wave until I came to Malaysia’

After her time here, FMT intern Soyoung Choi reflects on how 'hallyu' has evolved into a shared culture far beyond her homeland.

FMT intern Soyoung Choi flanked by K-pop fans Prazime Foo (left) and Priscilla Bunga Goklas. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

PETALING JAYA:

 Whenever I tell people in Malaysia I’m Korean, the response is almost always the same: “I love Korean dramas or music!”

During my internship with FMT, colleagues and interviewees often steered the conversation towards Korean TV shows, K-pop or skincare the moment my nationality came up.

Of course, growing up in Korea, these were never trends to me – just everyday life. And because of that familiarity, I never quite felt the so-called Korean wave, or “hallyu”, as it unfolded.

Coming to Malaysia changed that. It made me wonder: what happens to Korean culture when it travels beyond my country’s borders?

According to entertainment data and insights company Luminate, in 2023, K-pop songs were streamed more frequently in Japan, the United States and Indonesia than in Korea itself.

But how and why does K-pop attract listeners worldwide, despite language barriers?

For Ethan John Matisa, the answer is simple – it lies in the universality of music.

“Good music has no language. We shouldn’t let language barriers obstruct us from liking something,” said the 31-year-old, who has been interested in K-pop since his college days.

He believes Korean artistes adapt well to global audiences – something he has seen firsthand at concerts, during which performers engage fans with phrases in Malay or talk about local destinations they hope to visit.

That sense of connection is something content creator Alex Ho has also observed; for instance, when artistes incorporate local elements into their performances, such as donning traditional attire.

Ethan John Matisa believes Korean artistes adapt well to their global fans. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

Ho, who hails from Penang, is a dancer who also co-hosts the “K-Boleh Show”, an online programme that explores everything related to Korean culture.

For the 32-year-old, the appeal of K-pop lies in how its performers are presented from the very beginning, harkening to the stringent industry requirements for artistes in Korea.

“They are so clear about their concept and character, what kind of artistes they want to be and the music they release. It is so well planned that it makes it easy for people to be fans because it is so direct,” he said.

“You either like it or you don’t.”

For both Matisa and Ho, an initial love for K-pop opened the door to other aspects of Korean culture. For Matisa, this interest centres on Korean cinema, particularly the works of acclaimed directors Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook.

What began as a love for K-pop eventually led Alex Ho to become a content creator and curator of Korean culture. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)

Ho’s journey took a more academic turn: he was inspired to pursue a Bachelor of East Asian Studies at Universiti Malaya, majoring in Korean studies.

Exposure to K-culture, Ho noted, has also shaped his personal growth by encouraging him to practise self-care, express himself more confidently, and explore other dance genres.

Shared passions and social connections

Elsewhere, colleagues Prazime Foo, 22, and Priscilla Bunga Goklas, 26, said a shared love for all things Korean has helped them bond with each other and make new friends.

“When you have a common interest, you will have more things to talk about and more opportunities to hang out,” said Foo.

At a Blackpink concert in Singapore, she made stickers of the group’s members, exchanging them with strangers and receiving hair clips in return. She has since kept in touch with some of these connections online.

Goklas, who hails from Indonesia, relates that she, too, has built genuine friendships, and has even gone on a trip to Penang with a fellow “hallyu” fan!

From BTS (pictured) to Blackpink, K-pop and the Korean wave have certainly won over fans around the world. (Reuters pic)

Where once K-pop was largely associated with young girls, this perception has shifted in recent years. As Goklas observes, “Before, liking K-pop was seen as childish. Now, it’s very normal.”

Ho, who has millions of followers on social media, has also noticed this shift. “When I checked my analytics, only about 30% were from Malaysia. The rest came from countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and the US.

“That’s when I realised how global K-pop has become,” he said.

Indeed, the Korean wave in Malaysia – and perhaps beyond – is no longer just about entertainment: it has become a shared cultural space.

For me, understanding the Korean wave did not come from watching it unfold at home, but from seeing how others embraced it in Malaysia.

Through that lens, the phenomenon becomes clearer – not just as a story about Korea, but about how culture travels and finds meaning far from where it began. - FMT

Soyoung Choi is an undergraduate at the University of Hong Kong, and an intern at FMT.