July 15th was a music milestone. Ten years ago in Summer 2012, the release of “Gangnam Style,” catapulted South Korean singer and rapper, PSY to stardom as the song instantly became a global hit.
Captivating listeners with catchy lyrics and an animated music video featuring the iconic horse-riding dance, Gangnam Style hit the unprecedented 1-billion views mark on YouTube just 159 days after its premiere.
The song’s immense popularity and rapid global reach quickly thrust Korean pop culture into the international spotlight, a phenomenon known as the “Hallyu” or Korean wave movement. The phrase emerged to encapsulate South Korea’s influence in exporting its popular culture, media, and even cuisine into the global cultural economy.
U.S. President Barack Obama even referenced the Korean Wave in a 2012 state visit to the East Asian nation.
Hallyu Gains More Momentum Amid Work By Plenty Of Korean Creatives And Innovators
Plenty of Korean artists continue to follow in the footsteps of PSY in shifting the global music scene. K-Pop acts like BTS and Blackpink remain massively popular and are considered positive examples of South Korea’s cultural exportation. In early August 2022, Blackpink announced details of their performance in Abu Dhabi in early 2023 as part of its “Born Pink’ world tour.
Hallyu’s also made waves within gaming. Some may even argue that games built the foundation for the Korean Wave due to the popularity of Korean games in the 1990s and early 2000s. South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism gave a massive push to gaming amid remarks in July.
“When we think of K-content, we can think of BTS and Squid Game, but when it comes to global dominance, of course, games are at the forefront; I think this is important. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will provide policy support so that the instincts of game developers can live on.” Park Bo-Kyun explained.
Game developer and publisher of over 20 years Wemade remains at the core of South Korea’s gaming industry.
The South Korean game industry found its roots in the 1990s as government policies prioritized telecommunications and Internet infrastructure. Today, millions across the world recognize Wemade due to the success of its “Legend of Mir” MMORPG series.
From The 1990s To the 2020s, Korean Gaming Continues To Lead The Way
Wemade continued to foster an innovative culture even as new technologies like blockchain look poised to transform the…
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