Ophélie Surcouf. Photo DR
Was “Hallyu” from the start a political choice, or a cultural movement transformed economically?
“‘Hallyu’ developed via TV serials (or dramas) at the end of the 1990s, in China but not only. It was also in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan… It was more by luck and by the will of the companies which produced this content than by political choice at the start. But the government quickly sensed the trend and immediately helped the industry by creating funds to fuel this expansion. He also created a legal and administrative framework that favored this boom. »
We often make a connection between “Hallyu” and another movement of soft powerthe Japanese Cool Japan. Is this justified?
“There were clearly inspirations, particularly in terms of K-Pop which, in its early days, also had sounds coming from J-Pop, Japanese pop. But the Korean expansion strategy was completely different from Japan: where Japan blocked pirate broadcasting, refused to post its videos for free on YouTube, and was keen to protect an analogous form of consumption of its products, Korea thrown with open arms onto these networks – and, before that, into equivalent technologies in Asia. Korean culture is also free from the historical and military burden of World War II, which still affects the Japanese presence in the Asian region. »
“Of course China would like to imitate South Korea! »
Are other Asian countries trying (or have tried) to copy the South Korean strategy?
“Yes, the “Hallyu” is today the model of soft power in the region. Thailand, in particular, has managed to build a reputation in a niche that Korea has not yet really invested in: Boy's Love. These are series that feature boys who love each other. South Korea is starting to get a little involved in it, but mentalities are having difficulty changing on this subject, so the content is less authentic and less numerous. »
Even China?
“Of course China would like to imitate South Korea! And she is very active on the cultural subject. It just doesn't achieve the same result – and it doesn't have the same market objectives. There are plenty of reasons for this. Mainly, censorship and the political image of China, but also its history, economic restrictions… Chinese series have performed better in recent years and benefit from better exposure with global platforms like Netflix. But at the moment, China cannot consistently replicate the production quality and authenticity of Korean series. And then China can produce for China and make a huge profit, while Korea did not have the choice to favor exports very early on. »
“Social discourse is always present in Korean series. »
How do politically charged works, like Parasite or Squid Gamecan be integrated into the “Hallyu”?
“No problem, as we could see!” Something to keep in mind is that both were made by directors who are absolutely unique in their kind in the Korean creative landscape. That said, political discourse, or rather social discourse in my eyes, is always extremely present in Korean series. Whether implicitly or at the center of the dramas, we criticize the corruption of the State, industrial conglomerates and the judicial system (Stranger or Vincenzo), or the education system (Sky Castle or The Glory). And I cite recent series, but I could also go back without problem to series from 2010. This is not at all something unique to Squid Game or Parasite. »
How Netflix arrived on South Korean territory, and did it quickly collaborate with local players, particularly to broadcast Squid Game ?
“In 2015, Netflix began working on its presence in South Korea. With the movie Okay by Bong Joon Ho, they managed to open the first doors in the industry and work with locals. Then, when China censored Korean products after the deployment of American Thaad missiles in South Korea, Netflix seized the opportunity immediately: they invested to replace the loss of budgets and negotiated deals to broadcast Korean dramas almost simultaneously on Korean TV and on their platform. They continued to slowly buy all the rights abroad (especially in France). And so, there was a snowball effect. »
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