Have You Caught the Hallyu Wave?
If you’re Korean and part of the Korean diaspora in the US, you might be like me, marveling over the Hallyu wave that has suddenly taken over the US. Everywhere I turn, people seem eager to learn about Korea. Have you seen the extensive list of K-drama offerings on Netflix? Perhaps you’re waiting for Trader Joe’s to restock their frozen vegan kimbap. The Guggenheim has an exhibit of works by Korean artists. The MFA Boston will be opening an exhibit in spring 2024 about the rise of Hallyu. Have you read this article in The NY Times? This cute shop in my neighborhood carrying mostly Korean stationary and K-pop merch opened recently and kids are flocking to it.
My mind is reeling…
K-pop and K-drama have been around for a long time and has been very popular in most parts of the world, but they have been slow to take off in the US. Even 5 years ago, it was difficult to access Korean movies, K-drama and K-pop in the US. Remember when Parasite came out? It was so hard to find Bong Jun Ho’s other movies, but now you can find them on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
I remember more than 10 years ago, having a conversation about K-pop with my neighbor whose brother was in the music industry and was working on bringing K-pop to the US because “he knew it was going to be big.”
12 years ago, my middle daughter came home from pre-school and told me that she no longer wanted me to pack her kimbap for lunch. You can imagine what happened during lunch time to make her say this. I was heartbroken. I haven’t packed my kids kimbap for lunch since then. But guess what I’m packing them for lunch now? You got it. Kimbap.
This same middle daughter of mine has been a staunch fan of K-pop ever since I introduced BTS and Blackpink to my kids many years ago. It was always a love that she couldn’t share with too many kids. But this past summer, she was in Denmark and made many new friends because of a mutual love of K-pop. Now, she introduces me to her new favorite K-pop groups, groups I’ve never heard of.
This is still one of my favorites, after all these years:
But there’s something we all should remember. Korea and the US have a long history of a relationship that dates all the way back to 1866 when an American merchant ship first made contact with Korea, which led to the “1871 American Incursion.” Over the more than 150 year relationship, Korea and her people have remained largely invisible to the US who tends to focus more on her relationship with Japan and China. Are things changing now for Korea? Is she no longer the small nation so easy to ignore and invisible next to her neighbors? Why has this been the case for so long?
Several years ago, I took a writing course on writing the first-person essay. When it was my turn to present to the class, I shared my essay about kimchee and its role in our family when I was growing up in Kenya. I remember the discomfort in the room, all white writers who probably never tasted kimchee, when it was time to give me feedback. As I sat there listening to people’s responses, it dawned on me that they found the work unrelatable. My first impulse was of course to look at the work and figure out how to improve my writing to make it more relatable.
But I have to wonder, if I were to present the same essay now, would it be so unrelatable?
I knew things were changing even in 2022, at the opening of my show and screening of my film, GHOST ROOTS: A New Ganggangsullae, when the response was overwhelmingly positive. But still, when you’ve been navigating a world where this part of you has been invisible or misunderstood to others for so long, it takes some time to understand the shifts of change happening around you.
My conversation with my youngest daughter the other day also gives me hope. She is part of a generation that’s well-versed in conversations about race. She told me that her 2 friends, both of Indian descent, had auditioned for this year’s school play, Aladdin. They had tried out for the role of Jasmine and told her, “They’re probably going to give it to some white girl.” To their surprise, they both got the role of Jasmine for 2 separate casts!! I’m genuinely thrilled for these girls, that their lived experiences are changing, that for this moment, they don’t have to feel like their race is a detriment to them while navigating this world.
Today, I celebrate the small moments of being able to pack kimbap for my kids lunches and to talk about the latest K-drama with my non-Korean friends.
In my work, I will continue to explore what the world looks like from my perspective and I will celebrate all instances of relatability that comes with riding this Hallyu wave. ;)
Oh, and just for fun, here’s a quick snap with the new filter on TikTok that supposedly makes you look like a K-pop idol! A bit scary, hey?
How are you riding the Hallyu wave in your life? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.