The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) says it is going to do a rerun of the drama "Winter Sonata." As everyone knows, Winter Sonata is at the center of the "Korea Wave" (hallyu) craze that made Japan go wild last year. Whatever KBS's reason, however, it is not pleasing to see a drama shown two years ago shown again as a rerun from the start of the new year, because one would very much like to see new cultural material so as to keep hallyu strong. One hope we are not seeing the week insides of what was an explosive phenomenon.
The craze over things Korean last year instilled in the Korean public a great sense of pride. It earned quite a bit of money and did quite a bit for cross-cultural diplomacy. Now, however, is a time when we need to put the restless excitement behind us, take a look at this new pan-Asian cultural phenomenon, and do things different where necessary. We need to examine whether hallyu is the result of Korea's distinctive cultural strengths having touched Asian sensibilities or whether the commercialism of sensational popular culture has found the perfect fit with the susceptibilities of a specific generation in a specific country. 2005 just happens to be the 60th anniversary of Liberation from Japan and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Japan. That is why in the new year we need to follow up with more developed questions about hallyu. Are we doing all we can to make sure we have the basic cultural and artistic stamina to continue this supra-national cultural phenomenon? Are we developing the cultural leadership necessary to unite an East Asia interspersed with conflict and confrontation into one cultural sphere? These are questions that need calm consideration.
It would be worth paying attention to those who note how hallyu should not be allowed to end up like the Hong Kong movie craze, which came and went. If the excitement is about one specific entertainment star, it could easily fizzle out like bubbles. That is why we would like to see a new kind of hallyu, one that originates in the basic cultural strength of our society. In the new hallyu, cultural capacity needs to come before stardom.
The Hankyoreh, 6 January 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Culture, Not Personality, Should Power ‘Hallyu’ |
