Hallyu: The Rise of TransnationaI Cultural Consumers in China and Japan

This paper explains the birth and development of the Hallyu phenomenon in East Asia, using power (center vs. periphery), class (proximity to vs. distance from the mode of production), ethnicity (cultural superiority vs. inferiority), age (forward vs. retrospective learning), and gender (male vs. feminine) as key factors. The study finds that class, gender, and ethnicity variables are commonly found among Hallyu consumers in Taiwan, China, and Japan, although the ethnicity variable changes constantly according to the success or failure of Hallyu. Conceived as the working class female viewers who try to find the universal East Asian entertainment content that can satisfy the desire of both forward and retrospective learning, Hallyu fans have clearly manifested their agreement that Korean dramas, films, and popular music were acceptable as a midpoint between forward and retrospective learning. The capitalist logic of producing and disseminating Hallyu is to cash in on this demand from East Asian women. This paper argues that the success of Hallyu depends on the continuity of the new role of East Asian women as transnational consumers and learners of popular culture for inter-ethnic cultural understanding. The role of middle-aged Japanese women as leading transnational consumers of Hallyu through retrospective learning is critical in this process, although incorporating the East Asian male population into the Hallyu campaign is also imperative for its future viability.