Understanding Hallyu in North Korea

Regardless of how Hallyu came to be diffused into North Korean society, some experts have anticipated that the impact of Hallyu on changing perceptions of South Korea. Similar to the case of East and West Germany in 1990s, some believes the possibility of reunification of the Korean peninsula. This research considers the impact of Hallyu as a form of soft power based on the way of the North Korea state has dealt with the influences. This research aims to explore the meanings of encountering Hallyu in North Korea by using a literature reviews and a focus group interview at Dandong, China. Due to the limit of accessibility to various materials about North Korea, this research uses newspaper articles and video clips from both Youtube and TV programs in South Korea. Hallyu visual media has let the certain North Koreans to admire South Korea and images of South Korean society. In particular, the generation of Jangmadang and the middle-upper classes have highly consumed on the cultural products and imitated lifestyles of South Koreans. This condition can ignite interests and promote the attractive image of South Korea. However, the familiarity with Hallyu is not a panacea. In order to consider the future of Hallyu in North Korea, this research may recommend South Korean media in terms of recognizing the North Korean identity in transition and of increasing opportunities for sharing historical and cultural content between South Korea and North Korea.