Now Korean moviemakers are marching overseas, encouraged by their huge domestic success. Korean movies are making an equally impressive showing in Asian markets, such as China and Japan, and some movies are now exported even to the US in the form of original scripts. Cinema is not the only Korean cultural genre winning hearts and minds of foreign fans. Korean stage performances, music, television dramas, animation programs and even food are becoming increasingly popular outside Korea. Particularly in Asia, the phenomenon has become so strong that Chinese speakers call it Hanryu, or the Korean Wave. The Chinese word originally referred to a cold current from Korea, but it now symbolizes fanatic ¡°Korea envy¡± in most of Asia. In China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and other Asian nations, people race to watch Korean movies, performances and television dramas, listen to Korean pop songs and eat Korean cuisine. Such pop culture items have become an integral part of Korean exports, which used to be just industrial goods such as cars and television sets. Although no concrete figures are available, industry experts estimate Korea¡¯s yearly exports of such items at hundreds of millions of dollars.

Korean movies lead the overseas march of Korean pop culture. Swiri, the first bona fide Korean-made blockbuster, garnered millions of dollars of revenue in Japan and elsewhere. In Japan, more than a million people watched the movie that described Korea¡¯s tragic national division in a Hollywood-esque, James Bondstyle setting. Joint Security Area, a movie also about divided Korea and soldiers guarding the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, was also popular overseas. It was sold to Japan for $2 million. Friends, a movie about Korea¡¯s underground gang world, was a huge hit in China. Another mafia movie, My Wife is a Gangster, was so successful that Miramax bought the script rights for $1.1 million to produce a remake in Hollywood. In 2002, a total of $15 million worth of Korean movies were exported. Industry analysts forecast 2003 movie exports to reach $20 million. That includes the recently released Old Boy, a film about a man¡¯s vengeance against his abductor, that will be sold to Japan for $2.5 million.

 
Korean stage performances are also hot commodities in foreign markets. Nanta, a non-verbal performance about four dancing cooks, had its overseas debut in the UK in 1999. Since then, Nanta has toured 70 cities in 15 countries. In and outside Korea, Nanta has had nearly 3,800 performances over the past seven years. Its biggest achievement was a four-week run at the New Victory Theater in Broadway in the autumn of 2003. The minimum guarantee for the New York performance was a staggering $4 million. The New York Times and other US publications gave the production a ¡°thumbs up¡± review. Subway Line 1 was another success story. A rock musical originally written in Germany, Subway Line 1 has been staged over 2,000 times in Seoul. Adapted to the local context, the Korean Subway played in Germany, as well as Japan and China, garnering warm receptions from local audiences. The Last Empress is another mega hit musical based on the tragic life story of the last empress of the Chosun dynasty. Since its debut in 1995, The Last Empress has drawn 800,000 viewers at home and abroad in nearly 500 performances. The musical has played many of the world's theater capitals, including London and New York.

Korean pop songs are another major export item these days.

Young boy-bands like H.O.T. began their Asian invasion as early as the late 1990s. Their fast-paced dance songs and flashy moves were a major eye-opener for many Asian fans accustomed to slow ballads. In China and elsewhere, Korean pop stars¡¯ concerts are sold out well in advance, thanks to fanatic young fans there. In many Asian nations, CDs and tapes of Korean pop music are placed at the center of music stores. Their songs are used for television commercials, and the artists are often among the most favorite commercial models. Boa, a teenager girl singer trained especially for the overseas music market, had several number-one songs in the competitive Japanese music market. Her popularity was so high that she was invited to a state dinner between Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi and Korean President Roh Moo-hyun early this year. Boa¡¯s energetic work in Japan has greatly contributed to the improvement of bilateral relations between the two countries which experienced a tragic colonial period.

Then there are Korean television dramas, which are about to conquer the households of Asia. In China, Taiwan and Japan, Korean dramas are constantly among the most favorite TV programs, drawing both men and women viewers. Stars of such dramas have become shining idols in those nations and fans there emulate the fashion, hairstyle or makeup of Korean stars. In major Chinese cities, women reportedly ask plastic surgeons to change their faces to look like the Korean stars. Chinese and Taiwanese youths flock to Korea to visit the sites where such dramas were filmed or to meet the Korean stars. And eating Korean food, so often featured in Korean TV dramas, has become a new fad among youngsters in many Asian nations. Some even thought kimchi was a cure for SARS, and traditional Korean barbeque restaurants are mushrooming around Asia.

Many wonder what is behind the overnight success of Korean pop culture, which is gradually replacing older culture powers in Asia, such as Japan. There could be many reasons. Most of all, Korea¡¯s dynamic young generation is the engine behind the success story. Their creativity and imagination is blossoming as a result of the country¡¯s newfound economic prosperity and political democracy. As Korea¡¯s living standards improve, people look for ways to enrich their lives culturally and spiritually. Particularly younger Koreans, with no memory of poverty or hunger, are exploring the new world of pop culture, taking full advantage of their wealth. Democratization has also played a role. In movies and music, full-fledged freedom of expression is guaranteed. Previously taboo subjects such as ideological struggles have been allowed, and a full degree of freedom is granted in depicting such subjects. In pop culture, old authoritarian rules and traditional values can be ridiculed without fear of censorship.

But not all is rosy. The popularity of Korean pop culture in foreign countries is high at the moment, but analysts say it cannot last forever. Hong Kong movies and Japanese TV dramas once dominated Asian theaters and households. But after the initial curiosity about exotic cultures faded, they couldn¡¯t hold on to their gains. Today, those cultural products no longer rule Asia. Likewise, the Korean Wave will ultimately wither when the curiosity is satisfied. That is why Korean moviemakers, songwriters, singers, actors and actresses have to work continuously to upgrade their movies, songs and dramas.

Unless the creativity keeps flowing, the Korean Wave will be a passing phenomenon. Knowing this, the Korean government is doing what it can to support the culture industry. Financial incentives are given to cultural content creators. Government-wide efforts are being made to introduce Korean pop culture to new foreign markets. But again, culture is a highly individual phenomenon. Unless Koreans themselves remain creative and imaginative, their culture will cease to capture the fascination of overseas observers.

The writer is a journalist based in Seoul.