It’s set to be another mega year for K-pop in London. While South Korea itself is embroiled in political turmoil, with another president dramatically impeached following last year’s martial law snafu, the country’s greatest soft power asset continues to go from global strength to strength. Several megastar groups with vast fan bases are returning to headline stadium shows in the capital.
Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, is a well-documented global phenomenon where South Korea’s cultural exports have become widely popular in other countries. From K-beauty to K-dramas, we can’t get enough of it. There was even an exhibition at London’s V&A museum in 2022 dedicated to showcasing the phenomenon. K-pop, the catchy blend of music styles performed by extraordinarily talented groups of young men and women, often produced in hothouse bootcamps, dominates charts around the world.
