The Scope of Hallyu and the Theory of K-Naming

This chapter discusses the question of whether Hallyu represents the rapid growth of Korean popular culture from three perspectives. The first is whether Hallyu, as popular culture, has successfully established itself in the global market. We discuss the change in perception regarding whether Hallyu has grown beyond the Asian market to become a global cultural phenomenon. The second is related to whether popular culture alone created the Korean Wave phenomenon. It develops a discourse on the need for a more comprehensive discussion that includes not only popular culture but also digital technology and culture. As the convergence of popular culture and social media, as well as popular culture and OTT service platforms, has emerged as a major focus of attention, it discusses the importance of the digital Korean Wave. The third point concerns how to interpret the theory of K-Naming that has emerged in the wake of the Korean Wave boom.