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The Story

The South Korean culture machine that conquered the world

The Story

The Times

Politics, Uk News, News, Long-form Audio, Global News, In-depth Journalism, Daily News, Exclusive Interviews, Audio Storytelling, News Analysis, Current Affairs, Investigative Reporting, Daily News Podcast

3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 27 September 2022

⏱️ 32 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From Squid Game to K-pop to kimchi, South Korea has taken the planet by storm. How did a once-impoverished country turn its fortunes around? And what has it done for South Korea's standing abroad?

'Hallyu! The Korean Wave' is on at the V&A in South Kensington until June 2023: https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/hallyu-the-korean-wave 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes

Guest: Josh Glancy, Special Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Jenny Kleeman. 

Clips: BBC News, Deutsche Welle, Oscars, ABC News, Blackpink, The White House.

Film and music excerpts:

Crash Landing on You, dir. Lee Jeong-hyo, Netflix

I Know, Seo Taiji and Boys, Genie Music

Into the New World, Girls Generation, SM Entertainment

Gangnam Style, Psy, YG Entertainment

Butter, BTS, Hybe Corporation/Big Hit Music

Boombayah, BLACKPINK, YG Entertainment

Parasite, dir. Bong Joon Ho, CJ Entertainment

Squid Game, dir. Hwang Dong-hyuk, Netflix

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:25.2

This F&C Investment Trust Aber is approved for distribution by Columbia Thread Needle Investments

0:28.9

February 1st, 2023. We don't get pulled again. The who release whose next? Lifehouse on stunning

0:36.1

new formats. One of Rock's last great untold stories is finally recounted in full.

0:45.2

Super Deluxe Edition Boxe with graphic novel and rarities.

0:48.8

Previously unreleased demos, limited edition vinyl variations.

0:56.5

Who's next? Lifehouse out now.

1:07.0

Ten years ago this summer, a South Korean rapper would make history when his music video

1:11.9

became a worldwide viral sensation. Gangnam Style has become the first video to clock up a

1:18.4

billion views on YouTube. Soye paved the way for K-Culture to break records across music,

1:24.9

film and TV over the next decade. Now to show that has taken the world by story,

1:31.5

Squid Game. And the Oscar goes to Parasite.

1:37.3

But why has the K-Wave taken off so spectacularly? And what are the forces driving it?

1:43.7

You're listening to stories of our times from the times and the Sunday times.

1:48.0

I'm Jenny Cleeman. Today, how the K-Wave sweat the globe.

1:58.8

If you've heard Bumbaya, I can't really show it to you on a podcast,

2:03.3

but I'm waving my arms around in the air.

2:11.2

We'll come back to Bumbaya, but the invisible dancer guiding us through K-Culture today is...

2:16.9

My name is Josh Glancy. I am special correspondent for the Sunday Times, which I don't really know

...

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