How South Korean entertainment became a global phenomenon | About That

Summary

The video script discusses South Korea's strategic use of its entertainment industry as a form of soft power. It highlights the country's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which paradoxically boosted its TV and film industry. The script emphasizes the global success of South Korean productions like 'Squid Game' and 'Parasite', attributing this to a winning formula of emotional storytelling set against dystopian backdrops. It also points out the government's significant investment in the culture sector, viewing it as an export opportunity. The script suggests that South Korea's entertainment industry has become a major economic and cultural force, influencing global audiences and shaping the country's diplomatic power in the 21st century.

Takeaways

• 🎤 The South Korean president's charm offensive includes engaging in song, which is seen as a meaningful cultural exchange.
• 🎥 South Korea takes pride in its arts, with Netflix investing $2.5 billion over four years to produce original South Korean content for a global audience.
• 🌐 'Squid Game' has become the most watched series ever on Netflix, showcasing South Korea's successful cultural export.
• 🏥 The COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently benefited streaming services like Netflix, increasing subscriptions as people stayed home.
• 🎬 South Korea's response to COVID-19 was highly successful, allowing their TV and film industry to flourish during a time of global crisis.
• 📈 The South Korean government views its TV and film industry as an export and has heavily invested in it, with significant financial backing.
• 💰 Producing in South Korea is cost-effective due to tax breaks, lower wages, and established infrastructure.
• 🔄 The success of South Korean media is attributed to a winning formula of emotional storytelling set against dystopian backdrops.
• 🎵 The intentional use of English in K-pop, such as in the song that reached a billion views, is a strategic move to break into North American markets.
• 🌟 South Korea's cultural influence, including K-pop and tech giants like Samsung, is the result of decades of investment and prioritization.
• 🤝 The concept of soft power is central to South Korea's strategy, using cultural industries as a diplomatic tool for global influence and attraction.

Q & A

What is the significance of South Korea's president engaging in a charm offensive through song at the White House State Dinner?

The president's use of song is part of a calculated charm offensive aimed at building goodwill and strengthening cultural ties, which can have broader implications for diplomatic and economic relations.

How has South Korea's arts industry become a source of pride and prestige for the country?

South Korea's arts industry, particularly its TV and film sector, has gained international acclaim and viewership, with productions like 'Squid Game' achieving global popularity on platforms like Netflix.

What is the impact of Netflix's investment in South Korean content on the global audience?

Netflix's investment of 2.5 billion dollars over four years to produce original South Korean content has significantly increased the global audience's exposure to and appreciation of South Korean stories and culture.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the entertainment industry, specifically for streaming services like Netflix?

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in subscriptions for streaming services like Netflix, as people stayed home and sought entertainment, benefiting these industries greatly.

What role did 'Parasite' play in bridging the gap between South Korean cinema and North American audiences?

'Parasite' served as a clever bridge to North American audiences by telling a relatable story with universal themes, despite its foreign setting and plot, which helped pave the way for other South Korean productions.

How has South Korea's response to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the success of its TV and film industry?

South Korea's successful response to the pandemic, with large-scale testing and vaccination campaigns, kept its per capita death rate low and allowed its TV and film industry to thrive and spread globally.

What is the significance of 'Squid Game' in the context of South Korea's cultural export strategy?

'Squid Game' is a prime example of South Korea's cultural export strategy, showcasing its storytelling prowess and ability to captivate a global audience, potentially becoming Netflix's biggest show ever.

How has the Korean government supported its TV and film industry financially?

The Korean government has designated the culture or content industries as a strategic sector for development, with significant investments into its culture ministry, reaching over seven billion dollars in recent years.

What advantages does South Korea offer for producing TV and film content compared to other countries?

South Korea offers advantages such as tax breaks, lower wages, and well-established infrastructure, making it relatively cheaper to produce high-quality TV and film content.

How has K-pop contributed to South Korea's cultural influence and economy?

K-pop has been a significant growth sector of the Korean economy, driving tourism and consumption of Korean cultural content, and has arguably had a more substantial impact in monetary terms than television or cinema.

What is the concept of 'soft power' and how does it relate to South Korea's cultural industries?

Soft power refers to the ability to attract and persuade others to adopt one's preferences through appeal and attraction rather than coercion. South Korea has explicitly used its cultural industries, including K-pop and TV/film, as a means to exert soft power and enhance its international influence.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 South Korea's Cultural Charm Offensive

This paragraph discusses South Korea's strategic use of its arts and entertainment industry as a form of soft power. It highlights how South Korea's President engages in a charm offensive through song, emphasizing the significance of the arts in the country's pride and prestige. The success of South Korean TV and film, including the global phenomenon 'Squid Game', is attributed to a winning formula that resonates with audiences during times of real-world despair. The government's support for the industry is framed as an intentional effort to boost the country's influence and economy, with Netflix investing heavily in South Korean content. The paragraph also touches on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which paradoxically boosted the industry as people stayed home, and the government's response to the crisis, which was one of the most successful globally.

05:02

💼 The Economic and Diplomatic Power of South Korea's Entertainment Industry

The second paragraph delves into the economic and diplomatic implications of South Korea's thriving entertainment industry. It outlines how the industry has been designated a strategic sector for development, with significant investments made by the South Korean government into its culture ministry. The benefits of producing in South Korea, such as tax breaks, lower wages, and established infrastructure, make it an attractive location for production. The paragraph also discusses the intentional efforts to break into the North American market, using the catchy song 'Ever' as an example of how English is used to make content more accessible to a global audience. The influence of K-pop and its significant impact on driving tourism and consumption of Korean cultural content is also highlighted. The concept of soft power is introduced as a framework for understanding the strategic importance of culture industries in South Korea's diplomatic efforts, with the aim of making the country a major player in economic and cultural terms.

10:03

🎵 The Emotional Impact of South Korean Music

The final paragraph focuses on the emotional impact of South Korean music, using the song that reached a billion views as an example. It describes the feeling of the music as exotic yet familiar, and its catchiness as a key factor in its appeal. The use of English in the song is highlighted as a strategic move to make the content more accessible to a North American audience, with no need for subtitles. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of South Korea's cultural influence, which has been cultivated over decades of investment and prioritization of Korean content industries. It suggests that this wave of Korean success is not only about monetary gains but also about the power and influence that comes with cultural attraction and soft power diplomacy.

Keywords

💡Charm Offensive

A charm offensive refers to a deliberate effort to win over others through charm, flattery, or other persuasive means. In the video's context, it describes South Korea's president using cultural diplomacy, such as engaging in song, to foster positive relations with other countries. The script mentions this as a 'very clever and intentional charm offensive' through song, which may be more meaningful than it initially appears.

💡Soft Power

Soft power is the ability to influence others through appeal and attraction rather than coercion or force. The video discusses how South Korea has leveraged its cultural industries, such as entertainment and media, as a form of soft power to gain influence on the global stage. The script cites a former South Korean foreign affairs minister, stating that 'culture will be the third pillar of diplomatic power in the 21st century,' highlighting the strategic importance of cultural industries in South Korea's foreign policy.

💡Cultural Industries

Cultural industries encompass the production and distribution of cultural goods and services, such as film, television, music, and the arts. The video highlights South Korea's strategic development of its cultural industries as a means to boost its economy and global influence. The script notes that the Korean government has invested heavily in its culture ministry, with the aim of promoting cultural exports and enhancing the country's soft power.

💡Netflix

Netflix is a global streaming service that has played a significant role in the international distribution of South Korean content. The video mentions Netflix's investment in original South Korean TV and film, such as 'Squid Game,' which has become a global phenomenon. This partnership with Netflix has helped South Korean cultural products reach a wider international audience, contributing to the country's soft power.

💡Squid Game

Squid Game is a South Korean survival drama series that has gained massive international popularity on Netflix. The video uses it as an example of South Korea's successful cultural export, illustrating how the country's TV and film industry has resonated with global audiences. The script describes it as a 'violent thriller' that has become a 'universal hit,' with Netflix predicting it could be their biggest show ever.

💡COVID-19

COVID-19 refers to the coronavirus disease that emerged in late 2019 and became a global pandemic. The video mentions the pandemic's impact on the entertainment industry, with streaming services like Netflix benefiting from people staying at home. South Korea's successful response to the pandemic, through large-scale testing and vaccination campaigns, is contrasted with the growth of its TV and film industry during this time.

💡K-pop

K-pop is a genre of popular music originating from South Korea, characterized by its catchy tunes, synchronized choreography, and visually appealing music videos. The video discusses K-pop as a significant cultural export that has contributed to South Korea's soft power and economic growth. It mentions the industry's monetary impact and its role in driving tourism and consumption of Korean cultural content.

💡Dystopian Backdrop

A dystopian backdrop refers to a setting in a story that portrays a society that is undesirable or frightening. The video mentions that South Korean media producers have successfully used this backdrop in their stories, such as in 'Squid Game,' to create a strong emotional connection with audiences. This storytelling technique has made their productions 'addictive' and appealing to a global audience.

💡Global Catastrophe

A global catastrophe refers to a disaster or event that has widespread and severe consequences across the world. The video suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic could be considered a global catastrophe, and it may have indirectly benefited the entertainment industry by driving people to stay at home and consume more media content, thus providing a 'stroke of luck' for companies like Netflix.

💡Strategic Sector

A strategic sector is an area of economic activity that a government identifies as crucial for the nation's development and competitiveness. The video explains that South Korea has designated its culture industries as a strategic sector for development, with significant investments made to promote the growth of its TV, film, and other cultural exports.

💡Mr. Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine is a historical drama series from South Korea that was mentioned in the video as an example of the country's high-quality TV productions. The script describes the show's 'beautiful cinematography, sets, costumes,' and notes that it cost around 30 million U.S. dollars to make, which is significantly cheaper than producing a comparable show in the UK, illustrating the cost-effectiveness of producing in South Korea.

Highlights

South Korea's president engages in a charm offensive through song.

The arts are a major source of pride and prestige for South Korea.

Netflix to invest 2.5 billion dollars over four years in South Korean TV and film.

Squid Game became the most watched series ever on Netflix.

South Korean content has outstanding global viewership with titles like 'All of Us Are Dead' and 'Physical 100'.

Parasite was a bridge to North American audiences with its relatable story.

COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in Netflix subscriptions.

South Korea's successful response to COVID-19 with large-scale testing and vaccination.

South Korea's TV and film industry spread globally during the pandemic.

Squid Game is predicted to be Netflix's biggest show ever.

South Korean media producers have honed a format that creates strong emotional connections.

Korean government views the TV and film industry as an export, investing heavily.

South Korea's culture ministry received significant investment, over seven billion dollars last year.

Producing in South Korea is relatively cheap due to tax breaks, lower wages, and established infrastructure.

Korean content industries, especially K-pop, have significant economic impact.

South Korea's calculated play in the entertainment industry was intentional and ingenious.

South Korea uses soft power through culture industries to negotiate and operate on the global stage.

South Korea aims to be a major player in economic and cultural terms through soft power.

South Korea's efforts in culture industries are part of a broader diplomatic strategy.

South Korea's soft power strategy aims to attract audiences and do business through cultural appeal.

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

[Applause]

I don't tend to think of White House

State dinners as karaoke Wednesday you

know what I'm saying but you know South

Korea's president

is actually engaged here in a very

shrewd uh very adorable yes but very

clever and intentional charm offensive

and that he's doing it through song may

be more meaningful than anyone might

give him credit for

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

the Arts are a major source of Pride and

Prestige for South Korea you know

Netflix actually just announced a

whopping 2.5 billion dollars over four

years to produce original South Korean

TV and film for a global audience

squid game the most watched series ever

on Netflix all of us are dead a zombie

Thriller that debuted in Netflix's

Global top 10. the glory kill box soon

physical 100 all of these have had

outstanding Global viewership

how'd they do it

[Music]

[Applause]

any critic will tell you parasite was a

rather clever bit of bridge building to

a North American audience

okay

[Music]

it's basically the story of a poor

family's wild scheme to infiltrate a

rich family except it goes horribly

wrong and somehow oddly it's a story we

can all relate to

and in the end it might have been much

harder to follow in parasite's footsteps

if not for an actual Global catastrophe

six months later

first we have an update on the spread of

the deadly coronavirus good evening as

we come on the air on the west tonight

president Trump addressing the American

people just a short time ago as the toll

of the coronavirus widens here in the

U.S we have therefore met the assessment

that covid-19 can be characterized as a

pandemic covet was brutal for so much of

the world but for those industries that

benefit from people staying home

it was a stroke of luck Jim here's a

company that's actually benefiting from

the pandemic with millions of people

following stay-at-home orders Netflix is

reporting a surge in subscriptions South

Korea's response to covet was one of the

most successful planet-wide large-scale

testing a massive vaccination campaign

their cumulative per capita death rate

held impressively low meaning it wasn't

the virus but rather their TV and film

industry that spread like wildfire now

with the show that everyone's talking

about it's called squid game it's a

violent Thriller from South Korea squid

game is a universal hit Netflix predicts

there's a very good chance it's going to

be our biggest show ever please welcome

to the Late Show Lee Jong Jae

[Music]

foreign

the industry was firing on all cylinders

and by this time it had hit on a winning

formula stories of Life Death hope set

against a dystopian backdrop in the

midst of real world despair you may not

think about a show like squid game as a

melodrama but when you think about how

how it's structured it really does use a

strong emotional connection I would say

that South Korean media producers have

really honed that format and made it

really addictive but let's talk about

money the Korean government has for some

time thought of its TV and film industry

not just as art but as an export

so for the last

15 years or so maybe a little bit longer

than that the culture Industries or

content Industries have been designated

as a strategic sector for development in

2020 the year before squid game South

Korea saw the biggest investment ever

into its culture Ministry the equivalent

of around six and a half billion dollars

Canadian last year that amount went even

higher to more than seven billion

dollars and from the industry point of

view between tax breaks lower wages and

well-established infrastructure

producing in South Korea is actually

relatively cheap this period from a few

years ago Mr Sunshine took us back to

1871. you know beautiful cinematography

sets costumes The Works cost around 30

million dollars U.S to make a comparable

show like Bridgeton Smith you know shot

in the UK it cost almost four times

but let's set aside money what may have

really primed North American audiences

for South Korean culture

foreign

[Music]

so you know I remember the first time I

heard this song and I remember being

like

what is this you know it it felt exotic

but familiar you know weird but in a

good way and and just catchy as hell

[Music]

ever to hit a billion views and notice

the use of English

[Applause]

again a very intentional attempt to

break into North America for the

catchiest part of the song no subtitles

needed and yes you know we we could keep

talking about South Korean influence

everything from Soju

to Samsung

and yes

this is not something that just occurred

out of blue or all of a sudden it's the

outcome of

decades actually of of investment and

prioritization of Korean content

Industries K-pop is a huge industry and

in fact has uh probably been more

more significant in monetary terms and

in in the way that it

um is a growth sector of the Korean

economy and how it drives tourism how it

drives consumption of Korean cultural

contents than you know television or

even Cinema

so we can see now how the entertainment

Powerhouse that is South Korea took

shape maybe with a bit of luck but very

much a calculated play conceived with as

much intention as Ingenuity and you know

I haven't even gotten to the biggest

part of this story because this wave of

Korean success isn't just about money

and fame and fun

it's about power I think that the

concept of soft power is

a helpful framework for thinking about

for instance why

Ted sarandos of Netflix was meeting with

the president of South Korea yunus

during a state visit right that there's

this way that culture Industries are not

totally separate from the way that the

South Korean state is negotiating

um and and operating these words come

direct from a former South Korean

foreign affairs minister along with

diplomatic efforts focus on National

Defense in the 1980s and the economy and

trade in the 1990s culture will be the

third pillar of diplomatic power in the

21st century South Korea even though

it's a rather small country can be a

major player in economic and cultural

terms so I think that this soft power

goal is quite

um it's it's quite explicit in the case

of the South Korean government

supporting culture Industries this is

the influence of Attraction we as humans

are more likely to help and do business

with people we like so next time you're

in seoul's Olympic Park and you see a

disturbingly large squid game doll

statue now you know the backstory of how

South Korea has worked so hard to pull

audiences in

while every so often even the president

himself reaches out to those of us on

the other side

something touch me deep inside the day

the music

[Applause]

[Music]