Why experts say Korea needs ‘Next K’ strategy beyond global K-culture boom

A passerby walks past the “KPop Demon Hunters”-themed Seoul Goods Zone in Jongno District, Seoul, Tuesday, the day virtual girl group Huntrix’s song “Golden” from the series soundtrack topped Billboard’s Hot 100. Newsis

From films and dramas to K-pop, literature, stage performances and animation, K-culture has secured a central place on the global stage. The question now is how long it can maintain its momentum.

Alongside the Korean wave, or hallyu, narrative, concerns about saturation and decline persist. Experts argue that new strategies are needed to chart the course of the “Next K.”

Analysts agree that Korean content has moved past relying solely on novelty. To become a global standard like Hollywood, K-culture must embrace localization. Song Jin, head of the Industrial Policy Research Center at the Korea Creative Content Agency, pointed to Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” which adapted its title differently for each market.

“From subtitles and dubbing to nuanced cultural adjustments, reducing barriers for global viewers requires meticulous effort,” he said.

The series’ English title transformed the U.S. proverb “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” by swapping lemons for tangerines.

Song also emphasized co-production with local creators and casting diverse artists as vital for accessibility. “K-content is no longer simply stories made in Korea and exported abroad. For sustainable growth, it must evolve into ‘Made with Korea,’” he said.

Go Sam-seok, a professor at Dongguk University, noted that Southeast Asia is a focal point. “China is heavily investing there, but when these countries seek partners, they look to Korea rather than the U.S. or China. If we meet that demand, hallyu can continue to expand,” he said.

A scene from "When Life Gives You Tangerines." For the English title, Netflix adapted the proverb “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” by replacing lemons with tangerines. Courtesy of Netflix

Reducing reliance on Netflix

Another pressing issue is the industry’s dependence on global platforms. With Netflix dominating the distribution of Korean dramas and films, production companies have lost bargaining power while creators see little profit from intellectual property rights.

The success of “Squid Game” highlighted this imbalance, as Netflix held ownership of the IP, thus limiting revenue for Korean producers.

“The gains taken by Netflix or YouTube are far larger than the resources poured in by Korean creators,” Go said. “If this continues, hallyu risks becoming hollow. The domestic ecosystem needs its own financing, production capacity and distribution networks.”

Song added that achievements abroad are not flowing back into the industry. He urged the development of “super IPs” and cross-industry collaborations from the planning stage to boost impact.

Books by Han Kang are on display after she was announced as the laureate of the 2024 Nobel Prize in literature at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 10, 2024. AFP-Yonhap

K-literature aims to build a steady readership

The Nobel Prize in literature awarded to novelist Han Kang last year opened new doors for Korean literature. According to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, overseas sales of translated Korean books supported by the institute reached 1.2 million copies in 2024, more than doubling from 520,000 the year before.

To build on this momentum, experts say cultivating a durable readership is essential. The institute plans to expand its translation academy by adding Vietnamese, Indonesian and Arabic to its current roster of seven languages. It is also preparing to launch a Graduate School of Translation Studies by 2027 to train specialized translators.

“The academy has faced hurdles with visas and recognition because it is not a degree-granting institution. A graduate school will better support students who can return home to work as translators, professors, researchers or cultural exchange planners,” said Kwak Hyun-joo, head of the institute’s Translation Education Center.

Kwak stressed that qualitative growth remains a long-term challenge. “For Korean literature to take root globally, it must be discussed at international academic forums. Translations must also cover a wide range of eras, genres and themes, from classics and modern works to women’s writing, fantasy, poetry and criticism,” she said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.