Handbook about history of 'hallyu' released

Cover of “Korean Wave: From K-Pop to K-Culture” / Courtesy of Korea Culture and Information Service (KOCIS)

By Do Je-hae

A key project for the state-run Korea Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) this year has been the publication of a book on the history of hallyu. KOCIS released “Korean Wave: From K-Pop to K-Culture” today.

The book is the most comprehensive publication on Korean culture by KOCIS, which has produced a series of useful publications on Korean culture in the last few years.

“The book is based on a comprehensive research on how Korean popular culture is received outside Korea,” KOCIS Director Woo Jin-yung said in a statement.

It includes five sections, which trace the history of hallyu starting with the spread of Korean TV dramas and pop songs in Japan and China in the late 1990s.

In particular, the book shows how foreign media covered Korean culture and Korean artists in the last decade or so.

Besides Korea’s global cultural influences, the book also introduces some policy innovations of the Korean government, such as the “Saemaeul” (New Village) Movement for uplifting and reconstructing the countryside and provinces, which have become a benchmark for some developing countries.

The 284-page-book will be distributed to Korean cultural centers and embassies in foreign countries. An English translation of the book will be published next year.

KOCIS has been publishing a series of booklets in English and Korean to introduce the main cultural exports of Korea, including TV dramas, pop songs, fashion and movies.

Also, KOCIS has produced other publications introducing Korea to foreign readers such as “Facts About Korea” in 2004. The pocket-sized book containing 70 color photos and maps examines the history, people, culture, customs, economy, sports and other aspects of Korea. The English-language book is currently available from online stores like Amazon and a PDF version is available from the KOCIS website.

KOCIS was formerly in charge of operating Korean cultural centers abroad. But after a reshuffle in February, the culture ministry has taken over this task so that KOCIS can focus more on creating quality content and methods for online and offline promotions of Korea.

New Korean cultural centers opened in countries like Thailand, Belgium, Brazil and Egypt this year, bringing the total to 28.