In the era of globalization, relations between nations and countries are of the utmost importance due to their influence on international cooperation, trade, and politics. In this context, the topic of soft power becomes critical since it involves the process of influencing other nations’ preferences and attitudes through the dissemination of various cultural values. The tools used in soft power strategies may include the popularization of traditional foods, customs, and pop culture. The topic chosen for the final research paper is Soft Power: Korean Pop Culture. The primary reason for choosing this topic is that K-pop and other aspects of Korean culture have become increasingly popular around the globe, which sparked people’s interest in other aspects of Korean culture. Therefore, it is assumed that Korean pop culture can be used to exemplify the concept of soft power and outline its function in the contemporary world.
Asian countries play an important role in the contemporary political and economic environment. Nevertheless, until the 20th century, most Asian countries did not have well-established relationships with other nations. This enabled Asian nations, including Korean, to maintain a strong sense of national identity and preserve their authentic cultural values. Globalization made it more difficult for Korea to seclude its culture from the rest of the world and encouraged the country to build strong relations with other nations. Korean pop culture assisted the nation in earning a distinctive place on the global sociocultural stage due to its immense popularity in other countries (Iwabuchi 423). The final research paper will seek to examine the role of Korean pop culture as a soft power influencing global attitudes toward and perceptions of Korea. The research will provide a deeper understanding of the cultural processes involved in globalization and their effect on different nations of the world, including Asian countries.
Work Cited
Iwabuchi, Koichi. “Pop-Culture Diplomacy in Japan: Soft Power, Nation Branding and the Question of ‘International Cultural Exchange’.” International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol. 21, no. 4, 2015, pp. 419-432.