The unprecedented global pop culture phenomenon known as K-pop has influenced cinema, drama, fashion, and beauty. Hallyu! The Korean Wave at the Asian Art Museum is an immersive experience of this contemporary phenomenon over the last 30 years. Hallyu (a Chinese term rendered in Korean meaning literally “Korean Wave”) surged across Asia creating ripples that eventually reached every corner of the world.
An Immersion Into Diversity
The exhibit brings together nearly 300 objects and artworks animating and illustrating Hallyu’s many dimensions, complemented by dynamic digital displays, installations and interactive experiences. At the crest of the wave is K-pop itself — infectious dance beats and high-energy performances that generated annual revenues exceeding $10 billion and reached over 41 billion streams on Spotify alone. Sold-out concerts attracting fans worldwide have established K-Pop as a dominant music industry genre. In 2023, K-pop concerts in the United States alone sold over 2.5 million tickets.
Film and Fashion
From 2019 onwards, viewership for film and TV series produced in South Korea went up a staggering 200% in the U.S. The award-winning black comedy thriller Parasite, released in 2019, explored class inequality between two families and received many accolades including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for Bong Joon-ho. When the dystopian survival thriller Squid Game hit Netflix in September 2021, one in four Americans watched it; it wasn’t just a K-drama hit — it became one of the most watched series of all time on the streaming platform.
At the same time, countless social media accounts sprung up worshiping K-beauty regimens. The rising interest in wellness meant the global market for K-beauty products, with an emphasis on high-quality ingredients, has been valued at more than $91.99 billion since 2022 and is expected to grow an additional 10% by 2030.
Also on display will be examples of Korea’s dynamic street style trends. Shops of Dongdaemun, located in the heart of Seoul, used to sell Korean versions of popular American styles. Influences from the West evolved into their own unique brand, turning Dongdaemun businesses into the biggest manufacturers, vendors and distributors of Korean street fashion. With thousands of retail shops and a fast track between invention and distribution of style, the Dongdaemun district and its Design Plaza have become the epicenter of fashion for South Korean youth.
A Continuous Journey
Audiences visiting Hallyu will be immersed from their first steps in a kaleidoscope of K-culture. First, the Shriram Experiential Learning Center presents a Google Interactive “dance instructor” whose mission is to teach a K-pop routine — in real time — which feeds your moves onto screens so that others can dance along.
The main exhibition spaces span the museum’s Osher and Hambrecht galleries and the extensive Yang Yamazaki Pavilion. Familiar K-pop and K-drama costumes and sets introduce visitors to fashion, from Psy’s unforgettable Gangnam Style (2012) to the twisted underground drama of Parasite (2019). Visitors can jump into interactive Squid Game (2021) projections, spotlighting real costumes from the hit streaming series ahead of the global phenomenon’s upcoming second season.
The largest section is devoted to the sights, sounds and history of K-pop and its communities. The playful fan accouterments are showcased alongside jaw-dropping get-ups of K-pop idols, including ATEEZ, aespa and G-Dragon. Projections of concert scenes put visitors in the middle of the fan experience.
In the museum’s jewel-windowed Wilbur Gallery, a community wall welcomes guests to share their thoughts, while nearby a mirrored optical illusion selfie spot puts you at the top of a Seoul skyscraper.
“As the first non-Western cultural ‘wave’ in modern times, Hallyu offers a chance to understand how Asia is impacting so many aspects of our lives today — rewriting codes of artistry, economics, and even diplomacy,” says Jay Xu, the Barbara Bass Baker Director and CEO. “With contemporary Korean culture as the lens, this exhibition poses critical questions: how do we find connection and community with the wider world around us? How do music, art, adornment, and creativity fuse into a real social movement? In times of discord, these are issues with real significance to all of us.”
Partnering with creative voices from the Bay Area and beyond, The Asian Art Museum will present public programs to celebrate Hallyu! throughout the duration of the exhibition, further communicating with audiences the manner in which Korean culture has impacted everyday life around the world.
Sharon Anderson is an artist and writer in Southern California. She can be reached at mindtheimage.com
Installation view of Hallyu! The Korean Wave, at the Asian Art Museum, 2024. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Photograph by Kevin Candland
