What do you imagine when you hear "Korean entertainment"?

You may be imagining K-POP idols such as "BTS" and "TWICE", which are often heard in Japan these days, Korean dramas such as "Itaewon Class" and "Squid Game" which have become very popular on Netflix, and Korean movies such as "Parasite" which has won various awards and become a hot topic... (^○^)

So,In order to enjoy Korean entertainment even more from now on, I would like to dig deeper into why Korean entertainment is so popular in Japan!

　By the way, I am currentlyBirthdayMy name is Asuka and I am interning at advertising agency JAPAN!

I love Korean dramas, including K-Pop idols, and have watched over 50 Korean dramas and movies so far!

As someone who loves Korea, I would like to explain why not only Japan but the world is fascinated by Korean entertainment ^^

About Korean entertainment

　When we think of Korean entertainment, the first things that come to mind are "K-POP idols," "Korean dramas," and "Korean movies."

In fact, many songs by BTS, TWICE, and BLACKPINK are ranked high on Japanese music charts.

I'm sure many of you have seen that Korean dramas are always ranked in the top 10 on Netflix in Japan.

　Due to the coronavirus pandemic and having to spend more time at home, I have often started watching Korean dramas on Netflix, etc., and when I see them in the top 10, I tend to watch them thinking, ``If it's popular with everyone, I might as well watch it.'' ^^

I'm sure there are many people like me who have become addicted to Korean dramas and movies during the coronavirus pandemic (^○^)

 

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   In this way, due to changes in the era of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have probably had more opportunities to experience entertainment that they had never been exposed to before.

In fact, in Japan, Korean dramas such as Netflix originals "Itaewon Class" and "Crash Landing on You" have become popular during the coronavirus pandemic.♪ 　

  In the Japanese entertainment world, K-Pop idols and Japanese artists collaborate to create songs, variety shows parody songs such as "Itaewon Class" and "Squid Game", and celebrities react to Korean dramas by saying, "This Korean drama was so funny!"I think there are more opportunities for people who were not previously interested in Korean entertainment to watch Japanese TV and become exposed to it.

From now on, I would like to take a deeper look at the charm of Korean entertainment and why we Japanese people are attracted to it!

 

About the charm of Korean entertainment

K-POP

 

　When you hear "K-POP idols", the most popular ones are "BTS", "TWICE", and "BLACKPINK", which are very popular in Japan! 　

  So, how amazing are idols like this really?

We will introduce you along with our achievements!

 

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　BTS is a seven-member Korean group that debuted in 2013! Now, it has become a popular sensation not only in Korea but also all over the world ^^

   At the Billboard Music Awards, one of the three major music festivals in the United States, BTS won four awards, beating out Justin Bieber, who has won six years in a row! They have also achieved various feats, including having three songs reach number one on the Billboard HOT 100.

　The tour was held in 20 cities around the world, and in Japan, they held live performances at Tokyo Dome and Fukuoka PayPay Dome in 2018 and 2019, and they are very popular, winning 1st place in the "Sales by Artist" category in Japan's "Oricon Annual Rankings 2021"!

 

 

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　TWICE is a global girl group made up of Koreans, Japanese, and Taiwanese who debuted in 2015, and is said to be the most popular girl group in Asia!

　``TT'' and other songs have become famous in Japan, and the best album released in 2017 sold over 280,000 copies and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

　Also,In 2019, the dream of ``standing at a dome in Japan'', which has been a dream since our debut, came true and we succeeded in our first dome tour! She has also appeared in Kohaku and has become a big hit in Japan.

　

 

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　BLACKPINK is a four-member girl group that debuted in 2016. This is a rare group that has not decided on a leader because the members get along well with each other!

　After releasing their first single album in 2016, they quickly reached number one on a Korean music show just 14 days after their debut, and were hailed as ``rewriting history'' in Korea.

　They became the first K-Pop girl group to perform at an American outdoor music festival, and their single "DDU-DU DDU-DU" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

As of February 2022, the MV for "DDU-DU DDU-DU" has been viewed over 1.8 billion times!

In addition to the idols we have just introduced, there are also K-Pop idols that have been attracting attention recently, such as "aespa," "TOMORROW X TOGETHER," "NCT127," and "ENHYPEN”Let me introduce a little (^○^)

 

 

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"aespa" is a multinational girl group made up of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese members that debuted in 2020!

Since shortly after their debut, they have captivated many fans with their overwhelming visuals and unique worldview.

　Their debut song "Black Mamba" has been played over 21 million times in just 24 hours since the music video was released, and has quickly become number one on YouTube worldwide!There are some Japanese members as well, which makes me want to support them even more in the future.♪

 

 

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"TOMORROW

　Since her debut, she has won numerous new artist awards both domestically and internationally, and in Japan, four of her works released from 2020 to 2021 have ranked first in the Oricon Weekly Album Ranking.It is already very popular in Japan as well ^^

 

 

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"NCT127" is a nine-member idol group that debuted in 2016, and also debuted in Japan in 2018.

In the meantime,Yuta, a Japanese member, is already very popular in Japan as he became the number one Japanese male talent in terms of Instagram followers in February 2021!

In addition, the album "Sticker" released in 2021 ranked 3rd on the US Billboard 200,It also reached number 1 on the United World Chart of MediaTraffic, an album sales aggregation site around the world.And it's making the world go crazy!

 

　

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"ENHYPEN" is a 7-member idol group formed through the survival audition program "I-LAND"!

As the youngest member, Niki, is a Japanese member, she has been attracting a lot of attention in Japan, and has recently appeared on Japanese music programs.^^

Not only has she captivated many people with her high singing ability and sharp dancing, which she cultivated through auditions,In 2021, he is active in many fields, including serving as the Monday personality of "All Night Nippon X" in Japan!

If you look at achievements like this, you can see how popular K-POP is not only in Japan but also all over the world.♪

Drama/Movie

   Next, let's take a look at how amazing ``Korean dramas'' and ``Korean movies'' are and their appeal.

  ​ Nowadays, you can watch a variety of Korean entertainment in Japan through content such as Netflix and U-NEXT!

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   In fact, in the "Japan Netflix Popularity Ranking" announced in November 2021, 7 Korean dramas were ranked in the top 10!

When you hear this, you can see how much Japanese people are interested in Korean dramas and how much they sympathize with them ^^

　Masterpieces such as ``Crash Landing on You,'' ``Itaewon Class,'' and ``Squid Game'' continue to be long-time hits, and are said to be the golden age following ``Winter Sonata.''

Recently, the marriage of the two heroines of "Crash Landing on You" has been a hot topic in Japan.♡

　In addition, the Korean movie "Parasite"Shocked the world by becoming the first Asian film to win an Oscar! It was also the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

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   In this way, "Korean dramas" and "Korean movies" have become a huge boom in Japan, and I think more people have become interested in Korean entertainment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Their influence has spread all over the world, and they have won numerous awards, showing that the Korean entertainment world is very exciting!

 

Why Japanese people are attracted to Korean entertainment

K-POP

　So, why is Korean entertainment so popular not only in Japan but all over the world?

Let's take a look at K-POP idols to find out what is the secret to their greatness.

There are several reasons, but this time we focused on the following five!

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　One of the characteristics of K-POP idols is that"Friendliness"Isn't it?

K-POP idols actively communicate with their fans by making their private lives public through SNS such as their Instagram and YouTube channels, as well as the Korean app "V LIVE"!

　Therefore, by being able to see what the fans are looking for and their reactions to their own performances, I think it will help them get closer to their fans, and it will also lead to an opportunity to show them that they have grown even more.

　In addition, I think that the fan service spirit, such as holding autograph sessions every time you release an album, increasing the number of opportunities to meet and talk directly with fans on a regular basis, and taking pictures of yourself with fans' cellphones during live performances, has led to a sense of "friendliness" (^○^)

The second thing to mention is the "performance power" of K-POP idols that captivates people.

K-POP idols often work their way through the ranks as "trainees" before debuting as a group, so their performance skills are amazing!Some idols seem to have been trainees for about 10 years!

 For this reason, most of the groups are made up of high-spec members who can sing and dance, and I think the reason for their popularity is that they are overwhelming to watch.

Also, I think one of the reasons why K-POP has become so popular is that it has a dance that makes you want to imitate it! In Japan, dancing videos are becoming popular on TikTok and YouTube, and there are many people dancing K-POP in them ^^

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　In Korea, instead of focusing on just one choreographer, choreographers from various countries come together to come up with the best dance!

In Japan, there is an image that a single choreographer comes up with a dance, but in Korea, people from many different countries come together to create choreography, creating world-class performances that anyone would want to imitate!

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　The third thing to mention is the "promotional power" to promote K-POP idols.

In Korea, many idols are born through audition programs such as viewer voting.

Groups such as "TWICE", "IZ*ONE", and "Kepler", which are famous in Japan, were also created through audition programs!

　Korean audition programs allow viewers to support idols before their debut and watch them grow together.

As a result, they were able to gain many fans even before their debut,Commonalities and bonds are created between idols and fans who say, ``We fought together and achieved our dreams.''I think so!

　I think it's the distance and communication with fans that makes them want to support K-Pop idols!

　In addition, there are many multinational groups (global groups) that are active, so it can be said that they have succeeded in gaining fans from various countries.

　Indispensable when talking about K-POP idols"Girl Crush"Do you know the word?

　"Girl crush" means "a cool woman that women admire"!

It has become popular in South Korea, and is now spreading in Japan along with the popularity of K-POP.

I think there are many women who look up to cool women and say, ``I want to be strong too!'' or ``I want to live a cool life!'' (^○^)

In particular, MAMAMOO's biggest hit song "HIP", which is popular for its high singing ability, sings about edgy fashion and a unique style that does not depend on others!

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　One of the members, Hwasa, was criticized for her appearance in the past.

　"If you don't fit the beauty standards of this era, then create your own new standards."

In the lyrics of "HIP",

"You're the only one in the world, so why would you spit in your own face?"

With lyrics that resist appearance supremacy, she shows off her girl crush.

　In South Korea, where men serve in the military, there is a strong demand for ``masculinity'' from men, so the stereotype that ``men are in a stronger position'' seems to be more deeply rooted than in Japan.

In such a culture, the idea of "girl crush" has gained a lot of support from women and has remained popular in any era.

“A person who can live proudly and love themselves as they are.”

Women who show their true colors and make their presence felt are cool!

I think women who are into K-POP are also fascinated by the idol's "fashion" and look up to them!

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　In Korea,"Airport fashion"There is a word.

As the word suggests, it refers to the fashion that idols wear to the airport, and it seems that the term has come to be used often since the media focuses on and reports on the fashion of celebrities and K-POP idols at the airport!

Young people often refer to and talk about the airport fashion of K-POP idols and celebrities.If you search on SNS, you can find out the brands of the clothes worn by idols, and it seems that the clothes worn by idols can sell out quickly! ^^

　In this way, not only are K-POP idols captivating with their performances, but they can also be seen in their private clothes in a variety of situations, which has made many people admire them and want to emulate their fashion!

Drama/Movie

　Next, let's take a look at why we are fascinated by Korean dramas and Korean movies.

There are many reasons why these two types of entertainment have become popular in Japan, but I think the most important ones are "high quality" and "entertainment that you can relate to" (^○^)

So, this time, let's take a deep look at the following three!

In South Korea, viewers tend to openly express their opinions and criticism of the scriptwriters and directors who produce dramas and movies.

Therefore,"The distance between the scriptwriter/director and the audience is close."This is its characteristic, and it is one of the factors that makes it possible to create such wonderful works!

　In Japan, if a viewer openly expresses their opinion to a scriptwriter or director, it is considered to be ``bashing someone'', so I feel that the trend is that viewers are not able to express their opinion openly.

　On the other hand, in South Korea, the distance between producers and viewers is close,It becomes easier to reflect ``what the audience (society) wants'' in the work, and the skills of the entertainment industry and actors can be developed and cultivated together.

　By doing so, the quality of your work will inevitably improve, and you will be able to create new things one after another!

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As I mentioned earlier, in Korean dramas and movies, the ``viewer's voice'' tends to be reflected in the work.

　That ultimately led toCreating “works that focus on social circumstances in South Korea (poverty, inequality, gender, etc.) = works that generate empathy”I think it is also connected to.

　Issues such as ``Squid Game'' and ``Itaewon Class,'' which have recently become a hot topic in Japan, also depict issues of ``poverty disparity'' and ``gender.''

By depicting the current situation (reality) as a drama,I think this allows viewers to see it as something that is their own, which leads to a sense of empathy!

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In South Korea, we often produce dramas in collaboration with Netflix.

I feel that this is also one of the reasons why Korean entertainment is so popular.

　``Itaewon Class'' and ``Crash Landing on You'', which have become popular in Japan, are also original works produced by Netflix in collaboration with a Korean television station.

Other songs include "Psycho But It's Okay", "Vincenzo", and "Move to Heaven: I'm the Sorcerer"!

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　It is said that Netflix's original works in South Korea are overwhelmingly larger than those in Japan, have top-notch actors and scriptwriters, and are expensive to produce!

Between 2016 and 2020, Netflix invested approximately 73 billion yen in Korean-originated works and distributed approximately 80 works worldwide.

　Also,The budget spent per episode is 50 million yen per episode for "The Naked Director," which represents Netflix's Japanese original, while "Kingdom," which represents Netflix's Korean original, is approximately 190 million yen per episode.You can see how much more expensive Korean production is compared to Japan!

In addition, when Korea collaborates with Netflix to produce dramas, they are also working on strategies to hire actors and creators!

For example, in 2021, an original South Korean work that carefully depicts the complex emotions and thoughts of life, death, and family, ``Move to Heaven: I'm an Estate Organizer,'' Tan Joon-sang, who played one of the North Korean soldiers in ``Crash Landing on You,'' was selected to play the role of Asperger's syndrome.

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　Some of you may be wondering, "What's the strategy behind this?", but I wasn't selected by chance."Korean original works will actively use people who have gained attention in Netflix works."That is a characteristic of Korea!

In other words, on Korean Netflix,We actively use creators we have produced to actors we have appeared in, and we are an integrated network from actor training to production.I believe that this is one of the strengths of Korean entertainment!

　This is the reason why "Korean dramas" and "Korean movies" are so popular all over the world, and it can be seen that due to the differences in culture and values ​​between Japan and Korea, the production methods are also different.

 

Differences with Japan regarding entertainment

 　So far, we have looked at how amazing "Korean entertainment" is and why it is so popular, but some of you may have felt that "Japan and South Korea have different ways of thinking and approaching "entertainment." ^^

As I researched and thought about "Korean entertainment," I realized that what the two types of entertainment, "K-POP idols" and "Korean dramas/movies" have in common is "closeness to fans and viewers," and this is also a major difference between Japan and South Korea.

So, I would like to take a look at the differences in "entertainment" between Japan and Korea!

In Japan, I don't think there is a very deep-rooted culture in which artists are born through "audition programs" or where artists receive some form of recognition based on votes from fans.

　"Nizi U", which has recently become a hot topic, was born on an audition program, and people of all ages were excited about the birth of a rare idol in Japan, and the "jumping rope dance" has become a social phenomenon throughout Japan.♪

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　From this,“Sense of distance and bond with fans”Compared to Korean idols, Japan doesn't produce many idols.

　Another thing to note is that auditions attract people who aspire to become idols not only from Korea but from all over the world, so global groups are sometimes born, but I think the difference between Japan and Korea is that there are very few multinational groups!

In Japan and South Korea, efforts are being made in drama and film production.The distance between the scriptwriter/director and the audience is different.That's right.

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As mentioned in 3.(2), Japanese and Koreans grew up in different environments and cultures, so their social trends are also different!

　In South Korea, there is a trend where viewers can openly express their opinions regarding entertainment.However, in Japan, there is a tendency to be careful when communicating things, as expressing too frank opinions (including harsh opinions) can lead to the appearance of ``bashing others.''

I don't think this trend is bad at all, but"Viewers' valuable opinions on entertainment"I think the difference between Japan and Korea is that the content is not communicated well and there is a distance between the producers and the viewers!

 

Summary

So far, we have been digging deeper into Korean entertainment. What do you think of it? (^○^)

Although there are many different types of "Korean entertainment," you can see that "Korean entertainment" is loved and appreciated not only in Japan but all over the world!

　Through this article, I would be happy if you could learn a little bit about the greatness of Korean entertainment and think about the greatness of entertainment in both Korea and Japan ^^

I hope that through K-POP idols, Korean dramas, and Korean movies that are particularly popular in Japan, the distance between Japan and Korea will continue to grow, and the overall work will be enhanced as they come into contact with each other's entertainment and sympathize with each other.♪I think so!

 

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