Main content

Pop for Export in South Korea

As K-pop and K-drama go global, what are the secrets of their success? Simon Maybin explores what puts the pop into Korean pop culture.

As K-pop and K-drama go global, what are the secrets of their success?

The Korean Wave - South Korea's pop culture exports of music and TV dramas - has already swept across much of Asia, including the giant markets of China and Japan, bringing billions of pounds into the country's economy every year. Now, with boy band BTS topping the US album charts, and hit dramas reaching streaming services around the world, the wave appears to be growing into a tsunami. How did this medium-sized Asian nation end up as the global entertainment industry's biggest overachiever? Simon Maybin explores what puts the pop into Korean pop culture.

Producer: John Murphy.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Aug 2018 21:30

Broadcasts

  • Thu 2 Aug 2018 20:30
  • Sun 5 Aug 2018 21:30

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.