The song in the "Gangnam Style" music video was accompanied by a dance move that online users called the "Horse dance." This music video gained millions of views after going viral and finally surpassed Lady Gaga's previous record to become the most watched video on YouTube when it hit the one billion view.
People all around the world started to imitate the "horse dance" moves, which led to the creation of innumerable parodies, including "Gangnam Style," "Mitt Romney Style," and "London Style," Most importantly, "Gangnam Style" has provided a gateway for people to discover the world of Korean pop music. K-pop songs typically combine Western and Asian themes, allowing them to appeal to a diverse audience.
Malaysians have loved and assimilated K-pop culture. Malaysians' clothes, music, dance, cuisine, and finally their language have all been influenced by Korean music over time. People join language classes or learn Korean by themself, so they can understand the meaning of Korean lyrics in a K-pop song.
Let's Look How KPOP Have Influenced Malaysia Fans
Music And Fashion
K-pop fashion has become a thing as K-pop artists consistently wear fashionable attire in their music videos, several Malaysians can be seen mimicking the fashion sense of their favourite K-pop artists. They frequently style their hair and wear accessories in the manner of their favourite performers. We often follow our favourite fashion style even though the outfit is weird.Some outfits are so crazy that our parents might even disown us. Outfits from certain events have received numerous critics but we still love what they wear because our idols wear them. No arguments after that.
They believe that wearing like a K-pop artist is stylish, cool, and it makes them feel more connected to their favourite K-pop artists.For example we have our own sentiments like if are going abroad we tend to bring our mum’s clothes or something that reminds us of our family so we do not feel so far from home. This generation frequently does this. Someone shared about a friend of theirs dressed up as a chic K-pop star to attend a wedding supper. He shared a photo of his costume on Facebook, where it received many "likes" from his Facebook friends, including me. This is how we can learn about this tidbit of information. Here we could see KPop even controls the engagement you get on your social media.
When you share about yourself nobody bothers reading it but sharing about KPop does. It's kinda sad but we could see the power of Kpop clearly here. You never know your post about KPop could be an internet sensation one day.
Example
Not only youths know the power of KPop but leaders around the world know the value of KPop too. Here we could how leaders relate KPop Music and Fashion with business.
“K-pop stars have "charmed the world", the president said at Dubai's Expo in the United Arab Emirates, the first of a trip that will also take him to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
South Korea's soft power complements its economic successes, said President Moon Jae-in on the eve of a Middle East journey aimed at expanding business and trade prospects. K-pop stars have "harmed the globe," the president claimed at the Dubai Expo in the United Arab Emirates, the opening stop of a trip that will also take him to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Moon praised Korean pop music, television, and film, which have become hugely popular in many countries throughout the world, including the Middle East.
"Koreans' quest for mutual happiness has nurtured soft power just as strong as their economic might," he said in a speech bookended by taekwondo and traditional dance performances. "Under a starlit desert sky this evening, a spectacular spectacle of K-pop stars who have delighted the entire world will come alive," Moon told a crowd of several hundred people in Dubai on a rainy afternoon.
Following the success of K-pop artists such as BTS, the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," and TV shows such as "Squid Game," Netflix's most popular series launch, Korean culture is on a high.The infatuation has spread to the Gulf region, with BTS being the most listened artist on Spotify last year in Saudi Arabia, which is traditionally regarded as a bastion of Islamic conservatism.
Food
Malaysians are known for loving delicious food. After all, they have been travelling to try Korean cuisine as a result of K-popularity. The curious beings that we are, humans, will undoubtedly be intrigued enough to try various Korean foods. Food does have cultural influences. As more and more people learn to understand and enjoy Korean cuisine, Korean eateries are proliferating throughout Malaysia. Korea is known for its noodles and "Kimchi." Malaysians occasionally mixed Korean delicacies with our own cuisine.
Kpop not only has food influence in Malaysia but also India. According to the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Korean noodles alone have seen volume increases of 162% in 2020 and 178 % in 2021.Numerous Indians have found great value in Korean food throughout the protracted epidemic months. This, according to experts, is due to the increase of online Korean food stores selling Korean noodles, spices, pastes, and meats as well as the influence of Korean culture as shown in K-dramas and K-pop, as well as the accessibility of Korean fashion and beauty items.The consumption of Korean food has dramatically increased in India since the 2020 the pandemic.
Example
If you are still not convinced that Kpop has an influence on food, just think about your daily life. All of us would have this co- worker or friend who came to us and said “ Let's go to this new Korean Restaurant for lunch” . Does that ring a bell? Once you tried the food and loved the taste you would be a regular customer. Here we could see the influence of Korean food is strongly evident in our daily life.
Here is Honorary Reporter Haslina Rameli from Malaysia. She shares her experience about Korean Food.
“I wanted to inform Malaysians that Korean food is nutritious, easy to make and suitable for everyone. The audience was shocked that they could enjoy Korean food during their breast-feeding periods.” Here we could see how her trip to Korea influenced her to make Korean food. The taste of Korean food was so strong she had to come back and make it for friends in Malaysia to try it.
“I am pleasantly surprised to see in my country higher demand for a variety of Korean food, especially street food like tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), fried chicken and corn dogs”. She expresses how shocked she was that Korean food had demand and she was happy cooking for them.
“Nowadays, every time I attend my company's monthly meeting, I bring Korean food or snacks to share with them. I prepared kimbap (seaweed roll) and brought a seaweed snack that I bought in Korea to the last meeting. Everyone asked for more”. Here we could see how the influence keeps on repeating and she also expresses that her mum became a better chef by cooking Korean Food. Korean food also has influence on our Asian mums. Wow!
Over the past two years, Korean restaurants, which were formerly concentrated in the city centre, have started to spread into smaller suburbs outside Kuala Lumpur. Unsurprisingly, given that the Kdrama The popularity of Dae Jang Gum in Malaysia has increased interest in Korean food. As a result, restaurants serving Korean cuisine have popped up in hawker centres and food courts around Malaysia. Korean tours There is a fanbase for every Korean TV drama that has inundated Malaysian terrestrial and satellite channels, which is regarded to be a contributing factor in the current rise in South Korea tours.
The fascination in Korea is believed to have started with witnessing. In addition, Malaysians visited the sites where K-dramas were filmed to take in the familiar scenery. Through their travels to the country as a result of K-dramas, Malaysians have unintentionally reawakened a desire to be in Korea and relate to Korea. With the expansion of the Korean film industry in Asia and the rest of the world and the stunning settings in K-dramas, Malaysia has embraced the world's obsession with all things Korean and has brought many Malaysian tourists to Korea.
Culture
Nor Aimi Azmi, the founder of Malaysian KPOP Fans Facebook page, set up the group with her friends to discuss and interact with Korean fans nationwide. The page has garnered almost 75,000 likes since it was created six years ago.
“Back then, we were still in school and Korean entertainment wasn’t as famous as it is now. K-pop fans were in the minority.
That’s why I decided to create this page so we could share information about the latest K-news,” says the 23-year-old who’s currently learning the Korean language.
With the Korean wave showing little sign of abating, and the number of K-lovers on the rise, Aimi and her team of writers, editors and photographers now focus on covering any K-events in Malaysia. She continues: “We share important and trending news not just about K-entertainment, but also about travel, food, and many more for Korean fans in Malaysia.”
The "Korean Wave" has the potential to expand quickly around the world. They undoubtedly succeeded based on how Malaysians have reacted to the "Korean Wave." K-pop, "Sarang-haeyo"!K-pop adds an intriguing new cultural impact to the already diverse range of Malaysian lifestyles. Some die-hard fans virtually conduct their life according to K-pop. From the way they dressed to the way they lived their lives, they were completely devoted to K-pop.Occasionally, we combine Korean culture with our own!. This because of how well Koreans have used social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to reach a wider audience,The "Korean Wave" has the potential to expand quickly around the world.
In Malaysia, an earlier survey conducted by Korean Foundation for Asian Cultural Exchange in 2005 indicated 44% of Malaysians watched Korean dramas, and 4.7 per cent listened to Korean pop songs (as cited in Herald Economics, 2005, Dec 2 in Cho, 2010). Ha (2006) also conducted another study in the following year and found out that 60 percent of Malaysians watched Korean dramas over the past month and 70% percent of them were very satisfied with the dramas. Malaysians generally hold positive attitudes towards Korea and Korean culture (Ha, 2006). They liked, were interested and wanted to know more about Korea (Ha, 2006).
However, these Malaysian studies in the early 2000s generally focused on big cities such as Kuala Lumpur, whereby consumers are well exposed to updated information and news and Chinese constituted the largest population in Kuala Lumpur. Chung argued that Chinese in Malaysia are the earliest Korean Wave fans who sourced Korean cultural products indirectly from overseas Chinese networks. But, no matter what the race everyone now seems to enjoy Kpop and they seem to take a bullet for their Kpop idols. Never mess with a Kpop fan!
Example
The recent emergence of the Korean cultural wave to entertain Malaysians was unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many people throughout the world adore South Korea's unique cultural flavors and "K-content," according to South Korean envoy Lee Chi Beom.
I believe Malaysia is one of the leading countries spreading the Korean cultural wave.
"Looking back this year, everyone including myself, went through difficult times.
The top dance winners of the "K-Pop World Festival in Malaysia" had a performance after that, including the "Valerinx" dancers (Ean Ean, Tang Yuen, Angie Ng, Chern Jun, and Yong Mun Yee); Sam Shun En; Angelin Goh and Emilia Chu; and Damia Zara.
Later, Lee, his wife Ha Seong Hee, and members of the embassy staff served guests traditional Korean food such as kimchi, bulgogi, and tteok-bokki.
The films "Seobok," "Minari," and "The Hypnosis" will be screened in front of the general public for free as part of the festival from December 1 to December 5.
Tickets can be redeemed at GSC Mid Valley using the GSC e-kiosk or GSC e-payment (website or mobile app).
Korean fashion, cuisine, and culture. Chinese Culture In addition to the largest ethnic group, the Malay, Malaysia has two more significant races. Little "Towns" in Kuala Lumpur have developed over time to serve the requirements of the city's two other major ethnic groups, Chinatown and Little India. Unbeknownst to the majority of Malaysians, the Korean minority in this country has discreetly developed its own neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur where small Korean companies have thrived, catering to the needs of the Korean population in Malaysia..
Korean fashion, cuisine, and culture. Chinese Culture In addition to the largest ethnic group, the Malay, Malaysia has two more significant races. Little "Towns" in Kuala Lumpur have developed over time to serve the requirements of the city's two other major ethnic groups, Chinatown and Little India. Unbeknownst to the majority of Malaysians, the Korean minority in this country has discreetly developed its own neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur where small Korean companies have thrived, catering to the needs of the Korean population in Malaysia.
The rising popularity of Korean dramas in this country is what caused the unexpected increase in interest in Korean culture. Previously only serving the Korean population, Korean Town's restaurants, supermarkets, beauty parlours, and retail stores are gradually drawing in more locals. One of the places where Korean culture may flourish and reach out to people who want to experience and be a part of it without having to travel abroad is Korean Town.
Effects of Hallyu Culture On The Attitudes Of Young Women
Here we can see the attitude of young females in Malaysia towards Hallyu Culture. Regarding the reason for consuming any products there are different opinions and viewpoints from Korean products users. It was clear that the respondents have favourable opinions on Korean. Most said they like watching Korean dramas because the plot reflected real-world events and featured morals that Malaysian young women could relate to. This is why most of them binge watch Kpop dramas and those who do not will never get the hype.
Etude House was the first Korean cosmetic line to arrive in Malaysia when K-Beauty started to gain popularity in Malaysia in 2014 under the leadership of AmorePacific, a renowned cosmetic firm from Korea. Laneige, Innisfree, and Mamonde then followed. Due to the typical tropical temperature and high humidity in Malaysia, some Etude House brands have skincare and makeup products designed specifically for Asian skin.
K-Beauty is consistent with Bervin's (2019) assertion that the brand promised greater outcomes and more diversity for various skin types. Not many products cater to Asian skin therefore K-Cosmetics was the go to brand for makeup and cosmetics. Asians feel happy that finally there is a brand that represents them.
We can observe that the majority of Southeast Asian nations that actively follow Hallyu, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, use streaming services rather than television. However, among the nations of Southeast Asia, the Philippines continued to have the highest TV viewing, particularly during the period when the pandemic was being contained (Nadhirah, Tan & Raul, 2020). Only 3% of respondents claimed to watch and listen to Korean dramas and films and pop music on all the media simultaneously.
The most interesting platforms are these three, and Korean celebrities use their own social media pages to engage with followers by posting updates to their Twitter and Instagram profiles. Fans developed their own group conversation on WhatsApp to communicate with one another and talk about their favourite celebrities throughout this time. Smartphones became the most popular medium, undoubtedly as a result of their portability and intelligent features that allow people to access information with just a tap of their fingers.
The biggest airline in Malaysia, AirAsia Group Bhd, has also joined the Hallyu movement.
Even the company's CEO, Tan Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes, appears to be a fan of K-pop and has pledged to one day bring BTS, one of the biggest K-pop acts, to Malaysia.
K-pop fans are aware that introducing BTS to the nation will bring huge financial benefits, international attention, success for AirAsia, and wealth to Malaysia.
The seven-member group apparently had the largest fanbase in K-pop culture as of October of last year and was making about US$88 million (RM361.63 million) every month.
The entire globe, especially the neighbouring Asian nations, have taken notice of Korea's amazing progress in pop culture.
In addition to being made possible by the Internet, South Korea's government also contributes to the rise. According to a report, the government has a department completely responsible for promoting K-pop throughout the world.
The K-pop boom is so widespread that even North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol Ju attended a concert in Pyongyang.
They witnessed Red Velvet, one of the best K-pop groups from South Korea, perform hits including "Bad Boy" and "Red Flavour."
After the performance, Kim and his wife greeted and shook hands with each artist.
“Many wanted to know if I would come to see Red Velvet. I rearranged my schedule to come to the concert today,” Kim was reportedly saying.
This demonstrated that K-pop is more than just a kind of entertainment. K-pop is able to attract such big audiences on a global scale for mediating the promotion of the Korean language, history, people, traditional clothing like the hanbok, and food.
Future Of Korean Wave
The Korean tase's prospects in Malaysia
With an emphasis on the Korean Wave in Malaysia, this study sought to determine whether relations between Korea and Malaysia are growing at the civilian level in the twenty-first century. The sociocultural and economic changes brought about by the 2002-starting Korean Wave trend have strengthened bilateral ties between Malaysia and South Korea on a civilian level. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia has established itself as a political and economic powerhouse. The Korean Wave is significant because it has the potential to spread to other Islamic nations, go global, and continue to gain momentum for a considerable amount of time with such a country accepting it.
The Korean Wave in Malaysia has helped to influence Malaysians' ways of thinking and acting, enhance positive perceptions of Korea, and increase interest in Korean society and culture, including its language and Korean studies. Through encouraging Malaysians to favour Korean cuisine, travel to South Korea for leisure, and purchase South Korean goods, it has also brought about economic changes in Malaysian culture.
We may conclude that Malaysia's adoption of the Korean Wave will probably last for a very long time and that it will deepen bilateral relations based on the significance that the Korean Wave carries in Malaysia. We need to conduct study on changes in the Korean-Malaysian relations and the Malaysian wave in Korea, a new trend that is emerging as a result of the "Twin Programme" and "Second Home Programme," in order to create more accurate predictions and prepare for future Korean-Malaysian relations.
In conclusion , there are many Kpop influences that Kpop gives us and we should only take the good side of it and ignore the bad influence that Kpop gives us. Not all trends are safe to follow. Always be careful with what you choose to follow as social media is just an illusion, nothing on there is true. Some people are putting on a facade and using social media as a coping mechanism. Do not mix real and reel life together and focus on what matters to you.
At the end of the day, you need to face reality, you have responsibilities and duties to hold, do not let obsessions take over your life.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media ResearchGate & various cross references for context.
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