You know your favorite corndog place down the street or that new show you binged on Netflix for hours? You can’t get the eccentric taste of the sweet and savory, rice puff-covered hotdog out of your mouth. You’re also stuck on that overall wonderful anticipation and thrill from one of the best series you’ve ever seen. All of these hot new trends came from one, culture-changing country: South Korea. South Korean culture has had a major impact on American society. From Emmy award-winning series Squid Game to K-pop band BTS getting to meet President Joe Biden, it’s near impossible to avoid the practical Korean takeover that’s occurring in the U.S.
First off, how did South Korea reach all the way to the United States.? The South Korean wave, a.k.a Hallyu, kicked off in the mid-90s when the South Korean borders opened and allowed foreign travel. Many South Koreans came to the U.S. for school, which exposed the U.S. greatly to South Korean culture. From then, there have been major events from South Korea, like the chart-topping worldwide hit, “Gangnam Style” by PSY. The legendary, K-pop girl group BlackPink then began to gain popularity with their hit song, “Boombayah” in 2018. Also in 2018, the worldwide famous K-pop boy group BTS became the first Korean artist to perform at the Billboard Awards. There was also the 2019 film “Parasite” directed by Bong-Joon-ho, becoming the first non-English film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. South Korea has managed to quietly yet strongly gain power over the most important pillar in today’s society: the media.
If anyone really wants to gain popularity in any place in the world, they need to have media influence. Whether they want to start a business or become a ground-breaking singer, people need to have some sort of popularity to get themselves out there. This is something where South Korea has greatly succeeded. For example, within three weeks of its debut on the American company Netflix, Squid Game season two became the third most-watched season out of every show on the platform. When most people think of South Korean shows or even Netflix shows, the first thing that comes to mind is Squid Game, which is a great deal of media control. Squid Game is not only one of the most-watched series on Netflix, but is also viral on social platforms like TikTok, and Instagram. The sales of Squid Game-themed things spiked after it came out. The iconic shoe company Vans had a major 7,800% spike in white slip-on sales after the series came out, the same ones being worn by the players in Squid Game. During Halloween, Squid Game costume sales grew highly in popularity. Many schools even banned the costumes due to their violent origin, and many kids played the unsettling games at recess.
Although presently Squid Game has taken over worldwide media, it is not the only Korean-born concept to make it big. Another thing that has had a wide stream effect is Korean beauty standards, another major media topic. People on the internet are seen chasing these different face masks, gels, and creams to achieve this “glass” skin look that is popular in South Korea. There is also Korean makeup, not to be confused with the similar Chinese makeup style, 抖音(Douyin), popularized in China by an app similar to TikTok. Standard Korean makeup consists of big doe-ish eyes with long-ish eyelashes, a soft pink blush, and also a rosy glossy lip look that makes them appear soft and plush. Korean food has also gained mass popularity, with their Korean Barbecue(KBBQ), Korean Fried Chicken, and Korean hotdogs, which are not at all like classic American ones. Korean foods are outlined by their combinations of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors that are seen in classic Korean dishes like kimchi and ginger beef. While South Korea has made its lasting impacts on the U.S. and the world, South Koreans and the character Gi-hun from Squid Game are not the first to have played these games before.
There are many other different cultures that have affected the U.S. Almost every region in the world has had some influence on U.S. culture. The culture there is nearly just a makeup of many other cultures from different places, which is caused by the many different nationalities that live here in the United States. For example, in Texas, they’re famous for their food called Tex-Mex, which is a type of food adapted from Tejano cooking. Tejano means Texan in Spanish and refers to those related to the original settlers back in the 1800s. Tex-Mex is often interpreted as an inauthentic attempt at Mexican food, but Tex-Mex really created its own cuisine right here in Texas. The settlers brought their own culture with them, which they collaborated with Texan culture, which is why there are so many distinct differences and similarities between Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican food. So, the United States not only accepts other cultures but also collaborates with them to make their very own. South Korea even got their Korean corn dog idea from North American cuisine, took a twist on it, and made their very own corn dog, unique to them.
From Gangnam Style to “Glass” Skin, South Korea has taken American culture by storm. Their catchy songs and eye-catching films have caught the attention of not only Americans but the entire world. The makeup of the U.S. culture is similar to the over 70 different nationalities that exist here at The Village High School. The Village High School accepts all of these different cultures and they become a part of their unique community. They even celebrate the popular South Korean holiday, Pocky Day at The Village High School for their South Korean students. The addition of South Korean culture will never be forgotten at The Village School, in the U.S., or worldwide.
References:
TheSeattleTimes(October 28th, 2021), Schools are banning ‘Squid Game’ Halloween costumes as kids mimic the chilling show at recess, seattletimes.com
Medium(July 21, 2021), Tex-Mex is not Mexican, medium.com
https://cookwithcrafted.medium.com/tex-mex-is-not-mexican-b30b0672c727
