EASTERN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

BECAMEX BUSINESS SCHOOL

The challenges of soft power

in South Korea
Course: UNIV 236 - Korea People and Place

Lecturer: Ms. Hang Le

Prepared by: Penthouse

No. Name IRN Email

1 Đoàn Thanh Dỹ 1932309006 dy.doan.bbs19@eiu.edu.vn

2 Võ Thị Thanh Trúc 2032300472 truc.vothithanh.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

3 Đỗ Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ Dung 2032300029 dung.donguyen.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

4 Trần Thuỷ Trúc 2032300221 truc.tran.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

5 Nguyễn Thị Như Quỳnh 2032300174 quynh.nguyenthi.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

6 Huỳnh Minh Khôi 1832300415 khoi.huynhminh.bbs18@eiu.edu.vn

7 Ngô Nguyên Ngọc 2032300130 ngoc.ngo.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

8 Dương Hồ Mỹ Tiên 1932300417 tien.duonghomy.bbs19@eiu.edu.vn

9 Đinh Ngọc Minh Châu 2032300257 chau.dinhngoc.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

10 Nguyễn Thành Long 2032300105 long.nguyen.bbs20@eiu.edu.vn

Date of Submission: 19/06/2022

Quarter 3, 2021-2022

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Abstract

This paper is primarily concerned with the many obstacles that South Korean soft power
encounters. South Korea, for your information, is an Asian country that has gained great soft
power in recent years, thanks to the Hallyu movement. Through our study, we will highlight
some of the challenges that Korea's soft power faces, as well as provide possible solutions to
the issues raised. As a result of our understanding of the South Korean situation, we are about
to provide recommendations for other countries to adopt in optimising their soft power.

Keyword
Korea | Soft Power | Challenges | Solutions | Lessons

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction 4
1. Overview 4
2. The Korean wave 5
3. How can Korea benefit from the “Korean wave” from other countries? 6
II. Current Situation 7
1. Political Values & Foreign policy 7
a. A new middle power 7
b. The national interests of traditional and new global players 7
c. The long-term goals of public diplomacy 8
2. Culture 9
a. South-Korean & Chinese conflicts 10
b. The ubiquitous of Korean entertainment 11
III. Solutions 12
1. Political values & Foreign policies 12
a. Korea - China diplomatic relations 12
b. Last frontier - North Korea 13
c. Korea - Japan diplomatic relations 14
d. Calls for boycott of Japan grow in South Korea 14
e. The wave of anti-feminism broke out in Korea 15
f. The long-term of education’s public diplomacy 15
3. Culture 16
a. Conflict between China and Korea 16
b. The problem of K-pop and K-drama addiction 16
c. Conflicts between children and parents 17
d. The phenomenon of “copycat” suicides 18
e. Symptoms of eating disorders in adolescents 19
IV. Lessons 20
1. Political values & Foreign policies 20
2. Culture 22
V. Conclusion 24
References 26

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I. Introduction

1. Overview

This research paper is conducted on the definition related to power. According to Nye,
J. S. (2004), “Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of others to get the outcomes one
wants.” By using powers, you can force them with threats; you can give them money, or you
can attract them by your value mentioned in the book “Soft power, the means to success in
world politics”. There are 3 types of powers: military, economic, and soft power.

source: soft power, the means to success in world politics

The first one is Military Power, this power shows that a country's power is based on its
military influence. For example, America has military power, because they have very strong
military forces, so they can use it to make other countries scared of them, and have to support
America's Economic Power illustrates that a country with more economic ability will be more
powerful. For example, China is a very economically powerful country, because they are rich,
and they have an economy to buy, sell and produce, so without China, other countries,
especially their partner countries may be affected negatively.

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Based on their characteristics, it is easy to recognize that both Economic Power and
Military Power are Hard Powers because they are coercion or bribery. In contrast, the main
term of this paper: Soft Power has the opposite characteristic.

The definition of Soft Power by Joseph S. Nye Jr.: “ It is the ability to get what you
want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a
country's culture, political ideals, and policies. “. He coined the term "soft power" to reflect
the ability to attract and persuade without coercion or bribery.

Having reviewed the aforementioned research papers, it is clear that Soft Power is very
important, particularly in the modern day. By using Soft Power, a country can successfully
attract other countries to follow them, cooperate with them, and bring benefits to this country.
This country can implement its soft power by the attraction of its culture, cuisines, and so on.
For example, Korea is a country that has a strong Soft Power over Vietnam and many other
countries around the world. Korea has built a very rich cultural and entertainment industry,
their culture and its entertainment products are present everywhere around the world. By
effectively using Soft Power, other countries know more about Korea and cooperate with
them, and also respect them more, especially making Korea richer. However, this country has
to face many challenges related to Soft Power.

2. The Korean wave

The phenomenon known as the "Hallyu" or "Korean wave" initially arose in 1992,
following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the
People's Republic of China. From 1992 to 1997, several Korean films and television series
were broadcast on Chinese television. Since the beginning of the airing of the show "Seoul
Music Agency" in Beijing in 1997, Korean music, particularly dance music, has grown in
popularity among young people. In 2009, J. Nye characterized this phenomenon as follows:
“... in the late 1990s saw the rise of “Hallyu,” or “the Korean wave” – the growing popularity
of all things Korean, from fashion and film to music and cuisine. As a result, South Korea is
beginning to design a foreign policy that will allow it to play a larger role in the international
institutions and networks that will be essential to global governance” (Nye, 2009). The
"Korean wave" has also helped to strengthen diplomatic ties between the Republic of Korea
and other countries.

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3. How can Korea benefit from the “Korean wave” from other countries?

In the countries where the Korean Waves are welcomed, the Korean government may
try to spread Korean ways of living so that the consumers of the target countries can
habitually consume Korean cultural goods and services. By spreading Korean costumes and
cultures, Korea can export their goods more and more, ranking in the top 7 in 2021. And
following the data, the 2 most potential markets were China (with 25%) and Vietnam (with
9%) in total Korean exports. The figure shows how we are being influenced by the Korean
wave which benefits Korea a lot.

Leading export countries worldwide in 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars) & top 2 markets import
the most Korean goods

(Szmigiera, 2022), (OEC, n.d.)

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II. Current Situation

The main components of "soft power" are political values, foreign policy, and culture
(Pershina, 2017).

1. Political Values & Foreign policy

a. A new middle power

With its leadership diplomacy, South Korea has emerged as a new middle power that
plays a vital role in a wide variety of critical global issues while also supporting the liberal
international order. Even though regional challenges will continue to demand significant
foreign policy resources, such as time, human resources, and budget, South Korea's
middle-power orientation in foreign policy behavior and strategy, for example,
multilateralism, the rule of law, and the promotion of cooperation and compromise—will
remain in place.

South Korea is a medium power not just in global governance but also in the East
Asian area, which gives reason for confidence. Even on the most pressing foreign policy issue
of the day, North Korea's nuclear weapons, the South has accepted the issue's regionalization
and, over time, its position as a middle state. Rather than employing and strengthening
unilateral alternatives such as military or significant economic aid, it has depended on the
middle power approach of organizing international pressure on the North.

However, in order to fully fulfill the promise and potential of middle power diplomacy,
South Korea must make significant efforts to remove institutional barriers to such a strategy.

b. The national interests of traditional and new global players

A recent study on "soft power" indicates that "soft power is today a key instrument for
many countries to influence the political process in countries of their interest since the
political process allows forming the government and public opinion that will promote the
implementation of the national interests of both traditional and new global players” (Ivanov,
2016).

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Its internationalization in the face of increasing globalization and worldwide economic
rivalry. Political values and foreign policies are crucial to Korea's current public diplomacy
objective of assuring policy awareness.

It is important for Korea to uphold democratic, liberal, and coherent political values,
both at home and abroad if it seeks credibility and aspires to be a model nation (Nye, 2004).
Korea's foreign policies must thus reflect these political values.

The current political crisis that resulted in President Park Geun-impeachment Hye's has
given Korea an excellent chance to strengthen its credentials as a robust liberal democracy.

Korea has ensured that its public diplomacy practices mirror current developments in
the sector and academics in a relatively short period of time.

Korea's political values have received little international criticism or challenge.

However, given Korea's rising global significance and its obligations as a significant player,
greater attention will be paid to Korea's integrity, behavior, and political ideals, both at home
and abroad.

c. The long-term goals of public diplomacy

Including (i) building relationships and (ii) management based on genuine dialogue
(Fitzpatrick, 2007; Gilboa, 2008; Leonard, Stead, & Smewing, 2002; Nye, 2004).

All public diplomacy projects, including cultural or intellectual exchanges, should

incorporate these objectives. Simply appreciating Korean culture or food is insufficient, and
public diplomacy may not be sustainable in the absence of meaningful ties and conversation.

Promoting Korean studies is not only vital but also one of the most crucial long-term
investments the Korean government could make. Despite the fact that it is more convenient,
less expensive, and probably more successful, international education policies in general, and
the Global Korea Scholarship in particular, have never been merged with the development of
Korean Studies. Foreign students find it tempting to study in Korea on government
scholarships; the MOE is in charge of assuring their enrollment and providing them with a
decent education.

The Ministry of Justice (MJ) guarantees that:

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● Students receive their student visas and, if needed, restricted part-time job
permits.

● The MOFA must also ensure that foreign students‘ experience of Korea is
worthwhile as their own accounts of their experience, word-of-mouth, are both
significant and arguably one of the most credible sources for other foreign
students (Berger, 2016).

● Furthermore, international students learn about Korea not just in courses but
also through living and experiencing the Korean way of life. For these reasons,
international students in Korea may be most suited to gaining proficiency in
Korean subjects.

However, existing international education policies and the scholarship program in

Korea do not acknowledge the importance and potential of foreign students in expanding
Korean Studies across the world, because it has not been the responsibility of educational
institutions to do so.

2. Culture

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a. South-Korean & Chinese conflicts

The Korean Wave is projected to improve South Korea's soft power, allowing for easier
access to global consumer markets. However:

● The Korean Wave has faced and fostered tremendous hostility in China. Some of the
biggest challenges have been caused by eruptions of keyboard violence between
Chinese and South Korean consumers (Maliangkay, 2021) when Chinese consumers
have banned or slammed South Korean products that they claim show insensitivity to,
or willful ignorance of, history, politics, or culture

● The growing presence of South Korean celebrities in Chinese marketing initiatives is

expected to increase the number of such conflicts.

Intellectual property, particularly intangible heritage, is one area where South Korea can
rely on third-party mediation in its conflicts with China. Despite its objective to foster an
appreciation for "cultural variety and human ingenuity," UNESCO's List of Intangible
Cultural Heritage has seen a lot of competition.

● Since 2009, South Korea has fought China, Japan, and North Korea for recognition of
cultural products that are comparable. A few listings that formerly served to define the
successful applicant nation are now serving to define the successful applicant nation.

Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye said in his landmark 1990 paper, in which he
created the phrase "soft power," that if a country's "culture and ideas are appealing, others
would more gladly follow, so:

● " BTS' catchy songs have adolescents all over the world singing along, yet neither
Squid Game nor Parasite reflect a culture that others would want to imitate. Both are
gloomy portrayals of current South Korea's wealth disparities. The down-on-their-luck
protagonists in Squid Game battle to the death for a chance to earn 45.6 billion won
($39 million). The losers' organs are extracted for sale on the underground market
after they are slain in a series of progressively horrific contests modeled on children's
games. The program is Netflix Inc.'s greatest series launch yet, with over 111 million
views in its first month. (Webb, 2021)

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b. The ubiquitous of Korean entertainment

The Korean entertainment industry is unique because it blends parts of traditional Asian
culture with Western society, allowing us to discuss its hybrid character. Korean pop culture is
intriguing because of its distinctive character, and this mix is the secret to its popularity.
Korean culture has been gradually acquiring international recognition since the 1990s.
However:

● Nowadays a lot of teenagers are addicted to K-pop, K-drama, and all things that have
connected to Korea. According to DramaFever, while its user base is made up mostly
of women of color, a huge chunk of them are white females. About 43% of their
female audiences were white, 27% Latino, 24% Asian, and 17% black. They are
equally hot on video streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix.

● In an interview with NBC News, Yuh explained that “structural factors that facilitate
global consumption”, mainly the internet, have given Korean dramas a way to reach a
global audience. Korean dramas make some people love Korean culture more than
their own culture. As a result, many teenagers nowadays tend to sacrifice their time for
sleep, communication, family bonding, and school stuff just to watch Korean.

● Korean dramas successfully create emotional connections with viewers. Characters are
developed and brought through trials and tribulations in such a way that the audience
relates to the characters and feels the same emotions. The cliffhanger endings of
nearly every episode leave viewers squirming till the next episode can resolve the
conflict. The tension is built up so expertly that it is more emotionally resonant when
the main couple finally holds hands halfway through the series than when a full-blown
bedroom scene happens in an American series.

● Some scenes in Korean dramas are dangerous to watch by children or teenagers. For
example in kiss scenes, so in that way, they need parental guidance.

● In a worse case, K-pop not only leads to conflicts between children and parents but
also contributes to tragic consequences. As can be seen in newspapers, recently, it is
not rare that parents kill their own child not just because they are “not as good as
Oppa” but mostly because they are too diíappointed

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To sum up, K-pop itself is not bad but its influences are causing worrying troubles for
teenagers in particular and society in general. Health problems and poor performance at
school are serious consequences. Experts state that young people with high social anxiety,
poor communication skills and who cannot establish healthy friendships may be more
affected and harmed by such movements. However, more importantly, K-pop threatens to
destroy close-knit relationships between children and parents.

III. Solutions

1. Political values & Foreign policies

a. Korea - China diplomatic relations

After a performer at the opening ceremony wore Hanbok - a traditional Korean outfit, to
symbolise China's diverse ethnic groups, China was accused of cultural appropriation. The
outpouring of criticism began with South Korean social media users; however, it is not the
first time that China has been charged. These individuals claim that China is attempting to
establish that several cultural characteristics of Korea originate in China. Aside from that, the
most notable event came in 2020, when Li Ziqi, a Chinese woman, documented the process of
cooking a "fermented vegetable" dish from her hometown and posted it on Youtube. "The
mouthpiece of the CCP Global Times" claims that China has "taken the lead" in developing a
universal standard for "paocai" after the dish was approved by the Worldwide Organisation
for Standardisation (ISO). They contested China's claim to the international standard for
China's kimchi sector. (Beijing Olympics, 2022)

Cooperation between the two countries is critical in this situation to defuse the debate
that is brewing on social networking platforms. However, Korea must affirm its culture,
which it did admirably when the Chinese embassy in Seoul stated that their people have the
right to wear Hanbok because the southern part of the North Korean peninsula shares their
origins and culture, and the Korean presidential candidate wrote a post saying, "Don't covet
(our) culture. Oppose cultural appropriation.” (Beijing Olympics, 2022). Apart from declaring
its national culture, Korea should preserve diplomatic relations with China and use its soft
power to promote and disseminate Korean culture to other nations. It might be said that
employing soft power, particularly Hallyu, is the most efficient and effective means to
promote and affirm Korean culture across all nations.

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In another address, BTS's leader, singer RM, claimed that South Korea and the United
States had a "painful past" during the 1950-1953 war when the two countries fought side by
side. His remarks, however, infuriated Chinese social media users, as Beijing backed North
Korea in the conflict. The uproar was so intense that major firms like Samsung Electronics
and Hyundai Motor were compelled to remove BTS-themed merchandise and ads from their
Chinese websites. (Post, n.d.)

Many people believe that "stop politicising K-pop" because listeners would try to frame
it with nationalism as a result of the preceding occurrence. It is clear that Korea must keep its
culture and politics distinct in order to avoid difficulties in its diplomacy and economic
progress with China. The crucial thing is that culture should fulfil its highest aim, which is to
foster cross-cultural encounters by bridging language and historical divides. Artists and
influencers should focus their careers on promoting and expanding culture rather than
overreacting to or causing controversy with specific remarks unless they are connected to
racism, sex, or ethical concerns.

b. Last frontier - North Korea

Thanks to “Gangnam Style” and subsequently BTS, Korean culture became popular all
over the world. However, it appears that this wave seems to be difficult to promote strongly in
North Korea. Indeed, Korea's culture has infiltrated that final frontier, but gaining the
influence or "soft power" those other countries have will be challenging. North Korean leader
Kim Jong-un, for example, has referred to K-pop as an "evil disease" in the new culture war.
He claims that South Korean music (K-pop) and films degrade young North Koreans'
appearance, hairdo, speech, and conduct and that South Korean films would force North
Korea to "collapse." Accordingly, anyone who views or owns Korean films or K-pop videos
may face a term of 5-10 years in prison. (Sang-Hun, 2021)

It demonstrates that Korean culture is rapidly evolving, and North Korea is concerned
about the impact of soft power. It is true that the relationship between South and North Korea
cannot be excellent right now, and in the near future, they can only keep it at a level of peace
and avoid "war." This has proved that Hallyu is helping to disseminate Korean culture. Artists
should continue to promote Korean culture through favourable representations in order to
obtain objective global recognition. Simultaneously, they should pick viewpoints to create
Hallyu culture in a unique way, allowing it to properly reflect Korean culture in the most

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original way possible. Moreover, influential Koreans, on the other hand, should not exhibit or
speak about contentious matters that might exacerbate tensions between the two nations.

c. Korea - Japan diplomatic relations

The degree of dependency between South Korea and Japan in terms of economic and
security arrangements has been enormous since the restoration of diplomatic ties between the
two nations in 1965. However, regular trips to Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese leaders tarnished
that bond. For 2.5 million Japanese people, Yasukuni became a sanctuary of remembering and
adoration, including individuals who joined fascist forces and 14 war criminals during World
War II. This infuriated a lot of people, including the whole Korean people and the government
(Seo, 2021). It is clear that the historical aspect is a major roadblock for leaders seeking unity
and peace. This inconsistency is a "tough matter" that both Japan and Korea must reconcile
and resolve. In the face of regional geopolitical dangers and similar interests, however, the US
will perform admirably in its duty as the "connection" between Korea and Japan, since the US
is a powerful country with strong ties to both of them. The two nations, Japan and Korea,
should have stronger and more important interests in the future.

d. Calls for boycott of Japan grow in South Korea

Due to heated wartime forced labour compensation issues between US allies, Tokyo
prohibits the shipping of high-tech materials to South Korea. This has sparked a surge of
demands to boycott Japanese goods, with the "Boycott Japan movement" becoming one of the
most popular search phrases on Naver, Korea's leading internet search engine. This is bad for
all parties, and if the trade carries on, they will all pay the repercussions. As a result, both
Korea and Japan should find a method to improve their relationship so that Japan can
continue to supply Korea with commodities (Calls, 2019). A third party should be present to
fix this situation. Despite the fact that Korea and Japan do not have an alliance pact, the
United States serves as a mediator. The US has the potential to de-escalate tensions in the
Korean-Japanese relationship for the greater good. Importantly, Korea should work to lessen
its reliance on Japan for electronic components so that it may become more self-sufficient in
the manufacturing process, and Korean technological businesses should test products as soon
as possible. Alternatives to Japanese items that might be used.

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e. The wave of anti-feminism broke out in Korea

Most young Korean males still believe that it is men who are threatened and
disenfranchised in the country, not women. As a result, an anti-feminist wave erupted in
Korea. Last year, GS25, one of South Korea's major convenience store chains, was threatened
with a boycott for advertising a finger with the thumb and forefinger close together, a sign
that was rejected. Many Korean males regard their genital size as a source of ridicule. As a
result, any company that advertises with fingers clinging to something, such as a credit card
or a coffee can, is characterised as "despising men." It might be asserted that politics is not
immune to the anti-feminist wave's effect.

This is the moment for the government to employ force to fully resolve the various
issues that have erupted in Korea. Protests that threaten national security should be controlled
by the government. Besides, the authorities should deal harshly with leaders because they are
using soft power to lure and persuade others to do their bidding. The most crucial factor is
that the government responds quickly to the public's concerns and provides the best possible
solution. This should also be a step toward actual gender equality in Korea.

f. The long-term of education’s public diplomacy

The Public Diplomacy Committee, on the other hand, has proclaimed that the
promotion of Korean studies is an important public diplomacy priority. As a result, the
Committee must guarantee that investments (or sunk costs?) of international students in Korea
are aligned with goals relevant to Korean Studies. Furthermore, the MOE's (or National
Institute for Foreign Education Department) and MJ's (or Immigration Office) international
student regulations should be consistent with the Committee's aims for the advancement of
Korean Studies. After all, Korea is the ideal place to study Korean. Developing and
promoting Korean studies in Korea is both inexpensive and extremely valuable. This is not to
say that Korean studies should not be pushed outside of Korea. Indeed, developing this area
internationally has virtues and should be pursued with greater vigour.

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3. Culture

a. Conflict between China and Korea

It is true that China is a lucrative market for Korean groups, actors, and singers. In the
year 2016, the Korean entertainment industry, or K-biz received an extremely large amount of
revenue from the Chinese market. We can see that this is a market that Korea does not want to
give up. However, due to the ban, the two countries could not exchange cultures, causing
many disagreements and controversies. Although Korea can no longer attack the Chinese
market directly as before, it can attack indirectly by taking a detour as follows:

Firstly, the Korean government should use diplomacy to soften the relationship between
the two countries, and at the same time exchange through other aspects such as tourism.
Secondly, the authorities need to strictly manage network security, and censor posts on all
social platforms strictly to avoid cases that cause conflicts and disagreements between the two
countries. Last but not least, netizens' comments should also be controlled so as not to cause
unnecessary controversies, thereby softening the relationship of both sides.

b. The problem of K-pop and K-drama addiction

These days, Korean movies and Korean music have long become a craze, storming
across Asia and spreading globally. It is highly entertaining, creating a dream of a pink love
for young people, or the beautiful outlooks ofKorean actors and groups, positive energy from
catchy music. Since then, this addiction for many young people makes them unable to stop,
creating unfortunate consequences for the future. We can reduce this situation in several ways.
Firstly, parents should take care of their children more seriously. They should spend more
time talking with kids, having fun, and establishing a good relationship with them so that they
do not focus too much on watching Korean movies or listening to K-pop and have more time
with family. In addition, children should participate in outdoor activities such as traveling,
spend more time playing with friends, and experience new exciting activities to dominate and
minimise time watching K-pop and K-drama. Besides,, the Ministry of Culture should release
many movies or music with positive content to propagate and inspire efforts to achieve
success in life or talk about the joys of life in our surrounding world. Finally, Korea should
consider creating power in a positive way by taking advantage of soft power thanks to idols,
celebrities by advising young people to study and strive to live better instead of spending too
much. time for K-Pop and K-drama.

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c. Conflicts between children and parents

In recent years, the Kpop madness phenomenon has also reached its peak, when many
young people have become "legends" and "hogs" with ridiculous actions such as kissing idols'
seats, crying at the airport when they do not meet their idols,...Moreover, a girl who is a fan of
a Korean girl group, just because her parents reminded her to focus on her studies, went
online to curse her parents mercilessly. Sadly, this is not an isolated case. If you go to Google
to search for the phrase "Kpop crazy", it will yield millions of results. In this case, we offer
some solutions:

Firstly, parents should communicate, love, make their children respect, and above all
become their idols, become someone they trust, and open their hearts to share everything
about their life. From there, parents will understand their children, and know what their
children think, thereby finding ways to prevent negative phenomena in the first place.
Children should participate in many activities and have new interests to always have a balance
in life. For example, many children today only know how to study, do not know what to do,
are not equipped with necessary skills for life, are easily affected by external attractive
factors, and thus do not know how to distinguish and choose to admire any idol as a
movement. Last but not least, when a child shows signs of being infatuated with an idol,
parents try not to criticise, scold, or become an enemy of the child. Parents should broaden
their child's interests and hobbies, and at the same time distract them so that they don't just
spend all their time with idols. For example, parents let their children approach successful
people in terms of personality, education, and bravery in life, not just flashy looks. As a
consequence, young people will have a more positive impression of their heroes, leading to
the appropriate activities and behaviours.

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d. The phenomenon of “copycat” suicides

Seoul (South Korea) is reeling from the latest wave of suicides by famous actors and
singers. Famous cases can lead to cases of imitation despite government efforts to prevent
people from taking their own lives. Previous studies have shown that celebrity suicide (those
with adults in society/entertainment) increases the number of suicides and suicide attempts
due to media over-reporting. and spread information about celebrity suicide methods. The
modelling effect, also known as the Werther effect, has an impact on the broader public when
celebrities commit themselves. Vulnerable individuals may view suicide as an acceptable
solution to personal problems, based on their interpretations of media broadcasts and thus
apply the using of suicide. For example, Koreans sometimes commit suicide as a way of
protesting, apologizing, or solving a problem. Another reason is the strong prejudice against
mental illness, which makes it difficult for people to seek medical care.

Suicide is not uncommon in South Korea. The country has the highest suicide rate
among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. According
to the OECD, the suicide rate per 100,000 people is 24.6. This is more than double the
average among member states and much higher than Japan's 15.2. The high rate cannot be
attributed to a single factor, but structural changes in Korean society played a role. There has
been a proliferation of nuclear families since the 1990s, and more and more elderly people
live alone. The rate of increase has outstripped efforts to build a social safety net. The suicide

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rate among the elderly exceeds 50 per 100,000. Although a meta-analysis of 419 cases from
55 studies found that celebrity suicides were 5.27 times more likely to produce a mimic effect
than non-celebrity suicides.

In order to prevent this phenomenon from happening more and more widely, parents
should pay attention to and monitor the psychological formation and development of their
children. If there is a difference in their status and emotions, they must provide timely
solutions such as confiding and overcoming them, if it is too serious, go to a psychologist for
the best support. As mentioned above, besides spreading positivity to the audience by
encouraging and motivating movies, the Ministry of Culture needs to prevent the transmission
of negative news (about celebrities).

As it stands, Korea is managing and censoring entertainment products very well.

Specifically, BTS's new album "Proof" did not pass the censorship round of KBS. The song
"Run BTS, Born Singer" is said to have vulgar and vulgar lyrics. The rest of the song Proof
'For Youth' was reviewed not for profanity but because the first 30 seconds of the video had
no lyrics and dub and was created using the sound effects of the concerts which are too
excessive. The K-pop band was informed two days before the album's release that two of their
songs would not be broadcast on state television.

e. Symptoms of eating disorders in adolescents

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In today's constantly body-conscious media, celebrities are often presented in a way that
provides narrow definitions of demanding beauty. Images of 'perfect' and unimaginably
attractive celebrities are all around us, from billboards to store windows to social media like
Instagram. In addition to the standards that determine beauty such as white skin, a V-line face,
and 2 m eyes, the factor that makes the perfect beauty that Korean young people always want
is to have a body "with a crane with a shell". Therefore, in order to have a great body like
celebrities, many young people have thrown themselves into sports (gym, boxing), followed
an enzyme diet, used weight loss pills, and weight loss sticks are commonly used methods.
Moreover, young people also apply "hell" weight loss methods such as: eat-in and then
vomiting right away, or just eating green vegetables, bananas, and chicken breast for a long
time continuously,... An online study of adolescent health at the Korea Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in 2014 showed that 45.1% of adolescent girls and 23.1% of men are
experiencing extreme diets. 18.8% of women bought weight loss pills and laxatives to
maintain a slim figure. To limit this problem, schools and parents have the responsibility to
educate their children to care about nutrition, a healthy diet, and enough nutrients to have a
balanced and healthy body. In particular, it is necessary to help them realize the dangerous
effects of a wrong diet or rapid weight loss not through exercise. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper
also said that in order to look like an idol, many girlfriends diet too much, making them weak
and severely undernourished. This seriously affects the physical quality of the young
population in Korea today.

IV. Lessons

1. Political values & Foreign policies

It can be said that the implementation of policies through building a strategy for
reconstruction, economic development, and national brand by the Korean Government has
shown the country's vision of the role of soft power in the national construction and
development strategy. The achieved results have been proving the success of Korea's strategy
of promoting soft power, contributing to affirming the value of a country's identity in the
global competition. Therefore, other countries need to understand that they should have a
strategic vision from a very early age, properly appreciating the role of soft power in national
synergy and having high internal consistency and consistency; promoting and implementing
the strategy of building soft power in the long term, creating close and effective coordination
and linkage of all resources. Furthermore, identifying the development of an export-oriented

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cultural industry as one of the focuses in the long-term development strategy can also bring
the huge advantages from the soft power and last but not least, acknowledging the role of
information and communication technology in building soft power (Nguyen, 2020).

A good case in point, one of the goals of Korea's foreign economic policies is to expand
international markets for exports, including FDI toward Korea, and attract more tourists from
other countries to Korea. Therefore, the demand for creating markets for Korean goods and
services increases not only through direct ways but also through indirect methods, especially
through soft power strategies such as superior justification and persuasion, goodwill and
attractiveness, morality, and the power of human resources. Therefore, they make efforts to
attract the attention of many developing countries by asking for expert advice on how to
develop their economies and political systems. To be specific, Korea actually sends the
consulting teams to visit the developing countries, and then these Teams will try to make
contact with influential leaders, opinion makers, and businessmen who are willing to listen to
the advice of the Korean team. As a result, the Korean consulting teams can develop a
systematic and consistent strategy to link Korea’s economy with the economy that they are
advising in order to create a specific kind of international division of labor and consumer
markets that can bring a huge advantage to the Korean economy. Moreover, apart from the
government, Korean leading companies (Chaebols) also make significant contributions to
various social responsibility programs that connect with other nations around the world to not
only develop their business but also create a huge benefit for the economic growth of Korea.
To illustrate, Samsung Electronics has established engineering academies in South Africa,
Nigeria, and Kenya to contribute to the upbringing of talented young people from the local
population in this area. Hyundai Motor has enacted projects to improve transport
infrastructure in India. POSCO builds housing homes for the homeless in Vietnam and
Mongolia. Daewoo supports the education of children with limited social opportunities in
Peru (Lale, 2020).

For instance, The UK can certainly learn a great deal from the strategic approach South
Korea continues to take toward promoting itself on the world stage. South Korea’s
government works closely with business, the media, and academics to set its soft power
priorities, while the UK has strong creativity and applied design. So through scientific and
technological collaboration, the two countries can support each other in digital and advanced
manufacturing. Besides, in education, South Korean schools are keen to cooperate with the

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United Kingdom to improve their teachers' and students' intercultural skills, as well as build a
better curriculum and method for creative education. A convergence of ideas on the role of
the university in the community between South Korea and the United Kingdom in Higher
Education. Meanwhile, current collaborations in high-value applied research in health,
technology, and science will be maintained, with support from both the private and public
sectors. Last but not least, the UK has an opportunity to employ the growing number of South
Koreans who are favorable to the UK in order to enhance trade, raise the UK's market share of
Koreans studying abroad, facilitate research collaboration, and boost the success of the UK's
creative industries.

Besides, if you are the center of attraction, meaning that more and more people are
being attracted to you, then you can have a significant influence on these people. However,
you have to have a close connection to them to achieve your own goals. In the real case, in
order to achieve their own targets by the influence of soft power, the country influencing has
to be closer to the target countries, but the number of the targets could be many. So,
controlling is necessary. Therefore and firstly, forming connections consistently to make sure
they are under control, foreign policies to make credibility and boost the relationship between
them. For example, exchange students or attract the studies of the country to drive the
influence.

Prioritizing the integrity, behavior, and political ideals internally to ensure the positive
images. Meanwhile, building positive pictures of the whole of society also goes along with
constructing the quality of the community. If other countries implement and drive the soft
power as Kore has been doing, more policy to control the suicide rate for example or about
domestic unstable issues, because that issue makes negative sense when spreading out over
the world, reducing the impact of soft power in the own country. Guaranteeing that the society
is stably under control when considering soft power application, ensuring security in terms of
policies value and economy.

2. Culture

Hallyu spread to the Asian country in the early twenty-first century with a string of
small-screen blockbusters like Winter Sonata, Autumn Heart, Meteor Garden,... Aside from
television, Korean music also became a phenomenon in the late 1980s and early 1990s,
conquering various Asian markets like China, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, and lastly

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Southeast Asian countries. 21st century, including well-known Korean groups like DBSK,
Super Junior, and Big Bang… And now are 3rd generation young groups such as BTS,
BlackPink, and others. Therefore, it can clearly be seen that Korea's soft power has benefited
from the influence of movies, music, and periodicals around the world. The fusion of
elements of Korean national culture with global trends has aided in raising Korea's profile in
the minds of the international community. That means other countries can learn from the
encouragement of how Korea collaborated between their governments, residents, and the
whole entertainment industry.

Obviously, the success of K-pop does not happen by accident. It is a product of the
South Korean government’s effective implementation of macroeconomic growth theory which
focuses on developing three key elements – physical capital, human capital, and technology –
to achieve maximum growth in its music industry (Soesmanto, 2018). With the understanding
of the improvement of the nation’s image and cultural influence through the entertainment
industry, the Korean government decided to pour millions of dollars into establishing a
ministry of culture with a specific department devoted to K-pop. To be more detailed, in
fostering human capital, three major recording labels – SM, YG, and JYP Entertainment –
have been at the forefront of developing K-pop idols. Moreover, the training not only covers
singing and dancing but also lessons in foreign languages and public speaking. Besides,
technology also plays an important role in supporting K-pop’s growth. Every corner of public
places in Seoul has free Wi-Fi. This makes streaming K-pop songs and videos easy, and thus
enhances the popularity of K-pop music and concert sales. Furthermore, South Korea is the
world’s leader in multimedia technologies. Hologram and virtual reality concerts, where fans
can digitally interact with their K-pop idols, have been used as an alternative to live
performances (Korea Herald, 2015).

For example, Indonesia is one of the countries attempting to export its entertainment
business to the rest of the world. After President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo took office in 2014,
the government launched Bekraf, a creative economy division, to assist the growth of a
variety of creative businesses, including gastronomy, fashion, art, and music. In March 2018,
Indonesia held the first national music conference. The event brought together various
stakeholders and the government for an in-depth discussion on the opportunities and
challenges of Indonesia’s music industry. The conference formulated 12 action plans. One of
these emphasizes the improvement of the welfare of Indonesian musicians (Soesmanto,

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2018). Given its huge potential, Indonesia can learn from South Korea in exploring strategies
to grow its music industry and turn it into a global sensation. As a result, Indonesia would
benefit from more government funding to develop the human resources, physical capital, and
technology of its music industry. A strategic expansion to distribute Indonesian music to
neighboring Southeast Asian nations would also be a worthwhile venture.

In the end, this global cultural phenomenon improves South Korea’s branding image. It
creates a huge spill-over effect for Korea’s other industries, particularly tourism and
manufacturing. A study from the University of London estimated that South Korea has seen a
return of $5 for every $1 spent on K-pop – not only from music but also from its role in
selling other Korean products like Samsung phones and LG televisions (Kirk, 2016).

V. Conclusion

The term "Soft Power" reflects the nation’s ability to attract and persuade without
coercion or bribery. A country with more Soft Power will attract other countries and gain
more benefits from them. Korea has successfully used Soft Power to promote its culture, its
entertainment industry, and so on around the world.

The "Hallyu" or "Korean wave" initially arose in 1992, following the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China. From
1992 to 1997, several Korean films and television series were broadcast on Chinese
television. The Korean government may aim to spread Korean lifestyles in places where the
Korean Waves are welcomed, the target nations' customers can purchase Korean cultural
goods and services on a regular basis.

The Korean wave, specifically the Korean movies and entertainment industry, is all the
rage these days. With the power from that wave, Korea has gained great achievement and
potential position compared to other nations. Apart from spreading its unique cultural
features, Korea can also expand its diplomatic relations with other countries, especially the
United States. Moreover, in the near future, this soft power will help Korea achieve economic
growth through export promotion and then raise its status in the world.

However, in this journey, Korea has faced many challenges from diplomatic
relationships with other countries to the political aspect. Governments and corporations alike
may harness their potential and maximize the advantages that policies and initiatives can help

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accomplish by knowing how their country is regarded. Soft power's current situation,
influence, and importance are indescribable.

Korea must be adaptable in dealing with the problems provided by soft power in various
scenarios. They should manage them carefully, avoiding solutions that might undermine
Korean soft power and contribute to international disputes.

Besides, it is easy to see a common feature that all-important Korean strategies are
international integration, so the world's assessment and reaction to Korea play a very
important role. In addition, the great national spirit, self-reliance, ambition, determination,
and consensus of both the Korean Government and the people are key factors for the
development and implementation of strategies, which become a real lesson for other countries
around the world to absorb to enhance the attractiveness and image of the country further
through active domestic and foreign policies, in line with the inevitable trend of the world.

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