- The Korea Herald
- Dec. 29, 2004
- By Yang Sung-jin
The cultural phenomenon known as hallyu or the "Korean wave" left an indelible mark throughout Asia in 2004, fanning optimism about the country's potential as a culture powerhouse. Unfortunately, the domestic entertainment industry failed to revive itself due to the nation's economic slump.
No name in the Korean wave came close to the mesmerizing power of Bae Yong-joon. His simple gestures made numerous Japanese middle-aged women swoon, faint and cry. A recent photo exhibition featuring his images in Korea and Japan drew unprecedented media coverage.
Other Korean hallyu stars were well received among Asians, who suddenly discovered the charm of Korean pop culture, especially TV dramas, movies and music. The popularity fanned the first annual increase in foreign tourists in six years, most of them from Japan, and splashed Korea's image across Asia.
But some pop culture analysts in Japan - where icons appear and disappear quickly - suggested that the Korean culture frenzy might be short-lived.
The fad depends too much on a small number of hunky heartthrobs like Bae, and unless the country comes up with something that can last for a longer period, the craze might fizzle out as quickly as it heated up, critics said.
In a meeting with reporters, Culture and Tourism Minister Chung Dong-chea agreed. "Unless we have a solid and healthy domestic market, we cannot truly promote the hallyu in overseas markets," Chung said.
However, the Korean wave was not just heartthrobs. Another factor that inflated the pride of Koreans was the booming film industry, which boasts a wider variety of high-quality works and talented directors.
From the very beginning of the year, Korea's silver screen was awash with locally produced hit films.
Korean blockbusters "Silmido" and "Taegukgi" sold more than 10 million tickets, respectively, breaking previous box office records. Both featured top-rated actors and used seasoned cinematographic techniques, garnering rave reviews from critics and earning record profits.
For the domestic market, even cash-rich Hollywood production houses struggled to guard their positions in the face of the giddy ascent of Korean movies.
The share of Korean films has been hovering at about 60 percent, which is nothing if not a feat, considering the huge capacity of Hollywood rivals.
On the artistic front, Korean filmmakers got awards in the world's major film festivals like Cannes, Berlin and Venice. "Renaissance" is a buzzword used to describe the Korean movie industry's current strength of high-spirited directors and seasoned actors.
The musical industry proved its commercial viability, solidifying its position as one of the most favored entertainment genres in Korea. The influx of Broadway imports and adaptations helped the market grow at brisk pace and expand the audience base. In contrast, original Korean musicals and pure dramas suffered greatly, hurt by the economic downturn and a dearth of audiences.
The sluggish economy also undercut the performing arts scene, though major centers ventured to present a roster of top international artists. The most memorable performances of the year included those by vocalists Bryn Terfel and Ian Bostridge, two of the biggest names in classical singing today.
Another memorable moment came in September when British rock legend Elton John made his Korean debut at Olympic Stadium, wowing a full capacity crowd of mostly middle-aged women.
In the art sector, large-scale biennales garnered the spotlight. The Busan Biennale kicked off the string of international art events in Korea, opening May 22 with its sculpture exhibition and ending in October with its Sea Festival.
The Gwangju Biennale in the capital of South Jeolla Province caused a stir in art circles with its "viewer-participant" system, where "non-professional art spectators" and artists worked together to create the exhibition works.
Korea's galleries and museums organized special exhibitions to show off their best works to members of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) attending the general conference in Seoul.
K-pop, however, suffered from deep regression this year, in a sharp contrast to the booming film and TV dramas.
Among the few survivors are either newcomers such as dancing quintet Dongbangsingi and ballad singer Tei or R&B or hip-hop singers, including Wheesung. Demonstrating the play-it-safe mentality, a horde of singers rushed to release remake albums.
The publication industry also suffered a serious setback as consumers trimmed budgets for purchasing books. Even children's books, traditionally a haven from economic cycles, saw sales decline drastically.
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