Do good things ever come to an end?

When Korea was riding the Hallyu “high,” the Korean government and private agencies capitalized on the burgeoning foreign interest by offering everything from celebrity paraphernalia to tour packages. Among the wide array of product tools offered to the international community, it is the tour packages that have been frequently cited as a strong measure of the “real” increase in Korean culture – as prompted by the success of Korean media exports abroad. Indeed, even the Korea Tourism Organization devoted substantial resources to set up what is admittedly a very comprehensive and detailed site covering the entire Korean entertainment industry with offers on travel packages within Korea (www.hellohallyu.com).

Although Yahoo recently featured the expansion of Hallyu into the realms of the US, it is only fair to investigate the Korean momentum within the very region that sparked its ascension. Recently, the Choson Ilbo featured a rather harsh article on the apparent decline in Hallyu in Asia specifically. In the article, “Tourist Figures Show Korean Wave Receding,” the author writes that“...most powerful wave will recede once it has crashed on the beach, and the Korean Wave is no exception” (Choson Ilbo, 3/23/2006). As mentioned previously, tourism is usually regarded the strongest benchmark of cultural interest. In the halcyon days of Hallyu in late 2004, the number of foreign tourists from Asia peaked at almost 600, 000, with almost half of them from Japan (Remember that it was Japan that launched the Korean Wave in Asia). However, as of January 2006, tourism statistics have dipped a new low. The number of Japanese tourists visiting Korea stood at 145,788 this January, the lowest for two years and 100,000 less than the crest of 248,435 in October 2004. The similar trend is observed in statistics for tourists from other Asian countries – sinking to 236,000 in January 2006 from a peak of 346,000 in October 2004.

Can a mere dip in tourist numbers represent a decline in interests? Probably not. Researchers cite the increased financial expenses transmitted to tourists due to the increased performance fees, which in some cases are more than twice of what they were 2 years ago. Also, Korean dramas have somewhat failed to recapture the huge success of “Winter Sonata.” “Winter Sonata” travel packages catered to over 1000 Japanese tourists each month between mid-2004 and mid-2005, but the figure has dipped to a mere 50, with very possible termination of such offerings in the near future. One can argue that “Winter Sonata” is old material and fans have moved on. Plausible, but the recent offering, “Daejanggeum,” is also treated with lackluster support. The “Daejanggem” tours attract around 100 Japanese tourists each month. A star-meet event featuring Lee Young-ae and organized for fans of “Daejanggeum” attracted only 200 takers, less than half of the people estimated by the organizing agency. Kwon Sang-Woo’s star appearance June 2005 produced an entirely different response – 1000 tickets were sold out within three days. Probably a reference to differing star qualities? Maybe, but the numbers are worthy of a more detailed discussion.

But the apparent decline is heavily focused on Japan – and rightly so. Japan launched the Korean Wave with crazed Japanese female fans spreading a newfound appreciation for Korean culture and media. The decline in interest within Japan can be viewed as the beginnings of a slowdown of interest in Hallyu. As the author admits, “Japan, first to fall to an unprecedented craze for Korean soap opera, is also [the] first to recover.”

In a different article, reporter Hazel Yong articulates the K-craze vs. J-mania rivalry in Singapore (“Face Off,” The Straits Times, 3/26/2006). Although admittedly Hallyu is attempting to overthrow the decades-long supremacy of J-pop, there is still strong residues and longing for the familiar Japanese culture. As Dr. Shim Doobo, an assistant professor in Communications and New Media Programme, explains, “Just like after parting with a person you love, some tender feelings will still remain.”

Although Japan’s role in determining popular culture has admittedly faded in recent times, it is still very involved in the popular culture movement. Japanese fans launched the Korean craze, and with an apparent decline of interest these days, would fans elsewhere follow suit? Only time will tell.

- ARC