ABSTRACT: The Korean Wave (Hallyu) has become one of South Korea’s most influential soft power assets, significantly enhancing the country’s cultural presence and diplomatic engagement across Southeast Asia. While previous studies have primarily examined the popularity and socio-cultural impacts of Hallyu, limited attention has been devoted to the strategic mechanisms through which the South Korean government has institutionalized Hallyu as an instrument of cultural diplomacy in the region. This study aims to analyze the key strategies underlying the implementation of Hallyu within South Korea’s cultural diplomacy toward Southeast Asia during the early twenty-first century.
Employing a qualitative research approach, the study draws upon document analysis of government reports, policy documents, statistical data, and existing academic literature on Hallyu, cultural diplomacy, and soft power. The analysis identifies four interrelated strategic dimensions: (1) comprehensive government support through policy and institutional frameworks; (2) the utilization of digital media and communication technologies to expand transnational cultural dissemination; (3) the integration of cultural diplomacy with economic and educational cooperation; and (4) the hybridization of traditional Korean cultural values with contemporary popular culture to enhance global appeal.
The findings demonstrate that Hallyu is not merely a market-driven cultural phenomenon but a state-supported diplomatic strategy that integrates public institutions, cultural industries, digital platforms, and international partnerships. These coordinated strategies have strengthened South Korea’s soft power, improved its national image, expanded cultural and educational exchanges, and deepened economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. The study contributes to the literature on cultural diplomacy by providing a comprehensive analytical framework for understanding how popular culture can be strategically institutionalized as a foreign policy instrument and offers insights into the evolving role of soft power in regional diplomacy.
Keywords: Hallyu; cultural diplomacy; soft power; South Korea; Southeast Asia; digital media; public diplomacy; cultural policy.