Pop City - Selling of Place Using Hallyu

The famous statue of the characters from Winter Sonata on Nami Island [source]

Handprints of BTS members in Seoul (photo is my own)

Season 2 Episode 1 is about the book POP CITY: KOREAN POPULAR CULTURE AND THE SELLING OF PLACE by Youjeong Oh

Links!

• Tourism in South Korea - [Wikipdedia]

• What to know about speculation: When investors buy high-risk assets with the expectation of significant returns - [Business Insider]

• HANRYU SWEEPS EAST ASIA - How Winter Sonata is Gripping Japan - [International Communication Gazette] [PDF]

• Remembering ‘Winter Sonata,’ the start of hallyu - [Korea Herald]

• Popular Filming Locations of K-Drama Winter Sonata - [Korea Travel Post] *includes photos of what’s there for you to take your proof shot

• BTS’ Jungkook Accidentally Causes Fabric Softener to Sell Out and Immediately Regrets Right After - [hellokpop]

• SM Entertainment to build culture playground in Changwon - [Korea Herald]

• Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism - History

• Streets of 'K-beauty mecca' Myeongdong remain empty amid pandemic - [The Korea TImes]

• ‘Beyond Live’ K-Pop Concert Streaming Service Launches With SuperM, WayV, NCT Dream And NCT 127 - [Forbes]

• YG announces strategic partnership with Binance to launch NFTs business - [Yonhap]

• NFTs and cryptocurrency draw K-pop labels behind BTS, Blackpink, Twice and other groups as they seek new ways to persuade fans to part with their money - [SCMP]

• SM chief Lee Soo-man talks about online concerts, robots, avatars in future for K-pop - [Yonhap]

• South Korea is launching a metaverse-based world for ‘Hallyu’ fans - [NME]

Watch The Jewel in the Palace (대장금, Dae Jang Geum) on Viki here (regional availability may vary).

Are we ready for the next level of avatar idols? I'm not sure if I am!