Soft Power, Popular Culture, and Diplomacy in the South Korean Context

This article examines how the South Korean government has utilized its popular culture to strengthen its soft power, how this relates to its longstanding tradition of instrumentalizing culture, and how such an approach can be understood in neighboring countries. As long as culture is understood as a significant political instrument for foreign governments and citizens, excessive use of culture to increase its political presence in other countries may provoke backlash. This article suggests that countries should exercise caution when using culture to promote international awareness, seeking mutually beneficial cultural exchanges through public institutions instead of viewing culture as a means of influencing the country's political and economic presence abroad.