Divergent Approaches to Disseminating Pop Culture in China and Korea

China and South Korea, two of the most influential countries in Asia, boast highly popular pop cultures that resonate both across Asia and globally. While Chinese and Korean pop culture shares similarities, there are also notable differences in their modes of dissemination. Previous studies have analyzed the dissemination of pop culture within individual countries, but there is still a research gap on the differences between these two countries. Therefore, this paper seeks to explore the variations in how pop culture spreads in China and Korea, as well as their implications. The paper adopts the methods of literature review and comparative analysis to compare the ways of popular culture dissemination in China and South Korea in terms of media platforms, marketing strategies, cultural exchanges and integration, and the roles of their respective states. The paper argues that the differences in popular culture dissemination between China and Korea mainly manifest in the following aspects: different channels and modes of dissemination, distinct definitions and scopes of popular culture, as well as variations in audiences and influences. Many factors can influence the spread of popular culture, such as social environment, technology level, and political system.