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K-dramas, K-pop are top contributors to Korea's reputation, survey shows

Published: 01 Sep. 2025, 20:41 Updated: 02 Sep. 2025, 17:06

YOON SO-YEON
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Tourists dressed in hanbok, or as traditional Korean dress, take selfies at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on March 3, the last day of the three-day weekend to marking the March 1 Independence Movement holiday. [NEWS1]

K-dramas, K-films and K-pop have helped Korea build a better image among foreigners, but clashes between extreme ideologies have countered those efforts, according to a recent survey.

Both foreigners and Koreans chose the global popularity of Korean dramas and films as the No. 1 contributor to the country's reputation, according to a survey released by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) on Monday.

The survey, which took place between Aug. 11 and Sunday, of 406 interviewees — 203 Korean and 203 foreign — mainly asked participants their thoughts on the factors that influenced people's perceptions of Korea and Korean culture.

According to the survey, 93.1 percent of Korean participants and 95.1 percent of foreigners chose the popularity of Korean dramas and films as the No. 1 contributor to a better Korean image. It was followed by K-pop artists' global tours and promotions, which 67.5 percent of Koreans and 58.6 percent of foreigners chose. Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature came in third, chosen by 15.2 percent of Koreans and 18.2 of foreigners.

Koreans and foreigners also saw eye to eye on what made Koreans look bad: 79.8 percent of Koreans and 80.8 percent of foreigners answered that clashes between extreme ideologies — displayed through gender conflicts, political division and generational disparity — deteriorated Korea's image. The two groups also agreed that social conflicts — 41.9 percent of Koreans and 30.1 percent of foreigners — were the second factor, followed by an overly competitive culture that leads to stress, chosen by 29.1 percent of Koreans and 27.1 percent of foreigners.

Interviewees also answered that Korean dramas and films being distributed through streaming services will help Korea's image rise further on the global stage. When asked what element of K-culture will best appeal to the world, both Koreans and foreigners chose a fusion of tradition, future, Korean and global aspects such as AI-generated traditional gugak music.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]