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Article Body Text<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even before South Korea and Cuba established bilateral relations earlier this year, K-pop had gained a following in the communist island.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The spread of K-pop worldwide is often characterized by the somewhat outdated term </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hallyu” </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">or the "Korean Wave," crashing into audiences in countries where Korea, or its pop culture had previously not been on the mainstream radar. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="314" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/t-pmJgIEV7A" width="560"></iframe></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a term well suited for the early 2000s in South Korea’s neighboring Asian countries, and the post Gangnam-style 2010s in Europe and the Americas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But in the current era ruled by acts like BTS and NewJeans, it is reasonable to say that the wave has already crashed everywhere it possibly could have.</span></p> <hr/> <p><strong>RELATED STORIES</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/cuba-03192024155541.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">North Koreans shocked as Cuba establishes ties with South Korea</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/nk-media-cuba-02262024000036.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">N Korea reduces Cuba coverage as its ally enhances ties with South</span></a></p> <hr/> <figure><img alt="K Pop Cuba.JPG" class="image-richtext image-inline" src="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/cuba-south-korea-kpop-k-pop-soft-culture-cultural-exchange-08012024164035.html/k-pop-cuba.jpg/@@images/cac4caf7-b2e5-46d7-a361-ebd6c1553d53.jpeg" title="K Pop Cuba.JPG"/> <figcaption>Cuban K-pop fans rehearse ahead of a festival in April 2024, in Havana, Cuba. (RFA Korean)</figcaption> </figure> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When RFA Korean traveled to Cuba to gauge reactions to Seoul and Havana redefining their relationship, they also found that K-pop – led by the likes of BTS and NewJeans – had already made inroads into the Americas’ socialist stronghold.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With no official relations between the two countries, the fanbases in Cuba developed organically, owing in large part to the open internet policy enjoyed by Cuban citizens and the government’s less stringent control over what the people can watch or listen to, a stark contrast to South Korea’s rival, socialist North Korea.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pyongyang has often touted its relationship with Havana as that of two socialist brethren bound by an ongoing struggle against U.S. imperialism. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Cuba’s new relationship with South Korea may have North Korean officials bristling, many in Cuba welcome warmer ties with the South and like the crash of the Korean Wave years ago, they see it as a completely natural development.</span></p>
Content TypeText
LanguageEnglish
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
RightsRFA Korean
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateAugust 13, 2024 15:36 EDT
BylineBy Eugene Whong for RFA
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
