The Korean Wave: Its Meaning and How It Is Affecting Asian American College Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 2:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Division J - Section 1: College Student Learning and Development in College and Beyond Roundtable 2 (Table 7)

Abstract

Korean pop culture is shaping youth in the U.S. as well as around the world. The rise in consumption of Korean pop culture around the world and the speed and volume of its transnational and global flows is known as Hallyu, or the Korean Wave (Park, 2004). In this study, I examined Asian American college students’ perceptions of the Korean Wave and their consumption of Korean pop culture (e.g., K-Drama, K-pop music). I found that the Korean Wave impacted Asian America college students in three areas: 1) academic experiences, 2) ethnic identity as Asian Americans or members of various ethnic communities (e.g., Filipino American), and 3) community building on and beyond college campuses.

Author

• Victoria Kim, University of Texas - San Antonio