K-POP Meets Politics: How Lee Jae-myung Plans to Supercharge K-Culture

● What if the next era of K-POP isn’t just shaped by idols and fans — but by politics, too?

 

With Lee Jae-myung emerging as a leading presidential candidate, his bold cultural policy has become a major talking point across the K-culture community.

 “We will open a 300 trillion won market and reach 50 trillion won in cultural exports by 2030.”
— Lee Jae-myung, April 2025

 

이재명, 문화예술 분야 공약 발표 “문화 수출 50조원 시대 열겠다”

 

 

 

● Timeline of K-Culture: From "Hallyu" to Global K-POP

• Late 1990s: The term "Hallyu" (Korean Wave) is coined by Chinese journalists, referencing the growing popularity of Korean dramas like What is Love.
• 2000s: K-Drama and K-POP spread across Asia; BoA and TVXQ break into Japan and China.
• 2012: PSY's Gangnam Style goes viral globally.
• 2010s: BTS, EXO, TWICE lead the global K-POP explosion.
• 2021: Squid Game becomes Netflix’s most-watched series ever.
• 2025: K-Content becomes a national strategic industry.

● K-POP: At the Heart of the Global Korean Wave

• 1st Generation: H.O.T, S.E.S
• 2nd Gen: TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, BIGBANG
• 3rd Gen: EXO, BTS, TWICE
• 4th Gen: BLACKPINK, NewJeans, Stray Kids

Source: Melon Music

🎧 Today, K-POP is no longer just a music genre—it’s a cultural force.
Digital platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok have connected global fans, forming vibrant fan communities that transcend borders.

 

● What’s in Lee Jae-myung’s Cultural Policy? Cultural Growth Goals

• Expand K-content market to 300 trillion KRW by 2030
• Achieve 50 trillion KRW in annual cultural exports

▶ Full Support for Content Creation

• Foster K-Culture creation platforms
• Build infrastructure like virtual studios for next-gen content
• Offer systematic support across the entire pipeline—from production to global distribution

▶   Tax & Financial Incentives

• Expand tax benefits for content creators
• Increase policy-based financing and cultural R&D

▶   Special Focus: Webtoons

• Apply video-content tax incentives to webtoons
• Support translation, distribution, and global marketing
• Help SMEs (small and medium enterprises) expand overseas

 

● Why It Matters for K-POP & Global FansAnd for fans? It means:

• More global concerts
• Higher production value
• Easier access to K-content in multiple languages
• More talent entering the creative scene

• Lee’s plan shows a clear understanding: K-POP doesn’t thrive in isolation.
  It grows alongside drama, fashion, food, and digital platforms — all interconnected in the K-Culture ecosystem. These policies aim to create an environment where artists, producers, and companies can flourish together.
• Lee Jae-myung has presented a sweeping policy to elevate Korea’s cultural industries to a new global standard. Here’s what stands out:

● From “Hallyu” to a K-Culture Powerhouse

We're no longer living in the “Hallyu” era of Korean drama and pop culture.
Now, each branch—K-POP, K-Drama, K-Game, and K-Webtoons—is an industry in its own right.

K-POP becomes a long-term global staple or just a passing trend.

 

 

[K-POP Trends] G-DRAGON ‘Übermensch’TOO BAD – The King is Back!