Culture Study Podcast What's Behind All The BIG KOREAN POP CULTURE ENERGY
Dec 10, 2025
Amy Choi, writer and co-founder of The Mashup Americans, dives into the vibrant world of Korean pop culture. She explains the cultural phenomenon of 'Big Korean Energy' and its recent explosion in the West. The conversation touches on Korean literature’s rise in American book clubs, the nuances of K-beauty, and the careful political undertones of the Hallyu wave. They also navigate the complexities of cultural appropriation in fandom, arguing that dressing as K-pop characters isn’t equivalent to yellowface, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse perspectives.
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Parasite Opened Western Doors
- Parasite's Oscar win gave Korean media legitimacy in Western eyes and helped open doors for wider Korean cultural consumption.
- Amy Choi notes that this legitimization made American audiences more eager to praise even middling Korean works.
Mediocrity As Cultural Acceptance
- Celebration of Korean culture now includes mediocre and mid-tier products, which signals normalization not just exceptionalism.
- Amy Choi argues that being allowed to be "mediocre" is itself a form of cultural victory and acceptance.
K-Beauty's Slow International Rise
- K-beauty grew over decades; Western visibility surged in the 2010s though premium Korean products existed earlier.
- Amy Choi notes K-beauty is labeled as such only outside Korea and its innovations predate Western copies.
