According to a 2024 survey conducted across 28 countries around the world, about ** percent of respondents stated that Korean dramas (K-dramas) were very popular in their countries that year. In total, around **** percent of respondents felt that K-dramas were generally popular even outside of dedicated fan circles. The international rise of K-dramas Even before the 2021 survival series "Squid Game" exploded on the international scene, K-dramas enjoyed an increase in international interest. Older K-dramas still enjoy high popularity amongst international audiences. This rise in interest has had a noticeable effect on entertainment exports, with K-drama exports having increased by about ** percent in recent years. K-dramas and hallyu "Hallyu", which translates to the Korean Wave, describes the phenomenon of the rising popularity of South Korean pop culture and other cultural elements. This includes entertainment, such as K-pop and K-dramas, but also extends to other areas such as food and K-beauty. Hallyu tourism has become its own category of tourism in South Korea. While during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic only about **** percent of tourists were hallyu tourists, partaking in experiences related to K-pop or other hallyu-relaed activities, by 2023 that figure had risen to ** percent. Prior to the pandemic, hallyu tourism was particularly popular amongst tourists from other Asian countries, with as many as ** percent of Filipino visitors traveling to South Korea because of hallyu.

A recent survey found that 31 percent of Indonesian consumers watch Korean content very often. The global analysis revealed that China was also shown to have a significant proportion of viewers, with 37 percent of respondents reporting that they sometimes watch Korean TV series or movies. The North American markets were the least likely to engage with K-content, with 72 percent of those surveyed from Canada and the USA never watching Korean shows or films.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in 2024, around **** percent of respondents considered K-dramas to be popular among the general public in their country. However, a similar share disagreed, saying it was only popular among fan circles.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in June 2025, the most popular TV program at the time was "For Eagle Brothers", with *** percent of respondents stating it was their favorite to watch. The K-drama "Our Unwritten Seoul" came in second, at *** percent. What’s popular on Korean TV? Korean dramas, often abbreviated to K-dramas, are among the most popular programs watched in South Korea. K-dramas have also seen global acclaim, with hits such as “Squid Game” being watched by audiences around the globe. Variety shows constitute another major genre in the television industry, proving especially popular among older generations. Drawing from the success of K-dramas and K-pop, these shows often feature prominent faces of the Korean entertainment industry in various formats from comedy to quiz shows. How do South Koreans watch TV? Despite television being increasingly accessible on smartphones and other devices via over-the-top (OTT) services, South Koreans still commonly enjoy their favorite shows via television sets. Taking advantage of the strong internet infrastructure in the country, however, viewers make increasing use of digital opportunities. With almost the entire country being online, a substantial share of South Koreans had some sort of pay TV subscription.

According to a report by Parrot Analytics, drama digital original series had **** percent of the South Korean audience demand share. This made South Korea the country with the highest demand for drama digital originals analyzed in this report.

In 2024, the sales revenue of movie theaters in South Korea amounted to approximately *** trillion South Korean won. That year, movie production in South Korea resulted in a total of *** released movies. The success of ParasiteThe South Korean movie industry is regaining attention from audiences all around the world. In the beginning of 2020, the movie "Parasite" by Bong Joon-ho won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. "Parasite" was the first non-English movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie was especially successful in Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. HallyuThe term "hallyu", literally meaning the Korean wave, refers to the popularity and success of South Korean culture around the world. While the current focus is mostly on K-pop and Korean dramas, the movie industry has been an integral part of the movement from early on. According to a government survey conducted in 2023, around ** percent of respondents stated that they perceived South Korean movies to be “very popular” in their country.

According to a global survey on the popularity of South Korean food in 2024, around **** percent of the respondents stated that the taste of Korean food was the main reason for the popularity of Korean food products and restaurants in their country. The chance to experience Korean culture and its food culture was the second most chosen answer among participants worldwide.

In 2023, the value of beauty, make-up and skin care preparations exported from South Korea was the highest for China, valued at around 2.38 billion U.S. dollars. Despite having successful domestic beauty markets in C-beauty and J-beauty, China and Japan made up two of the three leading export destinations for K-beauty. The United States placed between them, with an export value of more than one trillion dollars. K-beauty popularity boom South Korean beauty products have gained great popularity during the last years and, with that, a large consumer base. At this point, K-beauty receives praise not only by experts and consumers in South Korea but also by users globally. Thanks to Hallyu, the Korean wave, various Korean content, such as K-pop and K-dramas, have become somewhat mainstream. Additionally, social media beauty influencers have done a great deal to popularize Korean skin care and make-up products to audiences all over the world. The greatest factor for this positive perception lies in the perceived efficacy of South Korean beauty, especially for its comparably low price point. What are the most exported K-beauty products? Skin care is the base of Korean beauty. South Koreans believe that taking care of the skin first is more important to a flawless appearance and youthful look than applying make-up. This emphasis on skin care is also apparent in beauty exports as skin care recorded strong exports from South Korea throughout the years. In fact, skin care alone made up more than half of all Korean beauty exports.