The future of Korean Wave is the 'combination of entertainment and technology'!
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), the book that most accurately predicted the future of the Korean Wave!

Presenting a vision for a cultural powerhouse: What is the K-content strategy after Squid Game and BTS?
A must-read for general education students, providing a clear overview of global content and IT trends.

The Korean Wave has become a representative brand of South Korea! The Korean Wave is undoubtedly a significant cultural asset, a source of national competitiveness, and a future growth engine.
The Korean Wave, which has grown over the past 30 years based on K-content such as dramas and pop music, has achieved great success worldwide.
It is no exaggeration to say that the “Korean Wave,” which has captured the entire world’s attention, is a global cultural phenomenon representing the 21st century.
However, at the same time, there are various threats such as anti-Korean wave sentiment due to cultural differences, lack of content diversity, and fandom fatigue.
Based on this, domestic and foreign experts are raising the issue of a ‘Korean Wave crisis’ and ‘peak Korean Wave.’

Furthermore, there have been persistent criticisms that the domestic content industry's self-reliance is weakening and the ecosystem is being devastated due to excessive reliance on global streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube.
As a result, there are many concerns that this could harm the sustainability of the Korean Wave.
Cutting-edge technologies, including generative AI, are having a tremendous impact across all areas of modern society, bringing about revolutionary changes.
Generative AI is bringing about widespread and fundamental changes, particularly across the content industry.
This book poses fundamental questions such as, “Can the Korean Wave be sustainable in the age of artificial intelligence?” and, beyond sustainability, “What is the role of K-content and the Korean Wave at home and abroad?” The author visited various overseas Korean Wave sites, including Southeast Asian countries, the United States, and China, to find answers, and vividly compiles what he saw, heard, and felt.

This book is largely divided into two parts.
Chapter 1 summarizes the ‘past and present of the Korean Wave.’
This article is filled with reflective content, such as summarizing the achievements of the Korean Wave over the past 30 years, and identifying areas for improvement in government policies and content companies' strategies.
Based on this, we proposed ways to improve policies and strategies related to the Korean Wave.
Chapter 2 consists of articles that consider the ‘future of the Korean Wave.’
We considered the future of the Korean Wave, focusing on the combination of entertainment and technology (entertech), including content, and presented specific plans for what and how to do to achieve a "sustainable Korean Wave."
By personally observing CES, the world's largest IT exhibition, and SXSW, a content festival, the author provides a detailed introduction to 'global content and IT trends', suggesting the direction in which the domestic content industry and the Korean Wave should move forward.
In particular, the content summarized in this book could be used as a blueprint for content and Korean Wave policies by the Lee Jae-myung administration, which presented "realizing one of the world's top five cultural powers" as its first presidential campaign pledge.

"Entertech," the core keyword of this book, is not a passing fad, but rather a paradigm shift in the content industry, including changes in content production and production methods and final consumption methods.
The development of a new field called EnterTech and the creation of an industrial ecosystem will have a significant impact on the entire Korean Wave, beyond simply creating high added value and expanding the scope of K-content.
The next phase of the Korean Wave should be more than simply an exchange of content products; it should be an "art of relationship" that fosters deeper cultural empathy based on reflection and balance.
If the Korean Wave up to now has been a 'Korean Wave sent out,' we must shift the paradigm so that it becomes a 'Korean Wave created and enjoyed together' with Korean Wave consuming countries and local users.
Ultimately, the vision and goal of K-content and the Korean Wave should be to go beyond the "production-consumption relationship" and build a "cultural partnership" with all those around the world who love the Korean Wave.

Many people I meet in the content industry ask me this question.
“Will the Korean Wave be sustainable in the future?” This question about the future of the Korean Wave, which has been on my mind for the past several years since I left public office, inspired me to write this book.

--- From the author's 'Prologue'

While it is true that Netflix has contributed significantly to the globalization of Korean dramas and the spread of the Korean Wave, criticism has been mounting that the domestic content industry's dependence on Netflix has increased and the production sites have been devastated, with production companies' self-reliance weakening.

--- From Chapter 1, "The Globalization of the Korean Wave: The Power of Digital Media: What's Next?"

The reason for focusing on the Southeast Asian market is that, as of 2023, out of the approximately 230 million Korean Wave fans worldwide, Southeast Asia's fandom accounts for approximately 60 million, or one-quarter, of the total. This makes it the most dynamically changing market for expanding content industry exchanges with Korea while also developing its own content industry.

--- From Chapter 1, "Gosamseok's Insight"

Singapore is an attractive market for expanding the Korean Wave business, creating new and diverse business opportunities beyond simple content transactions, such as expanding co-production, attracting investment in content IP, and pioneering the entertainment technology sector that combines content and technology.

--- From Chapter 1, “A New Path for the Korean Wave as Considered in Singapore”

At the government level, close exchange and cooperation with countries accepting the Korean Wave overseas is also necessary.
In particular, it is time to consider a "co-evolution strategy" based on the Korean Wave, where all of Asia can develop together, through customized collaborations such as cooperation on developing local content industry infrastructure while sharing the historical and social context of the formation of the Korean Wave with Asian countries that are particularly keen to foster their content industries, and two-way cultural exchanges, including personnel exchanges in the content field.

--- From Chapter 1, “Is the Korean Wave in Taiwan Declining?”

The content industry has continuously grown and developed at the intersection of art, commerce, creativity, and technology.
In particular, the imagination of creators has always encountered new media and technologies, constantly expanding the horizons of expression.

--- From Chapter 2, "Entertech Trend Review: Technologies Driving Revolutionary Change in the Content Industry"

Entertech, encompassing content tech, aims to create new experiences through technology across the entire entertainment value chain, from content production to consumption, fostering an industrial ecosystem, and innovating the industry itself.

--- From Chapter 2, "Entertech Trend Review: Technologies Driving Revolutionary Change in the Content Industry"

The development of digital technology and the development of the content industry can be described as 'two sides of the same coin.'
Technology has had a profound impact on the media and content industries.
The advancement of media technology has significantly changed not only the production process and content formats, but also users' media usage behavior and ultimately the structure of the content industry.

--- From Chapter 2, “The Future of the Korean Wave: The Combination of Entertainment and Technology”

Generative AI is expected to have a significant impact on the production environment, including content creation, and the platform environment. AI is interfering not only in film and drama production, but also in the creative and production fields of music, extending beyond the realm of distribution.
The content industry cannot deny or reject the advent of the generative AI era, which is coming like a massive tsunami.
Because the combination of entertainment and technology is the 'planned future'.

--- From Chapter 2, “The Future of the Korean Wave: The Combination of Entertainment and Technology”

One of the important roles of South by Southwest (SXSW) is to explore the future of culture, society, and technology.
In addition to leading trends in content and culture, we place significant emphasis on discovering and introducing innovative ideas and technologies that will drive the future, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, and sustainable technologies.

--- From Chapter 2, “South by Southwest SXSW, the World’s Largest Content Festival”

The performance of Korean content companies at 'SXSW 2025' is significant in that it goes beyond a simple display of technological prowess and demonstrates on the world stage the new possibilities that the combination or convergence of content and technology will create in the future.
--- From Chapter 2, “South by Southwest SXSW, the World’s Largest Content Festival”

Walt Disney was not just an ordinary animator, but an innovator who actively utilized and developed technology.
Beyond simply introducing technology to the entertainment industry, he has consistently strived to leverage technology to create moving storytelling, guided by the philosophy that “technology enhances art.”
--- From Chapter 2, “How Disney Became a Global Content Empire”

The use of cutting-edge technologies, including AI and the metaverse, in the content creation and consumption sectors will not only secure leadership in content consumption platforms through immersive content creation and services, but ultimately lead to fierce competition among businesses to capture users' attention, time, and money.
--- From Chapter 2, “Five Technology Trends That Will Change the Content Industry Landscape”

The key trend in the media and entertainment sector at CES 2025 continues to be immersive, realistic and experiential content, which dominates the exhibition this year as well. Like the overall CES trend, AI has rapidly emerged as a 'mainstream' trend in the content sector.
--- From Chapter 2, “Media and Content Issues Selected by CES 2025”

As the Korean Wave spreads globally, the global expansion of K-platforms and the strengthening of platform power are urgently needed to support the power of K-content.
For a 'sustainable Korean Wave,' a competitive K-platform is not an option but a prerequisite.
--- From "Chapter 2: 'A Bold Vision for the Globalization of Native OTT' Is Needed"

(SXSW 2025 'KOCCA Session') Moderator Wen Zhang emphasized, "Ultimately, what matters is the story people want to tell, and technology is just a tool to maximize it."
The potential of K-content is maximized by actively utilizing entertainment technologies like AI, the metaverse, and streaming to continuously expand the scope of storytelling.
In this process, the most important thing is the unique approach of 'K-style', which pursues 'human resonance' while never ceasing innovation.
K-style content innovation will leave a strong impression on global audiences and become a decisive opportunity to change the landscape of the global entertainment industry.
--- From Chapter 2, “K-Content Innovation Strategy in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Era”

We must create a virtuous cycle where the development of the K-content industry leads to economic growth and enhanced national competitiveness, further elevating Korea's global standing.
Rather than a passing fad, Entertech is becoming a symbolic term signifying a paradigm shift in the content industry, including changes in content production and production methods, as well as the ultimate consumption method.
The pioneering of a new field called EnterTech and the creation of a new industrial ecosystem will have a significant impact on the entire Korean Wave, beyond simply creating high added value or expanding the scope of K-content.

--- From "Author's 'Epilogue'"