ABSTRACT
The dominance of English language work on Hallyu reveals the extent to which it needs to be considered as “multi-layered and multi-directional,” to use Eun-young Jung’s words, given that it creates so many socio-cultural contacts that take “place across, beyond, and outside national and institutional boundaries." While Hallyu products, through various approved “productive, distributive and cultural processes” have become at the very least “a semi-global phenomenon,” beyond Hallyu products receive an evident lack of promotion and marketing or support with production processes. The film, The Diving Bell, itself offers a political and social “oppositional” or “counter” reading that is beyond the state-sanctioned Korean positivism implicit in much of the Hallyu cultural branding. In addition to film and television, the Korean Wave has grown to encompass a growing constellation of products, consisting of pop-music, fashion, musical theater, modern dance, literature and art, cuisine, cosmetics and other consumable goods.
