ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the notion of the K—the prefix of K-everything, beyond Korean popular culture—in which scholars and global audiences alike are increasingly interested. It attempts to explain whether the K reflects Korean identities and mentalities embedded in Korean history, or whether the K represents hybrid culture—either hybrid Korean culture or hybrid foreign culture. The hybridity issue in the Korean Wave is important because it can determine whether Koreanness disappears through the hybridization process or not. The chapter then addresses the notion of the K in tandem with nationalism, particularly cultural nationalism. Finally, it considers the ways in which we understand the K in the midst of shifting media ecology and sociocultural milieu, both domestically and globally.
