ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of the Korean government, with particular emphasis on the intricate relationships between the government and the private sector; explains why the Korean government initiated the growth of the Korean Wave; and addresses whether the development of cultural industries in tandem with the Korean Wave is the result of both cooperative and conflicting relationships between the public sector—which focuses on top-down cultural policies—and the private sector, which demands neoliberal marketization. It speaks to the success of Hallyu as the outcome of efforts by the government and cultural industries to advance high-quality cultural content while also keeping the national economy afloat. In addition, this chapter articulates the soft power strategies developed by the Korean government amid the global popularity of Hallyu.
