Created by the V&A Museum in London, Hallyu! The Korean Wave will make its final appearance in the U.S. at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. The exhibit invites attendees to explore South Korea’s meteoric rise from a country ravaged by war in the mid 1950s to the mighty cultural powerhouse it is known as today.
Before entering the main exhibit area, visitors are greeted with a large screen playing Psy’s “Gangnam Style” which took the world by storm in 2012 and served as many people’s first introduction to Korean pop culture. Before diving into the country’s cultural exports, a dimly lit hallway offers historical context that shaped South Korea and its foundation for hallyu, from living through the Korean War in the 1950s, standing on the international stage as a democratic country and host of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games to recovering from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis through the country’s rapid reskilling to focus on IT. Fittingly, at the end of the hallway is a brightly lit finger heart LED sign, a hand gesture popularized by Korean celebrities.
Installation view of Hallyu! The Korean Wave, at the Asian Art Museum, 2024. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Photograph by Kevin Candland
The exhibit is divided into segments that focus on different aspects of Korean pop culture: K-drama and film, K-pop music, K-beauty, and K-fashion. The top highlight of the exhibit is the recreation of Parasite’s iconic bathroom in the Kim family’s semi-basement flat, which was done in collaboration with the original set designer. For this installation, the Asian Art Museum worked with the Parasite music composer, Jung Jae-Il, to feature the film’s music when visitors walk into the installation. The museum also extended the ceilings and sides so that attendees can feel more immersed in the scene.
Other highlights include the hall of K-pop lightsticks that show off the creative and unique ways that the Korean music industry has given fans to represent themselves and show support for their favorite K-pop idols. Also, there are interactive elements from futuristic photo ops with a ceiling camera photo to K-pop dance challenge area that stitches together all the footage to showcase all participants dancing to Psy’s “That That.”
For the uninitiated, the diehard fans, and everyone in between, Hallyu! The Korean Wave is a delightful look into the fun and fascinating world of Korean pop culture.
Tickets are available at the Asian Art Museum, and the exhibit will run through January 6, 2025.
