South Korea's Soft Power in the 21st century: The Role of Hallyu in International Diplomacy and Inter-Korean Relations

This research explores the evolution of South Korea’s soft power and its role as a middle power, focusing on the Korean Wave (Hallyu). Using Joseph Nye’s theories on soft power the first chapter of this research examines the concept with its resources and applications, and discusses its global expansion and criticism with few examples from West to East. In the second chapter, a more specific focus is placed in South Korea’s soft power evolution, detailing how Hallyu emerged as a form of soft power, and the role played by the state in its development. Emphasis is given to the government’s role in leveraging soft power, and the cultural policies that contributed to Hallyu’s success. The chapter further examines South Korea’s economic growth as a significant and strategic source of influence. The research also discusses the implications of Hallyu’s rise on international and inter-Korean relations with specific case studies of South Korea’s soft power in action, including the use of Hallyu in diplomacy, like the K-Pop group BTS’s partnership with UNICEF, and the influence of the K-drama Crash Landing on You in improving inter-Korean relations, showing how South Korea’s soft power extends beyond entertainment. Finally, this thesis addresses the evolving nature of soft power by examining a recent event in South Korea, where Hallyu played a significant role in political activism. Furthermore, this study provides a contemporary perspective on the changing dimension of soft power, and its potential for influencing global dynamics. In short, this research not only aims to explore soft power in its cultural products of attraction, but it also attempts to focus on its intentional political use as a strategic tool to influence global behavior and foreign policy.