How pop culture went multipolar

Fears that globalisation would lead to a worldwide monoculture have proven utterly wrong

Oct 6th 2022|Paris and Seoul

Throngs descended on the Jamsil Arena in Seoul, the South Korean capital, in July to see Super Junior, a band that exemplifies the “Korean Wave”. The crowd reflected the global reach of k-pop. Melonie was visiting from Ecuador. When asked about her “bias”, the term fans use to discuss which band member is their favourite, she pulled her top aside to reveal a tattoo of the name of the group’s leader, Leeteuk, on her chest. Karen, from Peru, is doing a master’s degree in South Korea. She thinks she likes Super Junior even more than she likes Korea itself.

This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “How pop culture went multipolar”