K-drama popularity worldwide 2021

According to a survey conducted across 18 countries in late 2021, over 49 percent of respondents stated that Korean dramas (K-dramas) were very popular in their countries that year. In total, around 77 percent of respondents felt that K-dramas were generally popular even outside of dedicated fan circles.

The international rise of K-dramas

Even before the 2021 survival series "Squid Game" exploded on the international scene, K-dramas enjoyed an increase in international interest. Older K-dramas still enjoy high popularity amongst international audiences. This rise in interest has had a noticeable effect on entertainment exports, with K-drama exports having increased by over 72 percent in recent years.

K-dramas and Hallyu

Hallyu, which translates to the Korean Wave, describes the phenomenon of the rising popularity of South Korean pop culture and other cultural elements. This includes entertainment, such as K-pop and K-dramas, but also extends to other areas such as food and K-beauty. Hallyu tourism has become its own category of tourism in South Korea. Despite the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the tourism industry, around four percent of all tourists traveled to the country to partake in experiences related to K-pop or other hallyu activities. Prior to the pandemic, hallyu tourism was particularly popular amongst tourists from other Asian countries, with as many as 23.3 percent of Indonesian visitors traveling to South Korea because of hallyu.