If you’ve ever wondered why K-dramas, K-pop, and Korean culture have taken over your screen—and your heart—you’re not alone. The global Korean Wave (Hallyu) has become a cultural powerhouse, but behind its meteoric rise is something even more powerful: women.
The Rise of the Female Gaze
According to the 2023 Analysis of Global Hallyu Status [1], one of the key reasons Hallyu went global was because it created a market that had been neglected by mainstream entertainment: women. At Stanford University’s 20th Anniversary Korean Studies Conference, scholars explained that Hallyu “spread across the world because it created a market through the ‘female gaze’ that did not exist before.” For decades, women—especially young women—were marginalized in global media. Hallyu flipped the script, making female viewers the center of the story.
Angela Killoren, CEO of CJ ENM America, summed it up perfectly when she said that Hollywood content was “very male gaze-driven,” often focusing on “How sexy are the girls” and “How bad-boy am I?” But K-dramas and K-pop offered something new: “female consumers have been able to satisfy new emotions, such as romance, that they could not feel before.” And this emotional resonance has sparked fandom even in traditionally conservative cultures, including parts of the Middle East.
Female Universalism: A Global Bond
Over 90% of Hallyu fandom is made up of women. And it’s not just about fangirling over actors (though let’s be honest, we do plenty of that too). The report introduces the term female universalism—a shared experience among women worldwide. Whether you're watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo, The Glory, or Dae Jang Geum, the stories resonate because they show women overcoming challenges, navigating discrimination, and finding strength in community.
These dramas reflect universal struggles—from gender inequality to generational oppression—and offer a kind of emotional catharsis. As the report explains, many women watching these dramas are "relieving gender melancholy," a term that captures the frustration and sorrow that comes from structural discrimination. Even women from vastly different cultures, like Palestinian viewers of Dae Jang Geum, found themselves crying at stories set in a completely different time and place. That emotional connection is powerful—and healing.
Girl Groups Leading the Way
It’s not just K-dramas that are reshaping the global narrative. K-pop girl groups are breaking records and boundaries. BLACKPINK, for example, has more than 92 million YouTube subscribers and shattered records with the release of “Pink Venom.” NewJeans became the first female K-pop group to top the Billboard World Albums chart for seven straight weeks, and Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” hit #1 on Billboard’s Global Exclusive U.S. chart—an unprecedented feat for a debut song.
While the military enlistment of BTS has temporarily shifted focus, girl groups like BLACKPINK, NewJeans, aespa, and LE SSERAFIM are keeping K-pop momentum strong and redefining what global pop can look and sound like—from a female-led perspective.
Hallyu as Cultural Capital
For many fans, especially young American women, Hallyu isn't just entertainment—it’s a form of cultural aspiration. As the report notes, fans are studying Korean, enrolling in universities in Seoul, moving abroad, starting families, and living out their dreams inspired by what they saw on screen. “For Hallyu fans,” the report states, “acquiring this new Hallyu cultural capital is the highest level of self-realization.”
Even the tourism industry has responded. Listings on Airbnb now commonly advertise “female guests only,” especially in areas popular with Hallyu tourists. Food, fashion, and beauty—core components of the Hallyu lifestyle—reflect the preferences of its overwhelmingly female fanbase.
More Than Fandom—It’s a Movement
Ultimately, Hallyu isn’t just about K-dramas or catchy choruses. It’s about hope, love, and community. According to a New York Times keyword analysis of Hallyu-related articles in 2023, the words most associated with why people “like” Hallyu are hope, love, family, and learning. The people most drawn to this content? Young, American women.
So, the next time someone asks you why you’re so into Korean dramas, you can tell them: “It’s not just about entertainment. It’s about being seen.”
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[1] Source: 2023 Analysis of Global Hallyu Status, Korean Foundation