The Hallyu wave is taking over worldwide. Even with and especially before there were social media and internet channels like YouTube, how do Korean entertainment management companies, spread the wave, and guarantee global impact?

SM Entertainment, for example, has been debuting artist and splitting groups for different Asian regions; since debuting CSHJ The Grace in China before having them debut in Korea, then fast forward to now where having their already established Korea artist like BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior and in recent years, Girls' Generation, SHINee and f(x) make their debuts in Japan. Success outside of Korea, even in Japan where there now exists a vibrant Hallyu wave culture is tough. These artists sometimes have to spend up to a whole year just in promotions. But they seem to have a magic formula, not just in Japan, but elsewhere.

Companies, like SM Entertainment, have conquered the Hallyu wave by splitting up their groups. For example, 12 (sometimes 13, sometimes 15) member band Super Junior is split and marketed for different audiences giving rise to the Super Junior M sub-unit. Similarly, SM's EXO uses the same strategy, by debuting the entire group into two sub-units, EXO-K and EXO-M. In the case of Super Junior-M you have a subgroup that can promote while the main group isn't but allowing you to target a different audience. With EXO-K and EXO-M, both groups debuted at the same time both in Korea and China. A unique variable that contributes to the success of these groups in other territories is the addition of or having members who are natives of the areas in which they promote, therefore having members that can fluently speak the language. Having a native speaker or a native member allows fans to be able to better identify with the group.

In Korea, of the biggest advantages that acts have is the fact that they get to appear on variety shows. Such programs are places where they get to show part of their personality, even having shows that follow their everyday lives. When we see them in this light they become more relatable --guys and girls we see ourselves in, yet perfect enough to allow us to swoon over them. The Hallyu wave is even further fostered through weekend music shows where we get to watch our favorite acts perform constantly. Radio shows that are streamed live, online, even having some of your favorite idols as hosts are another way to stay visible and relevant. Hallyu has given rise to new avenues of visibility, marketing K-Pop artists in different ways to the point we see them on dramas, advertisements, group concerts taking place all over the world, you basically see them everywhere.

What does that mean for an artist trying to break into the American market? Psy showed that you don't really need to start off with heavy promotions in order to have a massive successful hit on your hands. It is just important to main focus, to break into and mesh into a place where there is no variety show or music shows specifically created to showcase your music nearly every day. How is one supposed to promote in the US, when you can't really be seen much in a place where TV ratings still count as a big thing? It becomes even important then to become more visible in the right channels - appealing to the right audience, adjusting the image as needed.

The US, and likely other Westernized countries, is not much into a fandom culture, and expecting this kind of fandom welcome may yield discouragement. In the US, concept, content, and confidence are important. For the most part, succeeding can be a game of luck. Ask any random Hollywood star and they confirm this to be true. Korean entertainment companies really need to branch out and take a shot, without looking into guarantees of success. It can be a Psy story, wherein someone who is simply a rapper and not even at the top of Hallyu, becomes a chameleon dressed in a suit horse-galloping into the psyche of the American audience. Or, it can be a Girls Generation story, wherein nine fashionable and talented ladies rocks the boat first at home and everywhere near it, enough to send waves reaching the United States.

It will not hurt to try. Just like any marketing campaign, it's difficult to know what will work and what won't. As much as K-pop may want audiences to understand and appreciate them despite language barriers, Korean entertainment needs to work harder to be approachable and to be relatable. Having members who can be good spokespeople by being fluent speakers and immersing in a global culture is a good start. In the US and everywhere else, it's not really about numbers or sold-out shows, but about having people identify with the group. In conquering the world, Hallyu wave is not only about K-pop, but rather about the world.

Writer: Kayla J. | Photo Credit: KpopStarz