VIVIENNE.CHOW@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 02 December, 2015, 7:01am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 02 December, 2015, 10:38am
South Korean Consul General Kim Kwang-dong was initially surprised that Korean wave had a huge following in Hong Kong. Inset: A member of Big Bang. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hongkongers’ struggle for a cultural identity after the 1997 handover has given rise to the popularity of Korean pop culture in the city, according to Seoul’s top diplomat here.
But to ride on the power of cultural exports to generate economic benefits, South Korean Consul General Kim Kwang-dong said cultivating strong manufacturing industries was essential and urged the city’s leaders to consider reviving this faded sector.
Speaking on the eve of tonight’s Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) taking place in Hong Kong for the fourth time, Kim said he was initially surprised to learn that Korean wave, or hallyu in Korean, has a huge following in Hong Kong as well as mainland China.
But he figured there was a reason for that, said Kim. “I feel that Hong Kong is suffering from a cultural identity crisis after the handover,” he said, talking about his observations of the former British colony.
He noticed that Hongkongers, particularly young people, constantly questioned their roots. “They ask, are we Chinese? Or are we Chinese with a European way of thinking?”
Kim said while K-pop might be tailor-made for youngsters, the content and ideas behind Korean dramas stemmed from the country’s history and traditions, which make up the missing piece in the mainland cultural puzzle.
“Historical events like the Cultural Revolution destroyed a lot of Chinese and Oriental values,” said Kim, who was previously stationed in Beijing. “Korean dramas touch upon the deep emotional bonds among family members ... They awaken the lost Chinese or Oriental values in mainland China.”
A star-studded line-up is expected at MAMA, which will be at AsiaWorld-Expo near the airport. Hong Kong fans will meet an array of K-pop stars including f(x), Big Bang, iKON, SHINee, EXO and PSY.
English electronic pop duo Pet Shop Boys provide the international element at tonight’s MAMA. John Legend and Stevie Wonder have shared the same stage in Hong Kong in the past.
Kim said Hong Kong was a strategic spot for South Korea. He said despite being a city, Hong Kong was Korea’s third largest export market after mainland China and the US. Hong Kong is also Korea’s third biggest investment destination after the same two countries.
The city played a key role in promoting Korean culture in the region, said Kim. Just recently, Hong Kong and Korea agreed to double the quota for the working holiday scheme to 1,000 people.
“MAMA has greatly contributed to spreading Korean culture in Asia and Hong Kong has been a great platform,” said the consul general, explaining why the event is returning to the city for a fourth time.
He said the surging popularity of Korean pop culture had recently helped exports of Korean products, from skincare to food and technology products.
Kim said although culture and creative industries were high on South Korea’s national agenda, the country did not intentionally use culture to dress up the image of products made in Korea.
In the case of Hong Kong, Kim said the city once had vibrant film and Canto-pop industries in the 1980s - he cited the popularity of Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing - but it could not use the impact of its soft power to strengthen its economy.
“In Hong Kong, more than 95 per cent of GDP is derived from service industries. But in Korea, we have a strong manufacturing industry,” Kim said. According to World Bank data, around 30 per cent of Korea’s GDP last year came from manufacturing.
“I advise the [Hong Kong] government to develop manufacturing industries. Having just service industries is not enough to sustain the economy [of the city],” Kim said.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1885703/hong-kongs-post-1997-search-identity-helped-rise
