Editor’s note: This article is written by Rosalie Kim, Lead Curator of the Hallyu! The Korean Wave Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, currently displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
The Korean Wave, known as “Hallyu,” represents the explosive growth of South Korean popular culture that is reshaping the global entertainment landscape. Starting with K-dramas, cinema, and K-pop music, its influence started in Asia in the late 1990s and later went global in the mid-2000s, propelled by a tech-savvy younger audience using social media and smartphones.
From September 2022 to June 2023, the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London, launched Hallyu! The Korean Wave, an exhibition detailing the emergence of this cultural phenomenon within the context of Korea’s modern history. The exhibition highlighted the pivotal roles of fan communities and technology in its success, as well as its impact on K-beauty and fashion.
One of the highlights of the exhibition was an engaging interactive dance display developed in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture Lab. This immersive experience allowed visitors to learn the signature moves and choreography synonymous with K-pop. Participants could then join a collective K-pop dance session, immersing themselves in the dynamic and lively realm of Korean pop culture.
A mobile version of the exhibition, featuring the dance interactive element, is embarking on a global tour for the next two years, starting this week at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For those unable to visit the exhibition in person, a new interactive endeavor known as K-Pop Dance Challenge offers an opportunity to engage with K-Pop from anywhere. This entertaining experience, driven by machine learning, is a collaboration between the V&A and Google Arts & Culture.
Through the K-Pop Dance Challenge, you can follow Chung Han-byeol, a professional dancer at BB Trippin and acclaimed choreographer for K-Pop sensations like ATEEZ, Jessi, Ailee, and Wanna One. Learn iconic dance moves and star in your very own K-Pop music video set to PSY’s “That That” (prod. & feat. SUGA of BTS).
