The latter is considered an element of “hard power”. If all countries had the right to influence world affairs, soft power would certainly be preferable to hard power.
Last month in Macau, we saw a clear example of how the Korean Wave is enabling South Korea to wield considerable soft power. K-pop boy band Enhypen sold out a total of three concerts. Over 32,000 people.
Enhypen’s current international tour began in Seoul in mid-2023 and has since moved to Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Singapore, Macau, and the Philippines. Macau’s enthusiastic concertgoers included fans from mainland cities such as Shanghai and Nanjing.
K-pop boy band Enhypen will hold a concert in Macau on January 26th as part of their Fate World Tour starting in July 2023. Photo: Belift Lab
Enhypen’s touring and the band’s appeal to a wide audience is an example of soft power in action. This becomes even more relevant given that these audiences are in different positions. geopolitical fault lines. If it promotes peace and prosperity through intercultural exchange and mutual appreciation, why not?
Anecdotally, I have observed many of my friends’ children develop a basic understanding. Korean, definitely comes from the popularity of K-Pop and Korean dramas. Hallyu not only brings economic benefits to the South Korean economy, but also exports more than US$10 billion of cultural content each year. It would also meaningfully support the country’s ability to navigate the volatile geopolitical waters it occupies.
In this context, the time for the Hong Kong wave has definitely arrived. It is necessary to support efforts to carve out a bright and prosperous future for cities in a difficult external environment. In this regard, while staying on the theme of pop music, let’s consider what we have learned from Hong Kong music. mirror phenomenon.
After years of social unrest and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Miller’s emergence offers Hong Kongers across political lines a rare opportunity to have something to be proud of. Truly homemade.
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Squid game drives Korean lesson boom
Squid game drives Korean lesson boom
As a former resident of South Korea, I realized that South Korea’s cultural export phenomenon is fueled by a widespread respect for its own culture among South Koreans. The mirror phenomenon reminds me of this and shows that art and culture are: potential unifier Not only is it important to Hong Kongers, but it also represents great economic potential for the city.
Further increasing the potential force multiplier effect, assuming people’s deep love for Hong Kong culture can be mobilized, are the Greater Bay Area’s more than 80 million residents, who see Hong Kong as more than just a I’m starting to see it more as a cultural curiosity than a tourist attraction. luxury shopping destination.
Nowadays, it is impossible to think of Hong Kong as a major world city in Asia. Comparison with Singapore. Although both have downplayed the concept of rivalry, the comparison is instructive given the growing importance of soft power in the current geopolitical landscape and the relevance of culture and the creative arts to this.
There’s a reason Singapore has invested heavily in its mega-event economy. Without this, there is an argument to be made that a country lacks authentic cultural appeal that is truly homegrown. Since Singapore was named one of the world’s least exciting cities in the Time Out City Life Index in 2018 and received the worst cultural rating, Singapore has invested in events such as: We have made progress. F1 race And recently, it has hosted performances by top international artists such as Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Broadway musicals. hamilton And Taylor Swift.
How Singapore’s art scene is ‘maturing’ with the growth of private shows
Hong Kong is obviously different from Singapore. These differences give Hong Kong a competitive advantage in terms of cultural appeal. The city has an authentic, homegrown cultural appeal through a rich, cosmopolitan mix of traditional, contemporary and gritty, and is surrounded by spectacular scenery. Masu. Mountain and sea environment.
Much of Hong Kong’s population is represented by the Kowloon district, which is rustic, unsophisticated, and very local. These enchanting places display ancient traditions in their daily commerce and other enchanting daily life. For this reason, Hong Kong is much more similar to South Korea, a major exporter of domestic culture, than to Singapore, which primarily imports cultural content to maintain its appeal.
The bottom line is that homegrown culture and creative arts offer great opportunities for Hong Kong’s reputation and economy, as well as being a unifier within the country.
Building a wave of Hong Kong culture can be achieved through artistic entrepreneurship through private sector investment, partnerships with appropriate learning institutions, and a philanthropic sector ecosystem that thinks beyond the creative arts of the elite, with an emphasis on emerging grassroots support. We need to develop a family spirit. Artistic talent in the city.
Damian Green is a Hong Kong-based financial services executive and founder of StudioKT, a creative arts social enterprise in Hong Kong.
