With rise of Korean wave, being Korean means something different than it did decade ago

Watching Saturday’s BTS concert in Seoul — and speaking with the group’s fandom, ARMY, who converged in the historic Gwanghwamun Square from across the globe — unexpectedly took me back to a decade ago, when being Korean abroad meant something different than it does today. Between 2014 and 2015, I worked in Australia for a year to save money for travel. I spent another year traveling through 24 countries, mainly in Latin America. Back then, few could have imagined people from around the world would fly to Seoul to see a Korean artist. Having crossed continents where the Korean wave was already a phenomenon and some where it was virtually unknown, I came to understand how a country’s cultural standing shapes what it means to be from there. The Korean wave, or “hallyu,” had yet to make its mark in Australia at the time. Being Korean was hardly an advantage there. I still remember washing dishes when a coworker asked if my country ate dogs and if I had ever tried one. (Of course, I also remember all the Aussies who welcomed me, Brisbane’s blue skies and the outback sunsets of the

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