[Graphic News] 7 in 10 overseas have favorable view of Korean culture

Seven in 10 foreign nationals view South Korea’s cultural content favorably, with K-pop remaining the country’s most culturally representative aspect for the ninth consecutive year, a government study showed.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the International Exchange and Cultural Promotion Institute surveyed 274,000 people across 30 countries who have experienced Korean culture.

Overall, 69.7 percent expressed interest in Korean cultural content, with respondents in Southeast Asia showing particularly strong enthusiasm. The Philippines recorded the highest level of favorability at 87 percent, followed by India, Indonesia and Thailand.

K-pop has retained the top spot among Korea’s representative cultural image for nearly a decade, followed by Korean food (12.1 percent), TV dramas (9.5 percent), beauty services (6.2 percent) and cinema (5.9 percent).