Hallyu’s media hybridization: a case study of a Korean series remake for Thai audiences

Abstract

Korean culture has currently spread to many countries and benefited both the economy and society, but it also has the potential to integrate with those cultures. Hallyu is centered to the export of cultural products in order to further the spread of its culture throughout the world. Thailand is one of the countries that has been influenced by Hallyu, and the impact on Thai television has not exemplified cultural imperialism but hybridization. Hallyu, on the other hand, is not a single direction, but a composite of mixed and local reconstructions. Korean media imports are also incorporated into the local. Certain media companies have begun purchasing the copy rights to popular South Korean dramas. They have been adapted to incorporate elements of Thai culture. The entire cast is Thai, as is the setting, which includes changing the character's name and numerous locations in the plot to Thai. And all of the storylines are told in Thai. Additionally, while Hallyu in Thai media has faded away in favor of original TV Series, the Korean wave continues to thrive and blend in through hybrid media and other channels.