From K-pop to Chinese Video Games: Exploring the Interplay of Soft Power Between South Korea and China

This podcast presents research findings of the China Horizons’ project on soft power between China and South Korea. Cristina Bahón Arnaiz (UAM) discusses with Mario Santander Oliván (UAM) how the two countries’ approaches to soft power have evolved from cooperation to competition, from the Korean Wave to China’s growing confidence in its cultural industries. 

The discussion also addresses how political tensions—such as the THAAD crisis and the unofficial “Korean Wave ban”—reshaped cultural exchange, and how China’s rise in gaming and digital media reflects a new phase in regional soft power dynamics.

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