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[Mimibecon]

class="at_title"2nd Generation Hallyu Stars Are Taking Over the Globe

By Staff Writer | March 25, 2014 03:52 AM EDT

When the first Hallyu wave travelled through Asia, the main focus was Japan. Top stars such as Lee Byung Hun, Bae Yong Joon, Song Seung Hun and Kwon Sang Woo all were wildly popular in Japan. Each fan meeting drew more than ten thousand rabid fans that would tear up just at the sight of these super stars. These days, however, the Hallyu wave doesn't travel through Japan. The new Japanese stars are actively rejecting Korean influence. As the saying goes, it seems Korea has outstayed Japan's welcome. Even singers who are immensely popular in Japan, such as KARA or Girls' Generation, are falling behind in popularity because of this recent backlash against Hallyu.

The new wave of Hallyu megastars includes Park Hae Jin, Lee Min Ho, Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Jong Suk, and Kim Woo Bin. Their popularity surpasses those first generation Hallyu stars, and instead of heading to the isolated island of Japan, they are heading into the Asian mainland - China.

It is no longer an apples-to-apples comparison between the treatment that the first generation Hallyu stars received and the treatment the second generation Hallyu stars receive. Take Park Hae Jin, for example. When he enters into China, he is treated like the international superstar that he is. His popularity stems from appearing in dramas such as "My Love from the Star". He is the first Korean to receive an "Acting Award of Excellence" by the Chinese broadcasting company. He is a regularly requested to appear in China's most popular shows.

Lee Min Ho's popularity is amazing in China, but he is most well received in the Philippines. His fan meetings draw a crowd of fifteen thousand people or more on a regular basis. His fan meeting programs are recorded and broadcasted on their most popular TV stations. One Philippine broadcaster commented, "Lee Min Ho's popularity in our country is absolute. There is an increasing amount of people who are mimicking Lee Min Ho's style, including hairstyle and even the way he talks. This almost rabid interest in Lee Min Ho is bringing with it a deep interest and appreciation of the Korean culture. "

Kim Soo Hyun's popularity is also visibly represented in the Chinese market, notably in Taiwan. In his recent visit to Taiwan, fans who gathered inside the Taiyuan Shi Airport in Taiwan numbered over five thousand people. Taiwan's TV stations covered his airport entrance live, commenting that "Kim Soo Hyun's airport entry was beautiful". He was provided with a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz to bring him to the top hotel in Taiwan, reported to cost somewhere between four to five thousand dollars for one night. Of course, all these amenities were provided by the company that invited him for an event. Kim Soo Hyun was also escorted by more than six hundred body guards and traveled via helicopter for an event in China.

Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk are the up and coming Hallyu stars who are already enjoying a high degree of popularity. Their popularity in Taiwan and Chinese is increasing more and more.

So why the sudden focus on China?

While it is true that Japan was once the holy-land as for the Korean star who wanted world-wide fame, their open and blatant rejection of stars such as Kim Tae Hee and Jang Keun Suk forced entertainment company to focus on a totally different, untested market. With the decline of Japan as an international economic force, it became clear that success in Japan is not necessarily an "international" success.

This forced many entertainment companies to sail to uncharted territories - that is, the mainland of China. However, it is not as though the Hallyu stars had to pave a way for themselves - China's entertainment industry is already eclipsing Hollywood as the biggest entertainment industry in the world. Subsequently, many Hollywood blockbuster films are heading to China first instead of Japan. China is also treating the stars differently - previous notions of faulty or shady Chinese contracts are being shattered as Chinese entertainment companies are establishing their legitimacy by treating their stars and international stars who they invited with fair pay and amenities. Top Hallyu superstars are highly compensated for their work, especially in advertising.

The question is whether this kind of popularity would last. In a country that holds over one billion people, it is difficult to say whether Hallyu stars will ever become "played out". However, as the Japanese backlash against the Korean culture showed the first generation Hallyu stars, there is always the danger of outstaying the Chinese welcome. It is imperative, therefore, for Korean stars to not look at the Asian fans and entertainment companies as "cash cows" but instead to treat them and cater to them as a part of their fan base.

The good thing is that China's meteoric rise to the top of the entertainment industry has created space for entertainment to be cultured and thrive. As China continues to industrialize, the need for entertainment will also increase, and the Hallyu stars are and will perfectly fit into that role. In a recent survey, for example, women in their 40's and 50's in China were able to find satisfaction in watching Korean men in the K-Drama's. The creativity and the romantic story line of popular K-Dramas were able to capture the hearts of many Chinese women who fantasize about such romance for themselves. This kind of syndrome is expected to continue for at least 15 more years in China. The future of Hallyu in China still looks bright. 

© 2014 KpopStarz. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/85227/20140325/2nd-generation-hallyu-stars-taking-over-globe.htm

[windupbird95]

I had to gif it.

[Guest mtdt]

1hr 45mins of NG = 122 NG

2hr 30mins of BTS = 40 BTS

6 interviews (But DM deleted 2)

2 commentary of episodes (still uploading)

Anything else?

[Guest jellylovesfaith]

I think we have a new name.... Mintrocities For all those times his stylists decided to go bonkers i bet they are like 'Hmmm Minho wasn't in the news for his outfits for a while. I know lets dress him up crazy for the day!!' 

Minho i think some of your outfits should be endangered  

[adlyn13]

@jellylovesfaith‌

Good word mintrocities.Really I l know LMH had some wacky outfits for his concerts and his role in heirs raised questions, but really this concert in Japan topped it all. And no, some of his fashion should go extinct lol

I am starting to think LMH stylists have been talking to lady gaga for fashion advice =))

[Maja]

I'd rather share this then ) )





More here : CLICK ME!

All Bumps CLAIMED! ) )

Cr Bench

PS: Outfits today are better, I hope all of them are! )

[Maja]

Sample of the outfits today! )

Bumps Claimed! )

cr as tagged

[Maja]

More of 1st concert today ) )

Bumps Claimed )

This one I'm sure goes to the awful department )

cr as tagged

[Guest Moonrain]

Thanks @Maja for today's Japan pics. Thank god! Minho probably had nightmares from his outfits last night, hence the change  ) 

[gaeingoh]

mtdt said: 1hr 45mins of NG = 122 NG

2hr 30mins of BTS = 40 BTS

6 interviews (But DM deleted 2)

2 commentary of episodes (still uploading)

Anything else?

[Guest Moonrain]

Claimed 


Can i just claim this big bump please please please @Maja? i'm begging you 


Cr: Tagged

[giselle_tw]

Japan Encore concert Day 2 

[giselle_tw]

PMZ






mamico2525

[Guest Moonrain]

Im sure by now were all immune to Minho's obsession with patterned suits so will just let this go even though i've seen this type of cloth before in our living room.




Cr: Carol

[Mimibecon]

MinHo's today ragged pants are so funny, the holes on the pants seem even bigger!!! )

credit to the owner

more pics from today concert

cr. as tagged

[Guest califgirl]

I just much prefer his airport fashion, feel like it's the real him. The ones he wore at events looked liked they were picked by his agency. The CEO of Starhaus said in an interview he got a lot of objections from the board when picking LMH because of his masculine face features when flower boys were popular in Korea. Even he was in BOF, he wasn't their 1st pick, the producers originally wanted pretty boys, not handsome. Do u think Starhause is trying to make him more feminine?  P.S.: Despite of your fashion mishaps, I still love you though, LMH!

[Guest califgirl]

Thank God there was no ugly fuzzy sweater at the 2nd concert in Japan! Still, I had to look at 1000 hot LMH's pictures to erase that horrible image out of my mind 

[Maja]

Hahaha!!! In Japan men are the ones who hug LMHot!!! (jk) ) =)) =))


cr as tagged

[Mimibecon]

wow, the bodyguard ajusshi is very cute too!!  B-) )

credit to the owner

[jaslynkpl]

Wow.... I am shocked to see the pink coat and pink long sleeves. It really screams Kim Tan. I guess the dressing is really catered to the culture in the country. I guess the stylist may have overdone it too much. Sighhhhhh. Too much of pink power!